The Great American Conference released its 2026 preseason coaches' poll, placing SWOSU seventh, just one point behind East Central, making the Bulldogs the highest‑ranked Oklahoma team in the league.
Preseason expectations
Harding entered the poll as the unanimous favorite, receiving all 11 first‑place votes, while Ouachita Baptist followed in second place, setting the stage for a competitive conference race.
SWOSU's positioning reflects the momentum built during the 2025 season, a year in which the Bulldogs went a perfect 5‑0 against in‑state opponents and set a new program record with 2,347 rushing yards.
Head coach Andrew Rice, now in his third season, will rely on seventeen returning starters, many of whom earned All‑GAC honors, including Baylor Nash and Wyatt Rohmer, to translate that momentum into another strong campaign.
The Bulldogs open the season on the road at Arkansas Tech on Thursday, September 3, then host Harding in their home opener on Thursday, September 10, and will play six home games overall, highlighted by Homecoming against Arkansas‑Monticello on October 31 and a showdown with Northwestern Oklahoma State on November 14.
Day two of GAC Football Media Day continues on Wednesday, July 22, at FireLake Arena, where Coach Rice will be joined by Baylor Nash and Wyatt Rohmer, while GAC Commissioner Will Prewitt opens the coverage at 12:45 p.m., streamed live on the conference's YouTube channel.