The Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference saw a wide range of outcomes in 2025, but the status quo could be shaken up in 2026.
The SBAAC saw both undefeated and winless regular seasons, but postseason success was elusive. Only four of the conference’s 10 teams made the playoffs, and Clinton-Massie was the only team to escape its first matchup. Four schools parted ways with head coaches in the offseason, so the league will see a lot of turnover in 2026.
Which teams have the best chance to unseat Clinton-Massie (American) and Williamsburg (National)? Here’s a preview for each of the SBAAC teams in 2026, ordered alphabetically and grouped by division.
American Division
Batavia
2025: 4-6, missed playoffs
Head coach: Steve Dahlheimer
Returning players: QB Makhi Taylor, RB Ken Kelch, WR Jaylin Lowe, LB Aiden Roehm, WR/LB Mark Englert, CB Bryson Greggs
Outlook: After a 4-6 finish in 2025, former head coach Wayne Stacey stepped down after four years with the program. The coaching search took a detour through Lima, but ultimately landed on Batavia’s assistant coach Steve Dahlheimer. The Bulldogs have a young offensive core: quarterback Makhi Taylor returns after throwing for 1,325 yards and 12 touchdowns in his sophomore season, and top rusher Ken Kelch and second-leading receiver Jaylin Lowe return as well. Defense and special teams will have a new look after Batavia lost all of its all-league selections from 2025. Holding things down will be linebacker Mark Englert, who recorded 53 tackles while catching two touchdown passes as a junior.
Clinton-Massie
2025: 10-2, lost second round of playoffs
Head coach: Kevin Scholz
Returning players: TE/DE Ty Martin, K Jace Horner, RB/LB Brady Gray, OL/DL Terrell Brooks, OL/DL Luke Myers, RB Peyton Warren
Outlook: After 29 years and three state championships, legendary head coach Dan McSurley retired as head coach of the Falcons after a 10-2 year. Kevin Scholz, son of Oak Hills head coach Dan Scholz, is the next man up for Clinton-Massie after spending time as a defensive line coach in Missouri. He won’t have to look hard for a defensive anchor as Ty Martin returns as the SBAAC American Division defensive co-player of the year. Martin had 11.5 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss and 56 tackles as a junior. The offense lost 46 of its 57 touchdowns to graduation, but a stable of returning running backs who combined for over 1,000 rushing yards should lay the groundwork for the defending American Division champions to rebuild.
Goshen
2025: 7-4, lost first round of playoffs
Head coach: Shane Elkin
Returning players: QB Caden Slusher, RB/LB Gage Croley, RB/DB Camden Telinda, WR/DB Jomar Berg, WR/LB Ryder Barrial, OL/DL Chase Grundy, WR/DB Brody Flynn, OL/DL Hayden Peters
Outlook: Goshen returns the vast majority of its production from its 7-4 playoff season a year ago. Headlined by SBAAC American Division offensive player of the year Gage Croley and defensive co-player of the year Cam Telinda, the Warriors have eight all-conference honorees back on the field in 2026. Every single touchdown scorer is back from last season: Croley’s 2,007 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns led the way on the ground, but sophomore QB Caden Slusher combined for 30 total touchdowns through the air and in the rushing attack. Telinda will lead a feisty defense after an 81-tackle, two-interception season in 2025.
New Richmond
2025: 4-7, lost first round of playoffs
Head coach: Brian Pitzer
Returning players: RB/LB Dylan Wolf, WR/LB Peyton Abner, QB Brady Young, K Colton Waldman, WR/DB Dallas Klinker, WR/DB Leland Hammons, WR/DB James Vail
Outlook: One of the top offenses in the SBAAC is getting the band back together. New Richmond’s starting quarterback (Brady Young), leading rusher (Dylan Wolf), and leading receiver (Peyton Abner) are all back for their senior seasons. Wolf’s 19 rushing touchdowns were third in the league last season, and Young finished second in passing yards with 1,723. Though the defensive front is dealing with significant attrition, returning defensive backs like Dallas Klinker and Leland Hammons should provide some security in the passing game.
Western Brown
2025: 2-8, missed playoffs
Head coach: Nick Osborne
Returning players: TE/LB Adam Pena, TE/LB Peyton Day, QB/DB Deon Bradford, WR/DB Carson Parker
Outlook: Western Brown got off to a rough start last season, dropping its first six games before turning things around with two conference wins and a narrow loss to Goshen in October. The Broncos will have to rely on fresh faces in 2026 after losing five of their eight all-conference nods from a season ago.
QB Deon Bradford provides stability at signal caller after his gunslinging season put him atop the SBAAC leaderboard with 2,096 yards last year. Defensively, leading linebacker Adam Pena is back after recording 86 tackles with two sacks and six tackles for loss.
