ALLIANCE — The Ohio Athletic Conference preseason football poll is just a formality.

Mount Union, winners of 35 of the last 36 OAC titles, was picked to win another in 2025 by the league’s head coaches.

The Purple Raiders received eight of nine first-place votes and collected 64 points, followed by Baldwin Wallace with 55 points. Marietta finished third with 49 points and the final first-place vote, followed by Heidelberg with 41 points in fourth and Ohio Northern with 40 points in fifth. Head coaches do not vote for their team in the balloting.

The Purple Raiders are coming off a 14-1 season and a trip to the NCAA Division III championship game for the second time in three years.

Mount Union has won 13 national championships and played in the national championship game 23 times — all since 1993.

The Purple Raiders — who have reached the national semifinals for the 27th time in the last 29 seasons — open the 2025 season by hosting Wheaton (Ill.) College at 1 p.m. Sept. 6 at Kehres Stadium.

They will be aiming for a 34th undefeated regular season.

OAC preseason poll

(first-place votes

in parentheses)

1. Mount Union (8) 64

2. Baldwin Wallace 55

3. Marietta (1) 49

4. Heidelberg 41

5. Ohio Northern 40

6. Muskingum 30

7. Capital 20

8. Wilmington 13

9. Otterbein 10