Buckeyes open as No. 2 team in preseason AP Poll
COLUMBUS — Ohio State already opened training camp as one of the top-ranked teams in college football when the Coaches Poll was released last week. Now the AP Poll voters in the media have solidified that belief that the Buckeyes are among the best in the country.
Yes, it’s the preseason, meaning preseason polls continue to trickle out. The latest comes courtesy of the media. The AP Poll is officially out.
Ohio State checked in at No. 2 to begin the season, trailing No. 1 Georgia. The Buckeyes and Bulldogs are the two heavy favorites to win their respective leagues and potentially win the national title in January. They’re followed by Oregon, Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, Penn State, Michigan and Florida State to round out the top 10.
The Buckeyes received 15 first-place votes. Georgia earned 46. Others to receive first-place votes are Oregon, which received one.
Ohio State will play four teams that are ranked in the preseason AP Top 25. The Buckeyes will host No. 25 Iowa on Oct. 5, travel to No. 3 Oregon on Oct. 12, travel to No. 8 Penn State on Nov. 2 and host No. 9 Michigan in The Game at the Horseshoe on Nov. 30.
Ohio State has plenty to be excited about this upcoming season. An ultra-talented cast of transfers joins a star-studded veteran roster that will be led by numerous seniors who could have left early for the NFL Draft.
Nearly every starter returns for the Buckeyes in what should be a special season.
The full preseason AP Poll can be found below.
AP Poll (Preseason)
No. 1 Georgia (46 first-place votes)
No. 2 Ohio State (15)
No. 3 Oregon (1)
No. 4 Texas
No. 5 Alabama
No. 6 Ole Miss
No. 7 Notre Dame
No. 8 Penn State
No. 9 Michigan
No. 10 Florida State
No. 11 Missouri
No. 12 Utah
No. 13 LSU
No. 14 Clemson
No. 15 Tennessee
No. 16 Oklahoma
No. 17 Oklahoma State
No. 18 Kansas State
No. 19 Miami (FL)
No. 20 Texas A&M
No. 21 Arizona
No. 22 Kansas
No. 23 USC
No. 24 North Carolina State
No. 25 Iowa
Where Buckeyes land in preseason Coaches Poll
And in the preseason coaches poll, Ohio State will open the regular season as the No. 2 team in the country. Georgia took the top spot in the poll, earning 46 first-place votes. Ohio State received seven first-place votes. Rounding out the top five is Oregon (0 first-place votes), Texas (one first-place vote) and Alabama (0).
Defending national champ and Buckeyes biggest rival Michigan opens the season at No. 8, although the Wolverines received one first-place vote.
