Ohio State and Oregon top AP preseason poll as SEC dominates rankings
The AP preseason Top 25 places Ohio State at No. 1 and Oregon at No. 2, while the SEC leads all conferences with nine teams in the list.
In the latest one outlet preseason Top 25, Ohio State claimed the No. 1 slot with 40 first-place votes and Oregon followed at No. 2 with 14 votes, marking the first occasion in 65 years that the Big Ten holds both top positions and only the second time ever. Ohio State’s ninth preseason No. 1 and first since 2015 ties it with Alabama for the second-most such rankings, while Oregon achieved its highest ever preseason ranking.
The SEC led all conferences with nine teams in the Top 25, including five of the ten spots for the first time since 2013. Georgia, Notre Dame, Texas, defending champion Indiana and others round out the top ten. The poll also noted the presence of four Big 12 teams, three ACC schools and no Group of Six members. Analysts highlighted Ohio State’s potent offense and challenging schedule, while the SEC’s dominance underscores its continued strength in college football.
Why it matters
The poll sets season expectations and underscores the SEC's dominance and the Big Ten's historic top-two placement.
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