Cincinnati and Houston, which were a combined 16-0 in American Athletic Conference regular-season games last season, are ranked in the top 25 of the preseason USA Today Sports AFCA Coaches' Poll.
The Bearcats, who went 13-1 last year and became the first American Athletic Conference team to reach the College Football Playoff Semifinals, are ranked No. 22 in the preseason poll, while the Cougars, who went 12-2 a year ago, are ranked No. 25.
For Cincinnati, the preseason ranking marks the 45th consecutive week in which the Bearcats are nationally ranked, dating to the Oct. 5, 2019, polls.