College football rankings release has Ohio State atop preseason Top 25
USA Today • • sports
Key Points:
- Ohio State is ranked No. 1 in the 2026 preseason US LBM Coaches Poll for the first time since 2015, receiving 38 first-place votes, though historically, preseason No. 1 teams rarely win the national championship.
- Oregon is ranked No. 2, marking its highest-ever preseason position, followed by SEC teams Georgia at No. 3 and Texas at No. 4, with Texas dropping from last year's preseason No. 1 to No. 4.
- Notre Dame is ranked No. 5, narrowly ahead of defending national champion Indiana at No. 6, with Indiana receiving the second-most first-place votes (14) in the poll.
- The SEC leads all conferences with nine teams in the top 25, while the Big Ten has eight, including the top two spots; the ACC has only three ranked teams, with Clemson at its lowest preseason rank since 2011.
- Notable rankings include Alabama at No. 11, marking the first time since 2008 they are outside the preseason top 10, and Texas Tech leading four Big 12 teams in the poll at No. 12.
