The preseason polls are out, and as always, they give us a first look at how voters view the college football landscape heading into the new season. While both the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll often agree at the top, there are always a few surprises once you dig deeper. From powerhouses like Texas, Ohio State, and Penn State jockeying for early supremacy, to programs like Ole Miss, BYU, and Oklahoma seeing notable differences in their placement, these rankings already tell a story about expectations, roster turnover, and offseason momentum. Here's a breakdown of the biggest takeaways of where the polls align and where they differ in opinions.
Top Takeaways
Texas
AP Poll: Ranked No. 1 (narrowly ahead of Penn State; margin: 1,552 vs. 1,547 points).
Coaches Poll: Also No. 1
No surprise here with both polls being in sync agreeing on who the number 1 team in the nation should be going into the year. Despite some changes coming on the offense, the defense brings back a ton of talent and production. They were already a top 10 defense last year so having that continuity coming into the year is a huge positive. Mix that in with the potential of how good Arch Manning could be and some other offensive pieces, this team is the clear pick for that top spot as of now.
Ohio State
AP Poll: No. 3
Coaches Poll: No. 2
This ranking isn’t a knock on the reigning champs but more so about the next team we’ll talk about. This seemed like a coin flip whether they were 2 or 3. The questions about how fast the quarterback can get accustomed to the offense was probably one of the main selling points. They also lost both coordinators this offseason which holds more weight than people may think. Can’t forget that they probably have the best offensive player and defensive player in the country which can’t hurt to have. This ranking seems valid.
Penn State
AP Poll: No. 2
Coaches Poll: No. 3
Here’s the next team we were talking about. The Nittany Lions have expectations they haven’t seen in a long time. The questions of whether they can win the big games will be even more intensified this year since they are everyone else’s big game now. They have returning production littered all over their roster from offense to defense. Drew Allar back at QB for his Senior year helps Penn State not having to transition at the most important position on the field. Two headed monster in the backfield returning and the added receivers via the portal, this offense is ready to cruise. Defensively, they added Ohio States DC in Jim Knowles and they have plenty of alphas at every level of the field. Watch out for these Nittany Lions but it will be interesting to see them being the hunted for once and how they react to this.
Mid‑to‑Lower Top 25 Highlights
Ole Miss
AP Poll: No. 21
Coaches Poll: No. 15
This ranking may seem odd to some because it’s Ole Miss and seeing how they’ve done over the last couple years. This seems more right when it comes to the preseason expectations for this team though. They have a new Quarterback and a lot of talent that’s gone via the draft. Austin Simmons will dictate how this team will ultimately end up. If there’s one thing to depend on is how Coach Kiffin will have his offense ready to go. This is not to say they can’t or won’t be very good. If they can get their footing sooner rather than later and win some close games early on, the Rebels can be right in the SEC Championship race come November.
Oklahoma
AP Poll: No. 18
Coaches Poll: Unranked
Seeing this made me feel better about how I viewed the Sooners before this season. When the coaches poll came out and they were unranked, I had to do a double take. They only won 6 games a year ago but the changes they’ve made this offseason made all the difference when reevaluating this team and seeing what they can be. The major additions were new OC Ben Arbuckle and top transfer QB John Mateer. The fact they came from the same school will make the world of difference since Mateer already knows the terminology that’s going into the weekly game planning. Venables will have that defense ready to play and now that offense might match or exceed that side of the ball leading to a dangerous team throughout the season for anyone they verse.
Tennessee
AP Poll: No. 24
Coaches Poll: 18
The slight drop seems reasonable will all the changes that happened during the off-season. The QB storylines that went down which led to their starter ultimately transferring, makes the lower ranking seem more validated. They got a new transfer Quarterback from the same school Nico Iamaleava, UCLA, ended up going to and he’s no slouch either. Joey Aguilar had a great career at Appalachian State so it will be exciting to see how he will produce with enhanced competition versing SEC opponents on a weekly basis. These questions will be answered by mid-season and this ranking could seem too low when it’s all said and done but for the time being 24 seems like a safe spot.
BYU Cougars
AP Poll: Unranked
Coaches Poll: No. 23
BYU had a great run and overall season last year. They seemed primed for another good year until the story came out about Jake Retzlaff which led to his transfer to Tulane. Some offensive talent does return in RB LJ Martin and number one receiver Chase Roberts. They did have some talent leaving, mainly on the defensive side of the ball, but this change in QB has made others weary about where to rank this team. Very similar to the Tennessee ranking and how the questions make it hard to fully commit to this team as a top dog, leaving them Unranked seems like the right call until we see some live game action.
Preseason polls don’t guarantee anything but they do set the tone for expectations. Whether it’s a team like Texas entering the year with sky-high expectations, or a squad like Oklahoma trying to climb out of the shadows after a tough season, these rankings offer more than just numbers. They reflect perception, potential, and pressure. The early differences between the AP and Coaches Poll hint at where uncertainty still lingers and where narratives could quickly flip once the games begin. For now, they’re just preseason rankings but a month from now, they might feel like foreshadowing.
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