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THEY ARE (STILL) NO. 1! Ohio State remains No. 1 in ESPN’s latest preseason top 25.
The Worldwide Leader updated its poll following news that Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby has declared for the NFL supplemental draft.
“While the next step of his NFL journey is still to be determined, there’s no doubt it will have a huge impact on college football in 2026,” Mark Schlabach wrote. Even so, the development had little to no impact on Ohio State’s standing as the top team in the sport entering the fall.
“With quarterback Julian Sayin, tailback Bo Jackson and all-world receiver Jeremiah Smith returning, the Buckeyes should be back in the national championship hunt,” Schlabach wrote. “Ohio State’s offense is going to be difficult to stop, especially if its offensive line improves. Coach Ryan Day hired former NFL head coach/offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to replace offensive coordinator Brian Hartline. That recipe worked on defense, as former NFL defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has turned Ohio State’s unit into one of the sport’s best. Ohio State will have to navigate one of the most demanding schedules in the FBS, including games at Texas, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and USC.”
The Buckeyes rank No. 1 ahead of Oregon, Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas in the top five. Indiana, Miami, Ole Miss, Texas A&M and LSU round out the top 10.
Ohio State’s 2026 schedule features six ranked opponents, beginning with matchups against Oregon, Texas and Indiana. The Buckeyes will also face Michigan, ranked No. 14 in Schlabach’s poll, as well as Iowa and USC, which check in at Nos. 19 and 20.
ESPN’s Bill Connelly’s SP+ (more on this in the next section) ranks Ohio State’s strength of schedule No. 4 in the nation. The Buckeyes will have plenty of opportunity to prove it. I’d expect this slate to better prepare them for the postseason than last year’s schedule, which lacked the same level of punch as the 2026 slate.
ESPN'S PRESEASON TOP 25
| 1 |
Ohio State |
Big Ten |
| 2 |
Oregon |
Big Ten |
| 3 |
Georgia |
SEC |
| 4 |
Notre Dame |
Independent |
| 5 |
Texas |
SEC |
| 6 |
Indiana |
Big Ten |
| 7 |
Miami |
ACC |
| 8 |
Ole Miss |
SEC |
| 9 |
Texas A&M |
SEC |
| 10 |
LSU |
SEC |