College Football Rankings 2026: CFN's Preseason 11-25

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With so many great teams in the Power Four conferences, and with the transfer portal reloading teams and making college football more unpredictable than ever, just being close to the elite is good enough.

The CFN Preseason Rankings are based on our analysis and belief of how good each team is going into the season. When things change, we adjust – and wow, did things change last season.

So if you're in any sort of a twist that your team isn't in the CFN Preseason Top 10, where did we have Indiana last year in our preseason rankings? 18.

We had Texas A&M 12th, Oklahoma 13th (we were actually ahead of the curve on that), Ole Miss 21st, and Texas Tech 22nd.

There will be College Football Playoff teams and national title contenders from this list.

College Football Rankings 2026: CFN Preseason 11-25

CFN's 2026 Preseason Rankings
The Elite of the Elite: Top 10

25. Utah Utes

Predicted Record: 10-2
2025 Final Record: 11-2
2025 CFN Preview Rank: 14
2025 CFN Final Rank: 14
Week 1: Idaho
Swing Game:Houston, Oct. 24

This won’t look like the Utah you’re used to, but Morgan Scalley’s team is dangerous. There’s reloading to do, but anything less than a push for the CFP will be a massive disappointment.
Utah 2026 Team Preview

24. Ole Miss Rebels

Predicted Record: 8-4
2025 Final Record: 13-2
2025 CFN Preview Rank: 21
2025 CFN Final Rank: 5
Week 1: Louisville (in Nashville)
Swing Game: Missouri, Oct. 17

By comparison to last year’s team that got to the CFP semifinal, this one will feel a little disappointing. But Trinidad Chambliss and the loaded offense will be a force every week.
Ole Miss 2026 Team Preview

23. Kansas State Wildcats

Predicted Record: 9-3
2025 Final Record: 6-6
2025 CFN Preview Rank: 28
2025 CFN Final Rank: 48
Week 1: Nicholls State
Swing Game: at Arizona State, Oct. 24

No pressure, Collin Klein, but Kansas State is ready to win big right now, and there’s no BYU, Texas Tech, or Utah to deal with. Anything less than a huge season won’t be okay.
Kansas State 2026 Team Preview

22. Penn State Nittany Lions

Predicted Record: 9-3
2025 Final Record: 7-6
2025 CFN Preview Rank: 1
2025 CFN Final Rank: 34
Week 1: Marshall
Swing Game: at Washington, Nov. 7

There’s no grace period for Matt Campbell. He brought over enough great players from Iowa State to win right away. There’s no complaining whatsoever about a stunningly light schedule.
Penn State 2026 Team Preview

21. South Carolina Gamecocks

Predicted Record: 8-4
2025 Final Record: 4-8
2025 CFN Preview Rank: 24
2025 CFN Final Rank: 56
Week 1:Kent State
Swing Game: at Florida, Oct. 10

Welcome to the bounceback. After failing to recover from the meltdown bowl loss to end the 2024 season, the Gamecocks will be back with LaNorris Sellers directing a far more dangerous attack.
South Carolina 2026 Team Preview

20. Iowa Hawkeyes

Predicted Record: 8-4
2025 Final Record: 9-4
2025 CFN Preview Rank: 25
2025 CFN Final Rank: 18
Week 1: Northern Illinois
Swing Game: at Minnesota, Oct. 24

You know what’s coming. Iowa will make you play its style, the defense will be a force, and the offense will run, punt, and repeat until, all of a sudden, it’s running out the clock in another win.
Iowa 2026 Team Preview

19. Washington Huskies

Predicted Record: 8-4
2025 Final Record: 9-4
2025 CFN Preview Rank: 27
2025 CFN Final Rank: 17
Week 1: Washington State
Swing Game: Iowa, Oct. 10

The spotlight will be on with a favorable schedule highlighted by a slew of key games in Seattle. Jedd Fisch’s defense is a force, and QB Demond Williams Jr. will be a national star.
Washington 2026 Team Preview

18. Louisville Cardinals

Predicted Record: 8-4
2025 Final Record: 9-4
2025 CFN Preview Rank: 29
2025 CFN Final Rank: 35
Week 1: Ole Miss (in Nashville)
Swing Game: at NC State, Oct. 3

Everything is in place to get to the ACC Championship – except for the sure-thing veteran quarterback. The passing game will be fine, and the defensive front seven will be special.
Louisville 2026 Team Preview

17. BYU Cougars

Predicted Record: 10-2
2025 Final Record: 12-2
2025 CFN Preview Rank: 45
2025 CFN Final Rank: 11
Week 1: Utah Tech
Swing Game:Arizona State, Oct. 31

There’s no excuse not to get back to the Big 12 Championship. The linebacking corps is among the nation’s elite, the offensive backfield is strong, and the conference schedule works.
BYU 2026 Team Preview

16. Tennessee Volunteers

Predicted Record: 8-4
2025 Final Record: 8-5
2025 CFN Preview Rank: 15
2025 CFN Final Rank: 27
Week 1: Furman
Swing Game: at South Carolina, Oct. 24

Josh Heupel’s team is good, and it’ll get off to a great start, but does it have enough to push through a tough second half to be in the CFP mix? Every game will be entertainingly tight.
Tennessee 2026 Team Preview

15. Auburn Tigers

Predicted Record: 6-6
2025 Final Record: 5-7
2025 CFN Preview Rank: 36
2025 CFN Final Rank: 51
Week 1:Baylor (in Atlanta)
Swing Game: at Mississippi State, Nov. 14

Here comes the USF offense of last season to Auburn. Alex Golesh put together a great coaching staff, the defense will still be fantastic, and the offense is about to go really, really fast.
Auburn 2026 Team Preview

14. Alabama Crimson Tide

Predicted Record: 9-3
2025 Final Record: 11-4
2025 CFN Preview Rank: 3
2025 CFN Final Rank: 12
Week 1:East Carolina
Swing Game: at Mississippi State, Oct. 3

Don’t let anyone diminish Alabama’s potential. It might not be a top ten team to start the season, but if the ground game shows up and the offensive line is far better, Bama will be in the CFP mix.
Alabama 2026 Team Preview

13. Michigan Wolverines

Predicted Record: 9-3
2025 Final Record: 9-4
2025 CFN Preview Rank: 11
2025 CFN Final Rank: 16
Week 1: Western Michigan
Swing Game: Penn State, Oct. 17

The talent isn’t strong enough to push past the Big Ten elite, but Kyle Whittingham was able to keep enough great players to be in the CFP hunt. Oklahoma, Indiana, at Oregon, at Ohio State – uh oh.
Michigan 2026 Team Preview

12. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Predicted Record: 11-1
2025 Final Record: 12-2
2025 CFN Preview Rank: 22
2025 CFN Final Rank: 7
Week 1: Abilene Christian
Swing Game: Arizona, Oct. 31

Texas Tech reloaded with a defense that will once again live in opposing backfields. The quarterback situation is just fine, and the schedule is even better with no BYU or Utah.
Texas Tech 2026 Team Preview

11. USC Trojans

Predicted Record: 9-3
2025 Final Record: 9-4
2025 CFN Preview Rank: 16
2025 CFN Final Rank: 15
Week 1: San Jose State
Swing Game: at Penn State, Oct. 10

Enough is enough – Lincoln Riley needs to put together a special season with a College Football Playoff push. The Trojan attack will do a whole lot of damage to the Big Ten.
USC 2026 Team Preview

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