RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference has announced the 2025 GAC Preseason Football Coaches Poll on Tuesday as the league is top-heavy once again with Natural State presence. Entering his fourth season at the helm, head coach Brad Smiley and team will be tabbed third behind both Harding (1) and Ouachita Baptist (2) by nine points whilst being ahead of Henderson State (4) by three points.
 
The Muleriders are coming off of a highly successful 9-2 season in 2024 after seeing the programs first 10-win season in 2023. The team also saw quarterback Judd Barton win GAC offensive player of the year honors while 17 total Muleriders claimed All-GAC honors. Cornerback Melvin Smith Jr. also earned only the second invite in program history to the Reeces Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
 
Southern Arkansas enters the new campaign with their second consecutive top-three nod since 2018 and 2019. The 2025 poll marks the eighth time since 2016 that the Muleriders are picked inside the league's top-five and the 10^th occasion since becoming a charter member of the conference in 2011.
 
In first place of this season's preseason poll are the defending GAC champions, the Harding Bisons, which received 119 points and nine of the 12 first-place votes. The Bisons were just one of the two losses suffered on last seasons schedule for the Muleriders, with the other being Ouachita Baptist. The Tigers come in second in the poll as they were awarded 108 total points and three first-place votes.
 
The Muleriders will see an abundance of new faces this season on the gridiron as they only return four of their All-GAC athletes from a year ago including Connor Hagerty (offensive line), Hunter Hewitt (outside linebacker), Tridell Talley Jr. (safety), and Zay Woods (cornerback).
 
Southern Arkansas and Oklahoma Baptist will open the season in early September for a Thursday night (Sep. 4) battle inside of Wilkins Stadium to kick off 107^th season of Mulerider football. Kickoff is set for 7:00 PM.
 
Muleriders in GAC Preseason Coaches Polls
2024 | 3rd of 12
2023 | 4th of 12
2022 | 8th of 12
2021 | 5th of 12
2019 | 3rd of 12
2018 | 3rd of 12
2017 | 1st of 12
2016 | 5th of 12
2015 | 6th of 12
2014 | 5th of 11
2013 | 2nd of 11
2012 | T6 of 9
2011 | 7th of 9
 
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