The AP released its 2026 preseason Top 25 college football poll today, placing Ohio State at No. 1 with 40 first-place votes and 1,672 points overall [1, 2, 3]. Oregon followed closely at No. 2 with 14 first-place votes and 1,597 points [1, 2]. The rest of the top five included Georgia at No. 3, Notre Dame No. 4, and Texas at No. 5 [1, 3].
Indiana, the defending national champion, earned its highest preseason ranking ever at No. 6 in the poll [1, 2, 3]. The Big Ten and SEC each placed eight teams in the Top 25, tying for the most representatives among conferences [1, 4, 2].
Ohio State returns key offensive stars quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who finished 4th and 6th respectively in last year’s Heisman Trophy voting [2]. Oregon brings back quarterback Dante Moore, who completed 71.8% of his passes for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns last season [2].
The Big Ten has produced the last three College Football Playoff national champions: Michigan in 2023, Ohio State two seasons ago, and Indiana last season [2]. Experts consider Texas underrated at No. 5 despite not receiving any first-place votes, while USC, tied for No. 14, is viewed by some analysts as overrated [4, 3]. CBS Sports analysis noted that "Being No. 1 in August guarantees nothing, of course, and recent history offers a warning for every team celebrated before the first snap" [1]. Another noted, "It's a bit surprising to see Texas land at No. 5 and not receive a single first-place vote" [4].
Ohio State has two key Big Ten matchups ahead: an October 17 road game against Indiana and a November 7 home game versus Oregon, both critical for conference standings and College Football Playoff positioning [2].
