AP Preseason Top 25 Released, Power Four Programs Dominate Poll

What Happened

According to Yahoo Sports, the AP released its preseason Top 25 poll Monday at noon ET, with Power Four programs dominating the rankings. The report, credited to Kevin Hicks, noted that teams including Texas Tech, Indiana, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas and Ole Miss factored into the coverage surrounding the poll's release. No official AP statement beyond the poll itself accompanied the report. The piece framed the poll's arrival as a signal of the sport returning to its normal preseason rhythm ahead of the 2026 season.

Why It Matters

• A preseason poll sets the early-season narrative baseline that follows ranked teams into Week 1, shaping how close losses and blowouts get interpreted later.
• Power Four dominance in the ballot means non-Power Four teams start the year with a rankings deficit to erase through results, not accumulate through them.
• The poll becomes the reference point for every rankings movement story the rest of the season, whether or not the order proves accurate.

Josh's Receipt

THE PATE STATE READ

THE PATE STATE READ: Credit where it's due first, a preseason poll is a genuine snapshot of voter expectation, and expectation matters even before a snap is played. But the task itself deserves scrutiny before any team's ranking does. Power Four teams dominating an August ballot isn't news, it's habit, voters lean on pedigree until games start correcting the record. This moves the conversation for a few weeks. It doesn't move the standings. Josh's read on preseason consensus getting pushback: "I think what you'll find is that just because you don't like something doesn't make it invalid."(Josh has not yet commented.)

What's Next

• Week 1 games of the 2026 season begin play, the first real data against the preseason ballot.
• The next AP Top 25 release following Week 1 results will show how much the preseason order holds.