College Football Rankings: Predicting the AP Top 25 Preseason Poll for 2026

The preseason AP top 25 college football rankings may not be the most scientific way to predict the national championship in a given year, but they do help give fans an early barometer to see how teams stack up against each other in the eyes of experts.

USC in 2004 and Alabama in 2017 are the only teams in this century to debut in the No. 1 position in the preseason AP football rankings and finish as national champions, so being the best team in the country in August may not be all you think it would be.

Still, the very top of the preseason poll do give us a hint as to what the actual College Football Playoff eventually looks like come December, as all but one eventual national champion in the playoff era has started in the top-six in the first rankings.

College Football Rankings: Predicting the AP Top 25 Preseason Poll

25. Houston. Willie Fritz more than doubled his win total from his first year to his second, putting out a 10-3 product last fall and bringing back a solid foundation with Conner Weigman under center in tandem with proven producers at receiver and running back.

24. SMU. Rhett Lashlee has done some solid recruiting work to bulk up this roster, which also benefits from the return of quarterback Kevin Jennings, but we need to see more from a new-look defensive front and secondary.

23. Missouri. Ahmad Hardy returning as the SEC’s most accomplished rusher a year ago is enough to warrant the Tigers enough votes to debut inside the top 25, even after he was injured in a shooting this offseason. We’ll see how he recovers, and how Mizzou replaces other outgoing talent from the transfer portal.

22. Clemson. We keep waiting for this former College Football Playoff dynasty to make another run and they never do, but after seeing the Tigers in the Coaches Poll, it’s likely AP voters will follow suit if only because of the brand. There are some good receivers coming back, but one giant question at quarterback with newbie Christopher Vizzina under center.

21. Washington. Pollsters love a good returning quarterback, and Demond Williams will once again lead the Husky offense after finishing the Big Ten’s second most productive QB a year ago, albeit this time without those two other skill players from last year’s team as lead rusher Jonah Coleman and receiver Denzel Boston are gone.

These teams could make a run

20. Tennessee. Jim Knowles steps in to coordinate this defense two years removed from winning the national title at Ohio State, while this offense has a lot of potential but still needs an answer at quarterback between George MacIntyre and Faizon Brandon.

19. Iowa. A restocked defense should once again carry this Hawkeyes program and a solid rushing attack behind another quality line will hold things down while Kirk Ferentz sees what he has at quarterback.

18. Utah. Morgan Scalley steps in for Kyle Whittingham after two decades with a ton of holes to fill on both lines of scrimmage, but Devon Dampier steps in again at quarterback to move the ball down the field for what should be a Big 12 title contender.

17. Penn State. AP top 25 voters likely won’t judge the potential of this Nittany Lions team by the disaster that transpired last season, especially with Matt Campbell coming in along with a ton of promising transfer players like quarterback Rocco Becht.

16. USC. It’s well past time for Lincoln Riley to take the Trojans somewhere meaningful, and while he loses key receiving targets, he gets Jayden Maiava back under center with some good rushing output and Gary Patterson to take another swing at resurrecting this defense.

The top half of the AP rankings

15. Alabama. Likewise for Kalen DeBoer, who’s coming off a nasty loss to Indiana in the playoff, and facing a mandate to toughen things up and play a more physical brand of football in the SEC, while a massive decision awaits at the quarterback position since Ty Simpson left town.

14. Michigan. Whittingham inherits a roster that includes former top recruit Bryce Underwood at quarterback, and it’ll be his development that likely proves the most important key to the Wolverines being in playoff contention or not.

13. BYU. This should be one of the best defenses in the Big 12 and Bear Bachmeier is back at QB1 with LJ Martin behind him in the backfield.

12. Oklahoma. Brent Venables has built another stout defense to throw some punches in the SEC, but the Sooners need much better output at quarterback, on the ground, and up front in the trenches offensively to forge a realistic path back to the playoff.

11. LSU. All the pressure is on Lane Kiffin to prove he was worthy of all that money and attention, with some potential on Blake Baker’s defense coming back, and the Tigers needing top transfer QB Sam Leavitt to recover from a foot injury and get better blocking and a stronger run game.

Who's in the Top Ten?

10. Texas Tech. Don’t be surprised if the Red Raiders win the Big 12 again, even with some key contributors on defense leaving school this offseason, but with a strong ground game and line to help acclimate Will Hammond at quarterback.

9. Ole Miss. Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy are back to lead this offense and give Pete Golding some needed continuity, while this defense features some very intriguing names that can get the Rebels back into the playoff field again.

8. Texas A&M. Marcel Reed is back at QB, but he needs to be more consistently efficient, especially against better defenses, which he’ll see as the Aggies play a tougher schedule this time out hoping to make the College Football Playoff a second-straight time.

7. Miami. Wide receiver Malachi Toney and running back Mark Fletcher will be a huge help for incoming quarterback Darian Mensah, and while the Canes lose some elite defenders, enough other tacklers return to contend for the ACC title and more.

6. Georgia. This should be another efficient, if not explosive, offense as Gunner Stockton works behind an experienced line, and the Bulldogs should field another stout group of defenders, especially up front.

The best of the best

5. Indiana. Curt Cignetti needed two years to climb to the top of the college football mountain and is coming off a 16-0 national championship run, but now the pressure is on to prove that wasn’t a fluke. Having Josh Hoover at quarterback will help, as will several other returning contributors.

4. Texas. Arch Manning returns hoping to look more like he did in the second half of last season rather than the first, while a group of elite incoming transfers at the skill positions and a Will Muschamp defense should have the tools to make a run at the SEC championship and more.

3. Notre Dame. Marcus Freeman has a ton of returning talent across the board, especially at quarterback, wide receiver, and on defense, and a very winnable schedule that should put the Irish in College Football Playoff position.

2. Oregon. This might be the best defense in college football when all is said and done, and with quarterback Dante Moore returning alongside a bevy of elite skill players, the Ducks just might be in position to give the Big Ten its fourth-straight championship.

1. Ohio State. Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin highlight another potent Buckeyes offense that could go all the way, but Matt Patricia faces some genuine challenges in replacing outgoing defensive pieces, and this schedule will be tougher than usual, with that date at Texas very early.

More: Phil Steele Predicts the AP Top 25 Preseason Rankings

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