2026 College Football Rankings Top 25 – Week 0: Expert picks, analysis, projections including LSU and Indiana
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The College Football season starts this Saturday and I for one, cannot wait! From Lane Kiffin bouncing from Ole Miss to LSU, to the revitalization of Penn State, to Curt Cignetti attempting to solidify himself as a legend following a perfect 16-0 season, outstanding storylines exist all across the country and we haven't even mentioned professionals coming back to college!
So much noise surrounding the sport these days, but the fun begins this weekend. Who belongs in the Playoff? Can the Big Ten win a fourth consecutive national championship? Let the debate begin.
Well, here are my Top 25 rankings entering Week 0 of the 2026 season, along with quick overviews and predictions for each team. Every Sunday moving forward you can find my Top 25 here on NBC! Make sure to join the chat on social and chime in with your rankings or where I went wrong! Let's get to it.
2025 Record: 12-2 (9-0) | Lost in the Quarterfinals vs Miami
2026 Bowl Prediction: No. 1 Seed | National Champion
2026 Record Prediction: 12-0 (9-0)
Heisman hopefuls Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith return for a Ryan Day squad that is loaded on both sides. Despite losing seven defenders to the NFL, and three in the first 11 picks, Ohio State hit the transfer portal hard and landed players ranging from Alabama, Duke, Florida State, UCF, and Wisconsin. The offense has arguably the best and deepest receiver room in the country led by Smith, Brandon Inniss, the No. 1 high school recruit Chris Henry Jr. and six transfers.
Ohio State goes to Texas in Week 2 has a rough four-week stretch of three games: at Indiana, bye week, at USC, then vs Oregon. The Buckeyes, naturally, finish the season with a home game against rival Michigan. This season will be a much more challenging schedule than last season where Ohio State slept walked through Week 2-14.
2025 Record: 12-2 (7-1) | Lost in the Quarterfinals vs Ole Miss
2026 Bowl Prediction: No. 2 Seed | Lose in National Championship
2026 Record Prediction: 12-0 (9-0)
Georgia is the favorite to win the SEC as they welcome back Gunner Stockton and a slew of NFL talent around him. The Bulldogs have all three leading rushers back from last year and most of its receivers and tight ends too. The offensive line replaces two starters, but has 66 career starts from the group, while the linebackers are all NFL prospects.
Looking at the schedule, Georgia has two road trips to Alabama and Ole Miss, but outside those two, the Bulldogs should be favored by double-digits in every other game. It's possible the Bulldogs have a perfect regular season, but at the least, Georgia should see 10 wins.
2025 Record: 16-0 (9-0) | Won the National Championship vs Miami
2026 Bowl Prediction: No. 10 seed | Lose in first round to Oregon
2026 Record Prediction: 10-2 (8-2)
Indiana looks to be a National Title contender again after capping off the perfect 16-0 season with a 27-21 win over Miami. Josh Hoover (TCU) takes over at quarterback and Indiana has transfers all over the offense from Nick Marsh (Michigan State) at receiver to Turbo Richard (Boston College) at running back, plus a stacked defensive line and secondary.
Curt Cignetti will have his squad ready for home games against USC and Ohio State, and a road contest at Michigan. Those three will determine a Big Ten Championship appearance and whether or not the Hoosiers win that will determine whether or not they get a bye in the College Football Playoff.
2025 Record: 13-2 (8-1) | Lost in the Semifinals vs Indiana
2026 Bowl Prediction: No. 7 seed | Lose in Quarterfinals to Georgia
2026 Record Prediction: 11-1 (8-1)
Dante Moore turned down the NFL and returns to Oregon as the leader of one of the most explosive and potent offenses in the country. Oregon averaged 452.2 yards per game (17th) and 36.9 points per game (T-10th). The defense wasn't too shabby either with 17.8 points per game allowed (12th)
The Ducks open the year with Boise State, Oklahoma State, and USC in three of the first four games, plus Oregon ends the year with Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, and Washington. It's safe to say the 2026 schedule has more challenges than the cupcake 2025 schedule Oregon played.
2025 Record: 10-3 (6-2) | Won the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl vs Michigan
2026 Bowl Prediction: No. 5 seed | Lose in Semifinals to Ohio State
2026 Record Prediction: 10-2 (8-1)
Arch Manning enters the season as the Heisman favorite and he will have plenty of opportunities to showcase why or why not he should be holding multiple trophies in December. The Longhorns have seven ranked games on the schedule and finish the season with three road games in the final four weeks (At Missouri, LSU, Texas A&M). Texas' schedule is ridiculous on paper, but manageable over the first eight games.
