You know the college football season is right around the corner when the AP preseason poll gets released. That is slated to happen on Monday, August 17, signaling that we are getting ever so closer to the new season getting going.
Many of college football's most notable programs are expected to be at the top of the rankings. As the reigning National Champions, the Indiana Hoosiers are expected to be right up there at the top.
But if previous polls from the preseason are any indication, Curt Cignetti and company may not claim the No. 1 spot. So where are we likely to see the Hoosiers ranked?
Predicting Indiana's ranking in the AP preseason poll
A few other preseason polls have been released earlier this summers. In late July, theBig Ten media preseason poll for the upcoming 2026 season was released by Cleveland.com. The Big Ten conference itself does not release a formal official preseason poll, so the poll from Cleveland.com has become the go-to preseason poll of the Big Ten for the last two decades. Indiana was listed as the 3rd-best team in the Big Ten, following Ohio State and Oregon.
The USA Today preseason coaches poll was released on August 4, and in surprising fashion, Indiana wasn't even featured in the Top-5. Instead, the Hoosiers claimed the No. 6 spot, with the Top-5 teams consisting of Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, Texas, and Notre Dame.
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If those polls are any indication, Indiana will have a tough time not only gaining the No. 1 spot, but finding its way into the Top-5. Ohio State and Oregon seem to be early favorites to be ranked No. 1 and No. 2, while Georgia, Texas, and Notre Dame are receiving plenty of Top-5 hype.
Thus, it seems likely that the Hoosiers will be ranked either No. 5 or No. 6 in the AP preseason poll––but that doesn't mean that's where they should be.
Indiana deserves to be ranked No. 1 in the AP preseason poll
No. 1. That's where Indiana should be ranked in the AP preseason poll when it is released on Monday.
What has Cignetti done to warrant being ranked outside the Top-5? Furthermore, what has he done that justifies not being ranked No. 1? Cignetti has lost just two games in two years, and has turned the Hoosiers from an afterthought to a national powerhouse in record time. The momentum doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon.
Entering the 2026 season, Cignetti returns his entire coaching staff from last year's national title team. He brought in the No. 1 transfer portal class in the country according to On3, and has plenty of returning production on both sides of the ball. Most notably, the defensive front returns the Top-5 sack leaders from a year ago, making that group the envy of teams across the country.
Indiana has never received a top-10 ranking in the AP preseason poll. That seems like a lock to change this year. While a No. 1 ranking would make a ton of sense, it doesn't seem likely to happen.
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