League: NCAAF Sport: College Sports Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Indiana and Tennessee football rank in top 25 to start 2026 season

6 sources • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 5, 2026, 2:17 PM

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

Indiana and Tennessee football rank in top 25 to start 2026 season

Summary

The US LBM Coaches Poll for the 2026 college football season ranks Indiana at No. 6 after their national championship, while Tennessee sits at No. 18. Indiana, with a perfect 16-0 record last season, will face a challenging schedule with five ranked opponents, including No. 1 Ohio State. Tennessee, coming off an unranked finish in 2025, aims to capitalize on optimism despite a tough slate featuring No. 4 Texas and No. 11 Alabama. Both teams prepare for the upcoming season, with Indiana's first game against a formidable schedule and Tennessee opening against Furman on September 5.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•Indiana opens at No. 6 after winning the championship.
•Tennessee starts at No. 18, showing significant improvement.
•Both teams face difficult schedules with multiple ranked opponents.
•Indiana will face No. 1 Ohio State among others.
•Tennessee starts against Furman on September 5.

Latest Updates

2:17 PMYahoo Sports — Indiana football ranked 6th in coaches poll? With 14 first-place votes! Here's how
4:14 PMYahoo Sports — Where Indiana football ranks to start 2026 season after national championship
4:10 PMYahoo Sports — Where Tennessee football ranks in coaches poll to start 2026 season

What they're saying

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College football coaches think highly of Indiana football after winning the national championship, but IU's ranking against first-place votes was interesting.
— Yahoo Sports

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IU football was the second reigning national champion to be outside of the top 5 of the ensuing preseason coaches poll. Here's how the votes came in.
— Yahoo Sports