Preseason Power Rankings Unveiled
The Associated Press released its 2026 preseason Top 25 football poll on Tuesday, sparking early debate among fans and analysts about which teams will dominate the upcoming college football season.
Ohio State sits at the apex of the poll, holding the No. 1 spot, while Oregon follows closely at No. 2. Indiana, the defending national champion, rounds out the top six at No. 6, underscoring the Big Ten’s early dominance.
The conference’s influence extends beyond the top three, with three of its programs — Ohio State, Oregon and Indiana — occupying three of the six highest positions, a clear signal that the league’s traditional strength persists into the new campaign.
The SEC also boasts a deep field of contenders, including Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, LSU and Alabama, all of which are expected to contend for playoff spots despite none breaking into the top ten of the initial poll.
In the Big 12, Texas Tech and BYU are locked in a tight battle, each slotted at 12th and 14th respectively, suggesting a competitive race that could reshape the conference’s national perception.
Notably, no team from the Group of 6 conferences — American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac‑12 and Sun Belt — earned a spot in the preseason Top 25, highlighting the entrenched hierarchy of Power Five programs.
Early non‑conference matchups set for the season include a marquee clash between Ohio State and Texas, as well as Oklahoma versus Michigan and Houston taking on Texas Tech, promising high‑stakes tests for the ranked squads.
The rankings serve as a snapshot of optimism and expectation, offering a first glimpse of how the landscape might unfold when the first games are finally played.