For Immediate Release
SEGUIN, Texas — Texas Lutheran football was voted to finish atop the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference according to a preseason poll of the league’s coaches, the conference office announced Monday.
The back-to-back regular season champions were the narrow favorites to win the conference, receiving a league-leading 34 votes to win the 2026 SCAC Championship. Texas Lutheran split the first place votes with Hendrix with the Bulldogs receiving four votes and the Warriors receiving the remaining two votes. For the first time since 2011, the conference will have automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in football. The winner of the 2026 SCAC Championship Game at War Memorial Stadium in Arkansas will receive the conference’s bid.
Following TLU in the poll was Hendrix (32, two first place votes), Centenary (18), Austin College (17), Lyon (17), and Gallaudet (8).
TLU returns 14 starters from the 2025 roster. The Bulldogs finished the year with a 6-4 overall record and a perfect 5-0 record on their way to winning their second straight SCAC Championship crown.
The 2026 roster is represented by over 150 players, almost entirely from across the state of Texas.
Texas Lutheran opens the 2026 season in San Antonio as they travel to face the rival, 14th-ranked Trinity Tigers at 7 PM on Saturday, Sept. 5. All streaming and live stats links will be available on tlubulldogs.com.
For more information on Texas Lutheran football, follow the Bulldogs on X (Twitter) and Instagram (@TLU_Football) and as always, you can find updates on all Texas Lutheran athletics on tlubulldogs.com and all official TLU social media channels (@tluathletics on X (Twitter,) @tlu_athletics on Instagram, and @tlubulldogs on Facebook).
SCAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll
- Texas Lutheran – 34 (4)
- Hendrix – 32 (2)
- Centenary – 18
- Austin College – 17
- Lyon – 17
- Gallaudet – 8