Defending Class L champion New Canaan is No. 1 preseason poll
Five defending CIAC football champions are in GameTimeCT’s preseason top 10 football poll in voting by state sportswriters and broadcasters. Defending Class L champion New Canaan (13-0) is the unanimous selection as the No. 1 team in the state. The 2026 season begins on Thursday, Sept. 10.
Local teams in action on Thursday will be Farmington at Wethersfield; NW Catholic at Avon/St. Paul and Simsbury at Middletown. On Friday, Ellington will visit Granby/Canton and Lewis Mills/Wolcott Tech will host Plainville.
| GameTimeCT’s top 10 high school football poll as voted by state sportswriters. First-place votes in parentheses and points compiled on a 30-28-26-24-22-20-18-16-14-12-11-10-9-8-7 basis. | |||||
| Preseason, Sept. 4, 2026 | |||||
| Team | Rec. | Pts | LY | Class | Last year |
| 1. New Canaan (21) | 13-0 | 630 | 1 | L | Class L champ |
| 2. Greenwich | 11-2 | 560 | 3 | LL | Class LL champ |
| 3. Southington | 9-4 | 460 | 7 | LL | 2nd in Class LL |
| 4. St. Joseph | 9-3 | 448 | nr | MM | Class M semfinalist |
| 5. Hand | 12-1 | 440 | 2 | SS | Class SS champ |
| 6. Windsor | 12-1 | 369 | 4 | MM | Class MM champ |
| 7. Bunnell | 10-3 | 321 | 10 | M | 2nd in Class MM |
| 8. Fairfield Prep | 9-3 | 281 | 8 | LL | Class LL semifinalist |
| 9. Berlin | 13-0 | 232 | 5 | SS | Class M champ |
| 10. New Britain | 8-2 | 229 | nr | LL | LL quarterfinals |
| Others receiving votes: Cheshire (9-4), 222; Wilton (10-2), 130; Sheehan (11-2), 113; Newtown (8-3), 109; Fairfield Ludlowe (7-4), 108; Glastonbury (7-4), 98; NFA (7-5), 92; Darien (6-5), 82; Killingly (12-1), 81; Ledyard (8-4), 54; Ansonia (8-4), 48; West Haven (5-5), 43; Staples (5-6), 38; Ridgefield (8-4), 27; Holy Cross (8-4), 23; Brookfield (10-3), 22; Jonathan Law (8-3), 21; Seymour (9-2), 20; New London (3-7), 20; Danbury (6-5), 9; Masuk (5-5), 9; Maloney (6-4), 8; North Haven (5-5), 8. | |||||
| Voting this week: Will Aldam, GametimeCT; Sean Patrick Bowley, GametimeCT; Bryant Carpenter, GametimeCT; Andy Close, Bristol Press; Gerry deSimas Jr., Collinsville Press; Mike DiMauro, The Day of New London; Erik Dobratz, WTNH-8; Scott Ericson, GametimeCT; Vickie Fulkerson, The Day of New London; Ned Griffen, The Day of New London; Rob Gullo, New Britain Herald; Mike Madera, Walter Camp Football Foundation; Joe Morelli, GametimeCT; Pete Paguaga, GametimeCT; Lori Riley, Hartford Courant; Kevin Roberts, GametimeCT; Dave Ruden, The Ruden Report; Dave Stewart, GametimeCT; Matt Sottile, NBC CT; Johnny Uricchio, Wilimantic Chronicle; Jimmy Zanor, Norwich Bulletin. Did note vote: Joe Zone, WFSB-3. | |||||
2025 Connecticut High School Football Standings
2025 CIAC football tournaments
Area football previews 2026
Simsbury
Granby/Canton
Lewis Mills
Farmington
Avon/St. Paul
Avon Old Farms