5 Biggest AP Top 25 Snubs After the 2026 Preseason Poll Drops

While the AP Top 25 has some fans buzzing with excitement, others are more than a little cranky.

Dabo Swinney's Clemson Tigers are not in the AP Preseason Top 25. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

While pre-season is the time for excitement, the dropping of the AP top 25 leaves some teams and fans playing the Rodney Dangerfield card: they just can't get any respect. Sure, the Ohio States of the world are happy.... but here's a quick rundown of the five teams stinging from being left out of the preseason top 25.

Clemson Tigers

The Tigers as the pre-season power of the ACC has been a tradition... but the tradition just ended. When was Clemson last NOT in the preseason top 25? That would go back to 2011, when Dabo Swinney was in his third full season with the program. But off a 7-6 season, the Tigers missed the top 25, while ACC foes SMU and Louisville instead made appearances in the poll. Is this another sign of the slide of Clemson or just an overreaction?

Boise State Broncos

Boise is off a 9-5 season that saw them ranked to start 2025, but after a Week 1 loss, they never resufaced in the poll. But it's worth remembering that 2024 saw Boise win a dozen games, climb into the top 10, and reach the CFP. This year's Boise team brings back plenty of talent, including highly regarded QB Maddux Madsen. They're Pac-12 favorites and could again be the CFP busters.

Vanderbilt Commodores

Freshman QB Jared Curtis should surprise in 2026 at Vanderbilt. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Call it the Diego Pavia deal. No Pavia this year, no ranking for Vandy, which made a mark with a 17-9 record over the past two seasons. The Dores started both of those seasons unranked, but reached the top 25 in each and made it to the top 10 in a 10-3 2025 season that saw them just miss the CFP. Yes, expectations are that Vandy slides... but then, the Commodores won eight games over the past two years as underdogs. Maybe they earned a little more respect heading into 2026? Super frosh Jared Curtis at QB might have fans saying "Diego Who?"

Arizona Wildcats

Arizona won nine games a year ago and played their way into the top 25 off a 4-8 record the year before. But Brent Brennan's team stacks up as well as any in the up-for-grabs Big 12, with veteran QB Noah Fifita with something to prove this time around. Big 12 mid-tier schools Houston and Utah were slated into the top 25, but Arizona has a strong chance in the league, as they host Utah and catch BYU early in the season.

Navy Midshipmen

Over the last two seasons, Navy has gone 21-5 and has generally been a nightmare to face. They're solid favorites in the AAC and that run first, run second, run third offense is something most teams are ill-prepared to defend. The Midshipmen are off two straight seasons of averaging over five yards per carry. They'll do it again and could well reach the end of the regular season at 11-1.