2026 SAC Season Preview

August 19th, 2026 12:00am

We are barely over a week from the kickoff of the 2026 SAC football season, and I for one am ready. If there is one thing we can count on entering another South Atlantic Conference football season, it is that things will change. Especially in today's current college athletics climate. 

This offseason, however, the SAC bucked that trend in at least one notable area: there was just one head coaching change! Ashley Ingram departed Carson-Newman for VMI, and it didn't take the Eagles long to name their new guy. 2025 AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year Tyler Almond took over. Almond served as the Eagles defensive coordinator the previous two seasons. He takes over a program that has essentially played for the SAC title in each of the past two years. He's hoping that they can deliver the Eagles first SAC championship since 2009.

There is, however, one pretty significant change coming to the postseason, and I can speak for my colleagues when I say, this is going to take a bit to get used to for the generic fan. Say goodbye to the old regional ranking and selection process and hello to the NCAA Power Index, or NPI. Beginning this season, NPI will replace the regional advisory committees and provide a more objective, data-driven method for championship selections. The formula considers factors such as winning percentage, strength of schedule, home/road results and quality wins, with sport-specific adjustments possible. In other words, the numbers will do considerably more of the talking.

And that brings us to the annual challenge of trying to figure all of this out. Covering college football has never been easy, and covering Division II football may be harder than ever. Between the transfer portal, roster turnover, coaching changes and players moving from one program to another, keeping track of who is actually wearing what uniform has become a full-time job in itself. As I stated on social media, only 12 of the 60 players named in the players to watch list garnered some sort of All-American/Region/Conference recognition last year. Safe to guess 75% of the All-SAC team alone is gone. Sometimes it feels like you finish updating one roster only to discover three more names have changed before you hit save. Or having to message coaches and players to find out if they are still on campus! 

Still, that's what makes this time of year so much fun. The rosters are new, the records are 0-0, and nobody knows exactly how all the pieces will fit together. We get to enjoy the new footballs and new gear smell that enamerous us so. So, once again, let's take a look around the SAC and try to make sense of what awaits in 2026. This brief team by team breakdown is in order of the preseason SAC coaches poll, not in my predicted order of finish.

1. Wingate Bulldogs

Head Coach: Rashaan Jordan (3^rd Year as Head Coach at Wingate)

Six Players to Watch:

Xavier Jackson, WR, R-Jr., Kennesaw, Ga.

Jesse Clinesmith, TE, R-Jr., Chinquapin, N.C.

Ethan Wallace, RB, R-Jr., Tallahassee, Fla.

Brandon Perry, DB, Sr., Indian Trail, N.C.

Tyson Brown, DE, R-Jr., Rome, Ga.

Jaden White, DB, R-Sr., Flowery Branch, Ga

Five-Year Trend:

Best Case Scenario for 2026: Losing the multiple studs on offense don’t matter a lick, and Coach Jordan easily replaces that talent. ‘Dogs win 9+ games and are in the discussion for top seed in the super region again. Wingate survives a BRUTAL four week stretch to the season. Wingate always seems to just reload, but losing Pugh, Himes and Holmes is a tall ask. Will Hart wins award for best lineman in the nation.

Worst Case Scenario for 2026: The way they lost the playoff game to Benedict carries over, and instead of competing for the SAC, the Bulldogs are essentially out of the playoff hunt before October. On the road to Pembroke, Delta State and Carson-Newman is one of the tougher starts in the league. Worst case scenario though, I still think Wingate finds a way to 7 wins at worst.

Schedule

2. Newberry Wolves

Head Coach: Todd Knight (18^th Year as Newberry Head Coach)

Six Players to Watch:

De'Andre Coleman, WR, Jr., Hueytown, Ala.

Jonah Norris, RB, R-Jr., Lexington, S.C.

Mason Kidd, QB, R-Jr., Lawrenceville, Ga.

Mikey Blandin, LB, Sr., Charleston, S.C.

Avery McFadden, DB, R-So., Simpsonville, S.C.

Mason Grier, LB, So., Rock Hill, S.C.

Five-Year Trend:

Best Case Scenario for 2026: Coach Knight and the Wolves show that 2025 wasn’t just a Cinderella run, replace exiting talent and have a quarterback come close to replacing what Reed Charpia did last year as a Harlon Hill finalist. Newberry goes 7-2 or better in league play and makes the dance again.

Worst Case Scenario for 2026: The magic/clutch gene doesn’t go the Wolves way, winning 8+ games with scores in the final two minutes. Charpia, Desaussure, and others can’t be replaced and the Wolves suffer a fall off like they did after winning back to back SAC titles in 2021 and 2022. Wolves suffer a few more losses in conference and having two non-conference games that don’t count towards playoff selection backfires.

Schedule:

3. Lenoir-Rhyne Bears

Head Coach: Doug Socha (3^rd Year as Lenoir-Rhyne Head Coach)

Six Players to Watch:

Tye Roberson, RB, Sr., Laurens, S.C.

Rubens Joseph, OL, R-Jr., Marietta, Ga.

