ARLINGTON, Texas — After sharing the UAC regular season championship a season ago, Tarleton State and Abilene Christian have been voted to share the UAC preseason bragging rights, as well.
 
On Tuesday to begin the UAC Football Kickoff Media Day, the conference announced its preseason poll and preseason All-Conference players in Arlington, Texas, at Texas Live!
 
The Texans (three first-place votes, 65 points) and the Wildcats (three first-place votes, 65 points) are tied-atop the 2026 UAC Football Preseason Coaches Poll, following a 2025 campaign with each team winning a share of the UAC championship with 7-1 conference records. Austin Peay received the other first-place votes (two) to finish third in the preseason poll with 62 points. Rounding out the eight conference members were Eastern Kentucky (48 points), Central Arkansas (43 points), West Georgia (39 points), North Alabama (37 points), and West Florida (33 points).
 
The preseason coaches poll and preseason all-conference players poll were voted on by head coaches across the United Athletic Conference. All eight UAC head coaches submitted votes, and they were not allowed to vote for their own players or their own team.
 
The Texans had five earn Preseason All-Conference selections, two on offense, two on special teams and one on defense. Running back Tylan Hines and offensive lineman Aidan Moe represented Tarleton State on offense, punter Charlie Mullen and return specialist DeAndre Buchannon (unanimous) represented the Texan special teams, and defensive back Omar Emmons represented the Texan defense.
 
Hines, who enters his second season at Tarleton State, earns his first UAC Preseason All-Conference honor after being named to the Walter Payton Award Preseason Watch List last week. Last season after getting injured on Tarleton State's first drive of the season which caused Hines to miss the Texans' next nine games, he shined in the team's final four games, two coming in the FCS Playoffs. Hines totaled 490 rushing yards (122.5 rushing yards per game) with three rushing touchdowns on 78 carries (6.3 YPC) over the final four games. He had a season-high 215 rushing yards and a touchdown in Tarleton State's UAC co-championship clinching win against Austin Peay in the regular season finale, then opened the FCS Playoffs with 120 rushing yards in the Texans' win against North Dakota.
 
Moe is entering his second season at Tarleton State. He was UAC Second Team All-Conference last year, and last week was named a Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-American. Last year, he started all 14 games for the Texans on the offensive line, helping the Texans rank No. 1 in scoring offense (42.4 points per game), No. 8 in total offense (457.6 YPG), No. 16 in passing offense (263.6 YPG), and No. 18 in rushing offense (193.9 YPG). He also helped the Texans rank No. 2 in the conference in sacks allowed during the regular season (1.83 allowed per game). On offense, the Texans turned the ball over just nine times, the tied-fifth fewest amount of turnovers lost across the FCS.
 
Buchannon is an in-conference transfer, arriving at Tarleton State from fellow UAC member West Georgia. He was First Team All-UAC as a return specialist last year, and last week, he was also named a Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-American. Last year he ranked sixth in the country in kickoff returns at nearly 30 yards per return. He served West Georgia as both a kick returner and punt returner, taking a kickoff 92 yards to the house in the season opener against Samford on Aug. 28, rattling off four 30-plus yard kick returns throughout the season and a 33-yard punt return against Nicholls State.
 
Mullen enters his fifth season at Tarleton State, and earns his first UAC Preseason All-Conference nod. He was Tarleton State's lone punter last year, booting 54 punts to cover 2,108 yards, placing 21 inside the 20-yard line, with six 50+ yard punts. He had a season-long 57-yard boot in the FCS Playoffs against North Dakota.
 
Emmons is entering his third season in Stephenville. At the nickel position, Emmons was UAC Second Team All-Conference last year. He totaled three interceptions, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, a blocked punt, three pass breakups, three tackles for loss and 35 total tackles during the regular season, tied-second in the UAC in forced fumbles and tied-fourth in interceptions.
 
Tarleton State's five total honorees match the most they've had the D1 level (2025 in the UAC, 2024 in the UAC, 2022 in the WAC). There were 26 players honored across all preseason awards. Tarleton State had the second most honorees with five behind Abilene Christian (eight).
 
The full results of the preseason UAC polls can be found below:
 
2026 UAC Football Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Tarleton State (3), 65 points
1. Abilene Christian (3), 65 points
3. Austin Peay (2), 62 points
4. EKU, 48 points
5. Central Arkansas, 43 points
6. West Georgia, 39 points
7. North Alabama, 37 points
8. West Florida, 33 points
 
Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Chris Parson, Austin Peay
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Kaden Smith, EKU*
 
All-UAC Preseason Offensive Team
QB: Chris Parson, Austin Peay*
RB: Tylan Hines, Tarleton State
RB: Brayden Latham, EKU
WR: Jaden Robinson, Austin Peay
WR: Dallas Dudley, Abilene Christian
TE: Jackson Head, Austin Peay
OL: Joshua Sales Jr, Austin Peay
OL: Aiden Moe, Tarleton State
OL: Luke Roaten, Abilene Christian
OL: Landon Roaten, Abilene Christian
C: Colter Lynch, Abilene Christian*
 
All-UAC Preseason Defensive Team
DL: Kortlin Rausaw, Abilene Christian
DL: Travion Traylor, Central Arkansas
DL: Fred Vili, North Alabama
DL: Chris Herpin, Abilene Christian
LB: Kaden Smith, EKU
LB: Ashtyn Williams, Central Arkansas
LB: Tango McCauley Jr., North Alabama
DB: Omar Emmons, Tarleton State
DB: Dillion Williams, Abilene Christian
DB: Marcus Washington, Central Arkansas
DB: Derek Taylor, EKU
 
All-UAC Preseason Specialists Team
K: Brandon Perez, Abilene Christian
P: Charlie Mullen, Tarleton State
LS: Quaid Luginbill, EKU
RS: DeAndre Buchannon, Tarleton State*
 
*-Denotes unanimous selection