Who else but Watterson would be No. 1 in the central Ohio high school football preseason Top 25 poll?
The Eagles, winners of 30 consecutive games, received seven of nine first-place votes from our USA Today Network Ohio panel and hold an eight-point edge (222-214) over No. 2 Big Walnut.
Watterson was ranked No. 1 every week last year, including in the preseason poll, and went on to win a second consecutive Division III state championship. Both titles completed unbeaten seasons.
The Eagles are in Division II this season, and their path to a third straight state title will start in Region 7, where Big Walnut is the two-time defending champion. The region also includes Watterson's archrival, DeSales, which is No. 8 in the preseason Top 25.
Defending
Division I state champion Olentangy Orange starts out at No. 5.
The preseason Top 25 ranks the teams our panel believes are the best in central Ohio, regardless of division. Each voter submitted a Top 25, with the first-place team receiving 25 points, the second-place team receiving 24 and so on.
Central Ohio high school football preseason Top 25
Below is the Top 25 preseason poll as selected by USA Today Network Ohio staff and contributors. A unanimous selection is 225 points:
1. Watterson (14-0 last season), 222 points, seven first-place votes. Opener: Aug. 21 at Whitehouse Anthony Wayne
2. Big Walnut (12-2), 214 points, one first-place vote. Opener: Aug. 21 vs. Hilliard Bradley
3. Pickerington Central (11-2), 200 points. Opener: Aug. 21 at Gahanna Lincoln
4. Pickerington North (9-2), 198 points. Opener: Aug. 21 at Troy
5. Olentangy Orange (15-0), 180 points, one first-place vote. Opener: Aug. 21 at Olentangy Berlin
6. Olentangy Liberty (8-5), 170 points. Opener: Aug. 21 vs. Lakewood St. Edward at Lakewood
7. Upper Arlington (10-3), 165 points. Opener: Aug. 21 at Olentangy
8. DeSales (9-3), 163 points. Opener: Aug. 21 vs. Youngstown Ursuline
9 (tie). Gahanna Lincoln (7-4), 128 points. Opener: Aug. 21 vs. Pickerington Central
Olentangy (8-3), 128 points. Opener: Aug. 21 vs. Upper Arlington
11. Canal Winchester (10-2), 104 points. Opener: Aug. 21 at Grove City
12. Olentangy Berlin (6-6), 102 points. Opener: Aug. 21 vs. Olentangy Orange
13. London (12-1), 91 points. Opener: Aug. 21 vs. New Albany
14. Licking Valley (11-1), 86 points. Opener: Aug. 21 vs. Thornville Sheridan
15 (tie). Hilliard Bradley (6-6), 85 points. Opener: Aug. 21 at Big Walnut
Worthington Kilbourne (7-4), 85 points. Opener: Aug. 21 vs. Watkins Memorial
17. Harvest Prep (4-5), 72 points. Opener: Aug. 20 at Versailles
18. Jonathan Alder (10-2), 56 points. Opener: Aug. 21 vs. West Liberty-Salem
19. Columbus Academy (9-3), 51 points. Opener: Aug. 21 vs. Northland
20. Bloom-Carroll (8-4), 50 points. Opener: Aug. 21 at Caledonia River Valley
21. Grove City (5-6), 49 points. Opener: Aug. 21 vs. Canal Winchester
22. Granville (8-4), 46 points. Opener: Aug. 21 vs. Bellville Clear Fork
23. Hilliard Davidson (4-6), 37 points. Opener: Aug. 21 vs. Mansfield Senior
24. Westerville South (9-3), 34 points. Opener: Aug. 21 at Dublin Jerome
25. Groveport (6-6), 27 points. Opener: Aug. 21 vs. Africentric
Others receiving votes: West Jefferson 22; Hartley 20; Dublin Coffman 18; Hilliard Darby and New Albany 15; Danville and North Union 14; Hamilton Township and Walnut Ridge 13; Dublin Jerome 12; Linden-McKinley 8; Centerburg 5; Westland 3; East, Newark and Teays Valley 2
High school sports editor Andy Resnik can be reached at aresnik@dispatch.com and at @DispatchPreps on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Central Ohio high school football Top 25 poll entering 2026 season
