2026 College Football Rankings: Evaluating Top 25 Teams in College Football Entering Week 0

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Who is the best team in college football? Very few things carry less weight than preseason college football rankings. Look no further than the fact that the Penn State Nittany Lions (No. 2) and Clemson Tigers (No. 4) entered 2025 as top-five teams in the AP Top 25 rankings in 2025 and finished the regular season unranked.

With that said, it’s always an entertaining exercise to try and rank the 25 best college football teams entering the season. Preseason expectations and hype surrounding certain players and teams always influences things. As we do every year, we’re taking another stab at it with our top 15 rankings before the regular season kicks off.

Let’s dive into our top 25 college football rankings heading into Week 0.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

Week 0 College Football Rankings, 2026 College Football Rankings — Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates a touchdown with quarterback Julian Sayin (10) during the NCAA football game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Nov. 1, 2025.Credit: USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Ohio State Buckeyes are the best team in college football right now. Quarterback Julian Sayin, the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year, is coming off a campaign with the third-best ESPN QBR (88.4) in the nation and a 77% completion rate with a 32-8 TD-INT line. He’s protected by one of the most experienced (89 starts) and best offensive lines in the nation, all the while having Bo Jackson in the backfield with Jeremiah Smith, Brandon Inniss and freshman Chris Henry Jr. as his top pass-catchers. The firepower offensively paired with a premier Power 4 defense gives the Buckeyes a viable roadmap to the CFP National Championship Game.

2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

NCAA Football: Purdue at Notre Dame — Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

To be viewed as one of the best college football teams in 2026, you need to have at least three of the following: A great head coach, a quarterback capable of earning All-Conference honors, an excellent, battle-tested offensive line and a defense that’s capable of taking over a game. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish check all four boxes. C.J. Carr put up a 21-4 TD-INT ratio down the stretch in his first season, he’s got great protection up front and Notre Dame could have the best defense in the nation. Marcus Freeman has everything he needs to potentially lead the Fighting Irish to an undefeated season.

3. Oregon Ducks

After last season’s rough showing in the College Football Playoff, a sour taste in the mouths of the Oregon Ducks brought Dante Moore, Matayo Uiagalelei, Teitum Tuioti and A’Mauri Washington back for a shot at redemption. Moore might be the best quarterback in college football and Lanning’s defense could be the best of his tenure with Oregon. Pair all of that with a strong foundation in the trenches and a skill group of Jamari Johnson, Evan Stewart, Dakorien Moore and Jeremiah McClellan, you have the ingredients for a national championship threat.

4. Indiana Hoosiers

It genuinely feels like the reigning national champions might be getting slept on a bit entering the season. Fernando Mendoza is gone, but offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan might have an even better skill group in 2026 with the rushing tandem of Turbo Richard and Khobie Martin and a receiving corps of Nick Marsh, Charlie Becker, and Tyler Morris with one of the country’s best offensive lines. That supporting cast can put Indiana in a position to help Josh Hoover perform near a Heisman-caliber level. Plus, the Hoosiers’ defense is loaded, and we’ve already seen Curt Cignetti’s coaching style and how he prepares his players pay off come playoff time. A repeat is very much on the table.

5. Texas Longhorns

Arch Manning could be the best player in college football this season. It certainly helps that standout left tackle Trevor Goosby avoided a long-term injury, ensuring the Texas Longhorns offensive line will give the quarterback a clean pocket and open up running lanes for Hollywood Smothers. What we saw from Manning in the second half of the season looked like a player worthy of the top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, and now he has an All-American talent at wide receiver in Cam Coleman. The icing on the proverbial cake for Texas, of course, is this ferocious defense under Will Muschamp.

6. Georgia Bulldogs

It is very possible we are too low on the Georgia Bulldogs entering the season. Kirby Smart has a top-five defense going for him with an offensive line that might be better than that. Georgia is going to control the trenches nearly every Saturday, and that is even before accounting for their skill players on both sides of the ball. Ultimately for us, this comes down to splitting hairs with the determining factor being quarterbacks, and we trust Gunner Stockton a little less than the teams above Georgia in our college football rankings.

7. Oklahoma Sooners

Considering the Oklahoma Sooners landed 10th in the AP Top 25 rankings, this might be the team we’re higher on most compared to the consensus. John Mateer looked really good last season until he suffered a broken thumb on his throwing hand, which sidelined him for multiple weeks and impacted him both physically and mentally upon his return. He’s a high-ceiling quarterback, and it’s going to be easier for him to reach that as long as this battle-tested Sooners offensive line stays healthy. Of course, Brent Venables is coaching up a shutdown defense, and that gives Oklahoma the ability to win in a variety of different ways. As long as the ground game is more consistent, we feel Oklahoma makes the CFP.

8. Miami Hurricanes

Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes certainly proved us wrong during their College Football Playoff run last season, so it could certainly happen again in 2026. Mark Fletcher Jr. is one of the best running backs in college football and there are only maybe two players more exciting with the football in their hands than Malachi Toney. Miami’s offense can light up the scoreboard, especially with Duke transfers Darian Mensah and Cooper Barkate. What we do question, however, is if a Hurricanes offensive line that is replacing four starters can hold its own versus Notre Dame (Nov. 7) and in the CFP.

