A retrospective look at the 2026 college football preseason rankings reveals significant misses, most notably the projected top two teams — Oregon and Ohio State — falling from their lofty preseason positions. The Sporting News revisited the rankings on November 6, 2026, highlighting how the Ducks and Buckeyes failed to meet early expectations.
The analysis examines the gap between preseason projections and actual performance, identifying other notable ranking misses across the 2026 season. Preseason polls often set narratives for the year, but this review underscores the volatility of college football and the difficulty of forecasting team trajectories months before kickoff.