Texas does have three consecutive home games to start the season (Vs Ohio State in Week 2), then a road game at Tennessee and neutral field rivalry game with Oklahoma before three straight at home (Florida, Ole Miss, Miss State). Texas should start 6-2, 7-1, or 8-0 through their first eight games, but hosting Arkansas and going to Missouri, LSU, and Texas A&M will shape playoff seeding.
2025 Record: 12-2 (8-1) | Lost in the Quarterfinals vs Oregon
2026 Bowl Prediction: No. 3 Seed | Lose in Semifinals to Georgia
2026 Record Prediction: 12-0 (9-0)
The schedule broke beautifully for the Red Raiders in 2026. Texas Tech ends up avoiding BYU and Utah, hosts Houston, and the toughest road game will be either at Oklahoma State or Cincinnati. Texas Tech should be on cruise control during the regular season.
The Red Raiders didn't lose much experience to the portal, but gained a ton for a second-straight year. The latest signing for Texas Tech came less than two weeks before the season starts. The Big 12 favorites added former Boston College and Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos to backup Will Hammond. Castellanos had 28 and 24 total touchdowns in two of his last three seasons.
2025 Record: 13-3 (6-2) | Lost in National Championship vs Indiana
2026 Bowl Prediction: No. 4 Seed | Lose in Quarterfinals to Texas
2026 Record Prediction: 12-0 (7-0)
The U is back. Darian Mensah will pick up right where Carson Beck left off and have the Hurricanes in title contention. Miami looks poised for their first ACC Title as the offense is loaded with the second-best receiver in the country, Malachi Toney, and one of the best running backs rooms starting with Mark Flecther Jr.
Miami goes to Clemson and Notre Dame, plus hosts Florida State and Pitt back-to-back weeks as their toughest contests. Anything less than 10-2 would be shocking. I expect 11-1 or 12-0.
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2025 Record: 10-2 | Missed the Playoff and declined a Bowl
2026 Bowl Prediction: No. 6 Seed | Lose in Quarterfinals to Texas Tech
2026 Record Prediction: 11-1
Notre Dame missed the playoff with 10-2 record. The Irish finished the season with 10-straight wins after starting 0-2 versus Miami and Texas A&M. Notre Dame loses the best one-two punch at running back to the NFL, but reloaded on the offensive line, hit the transfer portal hard on the front seven, and have arguably the best secondary in the country.
Notre Dame will host Miami and SMU, plus a much anticipated road game at BYU. Other than, Notre Dame should be a double-digit favorite in every other game. The Irish have a cupcake schedule again thanks to not playing in a conference. A 10-2, 11-1, or 12-0 record in the regular season are on the table for Notre Dame and they are National Title contenders.
2025 Record: 13-2 (7-1) | Lost in the Semifinals vs Miami
2026 Bowl Prediction: No. 8 seed | Lose in Quarterfinals to Ohio State
2026 Record Prediction: 10-2 (7-2)
No more Lane Kiffin means no more problems, right? The Rebels faithful cheered when Trinidad Chambliss was granted another year because he and Kewan Lacy give Ole Miss National Title potential. The Rebels could have a fearful front seven, a pair of draft picks in the secondary, and a rigorous schedule.
Ole Miss luckily plays four of the last five games at home, but four of those are against SEC opponents: Georgia, Oklahoma, Auburn, and Mississippi State. The Rebels also have a five-week stretch where they have three road games, one home, and a bye week. Ole Miss goes to Florida, Vanderbilt, and Texas with Missouri going to Oxford. I think Ole Miss will reach 9 or 10 wins and make the playoffs.
2025 Record: 10-3 (6-2) | Lost in first round of Playoff vs Alabama
2026 Bowl Prediction: Miss Playoffs | Bowl Game vs Penn State
2026 Record Prediction: 8-4 (6-3)
John Mateer is back for his senior season after an injury slowed him to down a bit. The Sooners have an elite secondary and linebacking crew on a defense that has five of their top eight tacklers back. Oklahoma allowed 195.2 passing yards per game (32nd) and had the third-best third down defense in the country (28.2%).
