The Associated Press Top 25 poll was released with Ohio State and Oregon occupying the top two spots for the first time in 65 years, marking a historical moment for the Big Ten Conference. Ohio State received 40 first-place votes, while Oregon garnered 14, from 69 media members. This achievement marks the ninth time Ohio State has been ranked No. 1 in the preseason rankings.
Oregon’s current position is the highest preseason ranking in the program’s history, having previously opened at No. 3 on four occasions. Other teams in the top five include Georgia, Notre Dame, and Texas. Defending national champion Indiana ranks No. 6, followed by Miami, Texas A&M, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.
Notre Dame received six first-place votes, Indiana eight, and Miami one.
This marks the first occurrence since 1987 that a conference has held the top two spots, back when the Big Eight’s Oklahoma and Nebraska were ranked 1-2. The last time the Big Ten had the top two teams was in 1961 with Iowa and Ohio State. That year, Iowa fell to an unranked finish after losing four of its last five games, whereas Ohio State ended the season at No. 2, just behind Alabama.
In recent years, the Big Ten has proven dominant by winning three consecutive College Football Playoff championships courtesy of Michigan, Ohio State, and Indiana. The conference aims for a historic fourth straight national title. Also notable, this marks the fourth consecutive year that two Big Ten teams are among the top three in preseason rankings.
The Southeastern Conference showcases a strong presence with nine teams in the Top 25, continuing a three-year trend. Noteworthy is that five of the top ten teams belong to the SEC, a feat last achieved in 2013.
The Big 12 has four ranked teams, with Texas Tech leading at No. 12. The ACC features three ranked teams: Miami, No. 19 SMU, and No. 24 Louisville. This year, no Group of Six schools made the Top 25.
Top-ranked Buckeyes
Ohio State’s offense appears formidable, led by Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin, the nation’s most accurate passer last season. Jeremiah Smith leads in receiving yards and touchdowns over the past two years, and Bo Jackson excelled with a 1,000-yard freshman rushing season. Although the defense sees eight new starters for the second straight year, six transfers are expected to step up. The Buckeyes face tough competition early, including a visit to Texas on September 12, and five of nine conference games are against ranked teams, including games at Indiana and against Oregon.
Historically, Ohio State has ended a season ranked No. 1 in the AP poll six times: 1942, 1954, 1968, 2002, 2014, and 2024.
Bulldogs Best of the SEC
Georgia continues its consistency, being in the preseason top five for the ninth consecutive year. The team aims for a sixth consecutive appearance in the conference title game and College Football Playoff in the last decade. Texas, ranked No. 1 last year, maintains a top-five position for the third consecutive year. Texas A&M, ranked No. 8, returns to the preseason top ten for the first time since 2022, while Mississippi starts strong at No. 9 under new head coach, Pete Golding. No. 10 Oklahoma returns to the top 10 for the first time since 2022.
Concerns About the Hoosiers
Indiana stands out as one of the teams ranked outside the top five despite being a returning national champion. The Hoosiers, who accomplished a 16-0 championship season, return significant talent and secured a top-10 transfer class. Transitioning from Heisman winner, Fernando Mendoza, to TCU transfer, Josh Hoover, as quarterback created skepticism among voters.
Poll Insights
- Ohio State seeks to be the 12th team to start and finish a season ranked No. 1 since the AP preseason poll began in 1950. Alabama last achieved this in 2017.
- Notre Dame sees its highest preseason ranking since 2006 with quarterback CJ Carr as a Heisman candidate. The team carries a 10-game winning streak into the season.
- Lane Kiffin’s LSU ranks No. 11 after a 7-6 finish, unranked the previous year.
- Ten of last season’s 12 CFP teams are currently ranked, excluding James Madison and Tulane from the Group of Six.
- Ranked No. 23, Houston enjoys its first preseason ranking in four years.
This summary provides an overview of the AP Top 25 poll and highlights key insights regarding college football’s upcoming season.