ACU Picked 1st in Poll, 8 Wildcats on Preseason All-UAC Team
7/21/2026 11:00:00 AM | Football
ARLINGTON, Texas – For the first time in 15 years the Abilene Christian football team has been picked first in its preseason conference poll. The Wildcats were voted first in the United Athletic Conference by the league's head coaches, which was released on Tuesday morning.
ACU tied for first place with Tarleton State as both schools received identical overall points (65) and first place votes (3). Austin Peay was third with Eastern Kentucky and Central Arkansas rounding out the top five.
The Wildcats, who won the UAC in 2024 and 2025, were last voted as the favorite to win their conference in 2011 (Lone Star Conference, NCAA Division II).
ACU also landed a conference-high eight players on the Preseason All-UAC Team.
Among the eight players who were voted as the UAC's best, three are offensive linemen: center Colter Lynch (Cooper HS / Lubbock, Texas), and the right guard-right tackle twin brother duo of Landon and Luke Roaten (Tomball HS / Tomball, Texas). Each started all 14 games of the 2025 season and led an ACU offense which ranked third in the conference with 238 passing yards per game. The Wildcats were also one of just eight FCS teams to have three different players rush for at least 500 yards.
A pair of defensive linemen were also voted Preseason All-UAC: Kortlin Rausaw (Wylie HS / Wylie, Texas) and Chris Herpin (Dawson HS / Pearland, Texas). The pair plugged the middle for a combined 80 tackles in 2025. ACU's defense was top 20 in the FCS in rushing yards allowed (121 per game, 17th), takeaways (24, 8th) and fumbles recovered (12, 4th). The Wildcats also recorded 30 sacks, which is the highest season total since 2019.
Also representing ACU on the Preseason All-UAC Team are receiver Dallas Dudley, transfer defensive back Dillon Williams, and kicker Brandon Perez.
The Wildcats open their season on Aug. 29 in Beaumont, Texas, against Lamar in a rematch of last year's first round playoff game which ACU won 38-20. After a grueling nonconference schedule, lauded as the toughest in the FCS, the Cats begin UAC action on Oct. 3 at home against West Florida, which is moving up from NCAA Division II.
2026 UAC Football Preseason Coaches Poll
* - as NCAA Division II institution
2026 UAC Football Preseason Awards
All-UAC Preseason Offensive Team
WR: Dallas Dudley
C: Colter Lynch*, R-JR
OL: Luke Roaten, R-SR
OL: Landon Roaten, R-SR
* - unanimous selection
All-UAC Preseason Defensive Team
DL: Kortlin Rausaw, R-SR
DL: Chris Herpin, SR
DB: Dillon Williams, R-SR
All-UAC Preseason Specialists
K: Brandon Perez, SR
ACU tied for first place with Tarleton State as both schools received identical overall points (65) and first place votes (3). Austin Peay was third with Eastern Kentucky and Central Arkansas rounding out the top five.
The Wildcats, who won the UAC in 2024 and 2025, were last voted as the favorite to win their conference in 2011 (Lone Star Conference, NCAA Division II).
ACU also landed a conference-high eight players on the Preseason All-UAC Team.
Among the eight players who were voted as the UAC's best, three are offensive linemen: center Colter Lynch (Cooper HS / Lubbock, Texas), and the right guard-right tackle twin brother duo of Landon and Luke Roaten (Tomball HS / Tomball, Texas). Each started all 14 games of the 2025 season and led an ACU offense which ranked third in the conference with 238 passing yards per game. The Wildcats were also one of just eight FCS teams to have three different players rush for at least 500 yards.
A pair of defensive linemen were also voted Preseason All-UAC: Kortlin Rausaw (Wylie HS / Wylie, Texas) and Chris Herpin (Dawson HS / Pearland, Texas). The pair plugged the middle for a combined 80 tackles in 2025. ACU's defense was top 20 in the FCS in rushing yards allowed (121 per game, 17th), takeaways (24, 8th) and fumbles recovered (12, 4th). The Wildcats also recorded 30 sacks, which is the highest season total since 2019.
Also representing ACU on the Preseason All-UAC Team are receiver Dallas Dudley, transfer defensive back Dillon Williams, and kicker Brandon Perez.
The Wildcats open their season on Aug. 29 in Beaumont, Texas, against Lamar in a rematch of last year's first round playoff game which ACU won 38-20. After a grueling nonconference schedule, lauded as the toughest in the FCS, the Cats begin UAC action on Oct. 3 at home against West Florida, which is moving up from NCAA Division II.
2026 UAC Football Preseason Coaches Poll
| School (First Place Votes) | Points | 2025 Record | |
| T1 | ACU (3) | 65 | 9-5, 7-1 |
| T1. | Tarleton State (3) | 65 | 12-3, 7-1 |
| 3. | Austin Peay (2) | 62 | 7-5, 4-4 |
| 4. | Eastern Kentucky | 48 | 5-7, 3-5 |
| 5. | Central Arkansas | 43 | 3-9, 2-6 |
| 6. | West Georgia | 39 | 8-3, 5-3 |
| 7. | North Alabama | 37 | 2-10, 1-7 |
| 8. | West Florida | 33 | *10-2 |
* - as NCAA Division II institution
2026 UAC Football Preseason Awards
All-UAC Preseason Offensive Team
WR: Dallas Dudley
C: Colter Lynch*, R-JR
OL: Luke Roaten, R-SR
OL: Landon Roaten, R-SR
* - unanimous selection
All-UAC Preseason Defensive Team
DL: Kortlin Rausaw, R-SR
DL: Chris Herpin, SR
DB: Dillon Williams, R-SR
All-UAC Preseason Specialists
K: Brandon Perez, SR
Players Mentioned
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