OSHKOSH, Wis. -- The University of Chicago football team has been projected to finish third in the 2025 Midwest Conference (MWC) Preseason Coaches Poll, as announced by the league office on Thursday morning.

Monmouth College topped the poll with 78 points and six first-place votes, entering the season as the favorite to win its first conference title since 2019. Defending champion Lake Forest College secured the remaining four first-place votes and totaled 75 points, placing them second in the rankings.

UChicago and Illinois College tied for third with 61 points apiece, while Cornell College followed closely in fifth place with 51 points.

The remainder of the poll featured Ripon College (42), Knox College (30), Grinnell College (27), Beloit College (15), and Lawrence University (10).

The Maroons return three All-Conference performers from the 2024 season: Walter Kilgore, Josh Minton, and Stirling Sakashita.

UChicago will open a new chapter under first-year head coach Craig Knoche when they host Carnegie Mellon University on Saturday, September 6 at 12:00 PM.