College football's 2026 season is here, and the preseason picture crystallized this week with the release of the Associated Press Top 25 on August 17.
Ohio State on Top
The Buckeyes open the year at No. 1, earning 40 first-place votes and establishing themselves as the clear preseason favorite. Oregon checks in at No. 2, followed by Georgia at No. 3, Notre Dame at No. 4 and Texas at No. 5.
The rest of the top ten reflects a sport in flux: defending national champion Indiana sits at No. 6, with Miami (No. 7), Texas A&M (No. 8), Ole Miss (No. 9) and Oklahoma (No. 10) rounding out the group.
The Clemson Surprise
The most stunning omission belongs to Clemson, which failed to crack the preseason poll for the first time since 2011 — the end of an era of near-permanent residence in the national rankings. It's a jarring reminder of how quickly the landscape can shift in the transfer-portal era.
A Global Opener and an Early Showdown
The season opens in style with North Carolina facing TCU in Dublin, Ireland, taking the college game overseas once again. The first true heavyweight collision comes quickly: Ohio State travels to Texas on September 12 in a top-five clash that could shape the College Football Playoff race for months.
Title Odds
The betting market lines up closely with the poll. Ohio State opened as the national-title favorite at around +550, with Notre Dame, Texas and Oregon clustered just behind. With an expanded Playoff and a brutal slate of nonconference matchups, the road to the championship promises to be as unpredictable as ever.
*Reported by the Urban City Podcast Sports newsroom — urbancitypodcastsports.com. Poll results and futures verified as of August 18, 2026.*