OPENING KICKOFF: A new era of Snow College football is officially underway as the Badgers begin their 2026 regular season
against No. 10 Garden City Community College Saturday in Ephraim. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. inside Terry Foote Stadium.
The Badgers begin their first season as a member of the Southwest Junior College Football Conference after accepting an invitation back in October. Snow College had been operating as an NJCAA Independent since the dissolution of the Western States Football League in 2018.
THE GARDEN CITY FILE: The Broncbusters went 6-5 during the 2025 season, including a 3-3 mark within the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference. They finished fourth in the conference standings.
Garden City, which was picked to finish third in the KJCCC Preseason Poll, begins the 2026 season ranked 10th in the NJCAA Division I Football Preseason Poll. They finished the 2025 season 15th in the final rankings of the year.
As a team, the Broncbusters averaged 340.5 yards per game last season, including over 192 ground yards. They outscored opponents by nearly 15 points per game while averaging 34.1 points per game in 2025.
Snow College has never lost to Garden City, going 3-0 against the Broncbusters. Most recently, the Badgers earned a 33-32 victory in Garden City, Nov. 4, 2023. Snow College trailed by 11 in that game with under six minutes to play but rallied to score 12 unanswered points and earn the one-point victory.
The Badgers have narrowly won their lone home matchup with the Broncbusters earning a 23-20 victory Oct. 15, 2022. In fact, the Badgers have won all three meetings with Garden City by a total of just seven points combined.
BADGERS ON THE AIR: All Snow College home games this season will be broadcast by SnowTV. They will air on the SnowTV YouTube channel as well as on CentraCom channel 10. Home games will also be simulcast on the radio on KMTI 650 AM.
Tanner Wilkinson, who is in his second season as 'Voice of the Badgers,' will be providing the play-by-play for all games broadcast by SnowTV this season. Greg Sterner, who is entering his 6th season on the broadcast, will provide the color commentary for all home games. Snow College. Audio-only broadcasts will be available for select road games throughout the season.
All broadcasts will begin with a pregame show approximately 20-30 minutes before kickoff and will include exclusive coverage of the game and an interview with head coach Zac Erekson. Post-game shows will begin immediately following the conclusion of the game and will last approximately 15 minutes.
Live stats will be provided for all home games as well as a number of road games during the season. The link to live stats will always be provided at snowbadgers.com.
2025 SEASON RECAP: Snow College entered the 2025 campaign as the No. 6 team in the NJCAA DI Football Preseason Poll following a 9-2 2024 season.
The Badgers said goodbye to All-American quarterback Donnie Smith following the 2024 season. They started a pair of play callers throughout the year, including Jack Thow and Jace Welsch.
Snow College started the season on a strong foot, winning each of its first two games in convincing fashion. The Badgers defeated Utah Islanders 59-7 and Highland Community College 37-6.
The Badgers' first blemish of the season came against No. 8 Tyler Junior College in their home opener. The first home game of the season inside a rain-soaked Terry Foote Stadium saw the Badgers suffer a 26-12 loss.
Snow College suffered a heartbreaking 31-29 defeat in triple overtime to the Army West Point junior varsity squad. The Black Knights converted a 2-point scoop-and-score to secure the narrow victory. This was the first time under Head Coach Zac Erekson that Snow College had lost consecutive games.
The Badgers earned their first victory over a ranked team against No. 15 Lackawanna College in a 55-38 win. Snow College hit another bump in the road and suffered back-to-back losses against No. 2 Iowa Western Community College and No. 5 Georgia Military College.
The Badgers finished the season on the right foot and earned their most dominant victory in program history – a 101-6 victory against Community Christian College.
The Badgers traveled to the East Coast for their final two games of the regular season. They earned a pair of victories against Monroe University (49-14) and Lackawanna College (37-0) to finish the season with a 6-4 overall record.
Snow College finished the season at the Game One Bowl against No. 10 Iowa Central Community College. The Badgers suffered a 38-24 loss to the Tritons. The Badgers sported the country's fifth-best offense after averaging just over 40 points per game.
BREAKING DOWN THE SCHEDULE: A monumental season lies in wait as the Snow College football team unveiled its 2026 regular-season schedule Thursday. The team is set to embark on a new era of Badger football as it begins its first season as a member of the Southwest Junior College Football Conference this August.
With seven conference games already on the schedule and the potential for two more conference tournament games, the Badgers will have just one non-conference matchup. They'll host Garden City Community College Saturday, Aug. 22, at 12:00 p.m.
The Badgers will begin SWJCFC play with a two-game road swing beginning with Cisco College Sept. 5 in Cisco, Texas. They'll conclude the road trip with a matchup against Kilgore College Sept. 12 inside R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium.
Snow College's first home SWJCFC game will take place Sept. 19 against Trinity Valley Community College inside Terry Foote Stadium at 7:00 p.m. The Badgers will face just one 2025 opponent in 2026, which will be Tyler Junior College, whom they'll take on Sept. 26 at 7:00 p.m.
