FOREST, Va. – The Randolph-Macon football team was picked first in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Preseason Poll, in voting by the league's head coaches and released by the conference office.
 
The Yellow Jackets received eight first-place votes and 64 points to take the top spot in the poll. Washington and Lee were placed in the second spot with 53 points with Shenandoah close behind with 49 points, receiving the final first place vote. Bridgewater amassed 45 points to hold fourth, six points ahead of Hampden-Sydney in the fifth spot with 39 points. Roanoke begins its first varsity football season in sixth with 22 points, followed by Averett and Guilford that sit tied for seventh with 21 points. Gallaudet rounded out the group in the ninth spot with ten overall points.  
 
Randolph-Macon is coming off yet another double digit win season and third straight conference title. The Lemon and Black started the season winning two of the first three non-conference games, before rattling off seven straight wins in conference play and ended the regular season with a 9-1 record. RMC hosted the second round of the NCAA tournament after receiving a bye through the first round. The Yellow Jackets welcomed No. 17 Washington and Jefferson to Day Field to open postseason play. The Presidents jumped in front 14-0 after one quarter of play in Ashland. RMC found its groove on both sides of the ball, putting up 38 unanswered points and defeated Washington and Jefferson 38-22. The Yellow Jackets won the ODAC title with a 7-0 conference mark. The Lemon and Black has captured 15 ODAC championships, the most in conference history. The Yellow Jackets were No. 18 in the final AFCA poll.
 
RMC is one of four programs in NCAA Division III with nine or more wins in each of the past five full seasons (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023). The Yellow Jackets own a 43-3 record (.935) in the last seven seasons in conference play. The Lemon and Black have a winning percentage of .875 since 2018, the top winning percentage of all college programs at all levels on the East Coast, including Pennsylvania and New York, except for the University of Georgia. 
 
Head coach Pedro Arruza enters his 22nd season as head coach at Randolph-Macon College. The Yellow Jackets open the 2025 campaign on Friday, Sept. 5, with a 6 p.m. contest against Dickinson College at home. 
 
ODAC Football Preseason Poll

1 Randolph-Macon College (8), 64 pts.
2 Washington and Lee University, 53 pts.
3 Shenandoah University (1), 49 pts.
4 Bridgewater College, 45 pts.
5 Hampden-Sydney College, 39 pts.
6 Roanoke College, 22 pts.
7 Averett University, 21 pts.
7 Guilford College, 21 pts.
9 Gallaudet University, 10 pts.