The Associated Press released its preseason Top 25 college football poll on Monday, ranking Ohio State as the No. 1 team and Oregon as No. 2. This marks the first time in 65 years that two teams from the Big Ten Conference have held the top two spots in the preseason rankings.
The rankings arrive as the landscape of college football conferences has shifted through realignment. Oregon is one of several teams entering their first season as members of the Big Ten, while the Southeastern Conference (SEC) has also expanded its membership.
The SEC led all conferences with nine teams included in the preseason Top 25. Following Ohio State and Oregon in the top five are Texas at No. 3, Georgia at No. 4, and Notre Dame at No. 5. The poll is conducted annually by a panel of sports writers and broadcasters from across the country to project the top teams before the regular season begins.
For the millions of viewers who follow these programs, these rankings serve as the baseline for the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff race. A high preseason ranking can influence a team's path to the postseason, where millions of dollars in television revenue and bowl payouts are at stake for the member institutions. Fans of the ranked schools will notice these standings reflected in national broadcasts and ticket demand as the season commences in late August.
The concentration of ranked teams in the Big Ten and SEC highlights the impact of recent conference realignment on the competitive landscape. As traditional rivals now compete within the same conference structures, the outcome of weekly matchups will have an immediate effect on these rankings. The next update to the Top 25 poll will occur after the first full week of regular-season games is completed.