Buckeyes Land in the Top Tier, but Did CBS Get the Rest of the Rankings Right?

Buckeyes Land in the Top Tier, but Did CBS Get the Rest of the Rankings Right?

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Buckeyes Land in the Top Tier, but Did CBS Get the Rest of the Rankings Right?

CBS Sports College Football released its preseason tiers for College Football rankings and slotted the teams for who could win the National Championship in the 2026 season.

Of course, the Buckeyes land in Tier One as one of the "clear frontrunners" heading into next season. That's obvious and isn't a surprise at all, but did they get the rest of the rankings right?

Joining the Buckeyes in the top tier are the normal suspects: Notre Dame, Oregon, Miami, and the Georgia Bulldogs. That's it, that's the list.

If that section feels like it is missing a couple of teams its because it might be. Tier Two, "Program Leadership Should Prevail," features the Indiana Hoosiers and the Texas Longhorns. 

I'm not entirely sure what that tier title means, but those teams are the reigning National Champion and a team that is widely regarded as the No. 2 team in the country. 

Tier Three features several teams that are absolutely ranked lower than they should be. Texas Tech will be much better than people expect, Lane Kiffin is going to have LSU knocking on the door next year, and USC is going to contend at the top of college football next year.

There are only two Big Ten teams in Tiers Four through Six, and Ohio State's rival to the north, the Michigan Wolverines, falls in Tier Five. The Wolverines are a major question mark heading into next year.

It is believed that they made the correct hire by signing on Kyle Wittingham to their staff, but the cupboard was bare even before the Sherrone Moore debacle last year.

Washington rounds out the Big Ten teams as they slot in the sixth tier on this ranking as a Dark Horse to make a run.

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I personally believe that this ranking is a bit all over the place. I agree with the five teams that are in the top tier, but leaving Indiana out of that is a mistake. 

I would then slot LSU and USC into the Texas Longhorns category. However, this is not my list, and there is certainly something to be said for each of these programs. The main takeaway here is that college football in 2026 is very, very deep.

There are at least eight programs that have a legitimate chance to make a run at the title. Beyond that, there are 12 to 15 programs that will challenge the top programs on a weekly basis.

It is shaping up to be an incredible season, and it is just a few short weeks away from getting started.

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