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Texas and Houston will begin the 2026 college football season with national rankings. The 2026 preseason AP Top 25 places the Longhorns fifth and the Cougars 23rd.
Ohio State leads the poll after receiving 40 first-place votes. Oregon follows at No. 2, while Georgia, Notre Dame and Texas complete the top five.
Texas Faces High Expectations and a Difficult Schedule
Texas will open inside the top five for the third consecutive season. The Longhorns began 2025 at No. 1 before finishing outside the College Football Playoff.
This year’s ranking keeps Texas among the leading national contenders. However, the Longhorns face one of the country’s most demanding schedules.
Texas opens against Texas State on Sept. 5 at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. The Longhorns then host No. 1 Ohio State on Sept. 12. The game will begin at 6:30 p.m. and air on ABC.
That matchup will give Texas an early opportunity to strengthen its playoff résumé. It will also mark the third consecutive season featuring a meeting between the programs.
The Texas schedule includes seven opponents ranked in the preseason poll. Those teams are Ohio State, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, LSU, Tennessee and Missouri.
Texas will close the regular season against No. 8 Texas A&M on Nov. 27 in College Station.
Houston Returns to the Preseason AP Top 25
Houston’s No. 23 ranking is another sign of progress under head coach Willie Fritz. It is the Cougars’ first preseason AP ranking since 2022.
The ranking is also Houston’s highest preseason position since 2016. According to University of Houston Athletics, the program has appeared in 13 preseason AP polls since 1950.
Houston enters the season after winning 10 games in 2025. The Cougars concluded that campaign with a 38-35 Texas Bowl victory over LSU.
Starting quarterback Conner Weigman returns to lead the offense. Wide receiver Amare Thomas, a preseason All-America selection, also returns.
The defense brings back experienced defensive backs Jordan Allen, Will James and Kentrell Webb. Overall, 14 Houston players received preseason recognition from national or conference organizations.
Houston opens at home against Oregon State on Sept. 5. The Cougars host Southern one week later before visiting No. 12 Texas Tech on Sept. 18.
The Texas Tech game could quickly influence Houston’s position in the poll. It will also provide an early test in the Big 12 race.
Complete 2026 Preseason AP Top 25
The Associated Press poll was determined by 69 media members who cover college football.
- Ohio State
- Oregon
- Georgia
- Notre Dame
- Texas
- Indiana
- Miami
- Texas A&M
- Ole Miss
- Oklahoma
- LSU
- Texas Tech
- Alabama
- BYU, tied
- USC, tied
- Michigan
- Washington
- Penn State
- SMU
- Tennessee
- Utah
- Iowa
- Houston
- Louisville
- Missouri
The SEC leads all conferences with nine ranked teams. Five appear in the top 10. The Big Ten has eight ranked teams, including Ohio State and Oregon in the top two positions.
The Big 12 placed four teams in the poll. Texas Tech leads the conference at No. 12, followed by BYU, Utah and Houston.
Preseason rankings will change once games begin. Still, the poll gives Texas and Houston important national visibility before their season openers. Fans across Texas will soon learn whether both programs can meet those early expectations.