Rank the MIAA 2026

[Predatory Primates]

What is everyone thinking?

Fighting for the top...
1- Pitt (Has a lot of questions and youth, but I'm a homer and I hate NW)
2- NW (A lot back from a great O and decent D)
--- would be unsurprised if they flipped---

This could be their year...
3.5- UCM (If Wright can build a D out of scraps )
3.5- Hays (JB at QB could be huge)

Good teams who can knock others off...
5- Emporia (Higgins gets as much or more out of what he has to wok with than anyone.)
6-UNK (Returns a lot of a great D. If the one man offense at HB comes back strong, they could be an issue)

Tough outs, but missing chunks...
7-UCO (Could finish considerably higher with a great QB in Huff, but the cho fans here think they'll be down.)
8-MW

Struggling...
9-WU- (According to the grapevine, recruiting promises made in the offseason will have at least 25 true freshmen starting every game.)
10-MSSU ( Is this the last stand for the current staff?

[Predatory Primates]

With the portal, my guesses could be completely upside down.

[Jayhawk Juco Guy]

What is everyone thinking?

This could be their year...
3.5- UCM (If Wright can build a D out of scraps )
3.5- Hays (JB at QB could be huge)

How much does this change your thoughts on Hays?

https://hayspost.com/posts/c6cd2062-...e-0f38e657238a

[RollChos]

Fighting for the top...
1- Pitt (Has a lot of questions and youth, but I'm a homer and I hate NW)
2- NW (A lot back from a great O and decent D)

Tough outs, but missing chunks...
7-UCO (Could finish considerably higher with a great QB, but the cho fans here think they'll be down.)

Pitt and NW at the top until proven otherwise. I think we have a great QB in Jett Huff. Short as **** but great nonetheless when his throws don’t get batted at the LOS. The missing chunks you mention are the pass catchers. Doesn’t matter how good he is if we don’t have a WR that can get open and/or make a contested catch.

[Predatory Primates]

How much does this change your thoughts on Hays?

https://hayspost.com/posts/c6cd2062-...e-0f38e657238a

Quite a bit. They return good backs. A creator like Berry at QB might have made them really dangerous.

Then again, who knows? Maybe they have someone even better waiting?

[Predatory Primates]

Pitt and NW at the top until proven otherwise. I think we have a great QB in Jett Huff. Short as **** but great nonetheless when his throws don’t get batted at the LOS. The missing chunks you mention are the pass catchers. Doesn’t matter how good he is if we don’t have a WR that can get open and/or make a contested catch.

I agree about Huff. That's what I was trying to say in my post, but I didn't do a great job.

He's really good. OL and limiting his runs will have to combine to do a better job protecting him this year.

[Predatory Primates]

Then again, what do I know. I have the team with absolutely zero experience at QB and an entirely new offense as #1. Lol!

[KPKCBC]

---

Tier 1


Pitt State and Northwest Missouri

Pitt State and NW are a coin flip. Gun to my head, I say Pitt State is #1 and NW #2. What did Ric Flair used to say? To be the man, you have to beat the man. Pitt has earned that respect with the physical style, defense, and consistency they bring every year.

That said, NW might have the best offensive situation in the league. They return a lot from a very good offense and have the QB play to win big games. The big question is whether the defense can get back to championship level. Either way, the MIAA title probably runs through one of these two.

---

Tier 2


Fort Hays State, UCO, UCM

This is the "could make a serious run" tier.

Fort Hays has the talent to compete with anyone in the league. The question is consistency against the top teams. If the QB play is what they hope it can be, they could have a special year.

The Fighting Jeff Huffs are a fascinating team. UCO has one of the best QB situations in the league, but the question remains the same — can they find enough defense to beat the top teams?

UCM might have the highest ceiling in this group. The offense is there, but just like UCO, the season probably comes down to whether the defense can improve enough. Which team finds the missing piece first?

---

Tier 3


Emporia State and Nebraska-Kearney

Two teams that nobody wants to play.