In 2026, Oklahoma goes to Michigan, Georgia, Florida, and Missouri this season, plus the Sooners hosts Ole Miss and Texas A&M back-to-back weeks. Oklahoma has its annual neutral site rivalry meeting with Texas to cap off a difficult SEC schedule. The Sooners will be in a dogfight with Texas, Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M for the second, third, and maybe fourth spots in the SEC to make the playoff.
2025 Record: 11-2 (7-1) | Lost in first round of Playoff vs Miami
2026 Bowl Prediction: Miss Playoffs | Bowl Game vs Houston
2026 Record Prediction: 8-4 (4-4)
Marcel Reed is back under center for Texas A&M after an 11-0 start the season ended with consecutive losses to Texas and Miami. The Aggies had to replace four offensive line starters, and added a plethora of transfers to replace outgoing running back and receiver production.
I expect A&M to take a step back this season because of the road schedule. Last year, the Aggies went to Arkansas, LSU, Missouri, and Texas in conference play. This season, Texas A&M goes to LSU, Missouri, South Carolina, Alabama, and Oklahoma. The Aggies went 4-1 (3-1 in SEC) on the road last year with a loss to Texas, but a last-second win over Notre Dame that ended up solidifying the Aggies playoff spot over the Irish.
2025 Record: 11-4 (7-1) | Lost in the Quarterfinals vs Indiana
2026 Bowl Prediction: No. 9 Seed | Lose first round to Ole Miss
2026 Record Prediction: 10-2 (5-2)
This summer may have been the least the media talked about Alabama in decades. The expectations are lower despite being a top-15 ranked team. The Tide will have another stout defense after allowing 16.5 points per game in the regular season. Keelon Russell will be the starting quarterback this year and Ryan Williams is expected to be 100-percent, so this should be an exciting offense that will have to click early.
Alabama hosts East Carolina, then goes to Kentucky before welcoming Florida State. After those three, it's SEC play for the next two months. The Tide will have home games against Georgia and Texas A&M with a road game at Tennessee sandwiched between. After a bye week, Bama goes to LSU, which could determine which of the two teams make the College Football Playoffs. That four-game stretch over five weeks will be the make it or break it point for Alabama as they likely win their other eight games.
2025 Record: 7-6 (3-5) | Lost the Kinder’s Texas Bowl vs Houston
2026 Bowl Prediction: Miss Playoffs | Bowl Game vs Michigan
2026 Record Prediction: 8-4 (5-4)
Sam Leavitt enters his Geaux era as he leads a highly anticipated charge in Baton Rouge after 22.8 points per game in 2025 (101st). LSU has been the talk of the town as Lane Kiffin left Mississippi for Louisiana. In Kiffin's first season, he hit the transfer portal hard as LSU lost seven linemen with starting experience and nine of their top 15 tacklers on defense from a year ago. The talent is there, but will LSU mesh in year one under Kiffin?
The schedule won't have many shortcuts. LSU opens with Clemson and goes to Ole Miss two weeks later for the clash everyone will be watching. The following week, LSU hosts Texas A&M before going on cruise control for a few games. To end the year, LSU will go to Auburn, host Alabama and Texas back-to-back weeks after a bye week, then road games at Tennessee and Arkansas to close out the year. LSU could honestly win anywhere between 6 and 10 games this year.
2025 Record: 12-2 (8-1) | Won the Pop-Tarts Bowl vs Georgia Tech
2026 Bowl Prediction: No. 11 Seed | Lose in first round to Miami
2026 Record Prediction: 11-1 (9-0)
Bear Bachmeier and LJ Martin return for one of the best quarterback and running back duos in the country. Martin had 12 rushing touchdowns last year, while Bachmeier had 11. The defense returns eight starters and will challenge Texas Tech and Utah for the Big 12's best defense.
BYU's playoff hopes will come down to a home game against Notre Dame and a road game at Utah. Other than those two games, which most people expect BYU to split, the schedule broke nicely for the Cougars. BYU avoids playing Texas Tech, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State. A 10-2 regular season looks like the minimum for BYU, but 11-1 and 12-0 are possible.
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2025 Record: 11-2 (7-2) | Won the Las Vegas Bowl vs Nebraska
2026 Bowl Prediction: Miss Playoffs | Bowl Game vs USC
2026 Record Prediction: 10-2 (8-2)
The story of Utah's whole season will be what happens when they host BYU, unless they slip up before that. Other than the BYU game, it is hard seeing Utah losing another game. The Utes host Houston and Arkansas, but the toughest road game is at Cincinnati or TCU. Morgan Scalley may not have it any easier as a head coach than this season while with Utah.
