Hampden-Sydney secured the top slot in the annual ODAC football preseason poll for the second straight season, earning 44 total points that included three first place votes from the league's coaches. Bridgewater received a pair of top votes on the way to 39 points, and Emory & Henry picked up 36 tallies and one first place nod. Randolph-Macon (29 points) received the remaining first place vote (full poll results below).

The combination of the ODAC's top scoring offense and least scored-upon defense led Hampden-Sydney through the conference portion of its schedule unscathed, marking the second time H-SC has gone undefeated in ODAC play in the last three years (2007). The Tigers entered the 2009 NCAA Division III playoffs with strong hopes of moving deep into the competition, but they saw their season come to an abrupt halt in the first round against Johns Hopkins.

• Full ODAC release

The full poll, with first place votes in parentheses:

1. Hampden-Sydney (3) 44 pts.
2. Bridgewater (2) 39
3. Emory and Henry (1) 36
4. Randolph-Macon (1) 29
5. Washington and Lee 22
6. Guilford 14
7. Catholic 12