USA TODAY Sports just dropped their pre-2026 season college football rankings, and guess who’s sitting at No. 1? The Ohio State Buckeyes. This ain’t about who has the best roster *right now*, it’s about the whole program’s strength and where it’s headed. Alabama followed at No. 2, with Georgia, Notre Dame, and Texas rounding out the top five.
No One’s Been This Consistent
Talk about a run, right? The Buckeyes haven’t dipped below 11 wins in a single season since way back in 2011, with the only real asterisk being that COVID-shortened 2020 season where they still went 7-1. That’s serious consistency that few, if any, other programs can touch. Coach Ryan Day, at only 47, is already entering his eighth season leading the team and boasts an insane 82-12 record. Plus, they were the national champs in 2024. The Big Ten has been on fire, taking three straight national titles, and OSU is clearly leading the charge.
Alabama and Georgia Are Slipping?
You know how we talk about rivals, and who’s got the edge? Well, right now, Ohio State is making a strong case that they’re just built different. Alabama, ranked No. 2, might have one more national title in the College Football Playoff era, but they’ve clearly taken a hit since Nick Saban left. Kalen DeBoer has piled up 20 wins in two years, yeah, but he’s also got eight losses. That’s the *same number* of losses Alabama had in Saban’s final five seasons combined! Think about that. And Georgia? They’re consistent and have two CFP titles like OSU, but they’ve hit a wall in the 12-team playoff. They’ve dropped their opening game in the playoffs the last two seasons straight. OSU just seems to keep rolling.
So, what’s next? Ohio State has been a dominant force for basically the entire 21st century. With Day at the helm and that kind of consistency, they are showing absolutely no signs of slowing down heading into the 2026 season. The Buckeyes are on top, and it looks like they’re ready to stay there.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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