LANCASTER, PA – Johns Hopkins grabbed six first-place votes and totaled 46 points to earn the top spot in the 2026 Centennial Conference Preseason Football Poll of the league's head coaches it was announced today.  The Blue Jays grab the top spot in the poll for the 16th time in the last 18 seasons and the 20^th time since 2004.  Johns Hopkins, which posted a 12-2 record and advanced to the NCAA Semifinals in 2025, went on to win the Centennial title in 14 of the previous 18 years in which it topped the preseason poll, including a streak of 10 consecutive seasons from 2009-2018.
 
Carnegie Mellon, which joined the Centennial Conference for football last season, totaled 40 points to grab the number two spot in the poll, while defending champion Franklin & Marshall received the two remaining first-place votes and totaled 38 points to finish third.  Muhlenberg (36 points) and Ursinus (24) rounded out the top five in the voting.
 
Johns Hopkins has won a league-record 17 Centennial Conference titles with all 17 coming since 2002.  Included among the 17 are outright titles in 2005, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2023 and 2024 and shared titles in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2010, 2017, 2018 and 2021.  The Centennial Conference did not compete in 2020 (COVID), which means the Blue Jays have claimed at least a share of 17 of the last 23 league titles.
 
Johns Hopkins will open the 2026 season on Saturday, September 5 when the Blue Jays welcome Ithaca to Homewood Field (12 pm).
 
2026 Centennial Conference Preseason Football Poll
1. Johns Hopkins (6 First-Place Votes) – 46 points
2. Carnegie Mellon – 40
3. Franklin & Marshall (2) – 38
4. Muhlenberg - 36
5. Ursinus – 24
6. Dickinson – 20
7. Gettysburg – 12
8. McDaniel - 8