Preseason hype in college football carries so much with it—especially rankings & polls.
They are the undeniably addictive aspect of the preseason for fans, media, players and coaches. And though all of us can never fully agree on the order or participants of them, it’s that aspect of it all—the controversy and differing of opinion that makes it all even more exciting.
This year’s USA Today Top-25 coaches preseason poll declares Ohio State at the very top heading into the 2026 season. The Buckeye’s a year removed from winning the championship in the 2024 season, might not want to welcome that distinction however.
According to USA Today, just four teams since have started and finished the season at top of the rankings since USA TODAY took over administering the Coaches Poll in 1991.
So here is this years order at the moment:
- Ohio State (38 first-place votes)
- Oregon (6)
- Georgia (7)
- Texas (2)
- Notre Dame (5)
- Indiana (14)
- Miami
- Texas A&M
- Oklahoma
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- Texas Tech
- LSU
- Southern California
- Brigham Young
- Michigan
- Penn State
- Tennessee
- Washington
- SMU
- Utah
- Iowa
- Clemson
- Houston
- Missouri
Others receiving votes: Louisville; Florida; TCU; Illinois; Arizona; South Carolina; Virginia; Vanderbilt; Auburn; Georgia Tech; Boise State; Oklahoma State; UNLV; Florida State; North Carolina State; Nebraska; Virginia Tech; Memphis; Arizona State; Duke; James Madison; New Mexico; Pittsburgh; Navy; Western Michigan; San Diego State; California; Hawaii; Jacksonville State; Kansas State.
Though not officially in the top-25, San Diego State is beginning the season earning votes from the coaches and that’s nothing to balk at.
For the Aztecs just making an impression nationally this early in the year is a major sign of respect for how the cfb world sees them and where they believe they should be aligned.
Already voted on by Pac-12 media to finish second behind Boise State in the conference poll, the Aztecs are looking for some early success to help catapult them officially into that top-25.
With in the first 3 week of the season they may get their opportunity with road game at UCLA and a home game against last season’s CFP participant, JMU.
Why are the Aztecs considered to be ranked so high, so early
Now entering 2026, SDSU returns 21 of 25 players who logged 200+ snaps last year — an elite retention number in the modern transfer era.
“We kept 21 out of 25 kids that played over 200 snaps for us,” said Aztecs GM Caleb Davis in a sit down interview with Sons of Montezuma. “Rather than be spiteful about what you lose, you’ve got to be adaptable and prepared.”
Retention paired with a second-ranked portal class in the Pac-12 gives SDSU a roster foundation that aligns with Davis’ ultimate vision that just might be realized in 2026.
“I think we have the best staff in the conference. I think we have one of the best head coaches in America. I believe we have the best play-caller in America,” he said of head coach Sean Lewis. “Now we just have to go execute.”
That continuity on the Aztecs is easy to overlook when reading how some of the bigger names on the roster last year are officially gone this year. Football’s moniker being the ultimate team sport will be put to the test by SDSU in 2026.
So far with the coaches poll, the Aztecs have a few answers to that test marked correctly early.
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