Top 25 Poll Prediction: Where Oregon, Ohio State, and Texas Fall

With media days concluding and fall camps beginning around the country, the college football season is officially around the corner. One offseason topic of discussion has been the Big Ten and SEC fighting to be the best conference in the sport, and teams from both like the Oregon Ducks, Ohio State Buckeyes, Texas Longhorns, Georgia Bulldogs, and Indiana Hoosiers are expected to be ranked at the the top of most preseason polls.

Other contenders like Miami from the ACC, the Big 12's Texas Tech, or Notre Dame should also be in the top 10, but how will the back of the polls look? The season always comes with surprises that are not accounted for in preseason projections, but the preseason polls will have an influence on how teams are perceived at the beginning of the year.

oregon ducks college football rankings ap preseason coaches poll texas longhorns ohio state buckeyes arch manning dan lanning — Oregon coach Dan Lanning oversees the Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene April 25, 2026 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The preseason edition of the Coaches Poll releases on Tuesday, Aug. 4, and the preseason AP Top 25 Poll is scheduled to release on Aug. 17.

Preseason Poll Prediction

1. Ohio State
2. Texas
3. Oregon
4. Notre Dame
5. Indiana
6. Georgia
7. Texas A&M
8. Miami
9. Texas Tech
10. Ole Miss
11. Alabama
12. LSU
13. Oklahoma
14. USC
15. Michigan
16. Tennessee
17. Penn State
18. BYU
19. Utah
20. Washington
21. Louisville
22. Missouri
23. Iowa
24. Clemson
25. Florida

Biggest Questions for 2026

Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana figure to finish at the top of the Big Ten in the 2026 season, but how much noise can teams like the USC Trojans and Michigan Wolverines make? However, the drop off from the top three in the Big Ten can be seen in the SEC filling in the top 10 of preseason projections while USC and Michigan sit closer towards No. 15.

How will the SEC shake out in 2026? Texas is expected to lead the conference, and the Longhorns roster, headlined by quarterback Arch manning, could put the team at No. 1 in the preseason polls. The SEC is deep, though, with Georgia, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Alabama, and Oklahoma expected to compete. LSU coach Lane Kiffin and the Tigers will also be an intriguing team to watch, of course.

Ohio State is No. 1 in this prediction thanks to the pedigree of Buckeyes coach Ryan Day as well as the returning talent on the roster.

As for the Oregon Ducks, coach Dan Lanning and key returners like quarterback Dante Moore have given the program some of the highest expectations in recent memory. The entire defensive line is also coming back, but the Ducks bringing in two new coordinators is one of the biggest question marks surrounding the team.

Oregon will have opportunities to answer them with regular season matchups on the road against USC and Ohio State.

Oregon Ducks Betting Odds

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Oregon's odds to win the national championship in 2026 are +750, good for the third-highest in the nation behind only Ohio State (+550) and Notre Dame (+650). When it comes to reaching the College Football Playoff, the Ducks have odds of -320.

FanDuel also has future bets on teams to reach the quarterfinals the CFP, and Oregon's odds are -185, No. 2 in the country behind Notre Dame.

As for Big Ten odds, FanDuel tabs Ohio State (+180) as the favorite, followed by Oregon (+260) and Indiana (+310) and USC (+1,300).

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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