The final road trip of the season will begin Oct. 3 as Snow College heads to Brenham, Texas, to take on Blinn College for the first time ever. The Badgers' last road game of the regular season will be against New Mexico Military Institute Oct. 17 inside the Wool Bowl.
Snow College will wrap up the 2026 regular season against Navarro College Oct. 24 at 7:00 p.m. The team will have a pair of bye weeks throughout the regular season, which are scheduled for Aug. 29 and Oct. 10.
The SWJCFC hosts a conference tournament at the end of the season. Only the top four of the eight teams in the conference will qualify for the tournament, with the top two teams hosting the first-round games at their respective sites.
The championship game will then be played at the highest remaining seed's home site. Should the Badgers qualify, the SWJCFC conference tournament will begin Oct. 31 with the championship taking place Nov. 7.
In total, the Badgers will play four road games and four home games, with the potential to host two more home games if they win the regular season championship and their first-round matchup in the conference tournament.
Five of the eight teams the Badgers will face during the 2026 season were ranked in the NJCAA Division I Football Rankings at some point last year.
The Badgers have a relatively sparse history with the bulk of the SWJCFC. Of the seven other teams, the Badgers have only faced five of them. They have the most history against NMMI, with whom the Badgers have played 24 total games. Snow College is 21-3 in those matchups.
Snow College has also faced TVCC, Kilgore, Blinn and Tyler a total of six times, going a combined 4-2 in those matchups, including the Badgers' 26-12 loss against the Apaches last season.
NEW CONFERENCE, WHO DIS?: Snow College announced in Oct. 2025 that the perennial power and nationally ranked football program has accepted an invitation to join the Southwest Junior College Football Conference beginning in the fall of 2026.
"We are honored and excited to join the SWJCFC as we celebrate more than 100 years of Badger football," Snow College President Stacee McIff said. "Snow College takes pride in our tradition of academic and athletic excellence, and we look forward to competing with conference members who share our values and commitment to developing student-athletes on and off the field."
The Badgers have been an NJCAA Division I Football Independent since the 2019 season. This came following the disintegration of the Western States Football League, which had been in existence since 1985, following the conclusion of the 2018 season.
"The toughest part of being an independent has been trying to schedule NJCAA football opponents," Snow College football Head Coach Zac Erekson said. "Joining the Southwest Junior College Football Conference eliminates that hurdle for our football program."
The SWJCFC, which was formed in 1963, is currently home to eight football teams that make up the entirety of Region 14 in the NJCAA. That number will remain at eight teams even after the Badgers join as Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College will depart the conference following the 2025 season. The SWJCFC encompasses teams primarily from Texas, as well as one team from New Mexico.
Snow College will join the ranks of the SWJCFC, which includes Blinn College, Cisco College, Kilgore College, Navarro College, New Mexico Military Institute, Trinity Valley Community College, and Tyler Junior College.
"This is an exciting opportunity for the SWJCFC and our member schools," Dr. Kevin G. Fegan, President of Navarro College and the SWJCFC, said. "Our conference has a proud tradition of success in the NJCAA, and adding Snow College only strengthens our league. They fit perfectly with our member schools in terms of value they place on athletics as part of their institution. Adding Snow College is a positive move for the SWJCFC and for NJCAA football."
The Badgers have a relatively sparse history with teams within the SWJCFC. Since 2011, they have played just five of the current eight teams within the conference, the most recent of which against Tyler Junior College earlier this season.
Snow College has played the most games against New Mexico Military Institute – the closest school geographically to Ephraim. The Badgers are 21-3 against the Broncos while being a combined 4-2 against Kilgore, Trinity Valley, Blinn and Tyler.
"We are extremely excited to be joining the Southwest Junior College Football Conference, Erekson said. "This conference has such a rich tradition of football excellence, and we are excited to be a part of that."
The SWJCFC holds its own conference tournament every season. Since 2016, the conference has seen five unique conference tournament champions, most recently by Tyler which went 7-0 within conference play last season. They defeated Northeastern Oklahoma A&M to win the Conference Championship
Additionally, since the implementation of the NJCAA National Playoff in 2021, the SWJCFC has sent a team to the playoff in three out of the four seasons, including NMMI in 2021. The Broncos went on to win the playoff after securing a 31-13 victory against Iowa Western Community College.
"We look forward to competing in what we believe to be one of the top junior college football conferences in the country, Erekson said. "Over the years, I have formed great personal relationships with many of the coaches and athletic directors in Texas, and we look forward to joining them!"
Prior to Snow College joining the conference, NMMI was the most recent addition to the SWJCFC and Region 14. The Broncos football program departed the WSFL following the conclusion of the 2015 season and became a full member of the SWJCFC in the fall of 2016.
