Tomorrow's Top 25 Today: Big Ten takeover in the top five in new college football rankings
Ohio State and Oregon are projected to anchor the top four, with Big Ten programs heavily represented in preseason ballots.
- On Monday, The Associated Press released the first Top 25 poll of the 2026 season, with Ohio State and Oregon leading the preseason projections.
- Dating back to 1936, the AP Top 25 poll connects decades of college football history and remains a core part of the sport's conversation despite voters no longer determining the national champion.
- Ohio State's roster features Heisman finalist Julian Sayin and All-American wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, while Oregon head coach Dan Lanning returns significant production positioning the Ducks among top contenders.
- Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian's team benefits from Arch Manning's sophomore campaign, while Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and Notre Dame's Fighting Irish maintain stability as playoff contenders.
- Preseason rankings inherently lack full context of the 2026 season's performance, as voters must balance returning talent and transfer portal additions before on-field results reshape the national picture.
15 Articles
15 Articles
College Football 2026: The Associated Press Top 25 College Football Poll trivia quiz
The Associated Press Top 25 college football poll has a rich history. It debuted in 1936, with Minnesota ranked No. 1 in the first poll. The AP first released a preseason poll in 1950. Ohio State is the only school…
'I am legit shocked': SEC does not get a single first-place vote in AP Poll
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsFor most of the past two decades, the SEC dominated college football, winning 13 national championships in the 17 seasons from 2006 to 2022, including seven consecutive titles from 2007 to 2012. However, an SEC team has not even played in the national title game in three years, and the college football media seemingly expects that to be the case again. On Monday, the first AP Top-25 ranking was released ahead of the 202…
Manchester's Day, Ohio State ranked No. 1 in AP Top 25 poll
For the first time in 65 years and only the second time ever, the Big Ten Conference boasts the top two teams in the AP preseason Top 25 poll with Ohio State ranked No. 1 and Oregon No. 2.
Nebraska football not receiving votes in debut AP poll, five Top 25 teams on schedule
The debut Associated Press top-25 poll confirmed the perspective already swirling around Nebraska football — the schedule is rugged and the Huskers have some proving to do.
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