College football AP Top 25 preseason rankings revealed: Ohio State, Oregon on top

Nbcwashington · 🇮🇳 public India · Aug 17, 2026 · 920 words · By Eric Olson; The Associated Press

Big Ten Conference Dominance College Football Preseason Rankings

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What to know about Big Ten Conference Dominance

Ohio State and Oregon were 1-2 in The Associated Press Top 25 released Monday, giving the Big Ten Conference the top two teams in the preseason rankings for the first time in 65 years and just the second time ever.

Claims checked 47

Techniques found 1

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center83%

Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Why it matters

The Buckeyes received 40 first-place votes and Oregon received 14 in voting by 69 media members who cover college football.

Common ground

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Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Big Ten Conference Dominance story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that The last time the Big Ten had the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in the preseason was 1961, when Iowa and Ohio State topped the poll?
How does this story connect Big Ten Conference Dominance with College Football Preseason Rankings over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/sports/ncaaf/college-football-ap-top-25-prese…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 47 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 37

check_circle Corroborated 7

info Single Source 2

help Insufficient Evidence 1

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Claim 1: “The last time the Big Ten had the Nos. 1 and 2 teams in the preseason was 1961, when Iowa and Ohio State topped the poll”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 2: “Bo Jackson is coming off a 1,000-yard rushing season as a freshman”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 3: “The Buckeyes have ended a season No. 1 in the AP poll six times (1942, 1954, 1968, 2002, 2014, 2024)”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 4: “The Hoosiers became the first team in the modern era to go 16-0”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 5: “Defending national champion Indiana starts at No. 6 and is followed by Miami, Texas A&M, Mississippi and Oklahoma”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm Indiana is the defending national champion and was ranked No. 6 (though one source notes they later moved to No. 5), and that they are followed by Miami, Texas A&M, Mississippi, and Oklahoma.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Indiana, the defending national champion, moved from No. 6 to No. 5 after routing North Texas 52-16.
https://www.wndu.com/2026/09/08/notre-dame-climbs-no-3-india…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Defending national champion Indiana received the second-most No. 1 votes, with eight. LSU got five, Notre Dame four, Oregon three, Texas two and Miami one.
https://www.fox34.com/2026/09/08/texas-tech-no-13-week-1-ap-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Kansas, the defending national champion, returned to the poll after being out for one week following its loss to Syracuse. The Jayhawks beat Kent State, New Mexico State and Jackson State last week, a…
https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/08/sports/08iht-bcollpoll8.1…

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Claim 6: “No. 23 Houston has its first preseason ranking in four years and third since 1991”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 7: “This is the fourth consecutive year the Big Ten has had two of the top three teams in the preseason rankings”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 8: “giving the Big Ten Conference the top two teams in the preseason rankings for the first time in 65 years and just the second time ever”

SINGLE SOURCE

While multiple sources confirm the Big Ten holds the top two spots, the specific historical claim that this is the 'first time in 65 years' and 'second time ever' is not independently corroborated by a second source in the provided evidence.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025 Big Ten men's basketball tournament (branded as the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament for sponsorship reasons) was a postseason men's basketball tournament for the Big Ten Confere…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Big_Ten_men's_basketball_…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Big Ten Conference football season is the 131st season of college football play for the Big Ten Conference and part of the 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This is the Big Ten's thir…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Big_Ten_Conference_footba…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Big Ten Conference (formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference, among others) is a collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Ten_Conference

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 9: “The move from Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 NFL draft pick Fernando Mendoza to TCU transfer Josh Hoover at quarterback”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 10: “Lane Kiffin's first LSU team is No. 11 after finishing 7-6 and unranked under Brian Kelly and Frank Wilson”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 11: “No. 8 Texas A&M is in the preseason top 10 for the first time since it was No. 6 in 2022”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 12: “The Buckeyes went 8-0-1 and ended the season No. 2 behind unbeaten Alabama”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 13: “Notre Dame received six first-place votes, Indiana got eight and Miami one”

CORROBORATED

The specific vote counts (Notre Dame 6, Indiana 8, Miami 1) are reported in the source 'Notre Dame No. 4, Wisconsin unranked heading into Lambeau' and corroborated by 'Texas Tech at No. 13 in week 1 AP Poll' which confirms Indiana received eight first-place votes.

schedule

Claim 14: “They're in the preseason top five for the ninth straight year”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 15: “Ohio State will go into a season No. 1 for the ninth time, and first since 2015”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm Ohio State is No. 1 for the ninth time and for the first time since 2015.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry, referred to as The Game by some followers, is an American college football rivalry game that is played annually between the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio S…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michigan–Ohio_State_football_r…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Ohio State Buckeyes football team represents the Ohio State University in American football. They compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the Big Ten Conferen…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_State_Buckeyes_football

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Ohio State University (Ohio State, tOSU, or OSU) is a public research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1870, it is the flagship institution of the University System of Ohio…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_State_University

+ 3 more evidence sources

schedule

Claim 16: “The Southeastern Conference leads all conferences with nine teams in the preseason Top 25, marking the third straight year it has had at least that many”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

help

Claim 17: “This is the first year a conference has held down the top two spots in the preseason poll since Oklahoma and Nebraska of the Big Eight were 1-2 in 1987”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm or deny the claim about the 1987 Big Eight rankings.

schedule

Claim 18: “Texas, the preseason No. 1 last year, opens in the top five for the third straight year”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 19: “they return lots of talent and signed a top-10 transfer class”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 20: “The Buckeyes are now tied with Alabama for second-most preseason No. 1 rankings behind Oklahoma's 10”

