B/R's 2026 Preseason CFB Top 25, Where the AP Poll Got it Wrong

The 2026 college football season kicks off from Dublin, Ireland, on Aug. 29, with North Carolina and TCU squaring off as part of an eight-game slate for Week 0.

The official preseason AP poll dropped on Monday afternoon, and the only ranked team in action during Week 0 will be No. 14 USC, as they play host to San Jose State in non-conference action.

In response to the AP poll release, the college football writing team here at Bleacher Report—David Kenyon, Adam Kramer, Joel Reuter and Brad Shepard—put together our preseason Top 25 poll.

Where did we disagree most with the AP poll? Let's find out.

B/R Top 25

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Oregon quarterback Dante Moore

Preseason B/R Top 25 Poll

1. Oregon (2)
2. Ohio State (2)
3. Notre Dame
4. Miami
5. Georgia
6. Texas
7. Indiana
8. Texas Tech
9. Ole Miss
10. Texas A&M
11. Oklahoma
12. LSU
13. Alabama
14. USC
15. BYU
16. Washington
17. SMU
18. Utah
19. Michigan
20. Tennessee
21. Louisville
22. Penn State
23. Houston
24. Iowa
25. Kansas State

Others Receiving Votes: Missouri, Arizona, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma State

We're Higher On...

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...the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

They check in at No. 8 on the B/R preseason poll, compared to No. 12 in the AP poll. Not an earth-shattering difference of opinion, but still the biggest differential of any team we favored more heavily.

It's not surprising that there is a range of opinions on the defending Big 12 champions following a tumultuous offseason. The Brendan Sorsby saga spent weeks in the news cycle, and ultimately left the Red Raiders without the nation's top transfer quarterback.

In his place, redshirt sophomore Will Hammond (69-of-109, 680 yards, 7 TD, 3 INT) will be the guy under center, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

He showed flashes last season before suffering a season-ending ACL tear in late October, and the former 4-star recruit also brings dual-threat talent after tallying 299 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

With Cameron Dickey (209 carries, 1,124 yards, 14 TD) and J'Koby Williams (155 carries, 868 yards, 6 TD) both returning in the backfield, Hammond will have plenty of help shouldering the offensive load.

That said, the most compelling argument for the Red Raiders at No. 8 is their schedule.

They don't have to face BYU (No. 14 in AP), Utah (No. 21) or Arizona, and they play Houston (No. 23) and TCU at home. That makes Oklahoma State on Nov. 14 arguably their toughest road game of the year.

Even with all the offseason noise, don't be surprised if Texas Tech is right back in the CFP field.

We're Lower On...

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Penn State quarterback Rocco Bechet

...the Penn State Nittany Lions.

With a 39-player incoming transfer class and a 47-player outgoing group, the Nittany Lions are essentially a completely overhauled team under new head coach Matt Campbell.

Quarterback Rocco Becht followed Campbell from Iowa State, along with several of his top teammates. However, they're coming from a Cyclones team that suffered a four-game losing streak last year en route to an 8-4 finish, and the Big Ten will be a step up in competition for much of the roster.

Working in their favor is the fact that they don't have to play Ohio State, Oregon or Indiana during the regular season, but they still have to face USC (No. 15 in AP) at home, as well as Michigan (No. 16) and Washington (No. 17) on the road.

It's a big ask for all of those newcomers to quickly gel, and a lot of projection to believe so many players lining up in the Big Ten for the first time will replicate their past production.

The difference between No. 22 in B/R's poll and No. 18 in the AP poll is not huge, but shows that we are hedging our bets a bit more on a team that stands as more of an unknown than the nation's other consensus Top 25 squads.

There is a clear path to a 5-0 start and a chance to climb in the rankings before the USC game on Oct. 10, which gives them time to work out the kinks, but then the grind begins for a team with lofty expectations and a lot to prove.

The Top 10 Comparison

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Darian Mensah

B/R Top 10 vs. AP Poll

Here's a zoomed-in look at the B/R Top 10, with each team's differential relative to its placement in the AP poll:

1. Oregon (+1)
2. Ohio State (-1)
3. Notre Dame (+1)
4. Miami (+3)
5. Georgia (-2)
6. Texas (-1)
7. Indiana (-1)
8. Texas Tech (+4)
9. Ole Miss (0)
10. Texas A&M (-2)

Notes

-The AP poll had Oklahoma in the No. 10 spot, while the Sooners were No. 11 in the B/R poll, so no major departure there. Heisman Trophy candidate John Mateer is back to lead the Oklahoma offense, but a grueling schedule and inexperienced defense raise some questions.

-With Mark Fletcher Jr. and Malachi Toney both returning, Duke transfer Darian Mensah has some serious weapons on the offensive side of the ball for Miami. The Hurricanes also have a ton of returning talent on defense, and that was enough to vault them into B/R's top five.