Beat reporters reveal their 2026 Conference USA football preseason rankings

For the second consecutive season, Conference USA did not conduct a preseason media poll. They opted to go with the “bowl confidence index,” which included 20 voting members of sports information directors and media representatives. 

Because preseason polls are so fun, a group of 10 Conference USA beat reporters came together to give their preseason poll. 

Last year, Kennesaw State hoisted the CUSA championship. The Owls were picked last in the media poll a season ago. Anything can happen in this conference, which is why this league is always fun to watch. 

Here are the 10 reporters that contributed to this year’s poll and how they voted. 

• Kevin Barral, Sports Illustrated's G5 Football Daily (Florida International)
• Nick Coppola, Las Cruces Sun-News (New Mexico State)
• Maxwell Donaldson, Gadsden Times (Jacksonville State)
• Colton Foster, Huntsville Item (Sam Houston State)
• Bryson Gordon, Lynchburg News and Advance (Liberty)
• AJ Howard, Hoot State (Kennesaw State)
• Cecil Joyce, Murfreesboro Daily News Journal (Middle Tennessee)
• Liam Keating, Springfield News-Leader (Missouri State)
• Jeff Nations, Bowling Green Daily News (Western Kentucky)
• Kevin Tresolini, Delaware News Journal (Delaware)

2026 Conference USA football preseason media poll

1. (4 first-place votes) Liberty 89
2. (2) Western Kentucky 87
3. (3) Jacksonville State 85
4. (1) Kennesaw State 72
5. Delaware 62 
6. Florida International 51
7. Missouri State 32
8. New Mexico State 31
9. Middle Tennessee State 28
10. Sam Houston State 13

Individual ballots

Kevin Barral, Sports Illustrated's G5 Football Daily (FIU)

1. Liberty
2. Western Kentucky
3. Jacksonville State
4. Florida International
5. Kennesaw State
6. Delaware
7. New Mexico State
8. Missouri State
9. Middle Tennessee State
10. Sam Houston State

Nick Coppola, Las Cruces Sun-News (New Mexico State)

1. Western Kentucky
2. Jacksonville State
3. Liberty
4. Delaware
5. Kennesaw State
6. Florida International
7. New Mexico State
8. Missouri State
9. Middle Tennessee State
10. Sam Houston State

Maxwell Donaldson, Gadsden Times (Jacksonville State)

1. Jacksonville State
2. Kennesaw State
3. Western Kentucky
4. Florida International
5. Liberty
6. Delaware
7. New Mexico State
8. Middle Tennessee State
9. Missouri State
10. Sam Houston State

Colton Foster, Huntsville Item (Sam Houston State)

1. Jacksonville State
2. Liberty
3. Western Kentucky
4. Kennesaw State
5. Delaware
6. Florida International
7. Sam Houston State
8. Missouri State
9. New Mexico State
10. Middle Tennessee State

Bryson Gordon, Lynchburg News and Advance (Liberty)

1. Jacksonville State
2. Western Kentucky
3. Liberty
4. Delaware
5. Kennesaw State
6. Florida International
7. New Mexico State
8. Middle Tennessee State
9. Missouri State
10. Sam Houston State

AJ Howard, Hoot State (Kennesaw State)

1. Kennesaw State
2. Liberty
3. Western Kentucky
4. Jacksonville State
5. Delaware
6. FIU
7. Missouri State
8. Middle Tennessee State
9. New Mexico State
10. Sam Houston 

Cecil Joyce, Murfreesboro Daily News Journal (Middle Tennessee)

1. Western Kentucky
2. Liberty
3. Jacksonville State
4. Kennesaw State
5. Delaware
6. Middle Tennessee State
7. Florida International
8. Missouri State
9. New Mexico State
10. Sam Houston State

Liam Keating, Springfield News-Leader (Missouri State)

1. Liberty 
2. Western Kentucky 
3. Delaware
4. Jacksonville State 
5. Missouri State 
6. Kennesaw State
7. Florida International 
8. Middle Tennessee State
9. New Mexico State
10. Sam Houston State

Jeff Nations, Bowling Green Daily News (Western Kentucky)

1. Liberty
2. Kennesaw State
3. Jacksonville State
4. Western Kentucky
5. Delaware
6. Florida International
7. Missouri State
8. Middle Tennessee State
9. New Mexico State
10. Sam Houston State

Kevin Tresolini, Delaware News Journal (Delaware)

1. Liberty
2. Western Kentucky
3. Jacksonville State
4. Kennesaw State
5. Delaware
6. New Mexico State
7. Florida International
8. Middle Tennessee State
9. Missouri State
10. Sam Houston State

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Beat reporters reveal their 2026 Conference USA football preseason rankings