Should the Buckeyes Have Been Ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll?
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
For the first time in 10 seasons, the Ohio State Buckeyes were ranked as the No. 1 team in the Preseason AP Poll heading into 2026. Many believe that they deserve it, but there is absolutely an argument to be made that they shouldn't.
Now, don't get this wrong, Ohio State is absolutely a top-five team in the country going into it. They have a Heisman hopeful quarterback, and they have the best wide receiver in all of college football.
However, I can't simply believe that this group is deserving of the No. 1 overall spot in the country. Whether we like it or not, the Buckeyes enter the 2026 season with a lot of holes to fill. This is not to say that they can't do it, but there are superstars that they are replacing.
Mind you, those superstars last year still were not good enough to win the National Championship or their conference, or their Playoff game.
On defense, Ohio State is replacing three players who were in the top 11 draft picks last year, and two more guys who were drafted in the second round. Then, on offense, they are replacing an entire position group at tight end; they are replacing one offensive lineman, and they have to find Smith's support at the wide receiver position.
The counter to my argument is one person: Ryan Day. Day, in my opinion, is the only reason why Ohio State should have any consideration to be considered the top team in the country. Day is in the conversation as one of the best coaches in college football, and he has shown over the last three years that he has what it takes to get it done.
The teams behind Ohio State are absolutely loaded. Oregon is the best roster in college football, but their head coach, Dan Lanning, has shown the opposite of Day. He can't win the big game and has proven that year after year.
Notre Dame is another fascinating one because not only do they return one of the best offensive lines in the country, but they also bring back their quarterback and add two former Ohio State five-star wideouts. However, they slipped up twice last year, so maybe that scared some voters.
The one that really stands out amongst the rest is the Indiana Hoosiers, who check in at No. 6. After winning the National Championship last year, they too lost some critical pieces to their team, obviously at quarterback. They have the best coach in college football but are going to have to earn it.
The moral of the story is what I believe to be one of the major positives about this era of college football. The parity at the top of the sport is real. Each team is very good, but each team has more than one question mark.
Should the Buckeyes have been the No. 1 team? Probably not. But there isn't anyone who is a better fit, so the Buckeyes are in the top spot; we'll see what they can do with it.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos