HELENA, Mont. – The Frontier Conference has released the results of its 2026 West Division Preseason Coaches' Poll. Carroll College was selected second in the seven-team West Division.
 
Following a 2025 season that saw the Fighting Saints both host and win their first NAIA Football Championship Series game in 11 years, Carroll slots in at No. 2 on the preseason league tally – the same position in which they finished last Fall.
 
Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team in the preseason poll. First place is worth seven (7) points, second place is worth six (6) points, third place is worth five (5) points, and so on to the last place with one (1) point
 
Carroll was picked second with 30 points. The Fighting Saints finished runner-up to College of Idaho in last year's West Division standings, going 5-1 in division play and 9-3 overall.
 
Defending Frontier-West champion College of Idaho was picked as the preseason No. 1 with 36 points and six first place votes. Montana Western was selected third in the preseason poll with 27 points and received one first-place vote. Southern Oregon was picked fourth with 20 points, followed by Eastern Oregon fifth with 17 points, Arizona Christian sixth with 11 points, and Simpson (Calif.) seventh with six points.
 
The NAIA Football season officially gets underway on Thursday, August 27 as Carroll begins their season under the lights on Valley Bank Field at Nelson Stadium, hosting MSU-Northern in an inter-division non-conference game. 
 
Game time is slated for 6 p.m., and both single game and season tickets are available for purchase HERE.
 
 
2026 Frontier Conference West Division Football Coaches' Preseason Poll

Rank	Team	Points	First-Place Votes
1.	College of Idaho	36	6
2.	Carroll (Mont.)	30	—
3.	Montana Western	27	1
4.	Southern Oregon	20	—
5.	Eastern Oregon	17	—
6.	Arizona Christian	11	—
7.	Simpson (Calif.)	6	—