THE WORD

Patriot League Week 1 was a tale of two afternoons. Early blowouts gave way to a dramatic evening slate as Lehigh and Colgate took control atop the standings, William & Mary and Richmond improved to 2-0 and Villanova survived Bucknell.

The MEAC went 5-1 in Week 0. Now the schedule fights back. Morgan State heads to Arizona State. Norfolk State gets ODU. Howard welcomes Richmond. And SC State gets another shot at a FAMU team it hasn't beaten in its last four meetings.

The Patriot League enters a new era in 2026 with Villanova and William & Mary joining the conference and ten teams battling for supremacy. Here’s a team-by-team look at the preseason rankings, top players, Week 0 matchups and storylines shaping the season.