The 2026 AP Top 25 preseason poll just dropped, and lemme tell ya, there’s a whole lotta noise coming from Big Ten country. Ohio State snagged that coveted No. 1 spot, with conference rival Oregon right behind ’em at No. 2. And reigning national champion Indiana, yeah, they checked in at sixth. That’s three teams in the nation’s top six for the Big Ten right out of the gate. You love to see that national respect!
The Big Ten’s Unapologetic Flex Just Started
When you’ve hauled in three straight national championships as a conference, you earn the right to be loud, and the Big Ten is absolutely flexing. Ohio State, no surprise here, locked up most of those first-place votes. Even after a rough end to their 2025 run, they’re bringing back quarterback Julian Sayin and star receiver Jeremiah Smith. This program has been a consistency machine for ages, right? The real head-scratcher for some might be Indiana at No. 6, especially after they just won the whole darn thing last season. You think Indiana fans don’t feel a little slighted? But you know who’s absolutely loving that “disrespect”? Head Coach Curt Cignetti. The guy is probably thrilled with that No. 6 ranking; it just gives them more fuel. These three Big Ten powerhouses have tons to prove, but AP voters are clearly all in on them.
SEC Depth and Big 12 Scraps for Early Respect
Meanwhile, the SEC faithful are probably shouting, “We don’t need No. 1 to show how good we are!” Georgia leads the charge for the league, with Texas rounding out the Top Five. Texas A&M at eighth, Ole Miss at ninth, Oklahoma tenth, LSU eleventh, and Alabama thirteenth aren’t far behind. But here’s the kicker: the SEC fell short of cracking double-digits in ranked teams, unlike in 2025. Tennessee (20th) and Missouri (25th) barely made the cut, with Florida sitting as the second-highest in “others receiving votes.” So yeah, the Big Ten is taking its victory lap, but the SEC is still confident they’ve got a pile of serious contenders. Over in the Big 12, Texas Tech came in at twelfth, barely edging out BYU at fourteenth. The gap in points (983 for Tech, 839 for BYU) tells you it was closer than many expected, a much tighter race than the ACC’s top two, Miami (seventh) and SMU (nineteenth). Utah (21st) and Houston (23rd) also made the Big 12 ranked squad.
Still No Love for the Group of Six Conferences
And what’s new under the sun, right? It’s the same old story for the Group of Six conferences. Absolutely zero programs from the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, or Sun Belt showed up in this initial AP poll. Nothing, nada. It’s a tough look, and it just means these teams have to fight even harder to get the respect they deserve as the season unfolds. The AP voters have spoken for now, and the landscape is set for some wild college football action!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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