Ohio State ranked No. 1 in 2026 preseason Coaches Poll

The Ohio State Buckeyes secured the top spot in the 2026 US LBM Coaches Poll released on August 4. Historically, preseason No. 1 teams have achieved championship success only five times since 1978, creating a cautionary tale for the Buckeyes. In contrast, the No. 2 rank has yielded more champions, with Oregon holding that position this year. Meanwhile, Notre Dame comes in at No. 5, a rank that has seen several champions, albeit the Fighting Irish's last title was in 1988. Texas is ranked No. 4, and Alabama is positioned at No. 11, a rank that has never produced a champion in the Coaches Poll era. Ohio State has won three titles overall, most recently as No. 2 in 2024.

• 8:31 AMYahoo Sports — Where do champions come from? History tells us preseason No. 1 comes with warning