Pikeville Picked to Win 2025 Football Championship

WALESKA, Ga. - Pikeville is the pick to win the 2025 Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Football championship, but the race is expected to be a close one, according to the AAC Coaches' Poll released on Tuesday.

The poll was voted on by the seven head coaches in the AAC.

This is the fourth season the AAC has sponsored football as a championship sport, and Reinhardt has captured the first two championships before sharing last year's title with Pikeville. The Bears, though, owned the tie-breaker and received the automatic berth to the NAIA Football Championship Series and advanced to the round of 16.

Pikeville collected three of the seven first-place votes to earn the top spot with 45 voting points. Meanwhile, Reinhardt is hot on their heels in second with three first-place votes and 43 voting points.

Rounding out the field are Bluefield, Point, Union Commonwealth, Kentucky Christian, and newcomer Rio Grande.

Here is a complete look at the poll:

AAC Football Preseason Poll
School (First-Place Vote) - Total Voting Points
1. Pikeville (3) - 45
2. Reinhardt (3) - 43
3. Bluefield - 30
4. Point (1) - 27
5. Union Commonwealth - 21
6. Kentucky Christian - 20
7. Rio Grande - 10