Utah lost all five starters on the offensive line, which is the biggest concern with this team. Devon Dampier is elusive and will have to make plays on his own this year, but the defense will again be a top three unit in the Big 12.
2025 Record: 9-4 (7-2) | Lost the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl vs Texas
2026 Bowl Prediction: Miss Playoffs | Bowl Game vs LSU
2026 Record Prediction: 9-3 (6-3)
Kyle Whittingham takes over at Michigan and boy does he fit the Wolverines mold. Michigan should have another stout defense behind eight players with starter experience, an offensive line with 64 combined starts, and a five-star quarterback in Bryce Underwood that's ready to take the next step. Michigan lost all three of its ranked games in 2025 (Oklahoma, OSU, Texas) and has six on the schedule ahead of Week 0.
Michigan goes to Oregon and Ohio State for two of the final three games, but will the Wolverines be in a position to make the College Football Playoff regardless? We'll see. Oklahoma and Iowa visit, plus Penn State and Indiana back-to-back weeks. Nothing will come easy for Michigan.
2025 Record: 9-4 (7-2) | Lost the Valero Alamo Bowl vs TCU
2026 Bowl Prediction: Miss Playoffs | Bowl Game vs Utah
2026 Record Prediction: 8-4 (5-4)
Last year, USC was three games away from an 11-1 record. The Trojans found ways to blow games left and right. USC lost on a game-winning field goal with no time left to Illinois, lost a three-point lead in the third quarter to Notre Dame and lost by 10, and blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter to TCU during the Valero Alamo Bowl. Once again, USC will have high hopes with Jayden Maiava returning at quarterback and Lincoln Riley in his fifth year.
The Trojans go to Indiana this year, but most of the toughest games come at home — Oregon, Ohio State, and Washington. Playing the current big three in the Big Ten (OSU, Oregon, Indiana) will make or break the Trojans college football playoff hopes.
2025 Record: 4-8 (1-7) | Wasn’t eligible for a Bowl Game
2026 Bowl Prediction: Miss Playoffs | Bowl Game vs Washington
2026 Record Prediction: 8-4 (5-4)
It was a shock to see South Carolina win only four games last year, including one in conference play (35-13 win vs Kentucky). The Gamecocks can only be more productive in 2026. LaNorris Sellers will have to cutdown on turnovers (14 fumbles, 6 lost, 8 INT) and the offensive line will have to create room for these running backs. South Carolina lost six lineman this offseason, but seven transferred in with 126 career starts, so this offense should average more than its measly 22.7 points per game (102nd).
This season, South Carolina's floor should be five wins (Kent St, Towson, Miss St, Kentucky, Arkansas) and the ceiling could be nine. With road contests at Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida, and Clemson, it's hard to see the Gamecocks winning three of those four, which will be needed to reach nine wins since Georgia, Texas A&M, and Tennessee visit South Carolina.
2025 Record: 5-7 (1-7) | Wasn’t eligible for a Bowl Game
2026 Bowl Prediction: Miss Playoffs | Bowl Game vs Louisville
2026 Record Prediction: 7-5 (4-5)
Byrum Brown transferred from USF to Auburn and the Tigers' faithful are excited. Auburn has had a losing season every year since 2021 going 5-7 or 6-7. The Tigers have only made a bowl game twice in the past five years and lost both. This feels like it could be Auburn's first winning season since 2020 and first bowl win since 2018, but the schedule isn’t forgiving.
Auburn opens the year with a neutral field site versus Baylor in Atlanta, then hosts Florida and Vanderbilt two and three weeks later before SEC play picks up hard. Auburn will go to Tennessee and Georgia, then host LSU, before traveling to Ole Miss. That four-game stretch could break this Auburn team or bring them together. In all likelihood, Auburn wins 6-7 games and will once again have the chance to play spoiler in their season finale at Alabama as the Tide fight for a playoff berth.
2025 Record: 4-8 (2-6) | Wasn’t eligible for a Bowl Game
2026 Bowl Prediction: Miss Playoffs | Bowl Game vs Tulane
2026 Record Prediction: 6-6 (4-5)
The DJ Lagway experiment is over at Florida after the offense managed 21.6 points per game in 2025 (109th). Aaron Philo will start for the Gators after being Haynes King's backup at Georgia Tech last. This Gators' team will revolve around running back Jadan Baugh (1,390 total yards, 10 TDs in 2025) and a nasty linebacking crew.
