The preseason edition of the college football coaches’ poll was released on Tuesday, and it featured some surprises.
Six teams received first-place votes as the coaches settled on their top-25 rankings. While the SEC has held the title of best conference for a long time, the Big Ten has emerged as a serious challenger if this poll is any indication.
CFB Analysts React to Coaches’ Preseason Top-25 Rankings
Ryan Day’s Ohio State appeared at No. 1 with 38 votes, followed by Dan Lanning’s Oregon at No. 2 with six votes.
The No. 3 spot was secured by Kirby Smart’s Georgia, which received seven votes, followed by Steve Sarkisian’s Texas at No. 4 with two votes.
Independent Notre Dame, led by Marcus Freeman, came in at No. 5 after receiving five votes.
BREAKING: College Football Preseason Coaches Poll👀https://t.co/gnEe967fmH pic.twitter.com/W2xBYGZWYe
— On3 (@On3) August 4, 2026
PFN’s Top-25 Rankings have the same teams in the top seven, but the order differs slightly: Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, Notre Dame, Georgia, Miami, and then Texas.
On Tuesday, various college football analysts shared their reactions to the preseason poll.
“Clemson? That’s gotta be a joke,” TSM Transfer Portal wrote on X, taking issue with their No. 23 ranking.
“The Preseason Coaches Poll is absolute theater for the SEC vs. Big Ten debate over which is the most dominant college football conference,” wrote PFN’s Oliver Hodgkinson before noting that the SEC has nine teams and the Big Ten has eight teams in the top-25, while no other conference has more than four.
The Preseason Coaches Poll is absolute theater for the SEC vs. Big Ten debate over which is the most dominant college football conference:
SEC: 9
Big Ten: 8Insert massive gap
Big 12: 4
ACC: 3— Oliver Hodgkinson (@hodgkinsonsport) August 4, 2026
“9 SEC schools play at least 5 of the Top 25 teams in the coaches poll Not a single Big 10 team plays 5. Efficient work,” wrote ESPN’s Peter Burns.
“Ohio State opens at No. 1 in the Coaches Poll (first time since 2015). The Buckeyes see SIX ranked opponents on its schedule 👀 No. 2 Oregon, No. 4 Texas, No. 6 Indiana, No. 14 USC, No. 16 Michigan, No. 22 Iowa,” Ohio State writer Blake T. Biscardi pointed out.
”Annual reminder that Penn State (No. 3), Clemson (No. 6) and LSU (No. 9) were all ranked in the preseason Top 10 by the coaches last year. All three teams lost six games and finished unranked. Penn State fired James Franklin, and LSU fired Brian Kelly.” On3 senior insider Chris Low added.
”Coaches think highly of the #Sooners time to go out and prove it,” Sooners analyst Jalen Posey also wrote.
Despite 14 coaches voting for Curt Cignetti’s Indiana for the No. 1 position, the reigning champions ended up at the No. 6 position in the top-25 rankings, to which CBS columnist Brad Crawford shared his disapproval.
“Indiana has to be one of the more underrated squads in that Top 10 … Miami is the most underrated outside that Top 5.”@BCrawford247 👀 pic.twitter.com/Tuk0sdoqoY
— CBS Sports College Football 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) August 4, 2026
“I think Indiana should be closer to that top-three spot than outside of the top-five,” Crawford said. “I’m stunned that Georgia is top-three… Indiana is a team that has to be one of the more underrated squads in that top 10.”
PFN’s CFB Playoff Meter currently gives Notre Dame (88.1%), Oregon (79.4%), Ohio State (79.2%), Georgia (74.7%), and Miami (74.2%) the best odds of making the College Football Playoff.
