Ohio State Buckeyes surprise with their spot on AP's final Top-25 rankings

Ohio State is already being mentioned among the candidates to take next year's title.

An Ohio State Buckeyes helmet sits behind the endzone as the team warms up for its game against the Michigan Wolverines during the NCAA football game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich. on Nov. 29, 2025. Ohio State won 27-9. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2025-’26 college football season in the books after Indiana’s storybook campaign ended with a shocking win over Miami and an undefeated record of 16-0.

The release of The Associated Press’ final Top-25 ranking is the cherry on top, and Ohio State got a surprising spot on the list, along with another surprising Big Ten school.

After 1 Indiana (16-0) and 2 Miami (13-3), Ole Miss took third place followed by Oregon in fourth. Rebels and Ducks were the teams that made it all the way to the CFP semifinals. Then the Buckeyes took the fifth spot, essentially becoming the highest ranked quarterfinals team in the bracket, placed above 6 Georgia, 7 Texas Tech and 9 Alabama. 8 Texas A&M and 10 Notre Dame made up the rest of the Top-10.

That gave the Big Ten three spots within AP’s Top-5 after a memorable campaign for the whole conference. Indiana’s unlikely crown now makes it three in a row for the Big Ten, after Michigan and Ohio State took the previous two National titles.

Other Big Ten schools making an appearance in the Top-25 include 17 Iowa, 20 USC and 21 Michigan.

In the end, Ohio State’s only two losses came at the expense of the two teams that played for the National Championship and finished 1 and 2 in AP’s ranking: against the Hoosiers in the Big Ten title game and against Miami in the CFP quarterfinal stage.

Can Ohio State retake the No. 1 spot in 2026-’27?

Although Ohio State’s bid to bring home the school’s first ever back-to-back national championships ended in disappointment, the Buckeyes are without a doubt well positioned to make a run for the Natty again when next season begins.

The Buckeyes are already among the betting favorites to take next season’s national title. Bet MGM has Ohio State with the shortest odds to become next year’s champions, at +600.

Ohio State will return with quarterback Julian Sayin, wideout Jeremiah Smith, defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and running back Bo Jackson, among the most prominent names from this year’s campaign. Also on board will be five-star recruit Chris Henry Jr., the nation’s top ranked wideout of his class.

Among the Buckeyes chief pending matters is the appointment of the team’s new offensive coordinator, after Brian Hartline left to become the new head coach at USF.

Head coach Ryan Day will now be leading his eighth season at the helm of yet another Buckeyes team, and once again, the pressure will be on Ohio State to deliver another National Championship.