Eight Big Ten Football Teams Headline 2026 Preseason AP Top 25 Poll

The road to the national championship runs squarely through the Big Ten, which flooded the 2026 Preseason AP Top 25 Poll with eight teams — capped by a 1-2 punch in Ohio State and Oregon at the very top. 

Not far behind the Buckeyes and Ducks are the Indiana Hoosiers, who come in at No. 6, fresh off their historic title run.  

Beyond the top-10 heavyweights, the Big Ten dominates the middle of the rankings with a four-team block spanning spots 14 through 18. USC (No. 14) leads that pack, followed in rapid succession by Michigan (No. 16), Washington (No. 17), and Penn State (No. 18). Iowa (No. 22) completes the conference fleet, giving the Big Ten deep representation from the top spot all the way down the ballot. 

Here is a closer look at each ranked Big Ten team, their official AP ranking, and what to watch for entering the 2026 campaign. 

No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes (40 first-place votes) 

Claiming the top spot in the poll with 40 first-place votes, the Buckeyes enter the season as one of the national championship favorites, aiming to become the first preseason AP No. 1 team to go wire-to-wire and win it all since Alabama in 2017. With 2025 Heisman finalist quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith — widely considered the best player in college football — returning, Ohio State is looking to win its 10^th national championship and second in three years. 

The Buckeyes, one of three Big Ten sports teams to be ranked preseason No. 1 this fall alongside Nebraska Volleyball and Washington Men’s Soccer, will have to deal with key losses on both sides of the ball, but Coach Ryan Day’s recruiting has left the program primed to reload rather than rebuild. Behind a veteran offensive line and a deep defense featuring playmakers at all three levels, the Buckeyes have every piece in place to handle a high-stakes schedule and claim college football’s ultimate prize. 

No. 2 Oregon Ducks (14 first-place votes) 

Holding down the highest preseason ranking in program history, Dan Lanning’s squad has strong continuity on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Dante Moore returns to command an explosive attack loaded with skill talent — highlighted by wide receivers Dakorien Moore, Evan Stewart, and Jeremiah McClellan along with sophomore running backs Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. On defense, proven disruptors Matayo Uiagalelei, A'Mauri Washington, and Teitum Tuioti anchor a physical front. Behind them, a secondary stacked with talent is headlined by a pair of preseason All-Americans in Minnesota safety transfer Koi Perich and returning standout Brandon Finney Jr. Packed with complete depth across the board, Oregon has every tool needed to capture a second Big Ten crown and hunt for its first national title. 

Oregon has three total losses since joining the Big Ten, all to the eventual national champions in Ohio State in 2024 and Indiana in 2025-26. But, with arguably Lanning’s best roster ever and one of the best signal-callers in the country, this could be the season the Ducks finally reach the mountaintop. 

No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers (eight first-place votes) 

After a 16-0 season where Indiana won its first outright Big Ten title since 1945 and first ever national championship, completing one of the best stories in college football history, the Hoosiers are right back in the fold again in 2026. Curt Cignetti’s squad enters the fall holding the highest preseason ranking in school history at No. 6, even garnering eight first-place votes. While the Hoosiers lost key contributors from last year’s title run, including Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza and wide receivers Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr., Cignetti reloaded swiftly through the portal — headlined by TCU transfer quarterback Josh Hoover, who steps under center to trigger an explosive passing attack alongside wideouts Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh. 

Behind one of the Big Ten's elite offensive lines and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines’ disciplined unit, Cignetti’s retooled roster is primed to make more history. 

No. 14 USC Trojans 

Tied with BYU at No. 14, Lincoln Riley’s Trojans lead another wave of Big Ten contenders with eyes set firmly on a playoff berth. Quarterback Jayden Maiava highlights an FBS-high 15 returning starters on both sides of the ball; No. 14 will command an offense that should have no trouble putting up points, flanked by an upgraded offensive line and a retooled corps of perimeter weapons. 

The real key to USC’s championship ceiling lies on the defensive side of the ball, where former TCU head coach Gary Patterson takes over as defensive coordinator. While at TCU, Patterson’s teams led the nation in total defense five times. If this translates to Los Angeles, the Trojans have the muscle to make noise in the Big Ten and navigate a grueling slate. 

No. 16 Michigan Wolverines 

The Wolverines begin a new era with one of college football’s most decorated leaders at the helm as Kyle Whittingham takes the reins in Ann Arbor. Across 21 seasons at Utah, Whittingham established himself as a premier program builder —  amassing 177 career wins , three conference championships (including back-to-back Pac-12 titles in 2021 and 2022), an undefeated 13-0 Sugar Bowl season in 2008, and three National Coach of the Year awards.  

Whittingham inherits a physical roster, featuring a battle-tested line and a defense that ranks among the most talented in the conference. The engine of the offense will be sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood, running back Jordan Marshall and wide receiver Andrew Marsh, giving Whittingham some offensive foundations in his first season in Ann Arbor. 

No. 17 Washington Huskies 

Entering year three under head coach Jedd Fisch, Washington continues its steady climb up the Big Ten hierarchy following a promising 9-4 campaign. The Huskies are led by dynamic returning quarterback Demond Williams Jr., whose dual-threat playmaking ability makes Washington’s high-octane offense one of the most dangerous units to gameplan against in the country. 

Defensively, coordinator Ryan Walters welcomes back a deep linebacker corps spearheaded by Xe'ree Alexander and a healthy Jacob Manu, alongside top tackler Alex McLaughlin in the secondary. With major home tests against Iowa, Penn State, and Indiana, Fisch’s battle-tested squad is primed to turn heads and establish itself as a legitimate conference title contender. 

No. 18 Penn State Nittany Lions 

After 12 seasons of James Franklin at the helm, former Iowa State coach Matt Campbell takes over in Happy Valley hoping to put Penn State back in national championship contention. Campbell brought 24 transfers from his 2025 Cyclones team to the Big Ten, highlighted by signal-caller Rocco Becht and running back Carson Hansen. 

The transfer-laden Nittany Lions face a slate with massive hurdles this season. A crucial stretch featuring marquee games against USC, Michigan, and Washington will decide the Nittany Lions' season. If Penn State can rise to the occasion in those signature contests under Campbell, they’ll have a golden opportunity to reach the 12-team playoff for the second time.  

No. 22 Iowa Hawkeyes 

Rounding out the Big Ten’s eight ranked teams, Kirk Ferentz’s Hawkeyes enter 2026 with their trademark formula intact: suffocating defense, elite special teams, and a methodical ground attack. Iowa’s defense remains one of the premier units in the country, returning key starters across the front seven and secondary that routinely frustrate opposing coordinators. 

Ferentz, already the Big Ten’s winningest coach of all time, returns a veteran core tailored to Iowa's physical style. The defense is anchored by versatile defensive back Zach Lutmer, veteran corner Deshaun Lee, and linebacker Jayden Montgomery commanding the front seven. Offensively, running back Kamari Moulton takes over the backfield behind a reloaded line led by Kade Pieper and Trevor Lauck, while tight ends DJ Vonnahme and Addison Ostrenga offer reliable targets for whichever quarterback wins the summer competition between Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski. 

Kickoff Coming Up Next

Having claimed each of the last three national titles, the conference enters 2026 as a huge threat again. But the league's stranglehold on the sport extends far beyond its top eight; programs like Nebraska, Wisconsin, and Illinois all received votes just outside the AP Top 25, giving the Big Ten a slew of teams capable of making noise this fall. From top-ranked national title favorites to dangerous unranked dark horses, every single week in the Big Ten will carry massive 12-team playoff implications.