CAA Football enters 2026 with a new look and plenty of intrigue following significant conference realignment and the departure of several longtime powers.
Rhode Island begins the season as the team to beat after back-to-back conference championships, other programs sit a tier below hoping to challenge for the conference title.
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New member Sacred Heart also brings added excitement, giving the conference another playoff hopeful capable of making an immediate impact.
With improved depth across the league and an unpredictable championship race, every conference game could carry major implications for the CAA title and the FCS playoff picture. Here's five things to know about the CAA going into 2026.
Albany Has A New Head Coach
Albany enters 2026 in a new era after hiring former Susquehanna head coach Tom Perkovich following a 2-10 season under interim Jared Amrbose.
Perkovich comes with 10 years of head coaching experience at the division 3 level, including a 43-7 record and four consecutive playoff appearances over the last four seasons.
How will Albany look under a new regime? It was only two seasons ago when long-time head coach Greg Gattuso left to be an assistant coach at Penn State. Could Perkovich be the breath of fresh air the program needs?
New Faces And Key Departures In The CAA
Villanova, one of the top programs in the CAA in the 2020s, has left to join the Patriot League. William & Mary, who won the conference in 2022, is also leaving for the Patriot League.
Sacred Heart joins the CAA after being two seasons as an independent and transitioning from the NEC in 2023.
How will these changes impact the landscape of the CAA in 2026?
Rhode Island Football Is The Clear Conference Favorite
With Villanova off to the Patriot League, Rhode Island has emerged as the favorite to win the CAA in 2026. The Rams season ended in 2025 with an FCS Playoff appearance and a second-round loss.
Coming into 2026, they are No. 3 on the FloCollege Way-Too-Early Rankings, making them the clear favorite to repeat as conference champions.
Stony Brook is a team to watch as a sleeper in the conference behind third-year head coach Billy Cosh.
Is It Monmouth Football’s Year In The CAA?
Monmouth is coming off a nine win season under longtime head coach Kevin Callahan, but Callahan has transitioned to a different role with the team and Jeff Gallo is now the head coach.
The Hawks won their most games since 2019 last season, but a loss to Albany kept the Hawks out of the playoffs.
Will a new head coach under the helm set them back or propel the Hawks towards the top of the conference?
CAA Offensive Player Of The Year Candidates
- Devin Farrell - QB, Rhode Island
- Mitchell Summers - RB, Sacred Heart
- Marquis Buchanan - WR, Rhode Island
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