By Matt Youmans
VSiN
August 17, 2026 - 4:41 pm
The archetypal College Football AP Poll for the 2026 play was released Monday, truthful there’s nary amended clip than present to look astatine who longtime betting expert and VSiN Primetime big Matt Youmans has successful his preseason Top 25. Professional bettor and predominant VSiN impermanent Paul Stone besides had input, with the 2 comparing notes connected the upcoming season.
The apical 5 speaks for itself, portion No. 6 and No. 7 successful the rankings are the teams that played successful past season’s CFP National Championship Game. Here’s immoderate discourse connected the apical teams and past a database of Nos. 8 done 25.
1. Notre Dame
If sophomore backmost CJ Carr stays healthy, the Irish should spell 12-0 and assertion the apical effect successful the CFP. Two moving backs were drafted successful the NFL’s archetypal circular and some (Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price) were from Notre Dame, yet that presumption is inactive loaded with endowment and features Aneyas Williams, Kedren Young and Nolan James. The violative enactment ranks among the nation’s best, and Ohio State transportation Quincy Porter boosts the receiving corps. The defence is elite. This squad is highly motivated and shows nary weaknesses.
2. Oregon
Ducks manager Dan Lanning mislaid his antiaircraft coordinator (Tosh Lupoi, California) and violative coordinator (Will Stein, Kentucky) to caput coaching jobs, but helium doesn’t suffer often. Lanning is 48-8 successful 4 years, including 17-1 successful Big Ten play the past 2 years. The downside is the Ducks were blown retired by eventual nationalist champions Ohio State and Indiana successful playoff games the past 2 years. Senior backmost Dante Moore volition beryllium an aboriginal NFL pick, and the antiaircraft beforehand is arguably the nation’s strongest.
3. Ohio State
The Buckeyes are arsenic bully arsenic it gets astatine the offense’s astir important positions with backmost Julian Sayin (77 percent completions and 32 touchdowns past season), moving backmost Bo Jackson (1,090 yards) and receiver Jeremiah Smith (87 receptions, 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns). The defence indispensable regenerate a batch of NFL talent, though reloading is seldom a problem. The Michigan monkey, meaning a four-game losing streak, is yet disconnected manager Ryan Day’s back, but present he’s got a Curt Cignetti occupation and plays astatine Indiana successful October.
4. Georgia
In the alleged ‘year of the quarterback’ successful assemblage football, Georgia elder Gunner Stockton is often overlooked due to the fact that he’s not a apical NFL prospect. But he’s a clutch dual-threat playmaker (24 passing and 10 rushing touchdowns past season), and starring rusher Nate Frazier besides returns. Two-time nationalist title manager Kirby Smart is 40-5 successful SEC play since 2021. “Georgia’s discourtesy mightiness deficiency the firepower of immoderate of the different contenders, but the Dawgs tin tally the shot and play dependable defense,” Stone said.
5. Texas
Big checks were written to get Arch Manning much violative assistance arsenic manager Steve Sarkisian brought successful Auburn receiver Cam Coleman and NC State moving backmost Hollywood Smothers. Sark besides made a crisp prosecute by getting Will Muschamp arsenic antiaircraft coordinator. “Manning rebounded nicely past play aft stumbling done September,” Stone said. “Manning has the apical trio of receivers (Coleman, Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosley) successful the country, positive his moving quality volition beryllium showcased much this season.”
6. Indiana
The Hoosiers were No. 16 successful these powerfulness rankings a twelvemonth ago, truthful are they underrated again? Curt Cignetti, 27-2 successful 2 seasons successful Bloomington, is simply a erstwhile Nick Saban adjunct who looks similar the caller mentation of him. Top wide prime Fernando Mendoza and 7 different draught picks are gone to the NFL. Cignetti sees thing successful TCU backmost Josh Hoover (42 turnovers successful 31 vocation starts). Indiana ranked No. 2 successful scoring defence (11.7 ppg) but volition beryllium adjacent the apical again contempt losing immoderate cardinal players.
7. Miami
Cignetti got a fewer scares past season, and 1 came from the Hurricanes successful a 27-21 nationalist rubric game. Duke transportation backmost Darian Mensah could beryllium an upgrade from Carson Beck. Mensah benefits from the instrumentality of starring rusher Mark Fletcher (1,192 yards, 10 touchdowns) and starring receiver Malachi Toney (109 catches, 1,211 yards and 10 touchdowns). First-round draught picks Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor volition beryllium missed connected the antiaircraft front. Miami has ne'er won the ACC and manager Mario Cristobal’s squad is the odds-on favourite (-135).
The remainder of the Top 25
8. LSU
9. MISSISSIPPI
10. OKLAHOMA
11. TEXAS A&M
12. TEXAS TECH
13. BYU
14. USC
15. ALABAMA
16. WASHINGTON
17. PENN STATE
18. FLORIDA
19. LOUISVILLE
20. MICHIGAN
21. IOWA
22. UTAH
23. HOUSTON
24. CLEMSON
25. SMU
English (US)·