Being an independent, means scheduling can be very challenging, to say the least. Trotwood-Madison finds itself in that conundrum for the upcoming 2026 campaign with a slate that includes six teams that won at least eight games four of whom won at least 11 games 11 games a year ago. The Rams will face quite a gauntlet this fall.
The teams that Trotwood-Madison will play were a combined 78-42 (.650 winning %) in 2025. There are seven teams that were on the schedule a year ago. The Rams went 5-2 against those foes, beating Alter, Fairmont, Springfield, Dunbar and Mount Healthy while falling to Indianapolis Cathedral and Walsh Jesuit. Additions to the 2026 slate include Ohio Division III runner-up, Toledo Central Catholic, Michigan big school state champion Detroit Catholic Central and Taft.
Here is a look at the 2026 Trotwood-Madison schedule:
Fri – 08/21/26 – at Toledo Central Catholic (11-3 in 2025) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 08/28/26 – FAIRMONT (5-6) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/04/26 – at Springfield (8-5) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/11/26 – ALTER (8-4) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/18/26 – at Taft (11-1) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 09/25/26 – INDIANAPOLIS CATHEDRAL (IN) (7-4) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/02/26 – DUNBAR (3-7) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/09/26 – MOUNT HEALTHY (0-10) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/16/26 – at Detroit Catholic Central (14-0) – 7:00 PM
Fri – 10/23/26 – WALSH JESUIT (11-2) – 7:00 PM
TROTWOOD-MADISON RAMS
Division II, Region 8
2025 RECORD: 8-4
HEAD COACH: Jeff Graham (104-41 at Trotwood-Madison, 12 years; 104-41 overall)
PLAYOFF HISTORY (20 appearances, 47-17) – 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019 (State Champion), 2018, 2017 (State Champion), 2016 (State runner-up), 2015 (Regional Champion), 2014 (Regional Champion), 2013 (State Runner-up), 2012 (State Runner-up), 2011 (State Champion), 2010 (State Runner-up), 2009, 2007, 2006, 2002,1981 (State Runner-up)
TOP RETURNEES
Darius Dennis, Sr, DB, 6-1/200
Offers: Akron, Ball State, Indiana, Kent State, Kentucky, Marshall, UMass, Michigan State, Missouri, Ohio, Temple, Toledo and Tulsa.
2025 Honors: OPSMS Division II First Team All-Ohio & First Team All-TSF
2025 Stats: 60 Tkls, 4.0 sacks, 5 Ints & 2 IRTDs
Career Stats: 211 Tkls, 11.0 sacks, 9 Ints & 2 IRTDs
Jeremiah Nash, Sr, OL/DL, 6-3/315
Offers from: Kent State, Kentucky, UMass, Miami (OH), Ohio, Toledo & Western Kentucky.
2025 Stats: 37 Tkls, 2.0 sacks & 3.0 TFLs
Quintin Petty Jr., Jr, DL, 6-3/235
Offers from: Miami (OH) and Toledo
2025 Honors: OPSMA Division II Honorable Mention All-Southwest District
2025 Stats: 53 Tkls 11.0 sacks & 1 FR
Jameer Whyce, Jr, DL, 6-5/270
Committed to Ohio State University
2025 Honors: OPSMA Division II Honorable Mention All-Ohio
2025 Stats: 35 Tkls, 3.0 sacks, 6.0 TFLs & 1 FR
Ty Carpenter, Sr, LB, 6-1/215
Committed to: Ohio University
2025 Stats: 34 Tkls, 3.0 sacks, 2.0 TFLs & 1 Int
Chandler Moore, Sr, OL/DL, 6-2/285
Committed to: Ohio University
2025 Stats: 10 Tkls
Daylan Dennis, Sr, RB, 5-9/170
2025 Stats: 575 RuYds, 7 RuTDs, 4 rec. & 11 ReYds
Mike Keith, Sr, DB/RS, 5-9/170
2025 Stats: 445 KR/PRYs, 20.5 on 12 KRs, 22.0 on 9 PRs, 1 KRTD, 1 PRTD, 29 Tkls, 1.0 TFL, 4 Ints
John Lumpkin III, Sr, TE, 6-5/ 250
Offers from: Bethune-Cookman, BGSU, Central State, Texas State and Toledo
2025 Stats: 1 rec., 6 ReYds
Jariah Zigo, Jr, DB, 5-10/175
Offers from: Western Michigan
2025 Stats: 43 Tkls, 3.5 sacks, 1 FR & 1 Int
FINAL TAKE: This team has the size and athleticism in its top tier talent to match up with anyone on the schedule. There is no doubt about that. Where there are questions to be answered is at quarterback and with the team’s depth.
Trotwood-Madison will have a new face under center and he will be tested early on. Adjusting to the speed of the game may take a few weeks. Staying turnover free on offense coupled with the stout Rams defense will keep them uber competitive in battles against the upper echelon teams on the schedule.
With such a brutal schedule against teams that can bring waves of players at you, the underclassmen at Trotwood-Madison will need to step up and give the coaching staff assurance that they will be ready when called upon. Weeks 7 and 8 at home against Dunbar and Mount Healthy should tell us how far the Rams have come in developing that depth. Those are the two games where the non-starters should get their chance to really show they have earned their snaps and way into the playoff rotation.
Don’t expect Trotwood-Madison to go undefeated during the regular season but that doesn’t mean they aren’t a contender to win the Division II, Region 8 title and a state championship. A big help in achieving those goals is to win enough contests to earn a first round bye for the playoffs. Those 13 days off between Week 10 and the second round of the playoffs could loom large in getting the Rams as healthy as they can be and recharging the batteries for an extended postseason run.
