Navy, Memphis, Tulane receive votes in 2026 Preseason AP Top 25
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The American Conference landed three teams in the final AP Poll of 2025. Tulane was ranked No. 18, Navy landed at No. 23, and North Texas followed at No. 24.
However, that doesn’t mean the conference enters 2026 with a similar level of respect. For the third-straight season, zero American teams make an appearance in the preseason AP Top 25. To find preseason American representation, you’ll have to go back to the 2023 preseason AP Poll when Tulane checked in at No. 24, fresh off a Cotton Bowl victory and No. 9 finish to cap 2022.
Still, there is some American influence in the AP Poll in the “others receiving votes” section. Navy is tied with South Carolina as the 31st-highest ranked team in the country with 10 votes. Memphis is tied with California as the 45th-highest ranked team with two votes. And reigning champion Tulane warranted one vote — the fewest votes among the 12 teams that qualified for the 2025 College Football Playoff.
Among those three, Navy is the only one that retains its head coach, as Brian Newberry is back for the fourth season. The Midshipmen won a program-record 11 games last year and return 11 starters, but they must replace several stars including quarterback Blake Horvath, wide receiver Eli Heidenreich, and First Team All-American defensive tackle Landon Robinson. Quarterback Braxton Woodson takes the reins for the Midshipmen, hoping to lead the program to a third-straight winning season, and of course, a third-consecutive win over archrival Army.
Memphis starts anew with Charles Huff, who guided Marshall to the 2024 Sun Belt title before spending the 2025 campaign at Southern Miss. Huff inherited a 1-11 team and churned out seven wins last fall, and he’s bringing 17 players and four coordinators/position coaches along with him from Southern Miss to Memphis. The Tigers are a transfer laden team, returning just one starter from last year’s 8-5 squad. Memphis aims to preserve its streak of 12-straight .500+ seasons amidst all the turnover and compete for its first conference title since 2019.
Tulane has appeared in the AP Poll every season since 2022, serving as the American’s main fixture in the top 25. However, the Green Wave saw significant turnover this offseason, losing head coach Jon Sumrall to Florida and a litany of key starters to the transfer portal. Safety Jack Tchienchou and outside linebacker Chris Rodgers are among the returning players hoping to preserve the Green Wave’s winning culture. Under first-year head coach Will Hall, Tulane eyes a fifth-straight American Championship Game appearance and second-straight CFP bid.
Below is a complete history of American representation in the preseason AP Poll. From 2016-23, the American had at least one team ranked in every preseason AP Poll, but that trend has come to a screeching halt in the mid-2020s.
| Year | Team | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Tulane | 24 |
| 2022 | Cincinnati | 23 |
| 2022 | Houston | 24 |
| 2021 | Cincinnati | 8 |
| 2020 | Cincinnati | 20 |
| 2020 | UCF | 21 |
| 2019 | UCF | 17 |
| 2018 | UCF | 21 |
| 2017 | South Florida | 19 |
| 2016 | Houston | 15 |
| 2013 | Louisville | 9 |
The full preseason AP Top 25, including others receiving votes, is as follows:
| Rank | Team | 2025 Record | Conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State | 12-2 | Big Ten |
| 2 | Oregon | 13-2 | Big Ten |
| 3 | Georgia | 12-2 | SEC |
| 4 | Notre Dame | 10-2 | Independent |
| 5 | Texas | 10-3 | SEC |
| 6 | Indiana | 16-0 | Big Ten |
| 7 | Miami (FL) | 13-3 | ACC |
| 8 | Texas A&M | 11-2 | SEC |
| 9 | Ole Miss | 13-2 | SEC |
| 10 | Oklahoma | 10-3 | SEC |
| 11 | LSU | 7-6 | SEC |
| 12 | Texas Tech | 12-2 | Big 12 |
| 13 | Alabama | 11-4 | SEC |
| 14 | BYU | 12-2 | Big 12 |
| 15 | USC | 9-4 | Big Ten |
| 16 | Michigan | 9-4 | Big Ten |
| 17 | Washington | 9-4 | Big Ten |
| 18 | Penn State | 7-6 | Big Ten |
| 19 | SMU | 9-4 | ACC |
| 20 | Tennessee | 8-5 | SEC |
| 21 | Utah | 11-2 | Big 12 |
| 22 | Iowa | 9-4 | Big Ten |
| 23 | Houston | 10-3 | Big 12 |
| 24 | Louisville | 9-4 | ACC |
| 25 | Missouri | 8-5 | SEC |
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
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