Big Ten's Historic Poll Lead.
Ohio State and Oregon Lead Historic Big Ten Domination in AP Preseason Top 25.
Key Points
Ohio State received 40 first-place votes and Oregon 14, selected by 69 media voters in the AP preseason poll.
Indiana is ranked No. 6 in the AP poll, solidifying eight Big Ten teams in the Top 25.
Oklahoma owns the record for the most preseason No. 1 selections with 10 all-time.
The SEC features nine teams in the Top 25, with five in the top 10—the first time since 2013.
Week 2 features a high-profile matchup as No. 9 Oklahoma visits Michigan Stadium.
For the first time ever, the Big Ten holds the top two spots in the AP preseason college football poll. Ohio State is No. 1 and Oregon is No. 2 — a feat the conference has not pulled off since 1961, according to The Olympian.
Ohio State received 40 of 69 first-place votes. Oregon collected 14. The rankings set up a fall season packed with massive matchups and sky-high expectations for the Big Ten.
Ohio State Ties Alabama for Preseason No. 1 History
This is Ohio State's ninth preseason No. 1 ranking. That ties Alabama for the second-most all-time, according to The Olympian. Only Oklahoma has more, with 10 all-time preseason top spots. The Buckeyes are also chasing history on the field — they are looking to become just the third team ever to finish No. 1 wire-to-wire in the AP Poll.
Oregon's No. 2 spot is the highest preseason ranking in the Ducks' program history. The Ducks finished last season as a Big Ten power and are now expected to compete for a national title in 2025.
Big Ten Packs Eight Teams Into the Top 25
The Big Ten placed eight teams in the AP preseason poll. Indiana comes in at No. 6, its highest ranking in decades, according to WNDU. Michigan lands at No. 16 — the same spot it held in the US LBM Coaches' Poll — while Penn State sits at No. 18 after a rocky end to last season, according to MLive.
Penn State has a tough road ahead. The Nittany Lions face Michigan, Washington, and USC in key matchups. Michigan's schedule gets hot fast — No. 9 Oklahoma visits Michigan Stadium in Week 2, setting up a marquee early-season showdown.
SEC Still Dominant With Nine Teams Ranked
The SEC answers back with depth. Nine SEC teams made the AP preseason Top 25. Five of them sit in the top 10 — the first time that has happened since 2013. Georgia is No. 3, Texas is No. 5, and the conference remains a powerhouse even as the Big Ten grabs the headlines, according to WSAZ.
Notre Dame checks in at No. 4. This marks the fourth time in five years the Fighting Irish have landed in the preseason top 25, according to WNDU. The top of the poll reads like a who's who of college football's biggest programs.
What These Rankings Mean for the Season Ahead
Preseason polls do not decide champions, but they set the stakes. Ohio State enters with a giant target on its back. Every team on its schedule wants to be the one that knocks off the No. 1 Buckeyes. That pressure is what wire-to-wire runs are made of — and what makes them so rare.
The Big Ten-SEC rivalry now has a new layer. Eight Big Ten teams versus nine SEC teams in the Top 25 means almost every week will feature a ranked matchup. Fans should expect a chaotic, competitive fall with the national title picture shifting early and often.
Sentiment
Mostly PositivePublishers
17
Articles
37
Reach
54