9. Texas A&M Aggies

The Texas A&M Aggies have a top-10 quarterback in Marcel Reed, who at times performs like a Heisman Trophy finalist. It also helps that Mario Craver is back for another season and the Aggies’ passing game could be more efficient if Reed protects the football without dialing back the big-play hunt too much. We’re confident that Mike Elko will get the most out of the Aggies’ defense, even if it lacks the marquee names found at other SEC programs. Our drawback with Texas A&M entering Week 1 is that the offensive line and skill group around Reed just pale in comparison to what quarterbacks with the best college football teams have.

10. BYU Cougars

BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier broke onto the scene last season as a 19-year-old, earning Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors all while learning how to play at the highest level. It certainly helps the sophomore passer that this offense is centered around running back LJ Martin, who should deliver another season with 1,500 scrimmage yards and double-digit touchdowns behind this offensive line. We’d have had BYU even higher than this if defensive coordinator Jay Hill stuck around, but Kelly Poppinga still has the personnel for this to be a very respectable unit. If Poppinga exceeds expectations in his first year as defensive coordinator or Bachmeier takes a huge step forward as a passer, BYU can be a top-six team this fall.

11. LSU Tigers

Lane Kiffin and the LSU Tigers are sparing no expense when it comes to building one of the best college football teams in 2026. The transfer portal class boasts two potential All-Americans (Jordan Seaton and Sam Leavitt), and we cannot wait to see what all of that does for 6-foot-7 tight end Trey’Dez Green this fall. It is also monumental that Kiffin retained LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker for another year, because a unit led by Whit Weeks, Princewill Umanmielen, and Ty Benefield can easily be a top-10 defense in the nation. Our drawbacks with the Tigers are both the tough schedule this season, even with the favorable home slate, and the chance that the new-look offensive line is not cohesive for early-season matchups versus Ole Miss and Texas A&M. Plus, a Kiffin team feels right for some type of letdown.

12. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Cutting ties with Brendan Sorsby was the only logical thing to do this offseason. However, it also puts the Texas Tech Red Raiders in a very tough spot. Sophomore quarterback Will Hammond is coming off an ACL tear, and while he showed some flashes in 2025, his career work (9-5 TD-INT, 6.9 yards per attempt and a 62.7% completion rate) doesn’t provide much reason to believe he can be even a top-25 quarterback this fall. That puts so much weight on the shoulders of this Red Raiders defense, an elite unit with NFL-caliber talent at all three levels, but the quarterback situation isn’t good enough, and we don’t think Texas Tech has the caliber of offensive line or weapons to make up for it when facing top competition.

13. Ole Miss Rebels

Putting the Ole Miss Rebels this low in our Top 25 college football rankings comes down to coaching. Trinidad Chambliss, a revelation in 2025, and running back Kewan Lacy are both legitimate Heisman Trophy candidates. Mississippi’s defense, led by first-team All-SEC defensive lineman Will Echoles and linebacker Suntarine Perkins, is also enticing. However, a new offensive play-caller (John David Baker) creates uncertainty regarding the ability to mask this offensive line and there’s a good chance Pete Golding will be outcoached five to six times this year. The talent is there to make the College Football Playoff, but the Rebels coaching staff is a big concern.

14. USC Trojans

Will this finally be the year it clicks for Lincoln Riley and the USC Trojans? What the program does have going for it is quarterback Jayden Maiava, who exploded on the scene last year. He can take another step forward as a playmaker and processor, but let’s not forget that this Trojans’ offense lost some of its best weapons on top of a season-ending injury in August for center Kilian O’Connor. Meanwhile, Trojans defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart is now poised to miss significant time. For as much as we like Maiava, King Miller and Waymond Jordan, it feels more likely that USC ends the season outside the top-25 than it does inside the top 10.

15. Alabama Crimson Tide

The excitement in Tuscaloosa regarding starting quarterback Keelon Russell is justified and we can’t wait to see the dual-threat quarterback operating Kalen DeBoer’s offense. Russell’s athleticism should help a rushing attack that really dragged this team down in 2025, especially with the changes made to the offensive line. As for the Alabama Crimson Tide’s defense, there might not necessarily be a consensus All-American talent who stands out right now, but there’s depth at every level. So what’s the problem? Between an offensive line that still needs to gel, an unproven quarterback, questions at running back and uncertainty with what version of Ryan Coleman-Williams we get, Alabama feels like a very good team that won’t be great in 2026.

16. Penn State Nittany Lions

It’s certainly going to be an interesting 2026 campaign for the Penn State Nittany Lions. Quarterback Rocco Becht and head coach Matt Campbell had good success at Iowa State, with Becht among 24 Cyclones that came over with Campbell to join the Nittany Lions. Cohesion won’t be an issue for Penn State offensively, at least not at the skill positions, but the offensive line has a bunch of moving parts and Penn State’s defense certainly won’t be quite as good as it had been in previous years. On the bright side, we feel fairly confident saying that the Nittany Lions will outperform their results last season (7-6, 3-6 in Big Ten) and Campbell’s arrival should mean long-term stability for the program.

