Ohio State Buckeyes Ranked #1 in First Associated Press Poll

Ohio State was ranked first in the Associated Press preseason poll. Oregon was ranked number two. This is just the second time ever that the Big Ten Conference has the top two teams. They will play on November 7. Georgia, Notre Dame, and Texas are the remainder of the top 5.

The big question for Ohio State and some of the other highly-ranked teams is how they will do with their difficult schedules. The Southeastern Conference had the most ranked teams of any conference, with 9. However, they did not get their customary top spot. The Big Ten had eight teams ranked. Do you think the college football season will play out according to these rankings?

Ohio State Ranked #1 in Preseason AP Poll

There are several good games this season, including a few with Ohio State in them. One such contest is the September 12 battle between the Buckeyes and the number five Texas Longhorns. The game is in Austin. This will be a rematch of the matchup between these two teams from last season. Julian Sayin against Arch Manning.

A non-Ohio State game worth highlighting is when Lane Kiffin will return to Ole Miss. He will do so on September 19, when LSU comes calling. Kiffin awkwardly departed for LSU last December. The teams will be good, not great. Mississippi is ranked number nine and LSU is ranked number eleven.

There will be a couple of interesting rivalry matchups. Georgia will take on Alabama on October 10. Will the Bulldogs be able to avenge their SEC Championship game? These have been the SEC’s two most dominant programs over the last decade. Georgia is ranked third, and Alabama is ranked thirteenth.

The second big rivalry game is when Michigan visits Ohio State. That game will take place on November 28. “The Game” is always a big deal, and Michigan is hoping to avenge their loss last year. The Buckeyes will play at least two other important games. They are at Indiana, number six, on October 17. They also travel to number fifteen USC on October 31.

There are sure to be a bunch of other interesting games. College football is big business, as one can see from the amount and duration of promotion. The games are usually on Saturday; the commercials for them usually start on Monday.

It is a safe bet that the top ten teams, or so, will be ranked for the entire season. Beyond that, if those teams lose a bunch of games, they could fall off the poll. This poll is important to pay attention to because it weighs heavily in the College Football Playoff rankings. Another important element is strength of schedule. If a team, like Ohio State, can navigate a complex schedule with several difficult games, the selection committee will look upon them favorably.

AP Poll 2026 Preseason Football Rankings

So, what teams are in the Associated Press Top 25? These are the rankings.

1. Ohio State
2. Oregon
3. Georgia
4. Notre Dame
5. Texas
6. Indiana
7. Miami
8. Texas A&M
9. Mississippi
10. Oklahoma
11. LSU
12. Texas Tech
13. Alabama
14. BYU
15. USC
16. Michigan
17. Washington
18. Penn State
19. SMU
20. Tennessee
21. Utah
22. Iowa
23. Houston
24. Louisville
25. Missouri

Conclusion

It is fun to think about which teams will do well based on these rankings. Ohio State might not win the National Championship; that honor could go to Notre Dame, which has a relatively easy schedule. Who knows? It is virtually assured that the National Champion will come from the top six of these rankings.