LJ Turner, RB, Sr., Palm Bay, Fla.

Carnell Ferguson, DL, So., Los Angeles, Calif.

Brodie Bradburn, LB, So., Carrollton, Ga.

KJ Whitehead, DB, Fr., Athens, Ga.

Five-Year Trend:

Best Case Scenario for 2026: Lenoir-Rhyne makes it to October with 2 or less losses; someone steps up and becomes the next difference maker at quarterback; LJ Turner returns to form, but we’re talking about Tye Roberson being a Harlon Hill nominee.  Bears 

Worst Case Scenario for 2026: The early season schedule buries Coach Socha’s team and they are out of playoff contention before fall break. A brutal start to the year with four playoff caliber teams becomes too much, and becomes too tall a task to replace Ferguson and the other offensive firepower that left. Bears finish in the 4^th-6^th range, and the Bears faithful starts losing it.

Schedule:

4. Carson-Newman Eagles

Head Coach: Tyler Almond (1^st Year as Carson-Newman Head Coach)

Six Players to Watch:

Josh Adams, RB, So., Monroe, Ga.

Terry Lemon, LB, Jr., McDonough, Ga.

Martavis Mason, DL, Sr., Ninety Six, S.C.

Isaiah Cane, DB, Sr., Antioch, Tenn.

Cruz Temple, LB, Sr., Abbeville, S.C.

Jay'Den Williams, OL, So., Moultrie, Ga.

Bennett Smith, K, Jr., Cleveland, Tenn.

Five-Year Trend:

Best Case Scenario for 2026: An experienced offensive line paves the way for the offense to take some big steps forward, the defense continues to be elite, and the Eagles aren’t having to use a 4^th, 5^th, or 6^th string quarterback before October. Eagles could win 8+ games again, starting off with a tough opener against Tiffin. Zane Whitson was a gamer for the Eagles last year, but they’ll need more from the offense this year.

Worst Case Scenario for 2026: Defense takes a step back, the offensive line gets blasted by injuries, nobody wins the quarterback competition and is a difference maker and the SAC title avoids Mossy Creek again in devasting fashion. Teams tee up on stopping the run with Cade Meeks and Jeremiah Carroll gone.

Schedule:

5. Emory & Henry Wasps

Head Coach: Quintin Hunter (3^rd Year as Emory & Henry Head Coach, 17-5)

Six Players to Watch:

Josh Gooding, DL, Jr., Glen Allen, Va.

Connor Roberts, DL, Jr., Bluefield, Va.

Brennan Hanley, P, Jr., Smithtown, N.Y.

Cole Lambert, QB, Sr., Abingdon, Va.

Trey Secrist, OL, Sr., Buena Vista, Va.

Parker Prioleau, WR, Jr., Radford, Va.

Five-Year Trend:

#-Provisional D2 member and played as an independent.

*-Ineligible for playoffs due to transition from Division III

Best Case Scenario for 2026: Wasps finally get over and reach the playoffs. They’ve been oh so close the past two years, but brutal losses to teams in the middle of the year got them both times. That an non-conference schedules that were new pillow soft. But they fix that this year, winning at Valdosta State to start the year before cruising to another 8+ win season is the best case scenario. Cole Lambert proves he can be the guy rather than splitting time.

Worst case Scenario for 2026: Losing all those studs on defense finally catches up with them. If I was a team who made the playoffs last season, I’m genuinely thankful the swarm didn’t make it, because that defense would’ve caused some problems. Ean Rhea was a massive loss, as was Shawn Collins, and Chendrick Cann. Worst case scenario for this team is the pile up of talent that has left and its back to sub .500 football.

Schedule:

6. Catawba Indians

Head Coach: Tyler Haines (4^th Year as Catawba Head Coach)

Six Players to Watch:

Bennett Galloway, RB, R-Jr., Chapin, S.C.

Sean McFarland, OL, Jr., Waxhaw, N.C.

Braylon Baker, DE, So., Harrisburg, N.C.

Jymiek Samson, DT, Sr., Clinton, N.C.

Jaylen Hinton, LB, Jr., Irmo, S.C.

Luke Raykovicz, DB, R-Jr., Waxhaw, N.C.

Five-Year Trend:

Best Case Scenario for 2026: Best case is the offense stays healthy and whoever ends up under center is taken by the spirit of Preston Brown. The Indians started 2025 5-1, before going 2-3 down the stretch including gut punching losses to Carson-Newman and Lenoir-Rhyne. Good news is the SAC schedule is unbelievably kind to Coach Haines: E&H, Wingate, Newberry, Carson-Newman and Lenoir-Rhyne ALL have to go to Salisbury. And they get North Greenville, a playoff team from a year ago, at home.

Worst Case Scenario for 2026: After the best year under Coach Haines, they take a step back like they did from 2023 to 2024. It’s hard to replace talent, but it’s even harder to replace elite talent like Pryor, Brown, Swinton. Is Mason Fortune really that guy? Worst case scenario has the Indians winning 3 games this year.

