Ohio State didn’t waste any time reminding the sport where it sits.
After rolling past Ball State 56-3 in its season opener, the Buckeyes stayed put at No. 1 in both the Week 2 Coaches Poll and the AP Poll. That keeps the Scarlet and Gray atop the sport after the first full weekend of the 2026 college football season, and it also sets up a massive early showdown with Texas still carrying top-five weight.
The Coaches Poll slots Georgia at No. 2, Texas at No.
3, Notre Dame at No. 4 and Indiana at No. 5 behind Ohio State. The AP Poll shakes out a little differently after the top spot, with Georgia also second, Notre Dame third, Texas fourth and Indiana fifth.
That AP ranking also gives Ohio State another notable milestone: this is the 122nd week the Buckeyes have held No. 1 in that poll, which leaves them behind only Alabama’s 141 weeks.
The rest of the AP top 25 is packed with familiar names. Oregon checks in at No. 6, followed by Miami, LSU, Ole Miss and Texas A&M in the top 10.
Oklahoma is No. 11, Alabama No.
12, Texas Tech No. 13 and USC No. 14.
BYU sits at No. 15, Penn State at No.
16, SMU at No. 17, Tennessee at No.
18, Washington at No. 19, Utah at No.
20, Iowa at No. 21, Houston at No.
22, Missouri at No. 23, Louisville at No. 24 and Virginia at No.
The Big Ten has eight teams in the Week 2 Coaches Poll, but only seven in the AP Poll. In the Coaches Poll, Ohio State and Indiana are followed by Oregon at No.
6, USC at No. 14, Penn State at No.
16, Washington at No. 19, Iowa at No. 21 and Michigan at No.
- The AP Poll includes Oregon at No.
6, USC at No. 14, Penn State at No.
16, Washington at No. 19 and Iowa at No. 21.
Ohio State’s opener looked like the kind of script a preseason No. 1 team is supposed to write. After an early three-and-out, the offense scored on six of the next seven possessions, and the starters were able to get out of the game early. On the other side of the ball, the defense held Ball State to 165 total yards and kept the Cardinals out of the red zone.
Now comes the real measuring stick.
The Buckeyes have already shifted to their Week 2 trip to Texas, a game that will kick off shortly after 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday and air on ABC. It’s the kind of early-season matchup that can start answering big questions fast, and it comes with both teams fresh off tune-up wins and carrying top-five billing into the night.
In Other News...
Ohio State Looks Strong But Michigan Already Has A Big Ten Problem
After Week 1, the Big Ten mostly stayed in line with expectations, and Ohio State was right where it wanted to be near the top after a decisive opening win. Indiana joined the Buckeyes in holding onto the conferences upper tier, a sign that the leagues early order is already taking shape even if most teams still have plenty to prove.
Michigan, meanwhile, created the first real headache in the standings, squeezing out a narrow and controversial win that left more questions than answers. Rutgers also took a hit with an upset loss, and with early-season results already nudging the rankings around, the next few weeks should tell us far more about which teams are actually built to stay there. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio State Is Suddenly In Play For Two Huge 2028 Targets
Ohio States season-opening rout of Ball State did more than get the Buckeyes off to a fast start on the field. It also gave the staff a chance to showcase the program to a sizable group of visitors, and the early returns in the 2028 recruiting cycle are already starting to matter as the class begins to take shape around both sides of the ball.
Among the names worth tracking are five-star wide receiver Braylon Clark and four-star safety Jalen Flowers, both of whom have Ohio State among their top schools. The Buckeyes already have commitments from several offensive and defensive prospects, and the staff is clearly pushing to build on that foundation while the 2028 board is still forming. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Already Has A Problem Ohio State Fans Will Love
The first AP Top 25 poll after Week 1 already delivered an early jolt in the Big Ten race, and it was one Ohio State fans were happy to see. Michigan, which entered the season at No. 16, dropped out of the rankings after a shaky opener while the Buckeyes and Texas both handled their business with dominant wins.
Michigans immediate task is straightforward, even if the pressure around it is not: stack together convincing performances and avoid leaving any doubt for the poll voters. After the opening-week escape against Western Michigan, the Wolverines do not have much margin for error, and they will need a much cleaner run in the weeks ahead to climb back into the Top 25. [Read more 🡒]