Beechwood enters the 2026 Kentucky high school football season ranked No. 14 in the state by the Kentucky Sports Report, the only one of four major preseason ranking systems to include the Tigers in its top 25.

The Fort Mitchell program, which owns 18 state championships and is chasing No. 19 this fall, was left out of the Massey Rankings, MaxPreps and High School Football America preseason polls entirely. NKY Tribune columnist Dan Weber called the omissions "a big overlook" in his Tuesday, Aug. 18, column.

Three other Northern Kentucky programs landed in all four systems. In the Kentucky Sports Report poll, Highlands sits at No. 9, Ryle at No. 10 and Covington Catholic at No. 13. Those three shuffle positions across the other rankings but remain firmly in the state's top 12.

The snub comes despite a roster loaded with returning talent under head coach Noel Rash, who is back on the Beechwood sideline after three seasons away. As we reported Aug. 15, Rash won 200 games and eight state titles in his first 17 years leading the program.

Quarterback Emmett Queen, a Wake Forest commit, threw for more than 2,700 yards and 39 touchdowns in 2025. Kentucky commit Tyler Fryman returns at receiver and defensive back, and running back Nathan Pabst topped 1,300 yards rushing and receiving last season. The Tigers bring back five of their top six receivers and carry 22 seniors on the roster.

"When you have a class of 22 seniors at a 2A school, things can't be too bad no matter where you're at," Rash told LINK nky on Aug. 15. "There's so much team speed that's progressed over the years."

Beechwood's recent history follows an alternating pattern: state championship in 2022, semifinal loss in 2023, state championship in 2024, semifinal loss in 2025. The pattern favors 2026. In their two 2025 defeats, to Covington Catholic and Owensboro Catholic, the Tigers allowed 83 combined points. In their other 11 games, they gave up just 45 total.

The Class 2A Tigers play an upgraded schedule that includes 4A Covington Catholic, 5A Dixie Heights, and 6A programs Simon Kenton and Campbell County. Their home opener is Aug. 28 against Indian Hill, Ohio, one week after most NKY teams kick off Aug. 22.