Buckeyes Claim Preseason Top Spot in Coaches Poll; Hoosiers Slip to Sixth

The preseason coaches poll, released Tuesday by USA Today, has placed Ohio State atop the rankings, while the defending College Football Playoff champion Indiana Hoosiers find themselves outside the top five. Despite an undefeated season and a national title, Indiana is not the highest-ranked Big Ten squad, as the Buckeyes claimed the No. 1 spot with 38 of 72 first-place votes.

Oregon, another Big Ten powerhouse, secured the No. 2 position, followed by Southeastern Conference rivals Georgia and Texas, and independent Notre Dame rounding out the top five. Indiana sits at No. 6, but the Hoosiers earned 14 first-place votes, the second-most behind Ohio State. Each of the top six teams received at least two first-place votes, a feat not seen since 2008.

Ohio State last led the preseason coaches poll in 2015. The Buckeyes, who finished 12-2 in 2025, return starting quarterback Julian Sayin and will open their season on Sept. 5 at home against Ball State before a Week 2 trip to Austin to face Texas.

Key Analysis

Miami, which fell to Indiana in the CFP title game last winter, was voted No. 7, with Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss completing the top 10. Alabama's No. 11 ranking marks the first time since 2008 that the Crimson Tide will start a season outside the top 10 in the coaches poll.

Several top programs bring back their starting signal-callers from the 2025 season, including Oregon's Dante Moore, Georgia's Gunner Stockton, Texas' Arch Manning, and Notre Dame's C.J. Carr. Indiana, however, will turn to TCU transfer Josh Hoover at quarterback following the departure of Heisman Trophy winner Francisco Mendoza, who was the No. 1 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft.

The SEC leads all conferences with nine teams in the preseason poll, while the Big Ten has eight. The Big 12, topped by No. 12 Texas Tech, has four representatives, and the ACC has three, with No. 23 Clemson starting at its lowest spot since 2011. Texas, the preseason No. 1 last year, finished 10-3 after an opening-week 14-7 loss to Ohio State, a result that set the tone for their season.

Originally reported by hawaiitribune_herald.