Preseason US LBM Coaches Poll sets early pecking order for Big 12, with Colorado left out of the Top 25

The 2026 college football season got its first widely circulated national picture this week when the US LBM Coaches Poll released its preseason rankings. For the Big 12, the takeaway is straightforward: four teams from the conference made the initial Top 25, indicating that multiple programs are expected to contend for major postseason positioning early in the year.

Colorado, despite being part of the Big 12, was not among the ranked teams in that opening set of votes. That matters because preseason polls shape early conversation around development timelines, perceived competitiveness, and how quickly programs are expected to establish themselves in a new cycle. Being left out does not predict the final outcome of the season, but it does place immediate pressure on the Buffaloes to make their case once games begin.

The coaches poll is constructed from ballots submitted by head coaches, which gives it a different flavor than purely media-driven preseason lists. Coaches can be more attuned to scheme matchups and player continuity, but they also vote with limited information compared to what will become visible after fall practices, nonconference games, and early conference play. In August, the ranking landscape is often more about projection than proof, and this year is no exception.

For the Big 12, having four teams inside the Top 25 underscores the conference’s perceived depth at the top end. Conferences with multiple ranked teams generally benefit from stronger scheduling narratives, more national attention in November, and a clearer path for more than one program to remain in the title conversation as the season progresses. It also tends to raise expectations for conference matchups that can quickly become postseason-defining.

At the same time, the preseason poll is not a standings sheet, and it cannot account for every variable that affects a season. Depth charts can change quickly, offensive identities can evolve as quarterbacks find rhythm, and defensive performance often settles only after repeated game-speed reps. The teams that made the Top 25 will face a different kind of scrutiny than those that did not, particularly when early results either confirm or challenge what voters projected in August.

What to watch next for Big 12 fans is whether the ranked programs can hold their positioning through the first stretch of the schedule, and whether Colorado can convert the “unranked” label into tangible momentum on the field. As the season moves from preseason narrative into game results, the coaches poll will be tested by head-to-head outcomes, cross-division nonconference showings, and the cumulative impact of November conference play.