Full Breakdown
Ohio State Leads 2026 Preseason US LBM Coaches Poll
8/4/2026, 10:03:42 PM
Core Event: Poll Release and Top Rankings
The US LBM Coaches Poll will be released on August 4, 2026. The 72-coach ballot places the Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 1 with 38 first-place votes and 1,741 points. Oregon is No. 2 (6 votes, 1,637 points), Georgia No. 3 (7 votes, 1,591 points), Texas No. 4 (2 votes, 1,544 points) and Notre Dame No. 5 (5 votes, 1,524 points). Defending champion Indiana lands at No. 6 with 14 first-place votes and 1,522 points. The top ten also includes Miami (FL) (No. 7, 1,409 points), Texas A&M (No. 8, 1,174 points), Oklahoma (No. 9, 1,104 points) and Ole Miss (No. 10, 1,096 points).
Background & Context
Compiled by the American Football Coaches Association, the poll draws 72 active FBS head coaches who submit a weekly Top 25. This is Ohio State’s first preseason No. 1 since 2015, and the first season since 2008 in which six different teams received first-place votes.
Data & Statistics
| Rank | Team | Points | First-place votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State | 1,741 | 38 |
| 2 | Oregon | 1,637 | 6 |
| 3 | Georgia | 1,591 | 7 |
| 4 | Texas | 1,544 | 2 |
| 5 | Notre Dame | 1,524 | 5 |
| 6 | Indiana | 1,522 | 14 |
| 7 | Miami (FL) | 1,409 | — |
| 8 | Texas A&M | 1,174 | — |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 1,104 | — |
| 10 | Ole Miss | 1,096 | — |
The SEC contributes nine teams to the Top 25, the most of any conference; the Big Ten supplies eight. The Big 12’s highest-ranked team is Texas Tech at No. 12, and the ACC places three teams (Georgia Tech, Clemson, Miami) inside the Top 25.
Why It Matters / Impact
Preseason rankings shape media narratives, recruiting pitches and early-season stakes for the 12-team College Football Playoff. Ohio State’s No. 1 spot arrives despite a significant defensive turnover, and its schedule features five Top 25 opponents (Oregon, Texas, Indiana, USC, Michigan, Iowa). Indiana’s sixth-place finish highlights the rarity of a defending champion outside the top five. Conference depth suggests the Big Ten and SEC will dominate playoff discussions, while independents Notre Dame and BYU remain relevant.
Official Statements & Responses
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day served as a voting coach for the fourth straight season; individual ballots stay confidential until year-end. Georgia’s Kirby Smart cited “consistency and performance” as the basis for his program’s top-three ranking.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The consistency and performance is probably what I'm most proud of over the last 10 to 11 years, including this season,” — Kirby Smart, Georgia head coach
- “I'm a firm believer in our blueprint,” — Curt Cignetti, Indiana head coach
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
All major outlets report identical point totals and first-place vote counts for the top six teams, eliminating numerical discrepancies. A notable gap is the Associated Press preseason poll, scheduled for August 17, 2026; its rankings could differ from the coaches’ perspective and will be the next benchmark for national expectations.
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The 2026 US LBM Coaches Poll establishes a clear hierarchy among college football’s powerhouses, setting the stage for a season where conference depth and early-season matchups—such as Ohio State versus Texas in Week 2—will quickly test these preseason judgments.
