Everyone loves favorites. These college football dark-horse teams could crash the party
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Here are the Power Four favorites: No. 1 Ohio State in the Big Ten, No. 3 Georgia in the SEC, No. 7 Miami in the ACC and No. 12 Texas Tech in the Big 12.
These teams will be in the College Football Playoff, perhaps as the top four seeds, if everything goes according to plan. A quick preseason hint: Things in college football rarely follow the script.
This time last year, Texas was the preseason favorite in the SEC. Penn State was picked to win the Big Ten; Indiana was picked to finish sixth. The ACC favorite was Clemson. (Oops.)
Sleeper teams are ready to pounce in every Bowl Subdivision conference. While the preseason favorites lead the way now, these dark-horse contenders look to complicate the playoff picture:
Big Ten: No. 19 Washington
No. 2 Oregon and No. 6 Indiana don’t qualify as dark horses behind the Buckeyes, since both are clearly capable of winning the national championship. The Huskies are the pick: UW will be sneaky good in Jedd Fisch’s third season and perhaps even better than that if the offseason transfer drama involving burgeoning quarterback star Demond Williams Jr. doesn’t distract from his development.
SEC: No. 9 Oklahoma
The Sooners seem capable of climbing above Georgia and No. 4 Texas to win the SEC after reaching the playoff last season. OU has the bones of a nasty defense, will get more from a healthy John Mateer and has built up a nice collection of skill talent. Whether the offense can run the ball will determine how far the Sooners go. Last year’s team failed to run for more than 103 yards in six of nine games against SEC competition.
ACC: No. 23 Clemson
That Clemson qualifies as an ACC dark horse behind Miami, No. 20 SMU and maybe even unranked Louisville speaks to the program’s steady drop from the ranks of the Power Four’s most consistently powerful programs. Yet despite the uncertainty around this year’s team, the Tigers remain very talented, with solid depth and a potential spark at offensive coordinator in familiar face Chad Morris, leaving the biggest question mark whether quarterback Christopher Vizzina is ready for the starting job.
Big 12: Arizona State
Texas Tech is the overwhelming favorite even without Brendan Sorsby. Just behind are No. 15 Brigham Young, No. 21 Utah and No. 24 Houston. Admittedly, picking Arizona State is a gamble. The Sun Devils look much different than last season and will be very reliant on one of the league’s top transfer classes. But ASU won the Big 12 in 2024, won eight games last season and could pop back toward the top of the standings if a totally reworked offensive line gives the skill talent room and time to operate.
American: East Carolina
A strong portal class — maybe you’re seeing a theme here — and a very favorable schedule have ECU lurking in the AAC race despite bringing back just three primary starters. The Pirates miss Navy and UTSA, get South Florida at home and have UAB and Charlotte as two of their road games. As a whole, the program has regained its winning style under coach Blake Harrell, who is 14-5 since taking over midway through the 2024 season.
Conference USA: Delaware
Delaware’s offense is dynamic enough to overcome a defense that needs to prove it can get off the field on third down and limit explosive plays. In the end, the issues on defense will make it hard to leap ahead of favorites such as Western Kentucky. But the Blue Hens have a strong backfield led by the league’s best quarterback in Nick Minicucci.
Mid-American: Central Michigan
We know it won’t be Massachusetts, the only winless team in the FBS last season. On paper, Central Michigan might not stack up evenly with preseason MAC favorites Western Michigan and Miami (Ohio), especially with some lingering question marks about the health of its passing game. But the Chippewas made noticeable gains in coach Matt Drinkall’s first season and draw the Broncos and RedHawks at home.
Mountain West: North Dakota State
Ignore the fact North Dakota State created one of the great dynasties in NCAA history on the Championship Subdivision level before moving up to the FBS this summer. The Bison are still FBS neophytes who will be tested by a tougher and more physically demanding schedule. Are they ready for this test? Whether NDSU can take down the clear favorite in UNLV depends on the strength of its running game behind an offensive line that lost two starters as transfers to Power Four programs.
Pac-12: Washington State
Boise State is about as big a favorite as you’ll find in any FBS conference, followed by San Diego State and Fresno State in the new Pac-12. The third Washington State coach in as many years, Kirby Moore will be challenged by the constant roster turnover during these coaching moves. But the Cougars are another dark-horse contender who reloaded with transfer help and have several interesting pieces, including a promising young quarterback in UC Davis transfer Caden Pinnick.
Sun Belt: Marshall
James Madison remains the team to beat in the East Division and Troy in the West. Marshall didn’t receive a first-place vote in the preseason media poll but did earn the most preseason all-conference selections, including the Sun Belt’s projected offensive player of the year in quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and another four offensive players who earned a first-team slot. After a 5-7 debut, second-year coach Tony Gibson has to show that he’s learned from an uneven 2025.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Everyone loves favorites. These college football dark-horse teams could crash the party
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