17. Utah Utes

Losing Kyle Whittingham hurts, but the Utah Utes have been preparing first-year head coach Morgan Scalley for this moment. Scalley’s team will fit his identity, with a well-disciplined defense that is led by do-it-all safety Jackson Bennee. We’re equally intrigued to see what running back Wayshawn Parker does this fall, especially with offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven calling the plays. Replicating last year’s success (11-2) feels very unlikely, but 9 wins feels doable in Scalley’s first year at the helm.

18. Michigan Wolverines

The Michigan Wolverines finally have an adult in the room to run their program, and we expect to see a reinvigorated Kyle Whittingham, especially with the resources provided to him in Ann Arbor. Michigan fans should be excited about the arrival of defensive coordinator Jay Hill, who can help edge rusher John Henry Daley reach that next level as a disruptor, and that will help make this Wolverines secondary look even better. Just based on what we saw from quarterback Bryce Underwood in 2025, we’re not confident he can make enough year-to-year improvements for this Michigan roster to beat the likes of Oklahoma, Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State. Frankly, even five losses seem realistic.

19. Iowa Hawkeyes

As always, it starts up front with the Iowa Hawkeyes and an offensive line that now welcomes back Kade Piper and Trevor Lauck. Having three new starters might prevent the Hawkeyes from having a top-five offensive line in college football this season, but this will still be one of the program’s biggest strengths. That makes us feel even more comfortable about the quarterback situation, especially now that Iowa has actual playmakers at wide receiver and a play-caller who can utilize them. With an expanded playbook and a consistent defense, Iowa can challenge for 9 wins.

20. Washington Huskies

The situation was awkward, but the end result is Demond Williams Jr. remains the Washington Huskies quarterback, and the locker room has seemed to put everything that transpired in the rearview mirror. Unfortunately for Williams and head coach Jedd Fisch, the Huskies ground game probably won’t be anywhere near as dependable as it was a season ago, and there’s something left to be desired when it comes to the receiving corps. The Huskies may start the season 4-0, but it wouldn’t come as a surprise to us if Washington finished the year with six losses.

21. Tennessee Volunteers

It is hard to imagine a better situation for a freshman quarterback to walk into. Faizon Brandon will share the backfield with running back DeSean Bishop, an All-SEC runner, while standing behind one of the nation’s best offensive lines. That is not all he will have either. Josh Heupel’s system is remarkably quarterback-friendly, and with Braylon Staley, Mike Matthews, TK Keys, Radarious Jackson and Ethan Davis, Brandon will have a diverse group of pass-catchers to target. However, he is still an 18-year-old quarterback starting in the SEC, and we know Tennessee’s defense will be a multi-year project under Jim Knowles. There are going to be some major lumps for the Volunteers in 2026, but this could be a top-10 team late in 2027.

22. Louisville Cardinals

Jeff Brohm remains one of the most underrated coaches in college football, but he does have a task ahead of him this fall with the retooled offensive line needing time to gel. What brings the excitement back with the Louisville Cardinals offense is a healthy Isaac Brown (8.1 yards per carry) paired with fellow running back Keyjuan Brown. Louisville also has wide receiver Tre Richardson (806 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns with Vanderbilt in 2025) stepping in as the No. 1 receiver. Perhaps we are feeling too much optimism for quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, but Louisville absolutely can be a top-20 team this fall.

23. SMU Mustangs

We simply wish we had more confidence in SMU Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings. It is just the inability to protect the football that sticks in the mind, and he had his fair share of highs and lows with his overall performance in conference matchups last year, too. The hope is that Rhett Lashlee’s commitment to improving the Mustangs rushing offense paired with defensive improvements can at least deliver another nine-win season. It does help that the Mustangs have a relatively favorable schedule, but there could be an early-season loss to Louisville in September.

24. Houston Cougars

Getting quarterback Conner Weigman and wide receiver Amare Thomas back for another year under head coach Willie Fritz gives the Houston Cougars a high floor for the upcoming season. There is genuine excitement around the program as well, given that running back Makhi Hughes (2,779 rushing yards, 22 rushing touchdowns and 5.3 yards per carry in two seasons at Tulane) is reuniting with the head coach he had a breakout freshman season with at Tulane. We have all the confidence in the world when it comes to Houston’s offense. What would potentially prevent them from winning the Big 12 Conference is this defense.

25. Arizona Wildcats

Brent Brennan engineered a remarkable year-to-year turnaround in his second season with the Arizona Wildcats, more than doubling their win total (4-8 to 9-4) and helping quarterback Noah Fifita recapture some of his magic. Arizona could also get another boost if running back Ismail Mahdi is allowed to play this season, but that legal battle means it is not a guarantee. What matters to us is the Wildcats have one of the most experienced quarterbacks (40 games played) in the nation, and that is a massive on-field advantage to have. Having a leader and player of Fifita’s caliber as halal centerpiece of this offense is the entire reason Arizona earns the final spot in our Top 25 college football rankings entering Week 0.

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