MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has released its 2026 Football Preseason Poll at the conference's Media Day on July 24, with the Northern Michigan Wildcats selected to finish sixth in the league as voted on by the conference's head coaches.

2026 GLIAC Football Preseason Poll
1. Ferris State, 49 (7)
2. Grand Valley State, 43 (1)
3. Michigan Tech, 34
4. Davenport, 31
5. Saginaw Valley State, 28
6. Northern Michigan, 18
7. Roosevelt, 11
8. Wayne State, 10

The Wildcats enter 2026 under first-year head coach Matt Janus after closing the 2025 season with back-to-back victories, including a dramatic 47-45 four-overtime win over Davenport and a 45-11 triumph over Wayne State.

Northern opens the 2026 campaign on Thursday, Aug. 27, traveling to Minnesota State Moorhead for a 7 p.m. ET non-conference matchup. The Wildcats' home opener is set for Saturday, Sept. 5, when they welcome Tiffin to the Superior Dome.

The Wildcats return several key contributors from last season, including running back Noah Dobert, a D2CCA Second Team All-American coming off a record-setting campaign.

Season tickets for the 2026 Northern Michigan football season are on sale now here.