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Part of situation: Ohio State maintains No. 1 ranking as season begins (16 clusters)

Ohio State leads preseason AP Top 25 college football poll

college football AP preseason poll NIL spending College Football Playoff Big Ten

The Associated Press has released its preseason Top 25 poll for the 2026 college football season, establishing the initial landscape for the year. Ohio State holds the No. 1 spot, followed by Oregon at No. 2, Georgia at No. 3, Notre Dame at No. 4, and Texas at No. 5. Notably, Alabama has fallen outside the top 10 for the first time since 2008, landing at No. 13.

The poll highlights significant shifts in the sport, including the rising influence of NIL spending. Some programs, such as LSU, are reportedly spending upwards of $50 million on rosters to recruit elite talent. The SEC continues to show dominance, with nine teams appearing in the preseason rankings.

Discussions regarding the College Football Playoff (CFP) are also underway, with analysts projecting brackets based on these preseason rankings. The new 12-team format will feature conference champions and at-large bids, with early projections suggesting matchups like No. 9 Mississippi against No. 8 Texas A&M.

Entities

Associated Press · Big Ten Conference · College Football Playoff · Georgia · Georgia Bulldogs · Indiana Hoosiers · Notre Dame · Notre Dame Fighting Irish · Ohio State · Ohio State Buckeyes · Ohio State University · Oregon

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Sources

7 most-expensive college football rosters entering 2026 season [www.thebiglead.com]
27 days ago
Alabama getting close to naming QB1 for Week 1 | Southeast Sports+ (Video) [spotonalabama.com]
25 days ago
Where Did WVU Football Land in National Ranking of Every FBS Team? [wvsportsnow.com]
26 days ago
2026 AP Preseason Poll: Bama outside top 10 for first time since 2008 [hvilleblast.com]
26 days ago
College Football 2026: The Associated Press Top 25 College Football Poll trivia quiz - WTOP News [wtop.com]
26 days ago
Ole Miss at Texas A&M? The CFP bracket based on the preseason AP Top 25 [desotocountynews.com]
27 days ago
4 Tigers Ranked among College Football’s Top 100 Players [www.theclemsoninsider.com]
25 days ago
Big Ten Preview Flags September 26 as First Big Shakeup Saturday for Oregon's Race [fishduck.com]
25 days ago
7 college football teams with the longest AP Top 25 poll droughts [www.thebiglead.com]
26 days ago
Fatal flaws for every team ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 poll [fansided.com]
26 days ago
Ohio State offers 2028 4-star Alabama RB [www.landgrantholyland.com]
26 days ago
When Will Each Top 25 Team Lose First? A Quick Look At Every Ranked Team's Toughest Early Tests [brobible.com]
26 days ago
LSU Opens the Kiffin Era Already Ranked No. 11 [107jamz.com]
26 days ago
UNC Football to face three teams ranked in preseason AP poll, including two in top 10 [www.tarheeltimes.com]
27 days ago
Which AP Top 25 teams are underrated and overrated? Why Texas, LSU should be higher [www.nytimes.com]
27 days ago
Notre Dame cracks top five in first AP Top 25 poll of college football season [www.chicitysports.com]
27 days ago
Tennessee Football Extends Offer to No. 6 Recruit in the 2029 Class [www.rockytopinsider.com]
25 days ago
Football Practice Report: Aug. 18 - University of Oregon Athletics [goducks.com]
25 days ago
Ohio State, Oregon will try to dethrone Indiana in Big Ten [www.observer-reporter.com]
25 days ago
Seven SEC players named to 2026 Doak Walker Award preseason watch list [www.saturdaydownsouth.com]
25 days ago
No. 9 BYU takes on Wisconsin Wednesday Night [byucougars.com]
25 days ago
Ohio St. and Oregon top AP preseason Top 25 poll [www.tribtoday.com]
26 days ago
Virginia football receives just one vote in the preseason AP Poll [www.streakingthelawn.com]
26 days ago
Projected College Football Playoff bracket using the preseason AP Top 25 rankings [fansided.com]
27 days ago
Oregon might have the best roster in college football, and their preseason ranking proves it [www.sbnation.com]
27 days ago
Preseason AP Poll: Where Michigan Football ranks heading into 2026 season [www.maizenbrew.com]
27 days ago
Ohio State and Oregon are 1-2 in the AP preseason Top 25, SE. . . [www.semissourian.com]
27 days ago
Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, QB Vizzina out to turn things around after disappointing season [wtop.com]
25 days ago
Virginia's mission is 'handling success' after unexpected jump to 11 wins, trip to ACC title game [www.newsday.com]
25 days ago
Oregon's Matayo Uiagalelei Muted This Person on Social Media [www.si.com]
25 days ago
College Football's Top 10: Comparing RJ Young's, Joel Klatt's Rankings vs. AP Top 25 [www.foxsports.com]
25 days ago
NCAA Best 10 UT Freshmen Named to Prep Baseball's Top 150 On Campus List - University of Tennessee Athletics [utsports.com]
25 days ago
Miami is Prohibitive Favorite in Muddled ACC Conference [heavy.com]
26 days ago
Ohio State Is No. 1 Again, But Its 2026 Schedule Is Absolutely Brutal [deadspin.com]
26 days ago
CFB Rankings: Preseason AP Top 25 Poll Revealed [www.breitbart.com]
27 days ago
Lane Kiffin, LSU Reportedly Top Most Expensive CFB Roster Rankings for 2026 Season [bleacherreport.com]
26 days ago