**Story updated on August 18 by Nick Nemeth at 3:00 PM**
Alma, MI – Alma College Football was in the receiving votes category of both the d3football.com preseason top 25 poll, and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) preseason top 25 poll. The Scots came in with 31 points in the D3FB poll, good for 31^st in the country, and ranked 30^th in the nation in the AFCA poll, garnering 35 points. Alma returns to the polls after dropping out in the final poll of the 2024 season. Prior to that, the Scots had appeared in 31 consecutive d3football.com top 25 polls, dating back to week 7 of the 2022 season when Alma made their first national polling appearance in nearly two decades.
 
The Scots are coming off of an 8-2 season in 2024, which saw them pull out a 6-1 record in MIAA play, finishing runners up in the conference. The season highlights included wins over Denison University and Division II opponent Northern Michigan University.
 
Defending CCIW conference and NCAA Division III national champions North Central College topped the D3FB poll with 616 points and 24 out of 25 possible first place votes. The Cardinals were followed by OAC powerhouse Mount Union, who received the only first place vote not directed to NCC.

In the AFCA poll, North Central was the unanimous #1 team in the nation. The Cardinals took 1,275 points, and all 51 first place votes. Similar to the D3FB poll, Mount Union was second with 1,218 points.

Two of Alma's 2025 opponents appear in the polls, with defending MIAA champion Hope College ranked at #20, and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls coming in at #19. Alma will see #20 Hope on September 27^th in Holland, Michigan, and will travel to #19 UWRF to open their season on September 6.