The 2026 Preseason Coaches Poll Top 25 Has Been Released

BATON ROUGE – LSU opens the Lane Kiffin era ranked No.13 in the USA Today Preseason Coaches Poll, the organization announced on Tuesday.

The No. 13 ranking marks the 25th time in 27 years, dating back to 2000, the Tigers enter a season ranked in the Top 25. LSU’s season-opening opponent Clemson is ranked No. 23. LSU and Clemson meet on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 6:30 p.m. in Death Valley.

Over the 27-year span, the only seasons in which LSU wasn’t ranked in the preseason Top 25 came in 2000 (Nick Saban’s first year) and 2022 (Brian Kelly’s first year).

The Top 25 matchup between LSU and Clemson will mark the first time since 1988 that a ranked LSU team will host a ranked opponent in the season-opener in Tiger Stadium. The last time it happened came on Sept. 3, 1988 when No. 18 LSU blanked No. 10 Texas A&M, 27-0.

Other LSU opponents in the USA Today Preseason Top 25 include: No. 4 Texas, No. 8 Texas A&M, No. 10 Ole Miss, No. 11 Alabama, and No. 18 Tennessee. LSU faces Texas, Texas A&M and Alabama in Tiger Stadium, while the Tigers will travel to face Ole Miss and Tennessee.

Ohio State is ranked No. 1, followed by Oregon, Georgia, Texas and Notre. Dame. The Top 10 is rounded out with Indiana, Miami, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Ole Miss.

The SEC has nine of its 16 teams in the Top 25 with Missouri holding the final spot in the poll at No. 25.

LSU opens fall camp on Wednesday.

(Release via LSU Athletics)

Here's a look at the full preseason Coaches Poll Top 25:

1. Ohio State (38 First-Place Votes)
2. Oregon (6)
3. Georgia (7)
4. Texas (2)
5. Notre Dame (5)
6. Indiana (14)
7. Miami
8. Texas A&M
9. Oklahoma
10. Ole Miss
11. Alabama
12. Texas Tech
13. LSU
14. USC
15. BYU
16. Michigan
17. Penn State
18. Tennessee
19. Washington
20. SMU
21. Utah
22. Iowa
23. Clemson
24. Houston
25. Missouri

Others receiving votes: Louisville 153; Florida 147; TCU 63; Illinois 62; South Carolina 50; Arizona 50; Virginia 40; Vanderbilt 37; Auburn 29; Georgia Tech 26; Boise State 24; Oklahoma State 22; UNLV 17; North Carolina State 13; Florida State 13; Virginia Tech 12; Nebraska 12; Memphis 9; Arizona State 8; James Madison 6; Duke 6; Pittsburgh 4; New Mexico 4; Western Michigan 3; Navy 3; San Diego State 2; Kansas State 1; Jacksonville State 1; Hawaii 1; California 1;