WESTERVILLE, Ohio — Marietta College was selected to finish fifth in the Ohio Athletic Conference Football Preseason Coaches Poll released Friday (August 28) afternoon by the league office. The Pioneers posted a 5-5 record last fall and finished with a 3-5 OAC record.
 
Mount Union again placed atop the list as the preseason favorite to win the league championship. The Purple Raiders earned eight first place votes and 64 total points. Baldwin Wallace looked favorable to the other OAC coaches and received 54 points to get second place. Ohio Northern received the other first place vote, earning 53 points and placing third.  Heidelberg rated fourth with 43 points.
 
After starting last season strong with three consecutive wins, Marietta suffered through a four-game losing streak. The Pioneers bounced back down the stretch, taking two of their last three matchups and falling only in a hard-fought battle against Mount Union to end the year at .500 overall. Heading into 2026, the OAC coaches' preseason poll projects them to finish fifth.
 
"At the end of the day, the only polls that matter are the final polls," said new Marietta Head Football coach Tom Hinkle. "We have a lot of work to do, and we are currently only focused on Westminster. We will have 10 opportunities to write our own story."
 
The bottom portion of the poll had Muskingum (31 points) in sixth, Capital (21 points) seventh, Wilmington (18 points) eighth, and Otterbein (eight points) in ninth place.
 
Marietta opens the season at Don Drumm Stadium for a special Thursday night matchup on September 3rd. The Pioneers will battle Westminster College with kickoff set for 7 p.m.
 
The complete poll is below. First place votes are in parenthesis.
 
OAC Football Preseason Coaches Poll:
1. Mount Union — 64 (8)
2. Baldwin Wallace — 54
3. Ohio Northern — 53 (1)
4. Heidelberg — 43
5. Marietta — 32
6. Muskingum — 31
7. Capital — 21
8. Wilmington — 18
9. Otterbein — 8