Who will be the D-II football champ in 2026? Vote for your preseason favorite

The Rhode Island high school football season officially starts on Monday, Aug. 17, and before you know it everyone will be getting ready to crown champions at Cranston Stadium.

But who will those teams be?

The Providence Journal will have no problem telling you who we think will be in contention and who will be our picks to win once camps get going and we do our due diligence.

That doesn’t mean you can’t start talking about it now. We want to know who our readers think will end up with Super Bowls in each respective division, so we’re offering a chance to make your opinion heard in our poll.

You can vote as many times as you’d like between now and when the poll closes. Don’t be afraid to start social media campaigns, creating as much excitement as possible for the program closest to your heart.

We’ll be having polls throughout the football season, so consider this a preseason test for readers.

The best pound-for-pound program in Rhode Island, the Broncos return to Division II after going 3-5 in Division I last season. Most of Burrillville’s roster is back from last year, which is going to prove problematic for the rest of Division II as the program tries to chase down its state-best 25th title.

A perfect example of a Division II.5 team, Classical returns to D-II after winning the Division III Super Bowl last fall and making the D-III title game in 2024. Classical lost some key veterans, but have players who cut their teeth last season ready to step up. Expect the Purple to be in the mix this fall.

Year 1 of the Andy Gervasini Era was about establishing culture and while there were some bumps in the road in the 3-5 season, expect the head coach’s second season to go better. The Oakers will play tough in every game this fall.

Is this the year the Townies finally put something together? East Providence has been high on talent but haven’t quite been able to take the final step and while it took a graduation hit, should be on the short list of favorites in Division II in 2026.

Three teams made the jump from Division III to Division II this fall and the Panthers might be best suited for the move. Johnston will be undersized up front, but sophomore quarterback Ethan Archambeault has a strong group of returning skill players, making this team a darkhorse in 2026.

Year one of “one city, one team” went reasonably well as Pawtucket went 4-4 and was in more games than it wasn’t. Chemistry should be even better in 2026 and Pawtucket – which still doesn’t have a nickname – could have one of the best defenses in Division II.

After winning the Division III Super Bowl in 2024, the Chieftains were rolling in 2025 until the injury bug struck. Ponaganset moved up with realignment and while it’s still relatively young, but its not going to hide from its identity – win with toughness up front and with deception in the run game.

After winning the Division II Super Bowl last fall, a second straight title seemed like a lock for 2026. All-State quarterback Landon Husereau transferring to a prep school changed that, but the Bulldogs will certainly be in the mix. The offense has big play potential and if Westerly shores up its lines, watch out.

The Wizards were a pleasant surprise in 2025, going 5-3 and earning a semifinal spot in the Division II playoffs. Wes Pennington’s stamp has been put on the program and it’s tough to see, regardless of graduation loss, a West Warwick team that takes a massive step backward in 2026.

Brett Coderre’s first season as head coach went beyond well, as the Villa Novans went 5-3 before ending with a disappointing first-round playoff loss. Woonsocket graduated some key stars and leaders, which should make things tough in the 2026 season.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Who will be the D-II football champ in 2026? Vote for your preseason favorite