Five college football teams ranked outside the preseason top-10 that went on to win it all

Joel Klatt revealed his way-too-early top 10 for 2026. He explained why the Indiana Hoosiers landed on this list, and why they will be on the top end of college football again after winning the national championship with Curt Cignetti at the helm.

In recent years, preseason polls in college football have caused quite a few fans to lose their marbles, so if you're one of the many who fall in this camp, you may want to take a mental health day on Monday, because that's the day the preseason AP Poll drops.

While the release of the AP Top-25 should be a reason to celebrate – since it signals the arrival of college football – it's had the opposite effect lately.

Most of the consternation comes from fans who believe their favorite team or conference is being under-ranked or under-represented, so if that's your particular gripe, fear not.

THE 5 MOST DISAPPOINTING PRESEASON TOP-10 COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAMS OF THE 21ST CENTURY

Many championship-winning teams over the past quarter century have found themselves ranked outside the top-10 of the inaugural AP Poll of any given season, and today I wanted to look at five notable examples from the turn of the 21st century.

These are teams who defied the odds and turned what many thought would be a respectable season into an unforgettable one.

Let's take a stroll down memory lane.

Head coach Curt Cignetti of the Indiana Hoosiers hoists the George P. Crumbley Trophy after defeating the Oregon Ducks in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Jan. 9, 2026, in Atlanta, Ga. (Getty Images)

We start this list off with a familiar face, as the most recent national champion is a prime example of shattering preseason expectations.

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