Updated Aug. 4, 2026, 12:56 p.m. ET
From the standpoint that precise football will probably be performed on faculty campuses in lower than a month, the arrival of the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll is nice information certainly. Whether the place of your favourite staff within the rankings is nice information is a matter of perspective.
Consider the case of Ohio State, voted No. 1 total in preseason balloting for the primary time since 2015. The Buckeyes have been picked first by 38 of the 72 coaches on the panel. But whereas Ohio State followers may admire the respect, it’s a historic truth the staff voted No. 1 within the preseason hardly ever finally ends up successful the nationwide championship.
Just 4 groups since have began and completed the season at prime of the rankings since USA TODAY took over administering the Coaches Poll in 1991.
Oregon, one of many groups anticipated to problem the Buckeyes for Big Ten supremacy, will open within the No. 2 spot, its highest place to begin in program historical past. The Ducks acquired six first-place votes.
A pair of SEC contenders comply with within the rankings after the Big Ten squads on the prime. Georgia will enter the season at No. 3, selecting up seven first-place nods. Texas, final 12 months’s preseason No. 1, will begin off this time at No. 4, although the Longhorns have been voted first by two panelists.
Notre Dame edges out defending nationwide champion Indiana for the No. 5 place by a mere two ballot factors, although the Fighting Irish acquired simply 5 first-place votes and the Hoosiers claimed 14 — the second-most amongst all groups. Six faculties receiving a number of first-place votes within the preseason ballot final occurred in 2008.
Miami (Fla.), final 12 months’s nationwide runner-up, opens at No. 7 with the SEC holding down the following 4 positions, beginning with No. 8 Texas A&M and adopted by Oklahoma and Mississippi. Alabama checks in at No. 11, although it’s the primary time since 2008 the Crimson Tide aren’t within the preseason prime 10.
Though the Big Ten holds the highest two positions, the SEC leads all conferences with 9 ranked groups, due to Missouri edging out Louisville for the No. 25 spot. The Big Ten has eight within the opening ballot. No. 12 Texas Tech heads a gaggle of 4 ranked Big 12 members.
The ACC has solely three, with No. 23 Clemson in its lowest beginning place since 2011.
2026 US LBM Coaches Poll preseason Top 25 rankings
- Ohio State (38 first-place votes)
- Oregon (6)
- Georgia (7)
- Texas (2)
- Notre Dame (5)
- Indiana (14)
- Miami
- Texas A&M
- Oklahoma
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- Texas Tech
- LSU
- Southern California
- Brigham Young
- Michigan
- Penn State
- Tennessee
- Washington
- SMU
- Utah
- Iowa
- Clemson
- Houston
- Missouri
Others receiving votes: Louisville; Florida; TCU; Illinois; Arizona; South Carolina; Virginia; Vanderbilt; Auburn; Georgia Tech; Boise State; Oklahoma State; UNLV; Florida State; North Carolina State; Nebraska; Virginia Tech; Memphis; Arizona State; Duke; James Madison; New Mexico; Pittsburgh; Navy; Western Michigan; San Diego State; California; Hawaii; Jacksonville State; Kansas State.