Wilmington
2025: 5-5, missed playoffs
Head coach: Zach Williams
Returning players: WR/DB Phayden Mawyer, OL/DL Ioan Cioca, OL/DL Damian Simpson, K Scotty Hall, RB Josiah Puller
Outlook: The Hurricane have a familiar face leading the program in 2026 with longtime assistant Zach Williams taking over the team. Wilmington just missed the playoffs for the first time since 2021 last year, but a return to form will have to come from new faces on the field.
It’s not yet clear who will be under center for Wilmington, but leading rusher Josiah Puller and second-leading receiver Payden Mawyer should provide a bit of a safety net (assuming Mawyer isn’t moved to QB). A pair of imposing forces on the defensive front in Ioan Cioca and Damian Simpson should wreak havoc on opposing fronts again in 2026. Cioca had 105 tackles last year with two sacks and eight tackles for loss; Simpson had five sacks, 10 tackles for loss, and 56 tackles.
National Division
Bethel-Tate
2025: 4-6, missed playoffs
Head coach: Jeff Essig
Returning players: WR/LB Camden Aylward, WR/CB Landen Collins, OL/DL Mike Giwer, RB/DT Parker Harvey, OL/DL Ben Parker, DB Logan Halcomb
Outlook: Though the Tigers rattled off four wins in a row in the second half of the season, it wasn’t quite enough to reach the postseason and avoid Bethel-Tate’s first losing season since 2018. Bethel-Tate will have a new-look offense in 2026, likely seeing sophomore Riley Halcomb assume duties under center without last season’s top rusher or receiver. The defense will see a bit more continuity, particularly on the defensive line. Landen Collins is back at edge after an 81-tackle, three-sack season, and defensive tackle Parker Harvey enters his junior year after recording 49 tackles and two sacks last year.
Blanchester
2025: 3-7, missed playoffs
Head coach: Robert Schooley
Returning players: QB/DB Brayden Behymer, OL/LB Cory Kidd, WR/CB Cooper Reynolds, LT/DT Brian Magdaleno Herrera, TE/DE Angel Torres, RB/LB Frankie McIntosh
Outlook: Of Blanchester’s eight all-conference nods from a year ago, all but two are suiting back up for the Wildcats in 2026. Though the program will need to replace a lot of lost production in the ground game, quarterback Brayden Behymer is set to run the aerial attack for the third consecutive season. Top receiver, return man and corner Cooper Reynolds provides dangerous speed; he scored two kickoff return touchdowns and six touchdown receptions while snagging three interceptions. Between the trio of Cory Kidd, Frankie McIntosh and Angel Torres, Blanchester returns 197 tackles and 16 tackles from a dangerous front seven.
Clermont Northeastern
2025: 3-7, missed playoffs
Head coach: Steve Thompson
Returning players: RB/DB Jaxon Vining, TE/LB Tyler Watkins, QB/LB Isaiah Brunner, RB/DB Cooper Mink-Kelch, DB Wyatt Kirk
Outlook: Clermont Northeastern is still searching for its first winning season since 2019 and the offensive output will need to be more consistent this season to change that. The Rockets only scored more than one touchdown in one of their losses, but they also scored more than 40 points in each of their wins. Tyler Watkins will be a leader on defense after turning in five sacks, five tackles for loss, and an interception as a linebacker. Ball hawking is one of the strengths of the Clermont Northeastern defense; Cooper Mink-Kelch and Wyatt Kirk bring back five combined interceptions from 2025.
East Clinton
2025: 0-10, missed playoffs
Head coach: Doug Miller
Returning players: TE/DE Colt Jamison, RB/DB Roy Riddle, QB Emery Pauley, RB/DB LeAndre Robinson, TE/LB Kylan Floyd, DB Carson Jones
Outlook: The bad news: East Clinton has only won a single game since 2023. The good news: Young talent led the Astros last season, a group that can grow and thrive in 2026. East Clinton’s top quarterback (Emery Pauley), rusher (Roy Riddle), receiver (Colt Jamison) and tackler (Kylan Floyd) were all sophomores last year. With another year of development, look for the Astros to be much more competitive in 2026.
Williamsburg
2025: 10-1, lost in second round of the playoffs after a first-round bye
Head coach: Nick Ayers
Returning players: RB Gray Robinson, RB/LB Rylin Collins, OL/DL Bronson Malott, TE/DE Jackson Kreimer, RB/LB Zayne Walker
Outlook: Williamsburg completed an undefeated regular season in 2025, finishing the regular season with three consecutive shutouts. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, a strong senior class played a huge role in that success. Of Williamsburg’s 12 all-conference winners, only three will be back in uniform this year. Leading rusher Gray Robinson looks to lead the offense once again following a 1,151-yard, 11-touchdown junior campaign. On the other side of the ball, linebacker Rylin Collins will anchor the defense after recording 72 tackles, 4.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, and a forced fumble recovery in 2025.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 2026 Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference football preview
Reporting by Chase Souder, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Chase Souder, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
