Joel Klatt has put his own preseason stamp on the 2026 college football landscape, releasing a Top 25 list ahead of the AP poll that comes out Monday, August 17.
The Fox Sports analyst, who is set to work in FOX’s No. 1 college football booth alongside Gus Johnson, had Georgia at No. 6. Klatt called the Bulldogs the “class” of the SEC and made it clear he still believes in what Kirby Smart has built.
“Georgia’s still the class of the SEC,” said Klatt. “The roster is great.
Kirby Smart is a great coach. You can’t kill Georgia, either, because quarterback Gunner Stockton is a gamer who is tough as nails and absolutely tough as nails.
He’s an elite fourth quarter quarterback.
“But here’s the problem: Georgia hasn’t played at the same level as the teams in the top five. Can Georgia score at the level that some of the top teams in the nation can? I’m not sure.”
Klatt’s full preseason Top 25 was also met with immediate reaction from fans, with some pushing back on where he slotted a few teams. One fan said, “Outstanding Top 25 poll from Joel Klatt!
My thoughts are Michigan and Oklahoma State both ranked too high and Georgia and (especially) Ole Miss too low. I get the love for Ok State, but the Cowboys are stepping up in class and couldn’t even stop anybody in the American!”
Another fan added, “I don’t like vaulting teams without them proving they deserve it on the field first. LSU went 7-6 last year.
I know they had a big offseason, but they shouldn’t start top 10. Oklahoma State went 1-11.
They brought in UNT’s guys, sure, but don’t deserve to start ranked,”
And one more response kept the conversation rolling: “Honestly this is a solid list. IU should be #1 until proven otherwise though,”
Klatt’s rankings are now part of the buildup to a preseason debate that’s already starting to heat up.
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