Florida goes to Auburn, Missouri, Texas, Kentucky, and Florida State with a neutral field game against Georgia, plus home contests against Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and South Carolina. This team is talented, but eight wins is likely the ceiling as I expect this team to fight for bowl eligibility behind a tough schedule.
2025 Record: 9-4 (6-2) | Won the Trust & Will Holiday Bowl vs Arizona
2026 Bowl Prediction: Miss Playoffs | Bowl Game vs Missouri
2026 Record Prediction: 9-3 (7-1)
SMU averaged 32.2 points per game (26th) and allowed 20.5 (T-31st) last year, which will be hard to top this season. Luckily, Kevin Jennings is back at quarterback, so the offense will be dangerous. SMU overcame a ton of defensive departures in 2025 and will have to do the same in 2026. It's a large drop off in ACC talent after Miami, but SMU would be my No. 2 in the conference.
If SMU survives Florida State and Louisville in two of their first three games, this Mustangs squad will likely be playing in the ACC Championship game. SMU will be heavy favorites in every other game besides a road trip to Notre Dame on Nov. 21 — the second to last game of the season. SMU could go 11-1 at best, but 8-9 wins is more likely.
2025 Record: 9-4 (5-4) | Won the Bucked Up LA Bowl vs Boise State
2026 Bowl Prediction: Miss Playoffs | Bowl Game vs South Carolina
2026 Record Prediction: 8-4 (5-4)
Washington lost its star running back (Jonah Coleman) and receiver (Denzel Boston) to the NFL but Desmond Williams, the star quarterback is back, plus four starters on the offensive line and a stacked defense. Washington's defense held opponents to 18.6 points per game last year (15th) and there's a lot of questionable quarterbacks on the schedule this year.
Another 8-10 win season is in play for the Huskies. With a home game versus Indiana, then a road game at Oregon to finish the season, Washington will have to take advantage of ranked games at USC and versus Penn State, plus Iowa.
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2025 Record: 8-5 (6-2) | Lost the Go Bowling Military Bowl vs ECU
2026 Bowl Prediction: Miss Playoffs | Bowl Game vs Tennessee
2026 Record Prediction: 9-3 (6-3)
Pat Narduzzi had Pitt in the hunt for an ACC title last year before the Panthers started slipping and lost three of the last four games. This season, Pitt has 126 starts on the offensive line and a Mason Heintschel at quarterback (2,354 passing yards, 16 TDs), so the offense could improve off its 33.7 points per game (20th), which finished one spot ahead of Ohio State. The Panthers have an easier schedule, but once again, the Panthers season comes down to a game or two like at Miami or at Louisville.
2025 Record: 9-5 (6-2) | Lost the Bucked Up La Bowl vs Washington
2026 Bowl Prediction: No. 12 Seed | Lose in first round to Texas
2026 Record Prediction: 11-1 (7-0)
In the new-look Pac-12, Boise State looks to be the favorite and most likely non-P4 team not named Notre Dame to make the playoff. The Broncos are led by Maddux Madsen (2,334 passing yards, 22 total TDs) at quarterback and Jayden Virginia-Morgan (16 sacks in last two years) on defense.
Boise State's entire playoff case may come down to two things this year: how bad they lose to Oregon in the season-opener and if Boise State wins every game after, including the Pac-12 Championship. That seems to be the path laid out for Boise State. If the Broncos go 10-2 or worse, this season will feel like a massive opportunity Boise State missed out on.
2025 Record: 7-6 (3-6) | Won the Pinstripe Bowl vs Clemson
2026 Bowl Prediction: Miss Playoffs | Bowl Game vs Oklahoma
2026 Record Prediction: 8-4 (5-4)
Matt Campbell takes over for James Franklin at Penn State and expectations are high for the Nittany Lions. Campbell had success at Iowa State and brought a ton of Cyclones over including quarterback Rocco Becht (2,700 yards, 24 TDs in 2025).
Penn State has a cakewalk of a schedule this year, which is where the high expectations come into play. The Nittany Lions avoid playing Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon, Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois. Penn State will be more than bowl eligible this year and should reach 8-9 wins. We do have to keep in mind that Campbell was very successful as an underdog, but he will be a favorite quite a bit with Penn State.
Check out my top 10 Heisman rankings article for 2026, and my five long shots here!
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