Preseason parity is more like ‘Fight Club’ than ‘Titanic’

Back Porch Sports’ Scott Hamilton is one of 69 voters in the Associated Press Top 25 college football poll. Here’s how his preseason ballot shook out:

1990s Movie Edition

The Usual Suspects: Ohio State is the preseason No. 1 for the first time since 2015, but the Buckeyes are no stranger to these rankings. Actually, that’s the case for nearly every team listed. Seventeen teams were in these same preseason rankings last year, many of which are within a spot or two their 2025 spot.

Logic dictates – by virtue of being No. 1 – that Ohio State has the best chance of winning the national title. That being said, however, we're in a pretty incredible age of parity that's overshadowed by all the non-football stuff going on. 

Go back just a few years and there were only 5-7 teams with a shot at making the four-team College Football Playoff, and usually only two (or even one) that was a legit national title contender. In 2026, there are probably 10-12 teams that could win the national title come January and few would be shocked -- maybe even more than that, depending upon how things unfold.

Exhibit ‘A’: Indiana was 20th in the 2025 preseason poll despite coming off that surprising CFP appearance in 2024. What resulted was arguably one of the greatest seasons in college football history.

Groundhog Day: Texas is in a familiar position at No. 2 after holding the top spot in these preseason rankings last year. The Longhorns had a brief stay in that position, however, after a Week 1 loss at then-No. 3 Ohio State. Texas can flip that script when the Buckeyes visit Austin on Sept. 12.

Point Break: Oklahoma comes in No. 11 and needs John Mateer to play like Johnny Utah if the Sooners are going to return to the College Football Playoff. Or at least like the John Mateer from the first four games of 2025 when the Washington State transfer led the Oklahoma to an undefeated start while compiling 1,215 yards, 190 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns before injuring his thumb against Auburn. Mateer was shelved for three weeks and wasn’t the same after returning, producing a negative passer rating in his last four games.

Falling Down: The perpetually ticked off Curt Cignetti will actually like this: His Indiana Hoosiers are sixth in these rankings, a spot that aligns with the preseason poll despite bringing in a high-profile quarterback (TCU’s Josh Hoover) and a load of talent from the 2025 national championship team.

Is it disrespect or folks still trying to reconcile Indiana’s new brand identity? Either will serve as motivational fodder for Cignetti – or a bad omen. The defending national champ finished the season unranked each of the last four times it wasn’t ranked at least fifth in the preseason (including Auburn in 2011).

Rounders: Brendan who? That’s kind of the way Texas Tech is approaching thing after it’s presumed QB1 Brendan Sorsby – one of the transfer portal’s biggest catches – ended up never taking a snap for the Red Raiders. The timeline of Sorby’s gambling saga doesn’t need to be regurgitated.

What does need to be examined is if redshirt sophomore Will Hammond can step in to lead a Texas Tech offense that was completely shut down by Oregon in the CFP quarterfinals. Hammond was a top-250, four-star quarterback recruit coming out of high school in Austin. His October knee injury prompted the need to bring Sorsby to Lubbock for a reported $4 million.

But his recovery timeline was running ahead of schedule, making it easier for the Red Raiders to cut bait with Sorsby as public opinion turned against them. And he could end up being a cheaper solution if he’s merely good, not ever great, considering the other pieces Texas Tech has in the backfield, across the offensive line and all over its defense.

Fun fact: Any questions as to if Hammond is the anti-Sorsby can be put to bed with the fact he’s a legit Eagle Scout.

The Vanishing: Clemson isn’t in the preseason rankings for the first time since 2011, a span that saw the Tigers capture two national championships, make seven CFP appearances (including a run of six straight) and win a boatload of ACC titles. Incredibly, not too many folks seemed to have noticed their absence, though.

Little Giants: Not really. These rankings are comprised entirely of Power Four teams, with the SEC leading the way with nine. The Big Ten has eight, while the other Power 4 leagues and Notre Dame account for the rest. That means not one Group of 6 team made the cut. Houston – now in its third year as a member of the Big 12 – is the closest thing to a G6 team in these rankings.

The point? We’ve crossed the Rubicon with regards to the G6 now relegated to essentially serving as a developmental level with an obligatory spot in the CFP … for now.

Hamilton’s rankings (spot in AP poll): 

1. Ohio State (1)

2. Texas (5)

3. Oregon (2)

4. Notre Dame (4)

5. Georgia (3)

6. Indiana (6)

7. Miami (6)

8. Texas A&M (8)

9. Texas Tech (12)

10. LSU (11)

11. Oklahoma (10)

12. Alabama (13)

13. BYU (T-14)

14. Southern Cal (T14)

15. Ole Miss (9)

16. Michigan (16) 

17. Washington (17)

18. Penn State (18)

19. Iowa (22)

20. SMU (19)

21. Missouri (25)

22. Louisville (24) 

23. Utah (21)

24. Houston (23)

25. Tennessee (20)

Follow Scott Hamilton on X @ScottHsports