The Texas Longhorns earned the top spot on the preseason AP Top 25 opening poll for the primary time in program historical past, edging out the Penn State Nittany Lions by simply 5 factors, making it the closest preseason ballot in 27 years. Texas acquired a complete of 25 first-place votes, whereas Penn State was given 23 first-place votes. The Longhorns outscored the Nittany Lions within the rankings 1,552 factors to 1,547.
“It is a new 12 months, new faces, new staff, and, clearly, expectations are excessive for our program,” said Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian during SEC media days. “I’m not naive to that. I don’t put my head within the sand, and expectations are very excessive. However I additionally say we’re the College of Texas, and the usual is the usual right here, and that’s competing for championships 12 months in and 12 months out.”
The reigning champs, the Ohio State Buckeyes, earned the third spot on the AP ballot. This comes after they defeated the Notre Dame Preventing Irish within the 2025 School Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship 34-23.
“This staff has its personal identification,” stated Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day. “It desires to have its personal identification, however it additionally desires to be the primary Ohio State staff to win back-to-back nationwide championships.”
One of many largest video games of the season will happen in lower than three weeks, when Texas and Ohio State face off at Ohio Stadium. Final 12 months, the Buckeyes defeated the Longhorns within the School Soccer Playoff Semifinals 28-14.
There might be two different top-ten matchups on the identical weekend. At 7:30 p.m. EDT on August thirtieth, #4 Clemson will play host to #9 LSU. The next day, #6 Notre Dame is on the street to face #10 Miami.
Clemson and Georgia rounded out the highest 5. After that, Notre Dame ranked sixth, adopted by Oregon, Alabama, LSU, and Miami. Different notable packages to crack the preseason Prime 25 embody Michigan (#14), Florida (#15), Oklahoma (#18), Texas A&M (#19), and Tennessee (#24).
Ten groups from the Southeastern Convention (SEC) earned a spot within the Prime 25. In the meantime, the Large Ten options six packages. The AP Ballot additionally has 4 Large 12 groups and three ACC groups. The ultimate two packages included are Notre Dame and the Boise State Broncos, who’re ranked twenty fifth.
The complete preseason AP Ballot Prime 25 rating is listed beneath:
- Texas
- Penn State
- Ohio State
- Clemson
- Georgia
- Notre Dame
- Oregon
- Alabama
- LSU
- Miami
- Arizona State
- Illinois
- South Carolina
- Michigan
- Florida
- SMU
- Kansas State
- Oklahoma
- Texas A&M
- Indiana
- Ole Miss
- Iowa State
- Texas Tech
- Tennessee
- Boise State
Different groups that acquired votes: BYU, Utah, Baylor, Louisville, USC, Georgia Tech, Missouri, Tulane, Nebraska, UNLV, Toledo, Auburn, James Madison, Memphis, Florida State, Duke, Liberty, Navy, Iowa, TCU, Pittsburgh, Military, Colorado, Louisiana-Lafayette.
The 2025-26 school soccer common season begins on August twenty third with 5 video games, together with a Prime 25 matchup between Kansas State and Iowa State. That recreation will kick off the common season at 12:00 p.m. EDT.
