Competition Between Big Ten and SEC Intensifies
The rivalry between the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences continues to grow, highlighted by the release of the preseason Associated Press Top 25. Ohio State and Oregon lead the rankings at Nos. 1 and 2 respectively, ahead of sixth-ranked Indiana. This reflects positively on the Big Ten, which has claimed the last three national titles. Meanwhile, the SEC’s depth is demonstrated with five teams in the top 10 and seven in the top 13. The SEC has nine ranked teams compared to the Big Ten’s eight and boasts seven different teams in the College Football Playoff since 2024 compared to the Big Ten’s four.
The Big Ten dominated the first-place votes with 62 out of 69, with Ohio State receiving 40, Oregon 14, and Indiana 8. No SEC team garnered a first-place vote, a first since 2015 when Ohio State was the unanimous No. 1.
“Our fans, and I think the SEC fans, they really like the rivalry,” stated Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti. “It would be great if we played each other more.”
Upcoming matches like No. 10 Oklahoma at No. 16 Michigan and top-ranked Ohio State at No. 5 Texas on September 12 are highly anticipated. Last year, Oklahoma and Ohio State, both won these encounters at home.
In recent meetings, the Big Ten outperformed the SEC, winning 4 out of 7 games. Indiana notably defeated Alabama 38-3 in a CFP quarterfinal. Despite this, ESPN’s Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings showed seven Big Ten teams ranked below No. 67 Kentucky, the SEC’s lowest-ranked team. Meanwhile, the SEC is keen to regain its status after missing a national championship game for three consecutive years.
“But I think from a big picture, the breadth, the depth of this league, this league stands alone,” remarked SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.
Clemson Remains Unranked
For the first time since 2011, Clemson starts a season unranked. Despite coming close, missing by five points to No. 25 Missouri, Clemson hopes to bounce back from a challenging 7-6 season. Offensive Coordinator Chad Morris and Defensive Coordinator Tom Allen aim to revitalize the team.
Their season opener against No. 11 LSU is set to be a key test.
New Coaches Aim High
Four Top 25 teams have new coaches facing high expectations. Pete Golding at No. 9 Mississippi retains crucial staff and players, aiming for a repeat playoff run. In contrast, Lane Kiffin at No. 11 LSU contends with building a successful team after recent struggles.
Penn State’s performance under Matt Campbell and Utah’s under Morgan Scalley will be intriguing as well, with both eyeing early tests in their schedules.
No non-power conference teams appear in the preseason Top 25 following two that made the CFP in 2025.
Additional Notes
- Ohio State has never concluded as No. 1 after starting there in a preseason.
- The Buckeyes boast the longest streak of preseason rankings at 38 years.
- No. 4 Notre Dame ties with Southern California for the fifth-most preseason top-five appearances.
- At least seven teams from the last season’s final AP poll did not appear in this preseason’s rankings.