College Football Teams in the Preseason AP Rankings That Can Win the Championship

In what seems like a historical impossibility, no SEC teams received any first place votes as AP top 25 voters revealed their preseason college football rankings for 2026.

That’s despite the conference once again dominating the first poll with nine teams earning votes among the 25 best teams in the country, but from the looks of it, pollsters seem to forecast the SEC’s national championship drought will continue this year.

There’s plenty of football to be played between August and January that could prove – and historically has proven – the preseason prognosticators wrong, but as ever, there’s a relatively small group of teams that have a chance to go all the way.

What teams in the preseason rankings can realistically win the national championship?

Ohio State

College Football Teams in the Preseason AP Rankings That Can Win the Championship — USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Preseason ranking: No. 1

While not unanimous, and it almost never is, the Buckeyes still received 40 first place votes as the No. 1 team in college football, representing a kind of consensus that reflects just how loaded this roster remains, even with key outgoing defensive talent.

We’ll see how well Matt Patricia replaces that production, but in the meantime, Heisman finalist quarterback Julian Sayin is throwing to uber-elite wideout Jeremiah Smith again. But the Buckeyes do play a tough slate against six AP ranked teams.

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Oregon

Preseason ranking: No. 2

Much of the chatter this offseason has been about how it’s Oregon’s “turn” to win the College Football Playoff, being the next logical contender to come out of the streaking Big Ten as the conference seeks a fourth-straight national championship.

They have the firepower, bringing back Dante Moore under center to lead an offense that boasts arguably college football’s best overall receiver room and potentially the Big Ten’s most talented backs. Oregon’s defense, flush with high profile transfers at key positions and eight returning tacklers, could finish as the best in the country in the end.

Georgia

Preseason ranking: No. 3

The reigning back-to-back SEC champions haven’t won a College Football Playoff game since Georgia’s mini-dynasty when they won two national titles in 2021 and 2022, but return enough on both sides of the ball to make it three-straight in Atlanta.

Gunner Stockton is back at QB1 after a solid debut and he’ll have help especially in the backfield with Nate Frazier the presumptive lead back, and everyone’s working behind an experienced group of blockers that could be the best in the SEC.

Defensively, expect more of the same from Kirby Smart’s machine, with eight starting tacklers back from a group that allowed under 18 points per game a year ago.

Notre Dame

Preseason ranking: No. 4

Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are out of the picture, and with them go Notre Dame’s top-five rushing attack, but CJ Carr looked good enough at quarterback after a 2,741 yard passing effort a year ago to take genuine control of this offense.

Chris Ash steps in for a second year to coordinate the Irish defense, with plenty of blue chip contributors that ranked 10th in scoring and fourth with 21 interceptions last season, bringing back Leonard Moore in the corner and Alabama transfer Keon Keeley coming off the edge.

Texas

Preseason ranking: No. 5

Who are the Longhorns, and more specifically, who is Arch Manning? If he’s the guy who started those ugly early games last season, then their national title hopes are kaput.

But if he continues to build on what was a very strong end to his first year as the starter, one that included wins over ranked Oklahoma and Vanderbilt, a victory over undefeated Texas A&M, and against Michigan in the bowl, then Texas can do almost anything.

Indiana

Preseason ranking: No. 6

A word of caution for the Hoosiers: each of the last four times the reigning national champion debuted outside the top five the next preseason, those teams – LSU in 2008 and 2020, Auburn in 2011, and Michigan in 2024 – finished the season outside the rankings entirely.

All eyes are on Curt Cignetti to show he has real staying power. Winning 27 of your first 29 games is a good start, as is leading one of college football’s most consistent losers to a 16-0 national title run in Year Two, but the pressure is on to stay relevant.

Having a defense that returns six starters from a group that allowed under 12 points per game helps, as does a solid group of wide receivers and potentially the best offensive line in the country. Josh Hoover steps in at quarterback with plenty of experience and help.

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