KINGSTON, R.I. - Ahead of the 2026 season, the Rhode Island football team was ranked seventh in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 Poll.

The Rams, who were the No. 11 team in the country in the outlet's final 2025 poll, are coming off an 11-3 year that included a perfect 8-0 against CAA Football competition. 

Rhody accrued 1,048 points in the poll and was one of two CAA Football teams represented in the top 25. Monmouth came in at No. 22 in the poll after collecting 200 points. New Hampshire (61 points) and Elon (11 points) also received votes in the poll.

URI will begin its season at Merrimack on Friday, Aug. 28. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. 

Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll (2026 Preseason)
(2025 Record in Parentheses)
1. Montana State (14-2, 8-0 Big Sky)
Points: 1,425 (57 of 57 first-place votes); Final 2025 Ranking: 1; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 at Utah Tech
2. Montana (13-2, 7-1 Big Sky)
Points: 1,328; Final 2025 Ranking: 3; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 vs. Southern Utah
3. South Dakota State (9-5, 4-4 MVFC)
Points: 1,266; Final 2025 Ranking: 13; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 vs. Stetson
4. Illinois State (12-5, 5-3 MVFC)
Points: 1,231; Final 2025 Ranking: 2; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 vs. St. Francis (IL)
5. Tarleton State (12-2, 7-1 UAC)
Points: 1,100; Final 2025 Ranking: 6; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 vs. Prairie View A&M
6. UC Davis (9-4, 6-2 Big Sky)
Points: 1,063; Final 2025 Ranking: 8; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 at Portland State
7. Rhode Island (11-3, 8-0 CAA)
Points: 1,048; Final 2025 Ranking: 11; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 28 at Merrimack
8. Villanova (12-3, 7-1 CAA; Patriot League member in 2026)
Points: 1,008; Final 2025 Ranking: 4 (tie); 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 28 vs. William & Mary
9. Youngstown State (8-5, 5-3 MVFC)
Points: 946; Final 2025 Ranking: 18; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 27 vs. Mercyhurst
10. North Dakota (8-6, 5-3 MVFC)
Points: 945; Final 2025 Ranking: 14; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 27 vs. LIU
11. Lehigh (12-1, 7-0 Patriot)
Points: 826; Final 2025 Ranking: 10; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 at Holy Cross
12. South Dakota (10-5, 6-2 MVFC)
Points: 783; Final 2025 Ranking: 9; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 vs. Central Connecticut State
13. Stephen F. Austin (11-3, 8-0 Southland)
Points: 773; Final 2025 Ranking: 7; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 at McNeese
14. Tennessee Tech (11-2, 8-0 Ohio Valley; SoCon member in 2026)
Points: 594; Final 2025 Ranking: 16; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 vs. Monmouth
15. Abilene Christian (9-5, 7-1 UAC)
Points: 579; Final 2025 Ranking: 12; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 at Lamar
16. Southern Illinois (7-5, 4-4 MVFC)
Points: 509; Final 2025 Ranking: 25; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 27 at West Florida
17. Austin Peay (7-5, 4-4 UAC)
Points: 440; Final 2025 Ranking: NR; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 27 vs. Gardner-Webb
18. Yale (9-3, 6-1 Ivy)
Points: 418; Final 2025 Ranking: 15; 2026 Season Opener: Sept. 19 at Holy Cross
19. Southeastern Louisiana (9-4, 7-1 Southland)
Points: 392; Final 2025 Ranking: 19; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 27 vs. HCU
20. Lamar (8-5, 5-3 Southland)
Points: 380; Final 2025 Ranking: 24; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 vs. Abilene Christian
21. Mercer (11-3, 7-1 SoCon)
Points: 306; Final 2025 Ranking: 17; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 vs. East Texas A&M
22. Monmouth (9-3, 6-2 CAA)
Points: 200; Final 2025 Ranking: 22; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 at Tennessee Tech
23. UT Martin (6-6, 6-2 OCV-Big South; rebranded to Ohio Valley Conference in 2026)
Points: 144; Final 2025 Ranking: NR; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 27 vs. Central Arkansas
24. South Carolina State (10-3, 5-0 MEAC)
Points: 107; Final 2025 Ranking: 21; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 vs. Savannah State
25. Northern Arizona (7-5, 4-4 Big Sky)
Points: 103; Final 2025 Ranking: NR; 2026 Season Opener: Aug. 29 vs. Eastern Washington
 
Others Receiving Points (schools listed on two or more ballots): Idaho State (6-6, 5-3 Big Sky) 100; Western Carolina (7-5, 6-2 SoCon) 75; Harvard (9-2, 6-1 Ivy) 72; New Hampshire (8-5, 6-2 CAA) 61; Alabama State (10-2, 7-1 SWAC) 59; Jackson State (9-3, 7-1 SWAC) 48; Southern Utah (7-5, 6-2 UAC; Big Sky member in 2026) 27; Prairie View A&M (10-4, 7-1 SWAC) 25; West Georgia (8-3, 5-3 UAC) 25; UTRGV (9-3, 5-3 Southland) 20; Richmond (7-5, 3-4 Patriot) 15; ETSU (7-5, 5-3 SoCon) 12; Elon (6-6, 4-4 CAA) 11; Southeast Missouri (4-8, 2-5 Ohio Valley; rebranded to Ohio Valley Conference) 10; William & Mary (7-5, 6-2 CAA; Patriot League member in 2026) 9; Delaware State (8-4, 4-1 MEAC) 7; Drake (8-4, 7-1 Pioneer) 7;Furman (6-6, 4-4 SoCon) 6