What time does Week 2 AP Top 25 poll release for 2026 college football season?
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The college football season wrapped up Week 1 as teams began their quests for the College Football Playoff. There were plenty of storylines, controversies and thrilling victories throughout the weekend, while several teams also answered some early questions.
The biggest question entering those matchups was relatively simple: Who is a contender and who is not? While the playoff field will not be decided after one week, the opening weekend provided some early indications.
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The Miami Hurricanes and Ohio State Buckeyes showed off their Heisman Trophy candidates, while the Indiana Hoosiers began their title defense in impressive fashion. Meanwhile, the Oregon Ducks and Michigan Wolverines got off to rough starts. Those results could be reflected in the AP Top 25 poll for Week 2.
On Tuesday afternoon at 2 p.m. ET, the AP Top 25 poll will be released. This gives fans an early look at how voters view the college football landscape following Week 1.
What to expect from the Week 2 AP Top 25 poll
ESPN released its updated college football FPI on Monday, producing some interesting rankings. One of the more controversial placements was Michigan at No. 20 despite escaping Western Michigan in a baffling 13-12 victory.
The ESPN FPI is analytics-driven, though, so the AP Top 25 poll could provide a better indication of the way-too-early outlook for the CFP field. After all, the selection committee will ultimately decide the 12-team playoff field based on a variety of factors, not simply analytics.
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Several teams could make significant moves after Week 1. Miami earned plenty of attention after defeating the Stanford Cardinal, while Ohio State looked every bit like a national championship contender in its victory over the Ball State Cardinals. Indiana also made a statement by continuing its momentum from last season, thrashing the North Texas Mean Green.
On the other side, Oregon survived a scare against the Boise State Broncos. Michigan needed a miracle, and officiating intervention, to avoid an upset against Western Michigan. Those performances could cause both teams to slide in the rankings, even if voters remain high on their overall talent.
The Week 2 AP Top 25 should provide an early indication of which teams voters believe belong in the national championship conversation. And which teams still have plenty to prove.
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