By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn University was picked eighth in both the MIAA Preseason Football Coaches and Media Polls released Monday by the conference office as part of the MIAA Football Media Day hosted by Washburn in the Bill Sneed Indoor Athletic Facilty.
Zach Watkins' Washburn Ichabods were picked No. 8 in the MIAA preseason football polls, released Monday. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Ichabods, coming off a 3-8 season (2-7 in the MIAA) will open the 2026 season on Aug. 29, going on the road to face former MIAA foe Truman State (6 p.m.). The Ichabods will make their home debut on Sept. 5 at Yager Stadium with a non-conference tilt against Colorado School of Mines (12 p.m.).
Now the Ichabods, who dropped five games by seven or fewer points last season, will be looking to take a big jump in Year 2 of the Zach Watkins era, building around 12 returning starters and 55 lettermen.
Former Washburn Rural star Ty Weber returns for his senior season at tight end for Washburn football. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
"We've got the right guys, we've had the right preparation,'' said Washburn senior tight end Ty Weber. "I think the biggest thing for us is not necessarily proving people wrong but proving us right.
"We know the work we've put in, we know what we've done, and I think now it's just the year that we take off and really project into what we can do in the next couple of years.''
Washburn star junior linebacker JC Heim, a Washburn Rural product, ranked No. 2 in the nation in tackles last fall. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Junior linebacker JC Heim, who led the MIAA and ranked No. 2 in the nation in tackles last season, agreed with Weber that the Ichabods are poised for a big season.
"It all just comes down to how we worked this summer,'' Heim said. "We averaged 92 guys this summer and that's huge for us. We had a good spring, a good summer, so I'm just excited. All we can do is control what we can control and get out there on the field and show what we can do.''
Defending conference co-champion Pittsburg State, 10-3 overall, 8-1 in the MIAA, was tapped as the preseason favorite in the coaches' poll, receiving seven of 10 first-place votes, while 2025 conference co-champ Northwest Missouri State (9-3, 8-1) topped the media poll, receiving 19 of 30 first-place votes.
Central Oklahoma (6-5, 6-3) was tapped for the No. 3 spot in the coaches poll, followed by Fort Hays State (6-5, 5-4), Central Missouri State (5-6, 5-4), Emporia State (5-6, 4-5), Nebraska-Kearney (6-5, 4-5), Washburn, Missouri Western (3-8, 2-7) and Missouri Southern (3-8, 1-8).
Pitt State was picked No. 2 in the media poll, receiving 10 first-place votes, while Central Oklahoma received the final first-place vote and was picked third.
Central Missouri and Fort Hays State went four and five, flipping spots from the coaches poll, while Emporia State was picked sixth, while Nebraska-Kearney, Washburn, Missouri Western and Missouri Southern rounded out the poll.
2026 MIAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Pittsburg State (7)
2. Northwest Missouri (3)
3. Central Oklahoma
4. Fort Hays State
5. Central Missouri
6. Emporia State
7. Nebraska-Kearney
8. Washburn
9. Missouri Western
10. Missouri Southern
(#) -- Number of first-place votes
2026 MIAA FOOTBALL PRESEASON MEDIA POLL
1. Northwest Missouri (19)
2. Pittsburg State (10)
3. Central Oklahoma (1)
4. Central Missouri
5. Fort Hays State
6. Emporia State
7. Nebraska-Kearney
8. Washburn
9. Missouri Western
10. Missouri Southern
(#) -- Number of first-place votes
