2026 College Football Preseason AP Poll: Texas and Ohio State Lead the Way as Season Kickoff Approaches

The 2026 college football season is almost here, and the preseason AP Top 25 poll has provided the first official measuring stick for the season ahead. The Texas Longhorns and Ohio State Buckeyes headline the rankings, reflecting the expectations that surround two of the most talented rosters in the country, but the poll also features a number of programs poised to surprise and contend.

Texas claims the number one spot in the preseason poll, a reflection of the hype that has been building in Austin since Arch Manning took over the starting quarterback position. The Longhorns are entering their second season in the SEC with a roster that is stacked at every position group, and the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff format gives them more margin for error in what promises to be a grueling conference schedule.

Ohio State checks in at number two, and the Buckeyes have the kind of roster that is built for a championship run. Head coach Ryan Day returns 16 starters, including a senior quarterback who is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate, and the defense is anchored by a dominant defensive line that features multiple NFL-caliber prospects. The Buckeyes have been knocking on the door of a national title for three seasons, and the feeling in Columbus is that this is the year they break through.

The top five is rounded out by a mix of familiar powers and emerging forces. Georgia, with its relentless recruiting pipeline, remains a title contender despite significant roster turnover. Alabama is in its second year under a new head coach and has shown signs of returning to the standard that defined the program for over a decade. Oregon rounds out the top five, with a roster that is built to compete in a wide-open race.

One of the most compelling storylines of the preseason is the number of teams in the top 10 that are breaking in new quarterbacks. The college football landscape has always been defined by quarterback play, and this season is no exception. Several preseason top-10 teams will be relying on quarterbacks with limited starting experience, and how those players perform in the first month of the season will likely reshuffle the rankings.

The expanded College Football Playoff format, now in its second year of the 12-team bracket, has changed the calculus for teams in the top 15. One loss no longer derails a season, and two losses may not be fatal depending on the strength of schedule. This has encouraged programs to schedule more aggressively in the non-conference portion of the schedule, and the result is a September slate that is loaded with marquee matchups.

The SEC and the Big Ten continue to dominate the poll, combining for 12 of the 25 spots. The SEC has five teams in the top 10, a reflection of the conference depth that has made it the standard of college football for two decades. The Big Ten has three teams in the top 10, led by Ohio State, and the conference has strengthened its position with the additions of several high-profile programs in recent years.

Beyond the top 10, there are several teams positioned to make a jump. A Big 12 program that exceeded expectations last season is ranked just outside the top 10 and has the kind of veteran roster that tends to overperform in the first month of the season. A Pac-12 program, now in the reconfigured conference, has a quarterback who is generating Heisman buzz and a schedule that sets up for a fast start.

The season kicks off in late August with a handful of marquee non-conference games that will immediately test the preseason rankings. A top-10 matchup in Week 1 will provide an early data point, and several other ranked teams face challenging openers that could set the tone for their seasons.

For the teams at the top of the poll, the message is the same. The rankings are a starting point, not a finish line. The talent, the coaching, and the schedules will all play out over the next four months, and the teams that navigate the grind the best will be the ones standing in January. For now, the poll provides the framework for the conversation. Starting in late August, the games will provide the answers.