Emporia continues to be one of the best-coached teams in the league. Higgins consistently gets the most out of his roster and they are always competitive. The question is whether they have enough top-end talent to move into the upper tier.

UNK might be the sleeper here. The defense should keep them in games, and if the offense takes a step forward, they can beat teams above them. They may not be flashy, but they are built to frustrate people.

---

Tier 4

Missouri Western and Washburn

Both teams have talent but have struggled to put everything together.

Missouri Western has the athletes to upset teams above them but needs more consistency, especially offensively.

Washburn is similar — a program with pieces but still looking for that breakthrough season. They need better overall production and more consistency before they can challenge the middle tier. Both teams are capable of knocking someone off, but they still have more questions than the teams above them

---

Tier 5


Missouri Southern

Missouri Southern has the biggest gap to close. They need improvement in roster depth, consistency, and overall production.

[Predatory Primates]

It is also worth mentioning that last year made 3 in a row where a team surprised most people.

In consecutive years UCM, UCO, and NW each sort of came from 2nd tierish to tying for or winning the conf outright.

Each of those years also had at least one team who did considerably worse than expected.

[KPKCBC]

It is also worth mentioning that last year made 3 in a row where a team surprised most people.

In consecutive years UCM, UCO, and NW each sort of came from 2nd tierish to tying for or winning the conf outright.

Each of those years also had at least one team who did considerably worse than expected.

This is what makes the MIAA such a great league imo. The quality of depth. There is only really 1 team in the league that I kinda of see as an absolutely mess.

[RollChos]

This is what makes the MIAA such a great league imo. The quality of depth. There is only really 1 team in the league that I kinda of see as an absolutely mess.

He means you, MoSo.

[HookemHerd]

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Tier 1


Pitt State and Northwest Missouri

Pitt State and NW are a coin flip. Gun to my head, I say Pitt State is #1 and NW #2. What did Ric Flair used to say? To be the man, you have to beat the man. Pitt has earned that respect with the physical style, defense, and consistency they bring every year.

That said, NW might have the best offensive situation in the league. They return a lot from a very good offense and have the QB play to win big games. The big question is whether the defense can get back to championship level. Either way, the MIAA title probably runs through one of these two.

---

Tier 2


Fort Hays State, UCO, UCM

This is the "could make a serious run" tier.

Fort Hays has the talent to compete with anyone in the league. The question is consistency against the top teams. If the QB play is what they hope it can be, they could have a special year.

The Fighting Jeff Huffs are a fascinating team. UCO has one of the best QB situations in the league, but the question remains the same — can they find enough defense to beat the top teams?

UCM might have the highest ceiling in this group. The offense is there, but just like UCO, the season probably comes down to whether the defense can improve enough. Which team finds the missing piece first?

---

Tier 3


Emporia State and Nebraska-Kearney

Two teams that nobody wants to play.

Emporia continues to be one of the best-coached teams in the league. Higgins consistently gets the most out of his roster and they are always competitive. The question is whether they have enough top-end talent to move into the upper tier.

UNK might be the sleeper here. The defense should keep them in games, and if the offense takes a step forward, they can beat teams above them. They may not be flashy, but they are built to frustrate people.

---

Tier 4

Missouri Western and Washburn

Both teams have talent but have struggled to put everything together.

Missouri Western has the athletes to upset teams above them but needs more consistency, especially offensively.

Washburn is similar — a program with pieces but still looking for that breakthrough season. They need better overall production and more consistency before they can challenge the middle tier. Both teams are capable of knocking someone off, but they still have more questions than the teams above them

---

Tier 5


Missouri Southern

Missouri Southern has the biggest gap to close. They need improvement in roster depth, consistency, and overall production.

Sad to hear from a Hays and WU fan. Hays Qb went on to retire, Washburn I’ll give another year to build up but Schurig left kind of a mess and Watkins is unproven

[northwest missouri state]

1. cm
2. es
3. ps
4. nwms/fhs/mowest
7. wburn
8. nk
9. moso
10. co