The Buckeyes open the season at No. 1, claiming the top spot in the preseason poll ahead of the Badgers, Nittany Lions, Golden Gophers, and Huskies — five programs separated by reputation and not much else as every team sits at 0-0.
Ohio State's perch at the summit is the headline, but the real story is the cluster chasing them. Wisconsin at No. 2 and Penn State at No. 3 bring the kind of firepower that makes a No. 1 ranking feel like a target rather than a throne. Minnesota and Northeastern round out the top five, and neither is the type to quietly accept lower billing.
What the poll really tells us: the race is wide open before a single puck has dropped. Five teams, zero games played, and a season's worth of argument already baked into the rankings.
Data via ESPN · Summarized by D1Ball's editorial engine from official statistics.
More from the newsroom