The conference schedule will consist of seven total games, one against every other member of the conference. The Badgers can expect to play as many as four home conference games as well as three road conference games, which will alternate every year.
"Joining the Southwest Junior College Football Conference is an incredible opportunity for Snow College football," Snow College Athletic Director Karen Johnson said. "This is a meaningful step that positions our program for long-term success while honoring the proud tradition of Badger football. Our players will face some of the best teams in the country. We are eager to build lasting relationships with the Texas schools as we grow the recognition of NJCAA football. So many people were instrumental in this partnership, including President McIff, former AD Rob Nielson, Navarro President Dr. Fegan, and SWJCFC Chair Michael Landers."
SWJCFC COACHES/MEDIA POLL: The Southwest Junior College Football Conference unveiled its preseason coaches and media polls during the conference's media day in Bullard, Texas. Snow College landed fourth in the coaches' poll and third in the media poll as it begins its first season within the SWJCFC.
Tyler Junior College topped both the coaches' and media polls, receiving 11 of the 19 potential first-place votes, including six of eight votes in the coaches' poll and five of the 11 in the media poll. Trinity Valley Community College fell second in both polls and received three first-place votes in the media poll.
The similarities stopped at third as Navarro was predicted to finish here in the coaches' poll while Snow College came third in the media poll, receiving a pair of first-place votes. The Badgers came in at fourth in the coaches' poll, with one first-place vote, while Kilgore College filled that slot in the media poll.
Kilgore was picked to finish fifth in the coaches' poll as Cisco College, New Mexico Military Institute and Blinn College rounded out the bottom half. Navarro came fifth in the media poll ahead of Blinn, Cisco, and NMMI.
Tyler is the favorite to top the conference for the second consecutive season after finishing 2025 with an 11-1 overall record and a perfect 7-0 mark within conference play. They won the SWJCFC for the first time since the 1992 season. That year was also their second consecutive conference championship after claiming the crown in 1991 as well.
After winning the conference, Tyler was one of the four teams selected to participate in the NJCAA National Tournament and drew a semifinal matchup against No. 2 Iowa Western Community College. They were defeated by the Reivers 41-29.
Since the inception of the NJCAA Football Playoff in 2021, the winner of the SWJCFC has made the four-team playoff in four of the five seasons, with NMMI winning the 2021 National Championship.
NJCAA PRESEASON POLL: Entering its first season as a member of the Southwest Junior College Football Conference, the Snow College football team will begin the season ranked 13th 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 10th 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.
ON THE SIDELINE: Zac Erekson returns for his seventh season at the head of the program. He has compiled a 47-15 overall record entering the 2026 campaign and has never recorded a losing season.
The Badgers find themselves ranking inside the NJCAA Football top 15 after falling out of the rankings for the first time under Erekson last season. Erekson has won 11 games against ranked teams over his first six seasons and has lost just one game to an unranked opponent, going 35-1 overall in such matchups.
Snow College had just four home matchups during the 2025 season, the fewest since the 2020 season. Erekson entered the 2025 season with a 23-3 record withing the friendly confines of Terry Foote Stadium but went just 2-2 in home games last year. Erekson has compiled a 22-6 road record.
Erekson will be joined on the sideline by three returning coaches from last year and one rejoining the program from the 2022 staff. Matt Beecher returns as the safeties coach in his third year with Michael Dixon as the wide receiver's coach, entering in his second season. Colby Hyder also enters his second year with the team as the linebacker's coach. Additionally, James Dye, who was on the 2022 coaching staff, returns as the assistant coach for the team.
The staff will be joined by five new faces including a former member of the football team. Trey Herrmann will serve as the defensive coordinator while Billy Owens will be the tight ends coach. Former Badger Romeo Tiumalu will serve as the offensive line coach. Moses Timali joins the staff as the defensive line coach, while Marcus Mailei will be the running backs coach.
CHASING A RECORD: Zac Erekson enters his eighth season at the head of the football program with a 47-15 overall record. He sits just seven wins behind Bob Stoddard for the all-time wins record at Snow College.
Stoddard coached the Badgers for 15 seasons between 1954 and 1968. He accumulated 54 victories during his time on the sideline. Only two other head coaches have surpassed the 50-win mark with the Badgers. Steve Coburn went 53-7 between 2006-10, while Paul Tidwell compiled a 51-26-3 mark from 1987-94.
UP NEXT: Snow College will play one final non-conference tune-up game against the Salt Lake Yeti. Saturday, Aug. 29 in Ephraim. This will be the first meeting between the two programs.
The Salt Lake Yeti is a member of the National Junior College Prep Football League, a league that strives to become the premier junior college football league recognized for developing world-class athletes and upstanding individuals who progress through college, professional sports, and life.
2026 will be the first year of competition for the Salt Lake Yeti. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. inside Terry Foote Stadium. For video streaming and live stats information, visit snowbadgers.com.
