CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The Coe College football team received 42 points in the A-R-C preseason coaches' poll on Friday and was picked to finish second in the conference this season. The Kohawks are coming off a 9-3 record last season, which secured them a spot in the NCAA postseason tournament for the third straight year. Head coach Tyler Staker begins his 11th season for the Kohawks, looking to continue their stretch of NCAA appearances, returning four of its top five tacklers from 2025 in CJ Johnson, Henry Ryan, Leighton Charters and Jack Clarahan on defense and stand-out quarterback Brady Kelly, who was voted the 2025 A-R-C Offensive M-V-P. The preseason also made history for football program, as the Kohawks will enter the season ranked 22nd in the country in the D3football.com preseason poll. This is the first time the Kohawks have been ranked in the national preseason poll since the 2013 season. 
 
"I am really excited for the upcoming season and another great year competing in the A-R-C" said Staker. "I am proud of the work our players and coaches have put in, and I am excited to see how we come together and build as a team during fall camp. The conference will be very competitive this fall, with many great players and coaches returning. We know we will be challenged each week, but that is what makes competing in the A-R-C so special. We are looking forward to the opportunity and are excited to get started."
 
The 2026 season sees the Kohawks open up with three straight non-conference home games beginning with a Bremner Cup rivalry game against Cornell (9/5). Game two of the season brings a preseason-ranked matchup, as the Kohawks welcome No. 7 UW-River Falls (9/12). The non-conference schedule comes to a close with another home game against UW-Oshkosh (9/19). Week four of the season brings a bye as September ends. October begins with the fourth and fifth home games of the season, first with the homecoming game against Loras College (10/3), and then the conference preseason number 3 team Central College (9/10).
 
In game six of the regular season, the Kohawks hit the road for the first time this season, as they make the long trek to Storm Lake to face Buena Vista (10/17). The second away game of the season the next week sees the Kohawks travel to face Simpson College (10/24). The last two home games of the season begin with a Halloween-day game against Nebraska Wesleyan (10/31), followed by a senior day game against the University of Dubuque (11/7). The regular season concludes with one last road trip to face another ranked opponent and the A-R-C preseason favorites, as the Kohawks travel to Waverly to face no. 9 Wartburg (11/14). All games this season will kick off at 1 PM CST. 
 
FULL RELEASE
 
#KohawkNation #TalonsOut
Visit https://kohawkathletics.com/ for complete coverage of Coe College Athletics
Like Coe College Athletics on Facebook
Follow @CoeAthletics on X
Follow @CoeAthletics on Instagram
Coe Athletics Mobile App - Android | iPhone