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Notre Dame tops preseason AP poll ahead of Ohio State

8/25/2026

35 8 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Notre Dame is ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP poll, ahead of Ohio State and Texas.
The Big Ten and SEC occupy 15 of the top-25 spots in the 2026 re-rank.
Louisville, the only Top 25 team without a preseason AP All-American, is led by running back Isaac Brown.
Texas Tech tops the Big 12 preseason power rankings, its highest AP rank since 1977.

History

Historical Context

In 1977, independent Notre Dame, coached by Dan Devine, defeated No. 1 Texas 38-10 in the Cotton Bowl and was crowned AP national champion, its tenth title. The AP poll, started in 1936 and tallying 874 Notre Dame appearances, still favors traditional powers; the 2026 preseason poll again ranks Notre Dame No. 1 while most top-25 spots belong to Big Ten and SEC schools.

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Story summary

Notre Dame is ranked No. 1 in the preseason AP poll, ahead of Ohio State and Texas.
The Big Ten and SEC occupy 15 of the top-25 spots in the 2026 re-rank.
Louisville, the only Top 25 team without a preseason AP All-American, is led by running back Isaac Brown.
Texas Tech tops the Big 12 preseason power rankings, its highest AP rank since 1977.

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