CORROBORATED

Two independent sources confirm that Oklahoma has the most preseason No. 1 rankings (10) and that Ohio State and Alabama are tied for second with eight.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2017–18 College Football Playoff was a single-elimination postseason tournament that determined the national champion of the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the fourth edition of …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017–18_College_Football_Playo…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025–26 College Football Playoff was a single-elimination postseason tournament that determined the national champion of the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the 12th edition of th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025–26_College_Football_Playo…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of U.S. cities (or census-designated areas) named for the state in which they are located. Locations which are no longer functioning cities (including former cities and present ghost t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._cities_named_afte…

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 21: “Michigan went into the 2024 season ranked No. 9 after winning the national title”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 22: “Five of the top 10 teams are from the SEC for the first time since 2013”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 23: “The two that aren't are James Madison and Tulane from the Group of Six”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 24: “Ten of the 12 CFP teams last season are ranked”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 25: “At least six transfers are projected to start or play major roles”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 26: “Indiana is the seventh returning national champion in 40 years, and second in three years, to be ranked outside the top five in the preseason”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 27: “There are no Group of Six schools in the Top 25”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 28: “The Atlantic Coast Conference has three ranked teams, with the Hurricanes joined by No. 19 SMU and No. 24 Louisville”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 29: “No. 10 Oklahoma is in the preseason top 10 for the first time since 2022, when it was in the Big 12”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 30: “Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin was the most accurate passer in the nation by a wide margin last season”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 31: “The two-time defending SEC champion Bulldogs are favored to play in a sixth straight conference title game and appear in the CFP for the sixth time in 10 years”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 32: “Ohio State will try to become the 12th team to start and finish No. 1 since the AP preseason poll debuted in 1950”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 33: “five of their nine conference games are against preseason ranked teams, including at Indiana and against Oregon at home”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 34: “Pete Golding's first full season as Mississippi head coach starts with the No. 9 Rebels in the preseason top 10 for the second time in three years and third time since 1970”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 35: “The Buckeyes visit Texas on Sept. 12”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 36: “Oregon has its highest preseason ranking in program history after having opened No. 3 four times”

SINGLE SOURCE

The claim regarding Oregon's highest preseason ranking is mentioned in one source, but other search results discuss different teams (Texas Tech, Notre Dame) or different contexts.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Texas Tech's highest-ever preseason ranking came in 1977 when the Red Raiders, coming off a 10-2 season under Steve Sloan, were No. 8 overall in the Associated Press poll.
https://texastech.com/news/2026/9/7/football-no-12-texas-tec…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Notre Dame also enters the season at its highest preseason ranking ever at No. 3, surpassing its previous best of No. 6 in 2025 and 2022. Texas is No. 4, joining Ohio State and Georgia as the only tea…
https://www.onefootdown.com/notre-dame-fighting-irish-footba…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Oregon quarterback Dante Moore celebrates after a reception during a youth football camp at Marist Catholic High School on June 20, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.
https://www.si.com/college/oregon/football/oregon-ducks-quar…

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Claim 37: “The last team to do it was Alabama in 2017”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 38: “Notre Dame has its highest preseason ranking since it was No. 2 in 2006”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 39: “Jeremiah Smith leads the nation in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns over the last two years”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 40: “The Big Ten has won three straight College Football Playoff championships (Michigan, Ohio State, Indiana)”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 41: “Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas round out the top five”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm that Georgia, Notre Dame, and Texas round out the top five.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas round out the top five. Defending national champion Indiana starts at No. 6 and is followed by Miami, Texas A&M, Mississippi and Oklahoma. Notre Dame received six first-p…
https://fox11online.com/sports/college/2026-preseason-associ…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A Notre Dame football season with massive expectations begins in the top five of the AP Poll. The Irish rank fourth in the preseason AP Top 25, receiving six first-place votes.
https://www.on3.com/teams/notre-dame-fighting-irish/news/whe…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Georgia, Notre Dame, and Texas follow, sparking excitement and discussions ahead of the upcoming season.The AP Top 25 Poll is a weekly ranking of the top 25 college football teams in the United States…
https://btw.co/node/11978041/top-25-poll/

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Claim 42: “Ohio State and Oregon were 1-2 in The Associated Press Top 25 released Monday”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web sources (Detroit Sports Forum, AOL, Matrix Midwest) explicitly state that Ohio State and Oregon are ranked 1-2 in the AP preseason Top 25.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2014 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented Ohio State University in the 2014 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the Buckeyes' 125th overall, the 102nd as a member of the Big Ten C…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Ohio_State_Buckeyes_footb…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2024 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by sixth-year …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Ohio_State_Buckeyes_footb…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Oregon ( ORR-ih-gon) is a city in Lucas County, Ohio, United States. Located on Lake Erie, it is a suburb of Toledo lying east of the city and is home to Maumee Bay State Park. The population was 19,9…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregon,_Ohio

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 43: “The Fighting Irish... bring a 10-game winning streak into the season”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 44: “Four Big 12 teams are ranked, with conference champion Texas Tech the highest at No. 12”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 45: “eight starters must be replaced for a second straight year”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 46: “The Hawkeyes lost four of their last five games after a 4-0 start and finished that season unranked”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 47: “The Buckeyes received 40 first-place votes and Oregon received 14 in voting by 69 media members who cover college football”

CORROBORATED

Three independent news sources (Yahoo, Chicago Sun-Times, and a general web search result) confirm the exact voting numbers: 40 first-place votes for Ohio State, 14 for Oregon, and 69 total media members.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2025 Ohio State Buckeyes football team represented the Ohio State University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by seventh-yea…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Ohio_State_Buckeyes_footb…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Cotie McMahon (born May 4, 2004) is an American professional basketball player for the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). McMahon played college basketball for t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotie_McMahon

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+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.