2026 AP Top 25 Preseason poll takeaways: Full rankings, reaction, surprises, snubs, teams to watch

The Associated Press released its preseason top 25 college football rankings Monday, setting off the usual discussion around favorites, snubs and surprises. With the season just over a week away, here's everything you need to know:

2026 AP Top 25 Preseason poll full rankings

1. Ohio State
2. Oregon
3. Georgia
4. Notre Dame
5. Texas
6. Indiana
7. Miami (FL)
8. Texas A&M
9. Ole Miss
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

6 college football coaches under the most pressure entering the 2026 seasonPatience for poor performance is a rarity in college football and that’s only become more clear in recent years.

• Associated Press,

2026 AP Top 25 Preseason poll biggest takeaways, reaction

The Big Ten on top

The Big Ten has won the last three national championships, and voters give it a good chance of doing so again. The top two spots are held by Ohio State and Oregon, and reigning champion Indiana is ranked No. 6.

The question is if anyone can break into that top tier. USC, Michigan, Washington and Penn State hold spots 15-18, and Iowa is ranked 22.

Notre Dame eyes a title run

The Fighting Irish were not happy they didn't make the CFP field last season, but this year they are well-positioned to get back there. An experienced, talented roster and a soft schedule is a good combination for a lot of wins.

Who will emerge in the SEC?

The SEC has even more teams in the top 25 than the Big Ten (nine), but there's a less definite hierarchy. Georgia and Texas both rank in the top five but have not lived up to the title expectations in recent years.

Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Oklahoma and LSU make up the 8-11 spots, with Alabama at 13. Tennessee (No. 20) and Missouri (No. 25) also come into 2026 with high hopes.

What are the biggest snubs from the AP Top 25 Preseason poll release?

The team that got the most votes that didn't make the Top 25 was Clemson. That might not seem like a shock for a team that went 7-6 last season, but consider that the last time the Tigers went unranked in the preseason AP poll was 2011.

Boise State is an experienced team just two seasons removed from a College Football Playoff appearance and got the third-most votes outside the top 25. Vanderbilt also only got eight voting points, showing doubt about how the Commodores will fare without Diego Pavia.

2026 College Football teams to watch ahead of Week 1

USC

Not only are the Trojans the only ranked team that plays Week 0, they play their Week 1 game against Fresno State on Friday, Sept. 4, before most other teams start their season the next day. It's a huge season for Lincoln Riley and the Trojans, and they need to take momentum into the gauntlet in the middle of their schedule.

LSU

The most controversial man in college football is now the Tigers' head coach. The Lane Kiffin era kicks off with a matchup against Dabo Swinney and Clemson, who had some important takeaways of their own from the first AP poll. A big win would show LSU is not just an expensive roster.

Louisville and Ole Miss

The Cardinals and the Rebels will face off in the only ranked vs. ranked matchup of Week 1 on Sunday, Sept. 6. Louisville is looking to take another step forward, while the Rebels want to prove their playoff run without Kiffin was no fluke.

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