DALLAS – Conference USA released the 2026 preseason watch list, as selected by the league’s 10 head coaches, on Thursday. Five student-athletes from each of the conference’s 10 member institutions are recognized as key players to watch ahead of the 2026 season.
 
The list is highlighted by reigning CUSA Co-Defensive Player of the Year Baron Hopson, a star linebacker for Kennesaw State. Hopson earned First-Team All-CUSA honors after shattering the program record with 138 total tackles, including nine tackles for loss.
 
Also among the honorees is last year’s CUSA Freshman of the Year Rodney Tisdale Jr., who started the final six games of the year under center for WKU and threw for 1,432 yards and nine touchdowns on 139-212 passing (65.6%).
 
Joining Hopson from last year’s all-league first and second teams are Delaware quarterback Nick Minicucci, Delaware center Steven Demboski, Delaware safety KT Seay, FIU defensive end Kenton Simmons and Jax State kicker Garrison Rippa.
 
The Conference USA slate opens with a pair of Week Zero tilts on Saturday, Aug. 29, with Jax State visiting North Dakota State at 4:30 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network and NM State taking on Florida State at 6 p.m. CT on The CW. The league’s 22^nd Conference USA Football Championship Game is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 4.
 
OFFENSE
QB Nick Minicucci, Delaware
QB Landyn Locke, Sam Houston
QB Rodney Tisdale Jr., WKU
RB Alton McCaskill, Sam Houston
WR Kyle McNeal, FIU
WR Deondre Johnson, Jax State
WR Brayden Munroe, Kennesaw State
WR Jamari Person, Liberty
WR Cam’ron Lacy, MTSU
WR TK King, NM State
TE Jeron Askren, Missouri State
OL Steven Demboski, Delaware
OL Antonio Tripp Jr., FIU
OL Lucas Mrachkovskiy, Jax State
OL Nikola Milovac, Kennesaw State
OL DJ Geth, Liberty
OL Reese Tripp, MTSU
OL Matthew Greene, Missouri State
OL Karsten Upchurch, WKU
 
DEFENSE
DL Noah Matthews, Delaware
DL Kenton Simmons, FIU
DL Jawaun Campbell, Jax State
DL Marcus Patterson, Kennesaw State
DL Mike Jarvis, Liberty
DL Reggie Johnson, MTSU
DL Tim Brantley Jr., Missouri State
DL Henry Davis, NM State
DL Gabe Peterson, NM State
DL Dylan Frazier, Sam Houston
DL Darien Jackson, Sam Houston
DL LaTrevion Thompson, WKU
LB Baron Hopson, Kennesaw State
LB Deuce Spurlock, Liberty
LB Jared Lloyd, Missouri State
LB Sone Aupiu, NM State
DB KT Seay, Delaware
DB Shamir Sterlin, FIU
DB Tre’Quon Fegans, Jax State
DB Jason Hardy, MTSU
DB Jaylen Lewis, WKU
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
K Garrison Rippa, Jax State
K Dominic Bourgeois, MTSU
P Josh Cupitt, Delaware
P Brody Richter, NM State
KR Davis Bryson, Kennesaw State
KR Tim Burns Jr., Sam Houston
KR/PR Jmariyae Robinson, Missouri State
KR/PR Maguire Anderson, FIU
PR Darius Copeland, Liberty
PR K.D. Hutchinson, WKU