AP preseason football poll: FSU & UF unranked; UGA at 3, Miami at 7

Seminoles did not garner any votes in the poll
FSU Football
An overhead shot of Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium before the Florida State Seminoles host the Miami Hurricanes(WCTV Sports)
Published: Aug. 17, 2026 at 1:21 PM EDT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/AP) - The Florida State football program will be on a mission to prove itself to national media this season.

After finishing 2-10 and 5-7 in the last two seasons, the Seminoles have drawn a blank from the media members who vote in the AP poll.

The ‘Noles are nowhere to be found in the preseason top 25 poll released Monday. Not even in the “others receiving votes” category.

FSU’s quest to regain national respect begins in less than two weeks, when the Seminoles welcome New Mexico State to Tallahassee on Aug. 29. The following weekend will bring the Noles’ first of four ranked opponents, #19 SMU, into town on Labor Day.

The Seminoles are scheduled to play three other teams ranked in the preseason top 25: #13 Alabama on Sept. 19, #24 Louisville on Oct. 9, and #7 Miami on Oct. 17.

Down in Gainesville, the Florida Gators sit just outside the top 25 entering their first season under Jon Sumrall. The Gators received 51 votes in the preseason poll.

And up in Athens, the Georgia Bulldogs start the season ranked 3rd, higher than any other SEC team. However, the Dawgs did not receive any first-place votes.

Here is the full top 25 from the AP:

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

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