College Football Teams That Can Debut at No. 1 in the Preseason Rankings

As always, it’s usually a short list of teams that have a realistic chance to be named the No. 1 team in any given college football rankings.

As many expected, Ohio State led the way in the Coaches Poll, earning the most No. 1 votes of any team in the preseason rankings, and it’s widely expected that AP top 25 pollsters will follow suit and crown the Buckeyes the best team in college football.

But five other teams also received first-place votes from the coaches, signaling a certain lack of consensus around who is really the best of the best early on.

Who else has a chance of debuting as the No. 1 team the preseason AP top 25 rankings?

Georgia Bulldogs

College Football Teams That Can Debut at No. 1 in the Preseason Rankings — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The back-to-back reigning SEC champions are at the top of a short list of teams to get to Atlanta again, this time on the back of an offense that should be more efficient, if not very explosive, with quarterback Gunner Stockton and a stable of solid backs returning behind a line that has seven combined blockers with starting experience.

Defensively, the Bulldogs are always reliable and, despite losing some key inputs from last season’s unit should pace the SEC in most important categories with some of the country’s most valuable returning named along the front seven on the line and at ‘backer.

Indiana Hoosiers

After the Buckeyes, the Hoosiers were the runaway second choice for No. 1 after receiving 14 such votes in the preseason Coaches Poll, showing that insiders are still clearly buying what Curt Cignetti is selling coming off a 16-0 national championship run, and even after losing some notable players from that uber-talented roster.

TCU transfer quarterback Josh Hoover is a solid veteran presence to replace Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza, and he’ll have the benefit of one of college football’s very best receiving corps and is working behind potentially the best returning offensive line in the country, while a half dozen tacklers are back on a defense that allowed under 12 points per game last season.

Oregon Ducks

Last season saw Texas earn its first preseason No. 1 ranking, and now the Ducks could be in prime position to make their own history, too, returning a talented roster that includes quarterback Dante Moore and star defenders Matayo Uiagalelei and Bear Alexander.

An offensive line that starts three new blockers is a development worth monitoring, but Moore has elite inputs at wide receiver and running back, and there’s more than enough talent back on defense for Oregon to make a credible run at their first national championship.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Losing star rushers like Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price could spell trouble for any offense, but the Irish have quarterback CJ Carr under center again coming off a strong showing and working with a group of very promising wide receivers that will be able to move the ball vertically against the defenses on their schedule.

Chris Ash steps into his second year as Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator, bringing back a very strong secondary led by cornerback Leonard Moore that ranked 10th in college football in scoring and had the fourth-most interceptions in FBS last fall.

Texas Longhorns

It may be hard to believe, but last preseason was the very first time in history that the Longhorns debuted as the No. 1 team in college football. And two coaches thought enough to name them the top team again this preseason.

That top ranking last summer didn’t last long after a Week 1 loss at Ohio State, but the way Arch Manning recovered from that sluggish start, and the roster moves Texas made in the transfer portal, leave open the possibility that they could make a credible run at the national title this season.

Cam Coleman could prove the most consequential single transfer at wide receiver after coming over from Auburn, while running backs Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown will prove key acquisitions to help Manning acclimate himself again in the offense.

Ohio State Buckeyes

It’s within the realm of possibility that the Texas vs. Ohio State game in Week 2 is one of college football’s few No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchups, but we don’t know yet which is which.

What we do know is that it should be a top-five game, and whoever comes out the winner in the Austin rematch could very likely be the No. 1 team the following week, as was the case when No. 3 Ohio State beat top-ranked Texas last fall.

It’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t think Jeremiah Smith is the best player in college football once again, and the star wideout has the potential to carry this offense, but Matt Patricia has holes to fill on defense, and the Buckeyes do play a harder schedule in 2026.

So, who will be No. 1? Predicting the AP Top 25 Preseason Rankings

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