Entering its first season as a member of the Southwest Junior College Football Conference, the Snow College football team will begin the season ranked 13^th in the NJCAA Division I Football Preseason Poll, which was unveiled Monday.
 
After a 2025 season that saw the Badgers go 6-5 in their final season as an independent, Snow College has once again cracked the top 15 with hopes of a bounce-back season.  The Badgers have plenty of company in the preseason poll from other members of the SWJCFC.
 
Iowa Western Community College topped the poll after winning the 2025 NJCAA National Championship. The Reivers earned a 28-10 victory in the title game against Hutchinson Community College, which came second in the poll.
 
Northwest Mississippi, fellow SWJCFC foe Tyler Junior College, and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College rounded out the top five.
 
Trinity Valley Community College was slotted seventh in the rankings. The Badgers will take on the Cardinals Sept. 19 in Ephraim. Two other members of the SWJCFC landed in the preseason poll, including Navarro College, just one slot ahead of the Badgers at 12.
 
Kilgore College also received votes in the inaugural rankings of the 2026 season. The Badgers will travel to Kilgore, Texas, for a matchup with the Rangers Sept. 12.
 
In addition to the four other members of the SWJCFC that found themselves in the poll, the Badgers will also begin the 2026 season against Garden City Community College, which was ranked 10^th overall.
 
In total, the Badgers will play five games against teams ranked within the NJCAA Preseason Poll. Four of those matches will take place in Ephraim.
 
Snow College owns an 11-14 record versus ranked opponents under Head Coach Zac Erekson, who is entering his seventh season at the helm. The Badgers went just 1-4 against ranked teams in 2025 and are 3-6 over the last two seasons.
 
The season kicks off with a top-15 matchup as the Badgers welcome the Broncbusters to Ephraim. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. inside Terry Foote Stadium. For video streaming and live stats information, visit snowbadgers.com.