MANHATTAN — As expected, Kansas State football wasn't ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 poll heading into 2026, making it unranked in both major polls.
The AP poll was released Monday, Aug. 17, and Kansas State isn't in it. It was released 13 days after the Wildcats received one vote in the US LBM Coaches Poll. The Wildcats didn't receive any votes in this one.
Kansas State was ranked 17th in last season's preseason AP poll, but finished the year unranked after a disappointing 6-6 season. Eventual national champion Indiana was ranked 20th in the preseason poll, so do with that what you will.
As far as Big 12 teams, Texas Tech (12), BYU (14), Utah (21) and Houston (23) will start the year ranked. Arizona, TCU and Oklahoma State were the other three Big 12 programs to receive votes.
Where Kansas State football ranks in the preseason AP Top 25 poll
Kansas State didn't receive any votes in the preseason AP Top 25 poll.
2026 Preseason AP Top 25 poll
Rank, Team, Points, (First-Place votes)
1. Ohio State, 1672 (40)
2. Oregon, 1597 (14)
3. Georgia, 1513
4. Notre Dame, 1510 (6)
5. Texas, 1483
6. Indiana, 1440 (8)
7. Miami, 1379 (1)
8. Texas A&M, 1131
9. Ole Miss, 1102
10. Oklahoma, 1047
11. LSU, 988
12. Texas Tech, 983
13. Alabama, 904
14. BYU, 839
14. USC, 839
16. Michigan, 718
17. Washington, 501
18. Penn State, 482
19. SMU, 434
20. Tennessee, 394
21. Utah, 304
22. Iowa, 260
23. Houston, 252
24. Louisville, 194
25. Missouri, 117
Others receiving votes: Clemson 112, Florida 51, Boise State 43, Arizona 32, TCU 11, Navy 10, South Carolina 10, Illinois 9, Oklahoma State 8, Vanderbilt 8, Pittsburgh 7, Virginia Tech 6, Minnesota 5, UNLV 4, New Mexico 4, Georgia Tech 4, Louisiana 4, James Madison 3, Auburn 3, Memphis 2, California 2, Liberty 1, Western Michigan 1, Tulane 1, Virginia 1
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Where Kansas State football is ranked in major preseason polls