The 2026 college football preseason Top 25 is out, and media days season is here to kick off the year. Below you will find the official AP preseason Top 25, the full FBS Media Days schedule for every conference, and a free printable that puts both on one sheet. The Associated Press released its official preseason poll on Monday, August 17, 2026, and the ranking below reflects that vote.
2026 College Football Preseason Top 25: Quick Facts
Last updated: August 17, 2026 (official AP preseason poll)
- AP preseason No. 1: Ohio State, with 40 first-place votes and 1,672 points
- Defending national champion: Indiana (16-0 in 2025), ranked No. 6 in the AP preseason poll
- First media days: Big 12, July 7-8 in Frisco, TX
- Power Four dates: Big 12 Jul 7-8, ACC Jul 15-17, SEC Jul 20-23, Big Ten Jul 28-30
- Printable included: projected Top 25 plus every conference’s media days schedule with daily team lineups
2026 College Football Preseason Top 25
This is the official Associated Press preseason Top 25, released Monday, August 17, 2026. Records shown are 2025 final results. Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, and Notre Dame headline the top four, while defending champion Indiana opens at No. 6. For the preseason projection published before the vote, see CollegeFootballNews.
| Rank | Team | Conference | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State | Big Ten | 12-2 |
| 2 | Oregon | Big Ten | 13-2 |
| 3 | Georgia | SEC | 12-2 |
| 4 | Notre Dame | Independent | 10-2 |
| 5 | Texas | SEC | 10-3 |
| 6 | Indiana | Big Ten | 16-0 |
| 7 | Miami | ACC | 13-3 |
| 8 | Texas A&M | SEC | 11-2 |
| 9 | Ole Miss | SEC | 13-2 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | SEC | 10-3 |
| 11 | LSU | SEC | 7-6 |
| 12 | Texas Tech | Big 12 | 12-2 |
| 13 | Alabama | SEC | 11-4 |
| 14 (tie) | BYU | Big 12 | 12-2 |
| 14 (tie) | USC | Big Ten | 9-4 |
| 16 | Michigan | Big Ten | 9-4 |
| 17 | Washington | Big Ten | 9-4 |
| 18 | Penn State | Big Ten | 7-6 |
| 19 | SMU | ACC | 9-4 |
| 20 | Tennessee | SEC | 8-5 |
| 21 | Utah | Big 12 | 11-2 |
| 22 | Iowa | Big Ten | 9-4 |
| 23 | Houston | Big 12 | 10-3 |
| 24 | Louisville | ACC | 9-4 |
| 25 | Missouri | SEC | 8-5 |
2026 College Football Media Days Schedule
Media days run from early July through the end of the month, building to Week 1. Here is every FBS conference with its dates and host site. The printable above breaks each event down by day, so you can see which teams speak when.
| Conference | Dates | Host Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Big 12 | Tue-Wed, July 7-8 | Ford Center at The Star, Frisco, TX |
| Mountain West | Wed-Thu, July 15-16 | Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, NV |
| Sun Belt | Wed-Thu, July 15-16 | New Orleans Marriott, New Orleans, LA |
| ACC | Wed-Fri, July 15-17 | Hilton Charlotte Uptown, Charlotte, NC |
| Conference USA | Mon-Tue, July 20-21 | Texas Live!, Arlington, TX |
| SEC | Mon-Thu, July 20-23 | Tampa Marriott Water Street, Tampa, FL |
| Mid-American | Wed, July 22 | Ford Field, Detroit, MI |
| American | Thu-Fri, July 23-24 | Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront, St. Petersburg, FL |
| Big Ten | Tue-Thu, July 28-30 | Hilton Chicago, Chicago, IL |
| Pac-12 | TBD | To be announced |
What to Watch at 2026 Media Days
Expanded College Football Playoff talk will dominate again, with the top of the SEC and Big Ten jockeying for seeding narratives before a snap is played. Watch for quarterback storylines at the podium: Ohio State, Oregon, and Texas all bring back names the voters know, and how coaches frame their transfer-portal additions often shapes the first polls. Indiana arrives as the defending champion with a target on its back, and every SEC coach will get asked about the gap between the projected order and the eventual AP poll.
Frequently Asked Questions: 2026 College Football Preseason Top 25 & Media Days
Who is projected No. 1 in the 2026 college football preseason Top 25?
Ohio State is the projected preseason No. 1, with Oregon, Notre Dame, and defending national champion Indiana all in the mix for the top spot. The official AP preseason poll, which is voted on in August, may order them differently.
When does the official AP preseason Top 25 come out?
The AP preseason poll is typically released in mid-August, a few weeks before Week 1. Until then, the ranking here is a projection based on returning talent and how voters usually lean. We will update it when the official poll is published.
When are the 2026 college football media days?
Big 12 media days open July 7-8 in Frisco, the ACC follows July 15-17 in Charlotte, the SEC runs July 20-23 in Tampa, and the Big Ten closes July 28-30 in Chicago. Group of Five conferences hold theirs across mid-to-late July.
Is the 2026 Top 25 and media days printable free?
Yes. The printable includes the projected preseason Top 25 with 2025 records and the full media days schedule for every FBS conference, broken down by day. There is no email required to download it.
Explore More 2026 College Football Resources
- 2026 College Football Schedule Hub (printable PDF, TV, key matchups)
- 2026 Fantasy Football PPR Cheat Sheet & Draft Board
