Snubbed: Five teams that should be ranked in preseason coaches poll

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Some college football teams just got juicy bulletin board material as they prepare for the upcoming 2026 season begins: not being ranked.

The preseason US LBM Coaches poll is out, with 72 voters giving an official preview for who they believe are the top contenders with the best odds to make the College Football Playoff. There was a wide net of teams with at least one vote — 55 to be exact. Yet, some squads still got overlooked.

Whether its key returners or an impressive crop of newcomers, there are five teams were snubbed from starting the season ranked. While confusing, it's not the end of the world, as they have a full season to prove they belong, and don't be surprised if it doesn't take them long to push their way into it.

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Louisville

The ACC trailed the other Power Four conferences with just three teams in the Top 25 and it fell just short of a fourth with Louisville the last team out by just five points. The Cardinals enter the season with some lofty expectations not seen since the Lamar Jackson days, and for good reason: Dynamic running back Isaac Brown is back and at quarterback is Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz. On the other side of the ball is a potential conference player of the year is Clev Lubin, who wrecks the line of scrimmage. Jeff Brohm has won at least nine games in all three seasons at Louisville, and that is very much obtainable for a program that can find itself in the ACC title game, with a shot at the playoff.

Arizona

After a down 2024, Arizona proved its legitimacy with nine wins in Brent Brennan's second season. That was thanks to quarterback Noah Fifita rebounding from a disappointing 2024 campaign, and his decision to return for the Wildcats was massive, retaining one of the most experienced signal- callers in the country. A slew of receivers are also back to keep the offensive rhythm flowing, giving the Wildcats a great shot of having back-to-back winning campaigns for the first time in more than a decade.

Virginia

Just a few plays away from its first College Football Playoff appearance, Virginia returns from its historic season reloaded to try and surprise again. Tony Elliot did well in replenishing the offense through the portal with quarterback with Beau Pribula (Missouri) now behind center and Peyton Lewis (Tennessee) in the backfield, supported by a stout offensive line. The defense is mostly intact, with the addition of edge rusher Matthew Fobbs-White (Baylor) a possible all-ACC player to help out linebacker Kam Robinson. The Cavaliers shouldn't be viewed as a one-and-done success story after 10 wins last season.

Illinois

The Big Ten could have gotten a ninth team in with Illinois, which has found its footing under Bret Bielema. The Fighting Illini brought in Katin Houser (East Carolina) at quarterback, an underrated gunslinger. Top rusher in Ca'Lil Valentine returns along with contributing receivers in Collin Dixon and Hudson Clement. Illinois has won at least nine games in each of the past two seasons, built on a tough home environment with a 12-2 record at Memorial Stadium. It will again be a hard place for opponents to play in, and if Illinois can put it all together on the road, it is on the path toward possibly winning double-digit games with a schedule that isn't too brutal.

Boise State

No non-power conference team shows up in the rankings — a sign of where the college landscape stands — and one that ought to be there is one team that frequently represents the little guys. Boise State returns a whopping 13 starters from last season's team that won a third consecutive Mountain West title, including quarterback Maddux Madsen, rushing leader Dylan Riley and sack artist Jayden Virgin-Morgan. Spencer Danielson continues to keep the machine running, and now in the Pac-12, the standard of winning the conference remains the same with the Broncos the leading contender to be the representative in the College Football Playoff.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Snubbed: Five teams that should be ranked in preseason coaches poll

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