First regular-season AP Top 25 poll features expected shuffling after shaky Week 1 of college football
The first regular-season AP Top 25 college football poll is here, and you’ll never guess what happened.
Some teams fell in the polls, others rose, and a total of five programs remained exactly where they were in the preseason poll. While the Week 1 slate of games around the country didn’t necessarily jump off the page, teams were awarded by sending messages (hello, LSU), while others left some voters aggressively scratching their heads (we’re looking at you, Michigan).
Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Devin McCuin #3 is seen in action during the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Ball State Cardinals at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio on September 5, 2026. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Jason Mowry/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Week 1 AP Top 25 poll
- Ohio State
- Georgia
- Notre Dame
- Texas
- Indiana
- Oregon
- Miami (FL)
- LSU
- Ole Miss
- Texas A&M
- Oklahoma
- Alabama
- Texas Tech
- USC
- BYU
- Penn State
- SMU
- Tennessee
- Washington
- Utah
- Iowa
- Houston
- Missouri
- Louisville
- Virginia
SEC TEAMS WENT 16-0 IN WEEK 1, IS THE CONFERENCE BACK ON TOP OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL WORLD?
Virginia is the lone team in the poll that was unranked the week prior, but when it comes to the biggest jumpers and fallers, the aforementioned Tigers and Wolverines earned the two respective titles.
LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin on the sideline during the third quarter of a game against the Clemson Tigers on September 5, 2026, at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Derick Hingle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) (Derick Hingle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LSU embarrassed Clemson 51-10 to begin the Lane Kiffin era in Baton Rouge on Saturday night, moving up three spots from 11th in the preseason poll. As for Michigan, it needed an additional second added to the clock and a Mulligan Hail Mary attempt from quarterback Bryce Underwood to beat Western Michigan 13-12, and as a result, fell out of the poll after entering the week ranked 16th.
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Oregon may have passed the stiff test Boise State delivered to the tune of a 34-27 victory, but the unexpected, four-quarter battle with the Broncos led voters to move Oregon down four spots from the preseason No. 2 spot.
Offensive linemen Michael Bennett III #75, Iapani Laloulu #72, and Trent Ferguson #56 of the Oregon Ducks prepare for a play during the second half of the game against the Boise State Broncos at Autzen Stadium on September 5, 2026, in Eugene, Ore. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images) (Ali Gradischer/Getty Images)
Like Oregon, SMU avoided a close call on the road at Florida State on Monday, but moved up two spots to 17th after escaping Tallahassee with a 27-24 win. Washington, however, suffered a similar fate to its Big Ten counterparts in the polls after a sloppy 24-10 win in the Apple Cup over Washington State on Sunday.
In terms of surprises in the Week 1 poll, well … there aren’t any, which is refreshing in this over-reactionary era despite most teams around the country having played just one game.
Michigan still received 69 votes to be ranked after Week 1, while Western Michigan received 12.
HAS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP PICTURE IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL ALREADY CHANGED AFTER A STUNNING FIRST WEEK?