Schedule:

7. Anderson Trojans

Head Coach: Bobby Lamb (3^rd Year as Anderson Head Coach; 8-14)

Six Players to Watch:

Kenny Brown, WR, R-Jr., Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Darren Lloyd, RB, R-So., Florence, S.C.

Tre Broughton, TE, Jr., Piedmont, S.C.

Scotty Miley, DL, R-So., Catawba, N.C.

Carter Wit, DB, R-Jr., Johns Creek, Ga.

Chase Brightharp, OLB, R-Jr., Trenton, S.C.

Five-Year Trend:

Best Case Scenario for 2026: Trojans continue to improve like they did from year 1 to year 2, knock off some folks and set up a potential playoff push in 2027. Wilson Edwards takes the next step in replacing Tyler Wesley, Zay Williams continues to be a threat. Anderson continues what they started last year when they beat Lenoir-Rhyne: win games against solid D2 competition.

Worst Case Scenario for 2026: The losses of Wesley, Worthen-Carr, James can’t be overcome and the offense takes a step back, putting more pressure on the defense. The other issue the Trojans are facing is with two non-conference games that do not count towards playoff selection criteria, you’re room for error is almost non-existent. Trojans would like have to go 7-2 or better in the league to possibly get in, and with road games at Newberry, Wingate, and Carson-Newman alone….

Schedule:

8. Mars Hill Lions

Head Coach: Kevin Barnette (2^nd Year as Mars Hill Head Coach; 5-6)

Six Players to Watch:

Charlie Guinade, WR, Sr., Griffin, Ga.

Lukas Kachillo, QB, R-Jr., Mills River, N.C.

JT Way, RB, So., Atlanta, Ga.

Russell Barnette, DT, Sr., Asheville, N.C.

Jayden Alberty, C, Sr., Orlando, Fla.

Isaac Weaver, LB, Sr., Andrews, N.C.

Five-Year Trend:

Best Case Scenario for 2026: I completely misread this team and they once again float around .500 or better, a staple of Mars Hill football for the past 30 years. If Lukas Kachillo is able to get some of that JR Martin magic, maybe the Lions pick off some teams like they did last year. I don’t see a playoff season, but they can get to 5,6 or 7 wins if things break right.

Worst Case Scenario for 2026: The losses pile up, especially not having JR Martin under center for the first time since 2022 if the statbook was correct. Jon Gullette and his skills are gone as well. There’s a chance the Lions peak at 3 or 4 wins this fall and a chance their playoff dreams are ended before the end of September.

Schedule:

9. UVA Wise Cavaliers

Head Coach: Gary Bass (3^rd Year as UVA Wise Head Coach, 5-15)

Six Players to Watch:

Daniel Thomas, RB, Jr., Middlesboro, Ky.

McCalan Beason, QB, So., Hoover, Ala.

Jack Tews, OL, So., Brandon, S.D.

KD Long, DL, Sr., Huntsville, Ala.

Jalen Pickens, LB, R-Jr., Gainestown, Ala.

Braylon Henry, DB, So., Birmingham, Ala.

Five-Year Trend:

Best Case Scenario for 2026: Better QB play allows the run lanes to open up, giving opponents more to deal with and Wise picks off 1 or 2 teams they shouldn’t. The Cavaliers went 1-9 last year but several losses were closer on the scoreboard than expected (Concord, Newberry, Catawba). The problem this year, not that any week is an off week in the SAC, but they have a four week stretch of Carson-Newman, Wingate, Newberry, and Lenoir-Rhyne. Ouch.

Worst Case Scenario for 2026: The offense has to rely on Daniel Thomas every single game to do anything, and the defense continues to spend 60% of the game on the field. As good as Thomas was for a few weeks last year, he also got bottled up at times. 584 of his 847 yards came in three games. Worst case scenario for the season means the game against Tusculum in October is the fight for the only win this season.

Schedule:

10. Tusculum Pioneers

Head Coach: Billy Taylor (3^rd Year as Tusculum Head Coach)

Six Players to Watch:

Teddy Gleaton, QB, Jr., Waldorf, Md.

Cam Ferguson, RB, Sr., Rockmart, Ga.

Gabe McLamb, OL, Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.

Malachi Jim-Lawson, DL, Jr., London, England

Jimi Olarinde, LB, Jr., Austell, Ga.

Cam Garnett, LB, Sr., Harlem, Ga.

Five-Year Trend:

Best Case Scenario for 2026: Pioneers take steps forward and pick up a few more wins. I don’t see a surprise run at the postseason taking place in Greeneville, but with their option offense, maybe they cause some headaches for a few teams. Going to need a big step up from the offense, and the defense to find a way to replace Rashad Watson. He quietly had 100 tackles last season, 65 more than the next guy. Best case, everything goes right, scenario for Coach Taylor and company this year might be 4-5 wins.

Worst Case: Repeat of the past two years, where the Pioneers couldn’t score and couldn’t keep their opponents off the score sheet. In their 18 losses the past two years, they’ve given up an average of 37.9 points per game, while scoring 13.4. Three losses have been one score games. Worst case for the year? Bluefield State being the only win.

Schedule: