OHIO ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

2026 Season Preview, Presented by Hansen Ratings
Mount Union
Mount UnionAlliance, OH
Baldwin Wallace
Baldwin WallaceBerea, OH
Ohio Northern
Ohio NorthernAda, OH
Heidelberg
HeidelbergTiffin, OH
Marietta
MariettaMarietta, OH
Muskingum
MuskingumNew Concord, OH
Capital
CapitalColumbus, OH
Wilmington
WilmingtonWilmington, OH
Otterbein
OtterbeinWesterville, OH
2025 Season Recap
Team | W-L (Conf) Rating
1. Mount Union | 11-1 (8-0) 41.2
2. Ohio Northern | 8-3 (7-1) 21.3
3. Baldwin Wallace | 8-2 (6-2) 22.2
4. Heidelberg | 6-4 (5-3) 11.0
5. Muskingum | 4-6 (4-4) 0.3
6. Marietta | 5-5 (3-5) 9.2
7. Capital | 3-7 (1-7) -8.7
7. Wilmington | 3-7 (1-7) -9.8
7. Otterbein | 1-9 (1-7) -17.9
Postseason Results
Auto Bid
1-1
Mount Union
At-Large
0-0
Bowl(s)
0-1
Ohio Northern
W-L
1-2
Conference Summary
5.7
Avg. Rating
52%
Avg. Ret.
52%
Offense
53%
Defense
Players to Watch
YARP/G = Yards Above
Replacement per Game
Mikey Maloney - QB, Jr
Mount Union - 101.5 YARP/G
George Linberger - RB, Sr
Baldwin Wallace - 32.2 YARP/G
Cade Searls - WR, Sr
Muskingum - 20.5 YARP/G
Christian Pataky - TE, Sr
Otterbein - 15.9 YARP/G
Quentin Lehman - OL, Sr
Ohio Northern - 38.8 YARP/G
Jacob Hershberger - DB, Sr
Ohio Northern - 51.6 YARP/G
Myles Aldrich - LB, Sr
Ohio Northern - 44.1 YARP/G
Leo Grandizio - DB, Jr
Marietta - 35.8 YARP/G
Taison Starr - LB, Jr
Marietta - 25.3 YARP/G
Declan McAdams - DL, Sr
Capital - 15.1 YARP/G
Games to Watch
Game Score = Measure of
Quality & Competitiveness
9/5: Mount Union (+6.5) @ Wheaton Ill. CCIW Game Score: 33.8 Wheaton Ill. 34.5-28.2 - 65%
9/19: Alma (+4) @ Baldwin Wallace MIAA Game Score: 18.6 Baldwin Wallace 33.3-29.1 - 60%
11/7: Baldwin Wallace (+16) @ Mount Union Game Score: 14.6 Mount Union 34.9-18.9 - 84%
9/5: Ohio Northern (+4) @ Adrian MIAA Game Score: 13.9 Adrian 27.9-23.7 - 60%
9/12: Grove City (+17.5) @ Mount Union PAC Game Score: 12.3 Mount Union 31.6-14.1 - 87%
2026 Season Preview
: New Head Coach
Mount Union
Projected W-L: 8.7-1.3 (7.5-0.5)
Return
Prod.
Total
37%
(222)
Returning Production
National #222 of 243
Conference 9th of 9
43%
(190)
Returning Offense
National #190 of 243
Conference 6th of 9
Off.
30%
(229)
Returning Defense
National #229 of 243
Conference 9th of 9
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
71%
Auto Bid Odds
National #8 of 243
Conference 1st of 9
11%
At-Large Odds
National #34 of 243
Conference 2nd of 9
At-Large
13%
Bowl Odds
National #62 of 243
Conference 5th of 9
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
36.4
(11)
Rating
National #11 of 243
Conference 1st of 9
42.8
(18)
Adjusted Offense
National #18 of 243
Conference 1st of 9
AdjO
6.4
(9)
Adjusted Defense
National #9 of 243
Conference 1st of 9
AdjD
Baldwin Wallace
Projected W-L: 7.8-2.2 (6.2-1.8)
Return
Prod.
Total
66%
(74)
Returning Production
National #74 of 243
Conference 2nd of 9
77%
(49)
Returning Offense
National #49 of 243
Conference 1st of 9
Off.
52%
(152)
Returning Defense
National #152 of 243
Conference 4th of 9
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
17%
Auto Bid Odds
National #61 of 243
Conference 2nd of 9
20%
At-Large Odds
National #14 of 243
Conference 1st of 9
At-Large
28%
Bowl Odds
National #25 of 243
Conference 1st of 9
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
22.9
(34)
Rating
National #34 of 243
Conference 2nd of 9
40.4
(29)
Adjusted Offense
National #29 of 243
Conference 2nd of 9
AdjO
17.5
(47)
Adjusted Defense
National #47 of 243
Conference 2nd of 9
AdjD
Ohio Northern
Projected W-L: 6.7-3.3 (5.4-2.6)
Return
Prod.
Total
46%
(185)
Returning Production
National #185 of 243
Conference 6th of 9
42%
(195)
Returning Offense
National #195 of 243
Conference 7th of 9
Off.
51%
(159)
Returning Defense
National #159 of 243
Conference 6th of 9
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
8%
Auto Bid Odds
National #84 of 243
Conference 3rd of 9
7%
At-Large Odds
National #50 of 243
Conference 3rd of 9
At-Large
24%
Bowl Odds
National #29 of 243
Conference 2nd of 9
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
16.8
(53)
Rating
National #53 of 243
Conference 3rd of 9
36.8
(42)
Adjusted Offense
National #42 of 243
Conference 3rd of 9
AdjO
20.0
(68)
Adjusted Defense
National #68 of 243
Conference 4th of 9
AdjD
Heidelberg
Projected W-L: 6.0-4.0 (4.7-3.3)
Return
Prod.
Total
52%
(162)
Returning Production
National #162 of 243
Conference 4th of 9
44%
(189)
Returning Offense
National #189 of 243
Conference 5th of 9
Off.
62%
(89)
Returning Defense
National #89 of 243
Conference 2nd of 9
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
2%
Auto Bid Odds
National #123 of 243
Conference 4th of 9
4%
At-Large Odds
National #73 of 243
Conference 4th of 9
At-Large
18%
Bowl Odds
National #46 of 243
Conference 3rd of 9
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
9.7
(76)
Rating
National #76 of 243
Conference 4th of 9
32.3
(76)
Adjusted Offense
National #76 of 243
Conference 4th of 9
AdjO
22.6
(90)
Adjusted Defense
National #90 of 243
Conference 5th of 9
AdjD
Marietta
Projected W-L: 5.1-4.9 (4.5-3.5)
Return
Prod.
Total
57%
(131)
Returning Production
National #131 of 243
Conference 3rd of 9
64%
(101)
Returning Offense
National #101 of 243
Conference 3rd of 9
Off.
49%
(167)
Returning Defense
National #167 of 243
Conference 7th of 9
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
2%
Auto Bid Odds
National #126 of 243
Conference 5th of 9
3%
At-Large Odds
National #81 of 243
Conference 5th of 9
At-Large
14%
Bowl Odds
National #59 of 243
Conference 4th of 9
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
8.3
(83)
Rating
National #83 of 243
Conference 5th of 9
27.9
(110)
Adjusted Offense
National #110 of 243
Conference 5th of 9
AdjO
19.6
(65)
Adjusted Defense
National #65 of 243
Conference 3rd of 9
AdjD
Muskingum
Projected W-L: 3.5-6.5 (2.9-5.1)
Return
Prod.
Total
46%
(190)
Returning Production
National #190 of 243
Conference 7th of 9
45%
(183)
Returning Offense
National #183 of 243
Conference 4th of 9
Off.
47%
(175)
Returning Defense
National #175 of 243
Conference 8th of 9
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
0%
Auto Bid Odds
National #183 of 243
Conference 7th of 9
0%
At-Large Odds
National #149 of 243
Conference 6th of 9
At-Large
2%
Bowl Odds
National #89 of 243
Conference 6th of 9
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
-2.4
(131)
Rating
National #131 of 243
Conference 6th of 9
24.8
(136)
Adjusted Offense
National #136 of 243
Conference 7th of 9
AdjO
27.2
(124)
Adjusted Defense
National #124 of 243
Conference 6th of 9
AdjD
Capital
Projected W-L: 4.0-6.0 (2.4-5.6)
Return
Prod.
Total
73%
(41)
Returning Production
National #41 of 243
Conference 1st of 9
74%
(59)
Returning Offense
National #59 of 243
Conference 2nd of 9
Off.
73%
(44)
Returning Defense
National #44 of 243
Conference 1st of 9
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
0%
Auto Bid Odds
National #180 of 243
Conference 6th of 9
0%
At-Large Odds
National #160 of 243
Conference 7th of 9
At-Large
1%
Bowl Odds
National #96 of 243
Conference 7th of 9
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
-6.5
(147)
Rating
National #147 of 243
Conference 7th of 9
21.7
(159)
Adjusted Offense
National #159 of 243
Conference 8th of 9
AdjO
28.2
(135)
Adjusted Defense
National #135 of 243
Conference 7th of 9
AdjD
Wilmington
Projected W-L: 2.0-8.0 (1.7-6.3)
Return
Prod.
Total
50%
(170)
Returning Production
National #170 of 243
Conference 5th of 9
42%
(196)
Returning Offense
National #196 of 243
Conference 8th of 9
Off.
60%
(104)
Returning Defense
National #104 of 243
Conference 3rd of 9
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
0%
Auto Bid Odds
National #202 of 243
Conference 8th of 9
0%
At-Large Odds
National #177 of 243
Conference 8th of 9
At-Large
0%
Bowl Odds
National #101 of 243
Conference 8th of 9
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
-12.3
(173)
Rating
National #173 of 243
Conference 8th of 9
26.9
(116)
Adjusted Offense
National #116 of 243
Conference 6th of 9
AdjO
39.2
(210)
Adjusted Defense
National #210 of 243
Conference 8th of 9
AdjD
Otterbein
Projected W-L: 1.7-8.3 (0.7-7.3)
Return
Prod.
Total
42%
(207)
Returning Production
National #207 of 243
Conference 8th of 9
34%
(216)
Returning Offense
National #216 of 243
Conference 9th of 9
Off.
51%
(157)
Returning Defense
National #157 of 243
Conference 5th of 9
Def.
Post-
Season
Auto Bid
0%
Auto Bid Odds
National #202 of 243
Conference 8th of 9
0%
At-Large Odds
National #189 of 243
Conference 9th of 9
At-Large
0%
Bowl Odds
National #112 of 243
Conference 9th of 9
Bowl
Team
Ratings
Rating
-21.7
(202)
Rating
National #202 of 243
Conference 9th of 9
17.9
(189)
Adjusted Offense
National #189 of 243
Conference 9th of 9
AdjO
39.6
(214)
Adjusted Defense
National #214 of 243
Conference 9th of 9
AdjD
Auto Bid = Conference AQ; At-Large = Pool C at-large bid; Bowl = automatic bowl tie-ins (ECAC bowls are not included)
Note: Projections use prelim. returning production. Ranks in parentheses are national, of 243 teams. Data: stats.ncaa.org | Analysis: Logan Hansen