Preseason AP Poll: Where Michigan Football ranks heading into 2026 season
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The AP’s preseason poll for the 2026 college football season was released on Monday, and there are a lot of familiar programs that make up the first batch of top-25 teams in the country.
Starting, of course, with your Michigan Wolverines. Kyle Whittingham and company came in at No. 16 in the Coaches Poll that was released a couple weeks ago, and they find themselves in the exact same spot in the minds of the AP voters. Michigan will start the 2026 season ranked No. 16 in the AP Poll.
With plenty of unknowns across the roster, as well as a brand new coaching staff being in town, it’s more than fair to put the Wolverines in the middle of the top-25 to begin the season. Michigan will have plenty of opportunities to move up the rankings in the coming weeks, with big matchups early in the year against Oklahoma, Iowa and Penn State.
Elsewhere around the Big Ten, Ohio State is ranked No. 1 overall in the country heading into the season after collecting 40 total first-place votes. Returning your quarterback and several playmakers — including top wide receiver Jeremiah Smith — probably helped the Buckeyes achieve the top overall ranking heading into the season. Other Big Ten programs that made the preseason AP Poll include Oregon (No. 2), Indiana (No. 6), USC (No. 14), Washington (No. 17), Penn State (No. 18) and Iowa (No. 22)
Below is the top-25 in its entirety:
- Ohio State
- Oregon
- Georgia
- Notre Dame
- Texas
- Indiana
- Miami
- Texas A&M
- Ole Miss
- Oklahoma
- LSU
- Texas Tech
- Alabama
- BYU and USC tied for this spot
- N/A
- Michigan
- Washington
- Penn State
- SMU
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Iowa
- Houston
- Louisville
- Missouri
Others receiving votes: Clemson 112, Florida 51, Boise State 43, Arizona 32, TCU 11, Navy 10, South Carolina 10, Illinois 9, Oklahoma State 8, Vanderbilt 8, Pittsburgh 7, Virginia Tech 6, Minnesota 5, UNLV 4, New Mexico 4, Georgia Tech 4, Louisiana 4, James Madison 3, Auburn 3, Memphis 2, California 2, Liberty 1, Western Michigan 1, Tulane 1, Virginia 1
What are your thoughts on this year’s preseason AP Poll? Let us know down in the comments section below!
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