Ohio State, Oregon lead most wide-open preseason Coaches Poll top 25 since 2008

College football’s first official snapshot of the 2026 pecking order has arrived with the preseason Coaches Poll, a familiar starting point certain to generate debate before the opening kickoff. The usual heavyweights occupy prime real estate, but these rankings also reflect an offseason shaped by portal movement, rebuilt rosters and personnel changes.

Ohio State is preseason No. 1, followed by Oregon at No. 2, Georgia in the No. 3 spot and Texas and Notre Dame rounding out the top five.

Reigning national champion Indiana is No. 6. Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers went 16-0 last season, but replaced Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza with TCU’s Josh Hoover. The offensive line should be one of the nation’s best and their new-look defensive front includes a pair of former Kansas State edge rushers.

Miami is the ACC’s highest-rated team at No. 7 coming off last season’s run to the CFP title game. Malachi Toney is one of only three returning starters offensively for the Hurricanes, who landed an elite-level transfer class with the additions of former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah, his leading wideout Cooper Barkate and South Carolina’s Vandrevius Jacobs, among others.

The SEC leads all conferences with nine teams in the poll, including a bunch outside the top 10: Alabama (No. 11), LSU (No. 13), Tennessee (No. 18), Missouri (No. 25).

The Big Ten placed eight teams inside the rankings, while the Big 12 and ACC added four and three, respectively. Clemson, at No. 23, has its lowest preseason Coaches Poll ranking since 2011 under Dabo Swinney.

Preseason rankings never settle championships, of course, but they do establish expectations and reveal which programs carry the most national respect into Week 1. From legitimate title contenders to potential risers lurking outside the top 10, the road to the College Football Playoff officially begins here with plenty to discuss.

Voting for the Coaches Poll is made up of 73 panelists, who are chosen by random draw from a pool of applicants within the American Football Coaches Association. The Associated Press is expected to release its preseason rankings on Aug. 17.

Below is the list of teams included in the Coaches Poll with points received and first-place votes in parentheses.

Preseason Coaches Poll

Others receiving votes: Louisville 153; Florida 147; TCU 63; Illinois 62; South Carolina 50; Arizona 50; Virginia 40; Vanderbilt 37; Auburn 29; Georgia Tech 26; Boise State 24; Oklahoma State 22; UNLV 17; North Carolina State 13; Florida State 13; Virginia Tech 12; Nebraska 12; Memphis 9; Arizona State 8; James Madison 6; Duke 6; Pittsburgh 4; New Mexico 4; Western Michigan 3; Navy 3; San Diego State 2; Kansas State 1; Jacksonville State 1; Hawaii 1; California 1;

By the numbers: Preseason Coaches Poll

• 6 — Teams receiving first-place votes in the 2026 preseason Coaches Poll, the most since 2008.
• 3 of the last 4 — Preseason No. 1 teams that failed to reach the College Football Playoff (2022 Alabama, 2023 Georgia, 2025 Texas).
• 2017 Alabama — Last preseason No. 1 in the Coaches Poll to win the national championship.
• Ohio State — First Big Ten program to open No. 1 in the preseason Coaches Poll since the Buckeyes did so in 2015.
• 5 — Times Ohio State has been ranked preseason No. 1 in the Coaches Poll (1980, 1998, 2006, 2015, 2026).

Preseason Coaches Poll No. 1 (Past 10 Seasons)

Ohio State as preseason No. 1