Never started number one

[Philip Barber]

Texas will earn its first preseason AP No. 1 ranking in program history

Sometimes I’ll come across a stat on Sports Reference that’s so stunning that I have to check 6 different places to verify it. While working on a story about why Texas should not want to be the preseason No. 1 team in the AP Poll — that stems entirely from the fact that the preseason No. 1 failed to win a national title 19 out of the last 20 seasons — I stumbled on something that blew my mind. Texas has never been a preseason No. 1 team in the AP Poll. It’s been close. It was the preseason No. 2 in 2009, 2005, 1970, 1965 and 1962, but since the preseason AP Poll became a thing in 1950, it never held that No. 1 spot entering the season. 

This year, that finally changes. It was picked to win the SEC, which has been the preamble for the preseason AP No. 1 team each of the last 4 years. Yeah, maybe that’s a bit because of the Arch Manning hype, but a team riding consecutive Playoff semifinal trips that returns a wealth of talent on defense would be worthy of that honor. Well, I suppose recent history suggests it’s a bit more of a dubious honor.
 

First time maybe

[Gerry Hamilton]

I bet AP Poll has Texas starting at No. 2 

But I'm also not a better! 

[alrightalrightalright]

I’d like Ohio State to be 1 and for us to be 2.

Then I can save my phone battery and $8 on WiFi on the flight home as there’ll be no need to speculate what ranking we’ll be going into Week 2 😏🤘🏽

[Paul Jespersen]

The record of preseason #1s who end #1 is very, very poor, fwiw. Something like 1 or 2 teams in 20+ years.
I'm too lazy to look it up, but it is significant.
Just another door to knock down.

🤘

[Sundancekid]

10 out of 65 preseason AP #1s have won it all.

[Sundancekid]

2 out of the last 20 AP #1s have won it all. USC in 2004 and Alabama in 2017.

[Paul Jespersen]

Just now, Sundancekid said:

2 out of the last 20 AP #1s have won it all. USC in 2004 and Alabama in 2017.

This is what I saw as well. 10% isn't a great hit record...

🤘

 

[Jeff Howe]

Texas is No. 1 in the Coaches Poll:

 

[GQ03]

3 hours ago, Sundancekid said:

2 out of the last 20 AP #1s have won it all. USC in 2004 and Alabama in 2017.

Wasn't Ohio St #1 entering last year? 

[Jet Jones]

2 hours ago, GQ03 said:

Wasn't Ohio St #1 entering last year? 

Georgia was #1 and Ohio State was #2 in the preseason AP and Coaches polls last season. The year before Georgia was #1 and Michigan was #2 in both polls. 

[GQ03]

12 hours ago, Jet Jones said:

Georgia was #1 and Ohio State was #2 in the preseason AP and Coaches polls last season. The year before Georgia was #1 and Michigan was #2 in both polls. 

I knew about the year before but I thought Ohio St was #1 last year given all the guys that turned down the draft to return plus the portal additions. They were most everyone's pick to win it last pre-season. 

[cochamps]

The "never" thing is a little misleading.  In the way back machine, the two polls were AP and UPI - so UPI not Coaches.  I think we would've been first in both those polls in 1970

[Drunk randoke]

https://youtu.be/d-hDl6OALv4?si=ic3Z-fC6hRf3NVlF

Edited yesterday at 12:43 PM by Drunk randoke

[Texas84]

When was aggy last ranked #1? 😄

[BobInHouston]

On 8/5/2025 at 7:36 AM, cochamps said:

The "never" thing is a little misleading.  In the way back machine, the two polls were AP and UPI - so UPI not Coaches.  I think we would've been first in both those polls in 1970

The UPI poll was based on votes by coaches (or their SIDs, but I digress).

[McCoyColt]

Just started watching the 2014 season and will make my way up to the 2021 season so I never take for granted how lucky we are to have Steve Sarkisian in charge. On the Baylor game now and it’s ugly