College Football Has 7 True National Title 'Contenders' This Year
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With the 2026 college football season about to begin, there are plenty of fans hoping their school makes a run to the national title game. However, one of the best writers the sport has believes only seven teams are "obvious" contenders.
As of this week, Ohio State (+550) is the odds-on favorite to win the national championship next January. Notre Dame (+650) and Oregon (+700) aren't too far behind Ohio State though.
According to Ralph D. Russo of The Athletic, the following teams are true national title contenders for the 2026 season:
- Ohio State
- Oregon
- Indiana
- Texas
- Georgia
- Notre Dame
- Miami
Ohio State, Oregon and Texas all have potential-packed quarterbacks on their roster in Julian Sayin, Dante Moore and Arch Manning. If they play up to their standard, they could be in line for massive 2026 seasons.
Indiana has a new quarterback under center in Josh Hoover, but he should be able to excel in Curt Cignetti's offense.
Did anyone get snubbed?
Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Ole Miss might be trendy picks for the College Football Playoff, especially if their programs pick up where they left off last season. Ole Miss definitely has a capable quarterback in Trinidad Chambliss.
LSU could also be an interesting team to watch now that Lane Kiffin is at the helm.
Of course, Alabama and Michigan are expected to be in the mix for a CFP berth. Both fan bases are desperately hoping they have better results this fall.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Aug 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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