KENOSHA, Wis. — Carthage College football was picked to finish sixth in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) preseason coaches poll, the conference announced Monday.

The Firebirds received 29 points in the poll and enter the 2026 season under third-year head coach Matt Popino. Carthage returns four all-conference selections from last season.

North Central (Ill.) was picked first with 64 points and eight first-place votes, followed by Wheaton (Ill.) with 57 points and one first-place vote. Augustana finished third with 47 points, followed by Illinois Wesleyan with 45 and Carroll with 32.

Carthage was followed by North Park (25), Millikin (17) and Elmhurst (8).

Carthage returns four of its five all-conference defensive standouts in Jeremy Rowlett, Ramon Campos, and Briton Stanton who joined Talamantez on the All-CCIW Second Team Defense.

Stanton led the Firebirds with 74 tackles in 10 games last season, recording 40 solo tackles and 34 assisted tackles. He also had 7.5 tackles for loss, including 2.0 sacks, and a quarterback hurry.

Mariano Talamantez returns after earning All-CCIW Second Team Defense honors as a freshman. The Racine, Wis., native was named the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Private College Freshman of the Year and the CCIW First-Year Defensive Student-Athlete of the Year. He finished the season with 54 tackles, including 33 solo tackles and 21 assisted tackles, and led the team with three interceptions. Talamantez recorded a season-high 11 tackles against North Central (Ill.) on Sept. 20.

Campos recorded 51 tackles last season, including 28 solo tackles and 23 assisted tackles. He added 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, an interception, two pass breakups, three quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. 

Defensive lineman, Rowlett added 44 tackles, one sack and seven tackles for a loss during the season for Carthage a year ago. 

The Firebirds open the 2026 season at home against Lakeland on Friday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m. at Art Keller Field.

Carthage travels to Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Sept. 19 before opening CCIW play at Carroll (Wis.) on Sept. 26.

The Firebirds begin October at Illinois Wesleyan on Oct. 3 before returning home to host Elmhurst on Oct. 10 for homecoming, North Park on Oct. 17 and Millikin on Oct. 24.

Carthage closes the regular season with three of its final four games on the road. The Firebirds travel to North Central (Ill.) on Oct. 31 and Augustana on Nov. 7 before hosting Wheaton (Ill.) on Nov. 14 at Art Keller Field.

Tickets are available at https://carthageathletics.vbotickets.com/events/ for home events. All games are live-streamed at https://cciwnetwork.com/carthage/.