Ohio State and Oregon Lead the AP Top 25 Preseason Poll

Ohio State and Oregon have achieved a notable milestone in college football rankings. For the first time in 65 years, the Big Ten Conference holds the top two spots in The Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll. Ohio State ranks first with 40 first-place votes and Oregon stands second with 14 votes from 69 media members who cover college football.

Ohio State starts the season as the number one team for the ninth time, matching Alabama for the second-most preseason top rankings. They trail only Oklahoma, which has been ranked first 10 times. On the other hand, Oregon celebrates its highest preseason ranking in its history, having opened at number three four times before. The top five concludes with Georgia, Notre Dame, and Texas following the leaders.

The defending national champion, Indiana, begins its season at number six, with Miami, Texas A&M, Mississippi, and Oklahoma rounding out the top ten. Notre Dame earned six first-place votes, while Indiana received eight, and Miami one. Not since 1987, when Oklahoma and Nebraska of the Big Eight were 1-2, has any conference held the top two positions in the preseason poll.

1961 was the last instance when the Big Ten had the number one and two teams in the preseason, occupied by Iowa and Ohio State. That year, Iowa faced a tough time dropping four of their last five games after starting strong at 4-0 and finished unranked. Ohio State finished 8-0-1 and concluded the season ranked second behind undefeated Alabama.

The Big Ten aims for its fourth consecutive College Football Playoff championship, having already won three straight titles courtesy of Michigan, Ohio State, and Indiana. This marks the fourth consecutive year the Big Ten has had two of its teams ranked among the top three in preseason rankings.

SEC and Other Conferences

The Southeastern Conference boasts the highest representation in the Top 25 preseason rankings, with nine teams. This marks the third consecutive year with such representation, and five of the top ten hail from the SEC, a first since 2013. The Big 12 finds four teams listed, led by conference champion Texas Tech at number 12. The Atlantic Coast Conference features three ranked teams, including Miami, SMU at number 19, and Louisville at 24. Notably, no Group of Six schools made the Top 25.

Buckeyes’ Strengths

Ohio State’s offense is robust. Julian Sayin, a Heisman Trophy finalist, was the most precise passer nationwide last season. Jeremiah Smith leads in receiving yards and touchdowns over the past two years, while Bo Jackson had an impressive 1,000-yard rushing season as a freshman. Defensive concerns are minimal despite eight expected starter replacements, as six transfers are anticipated to play big roles.

Ohio State faces significant challenges with an early visit to Texas on September 12 and facing five preseason ranked teams during their nine conference games. These include encounters at Indiana and hosting Oregon.

SEC Performers

Georgia Bulldogs, led by Kirby Smart, continue to make strides. The team enters the preseason top five for the ninth consecutive year, with expectations of playing a sixth straight conference title game and appearing in the College Football Playoff for the sixth time in a decade.

No. 8 Texas A&M occupies the preseason top ten for the first time since 2022. That was the beginning of the end for Coach Jimbo Fisher. Meanwhile, Mississippi under Pete Golding starts with the No. 9 Rebels achieving preseason top ten status for the second time in three years. Oklahoma returns to the preseason top ten at number 10, aligning with Big 12 expectations.

Hoosiers’ Position

Indiana stands as the seventh returning national champion in 40 years to be ranked outside the top five in the preseason. The Hoosiers became the first modern era team to go 16-0, with a lineup full of promising talents and top-10 transfer recruits. Voters expressed doubts, potentially due to quarterback changes from Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza to TCU transfer Josh Hoover.

Poll Insights

Ohio State aspires to be the 12th team since 1950 to start and finish as number one. The last team to achieve this feat was Alabama in 2017. Notre Dame enjoys its highest preseason ranking since being No. 2 in 2006. The team, featuring Heisman contender CJ Carr, carries a 10-game winning streak hinged on missing out on playoff opportunities.

LSU finds itself at number 11 under Coach Lane Kiffin, rebounding from an unranked prior season. Ten of last season’s twelve College Football Playoff teams are ranked, excluding James Madison and Tulane from the Group of Six. Notably, Houston enters at number 23 in the preseason rankings for the first time in four years and the third since 1991.