The 2026 college football season is almost here, and the first AP Poll has officially been unveiled with the release of the preseason top-25 rankings.
The rankings will continue to shift throughout the year based on each team’s performance, but many in the college football community were far from impressed with the preseason rankings released on Monday.
Preseason AP Poll Draws Strong Reactions Across College Football
The latest AP Top 25 is packed with College Football Playoff contenders, with Ryan Day’s Ohio State claiming the No. 1 spot entering the 2026 season.
The Buckeyes remain one of the favorites to win the national championship after falling short of a title run in 2025. Quarterback Julian Sayin and star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith headline a talented returning core, but Ohio State also lost safety Caleb Downs after his departure to the NFL.
Oregon came in at the No. 2 spot, fueled by high expectations surrounding potential Heisman Trophy candidate Dante Moore.
Besides these two programs, Kirby Smart’s Georgia and Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame round out the top four, while Texas, Indiana, Miami, and Texas A&M currently sit in the range of the bracket that would host first-round games, though that’s based purely on today’s preseason poll, not on how the committee will actually seed the field in December.
The first poll-based bracket was dominated by the SEC, while the rankings quickly became a big topic of debate among college football fans.
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“This is up there for worst opening AP Poll of all time,” one said.
This is up there for worst opening AP Poll of all time
— Jay (@MrJayShady) August 17, 2026
“Shocked they kept Clemson out of the Top 25,” wrote “The Big Score Podcast” page.
“Really trying to push the Big 10 agenda,” a fan said.
While some criticized what they saw as SEC favoritism, many questioned Indiana’s No. 6 placement despite the Hoosiers coming off a national championship season led by former No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza.
There are questions surrounding new quarterback Josh Hoover, but many believe Curt Cignetti has earned the benefit of the doubt based on his coaching success.
LSU has also been one of the biggest storylines of the offseason. The additions of head coach Lane Kiffin and quarterback Sam Leavitt have fueled expectations that the Tigers can contend for a national title in 2026.
PFN’s projections give LSU a 31.3% chance of reaching the College Football Playoff, while the Tigers opened at No. 11 in the AP rankings.
Every year, the preseason rankings ignite plenty of reactions and debate. There are always fans who are frustrated because they think their team is ranked too low.
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“They giving Cignetti more fuel. I’m worried about winning games and not about ‘AP polls,’” a fan wrote.
They giving Cignetti more fuel. I’m worried about wining games and not about “AP polls”
— Kalyteros🇬🇷 #NATIONALCHAMPION (@iKalyteros) August 17, 2026
“LSU way too [expletive] high,” a USC Trojans fanpage wrote.
“Why does Texas play 5 teams in the top 10 and no one else comes close to that?”another fan said.
Why does Texas play 5 teams in the top 10 and no one else comes close to that?
— Dave Smith (@ForTheWinGoLong) August 18, 2026
“Alabama should be 8. We beat LSU, Ole Miss, and OU regularly. Texas Tech is nowhere near our level, even on their best day. Such a trash ranking,” a person added.
The AP will continue releasing weekly projected playoff brackets based on its Top 25 rankings until the College Football Playoff selection committee unveils its first official rankings on Nov. 3. The committee faced heavy criticism last season over its rankings after Notre Dame was left out of the playoff field.
However, PFN projects the Irish as the strongest playoff contender this season, giving them an 88.1% chance of reaching the CFP.
