USA Today Releases First Preseason Top 25 Poll of the 2026 Season
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The USA Today Coaches Poll has dropped its initial rankings for the 2026 season and defending national champions, the Indiana Hoosiers are not in the top five.
Instead, conference mate  Ohio State takes the initial place at No. 1. The Buckeyes are followed by fellow Big Ten rival Oregon at No. 2.
To round out the top five, the SEC will have two teams of their won, with No. 3 Georgia and No. 4 Texas followed by No. 5 Notre Dame.
While Indiana does not crack the top five, the Hoosiers do come into this season No. 6 with No. 7 Miami, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 9 Oklahoma and No. 10 Ole Miss filling out the top 10.
Ohio State has a lot of players coming back which make them the choice at No. 1. With QB Julian Sayin, WR Jeremiah Smith and RB leading the offense, this unit will be once again a top scoring offense in 2026. The defense, while losing a lot to the draft, always reloads and where the Buckeyes lack experience, they will flourish with speed and aggression.
No. 2 Oregon may just be the best team in the country. Many coaches agree as the Ducks will start just behind Ohio State.
With Dante Moore having a litany of receiving options and the defense having the best returning front four in the nation, Oregon is going to be a threat to finally get over the hump and win the national championship in 2026.
Georgia is Georgia. Until someone in the SEC can keep Georgia from getting to Atlanta, the Bulldogs will be the highest ranked SEC team.
Kirby Smart has done enough to get the benefit of the doubt in any situation. Despite Arch Manning being back for a second season and starter and Cam Coleman coming in from Auburn, the Longhorns still have a Georgia problem. Until they can conquer their white whale, their ranking behind Georgia makes sense.
If any team in the country can feel disrespected by these rankings, it is Notre Dame.
Not that Notre Dame needs help to fain disrespect, the Irish will bring the best offensive line, one of the deepest receiver Rooms, a top five QB in the country and the best secondary into the 2026 college football season. Yet, Notre Dame is still ranked No. 5. CJ Carr will improve on his stellar play from 2025 when he finished the season with 2,741 yards, with 24 TD and 6 INT. Doing this with Jeremiyah Love and Julian Price both behind him and getting much of the offense going in their direction. Notre Dame also brings back Lance Moore in the Secondary. The best DB at Notre Dame since Kyle Hamilton and a transcendent player in his own right.
All these teams have a solid argument for being ranked No. 1. It is hard to fault the coaches for making it to Ohio State. But, had any of the teams in the top five been No. 1, there would have been no argument to be made.
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