Four G6 college football teams that could disrupt 2026 CFP picture

Four G6 college football teams that could disrupt 2026 CFP picture

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Four G6 college football teams that could disrupt 2026 CFP picture

Week 0 is just a week away, which means it’s officially time to start talking college football chaos.

Under the current CFP format, four bids are locked in before a single snap: the champions of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC punch their tickets automatically.

A fifth guaranteed spot goes to the highest-ranked Group of 6 team, and no, that team doesn’t even need to win its conference to get in.

That leaves plenty of room for commotion this season. Here are four teams positioned to crash the party and shake up the 2026-27 College Football Playoff picture.

MORE: 4 most underrated college football teams entering 2026 season

Navy Midshipmen (American Conference)

A preseason favorite by multiple outlets for the American Conference, Navy is coming off a school record winning season after an 11-2 finish in 2025 and now has all the momentum to potentially become the first service academy to reach the college football playoffs.

Bringing back 12 starters and turning to 6-foot-3 quarterback Braxton Woods for the 2026 campaign, Navy has all the weapons (no pun intended) to make some noise this season, especially with a favorable schedule.

Their toughest games will come against Notre Dame and UTSA, but with a favorable record and strength of schedule, the CFP committee may be inclined to punch the Navy’s ticket for a dance to the CFP in 2026.

UNLV Rebels (Mountain West)

NCAA Football: Frisco Bowl-UNLV at Ohio

Dec 23, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; UNLV Rebels head coach Dan Mullen talks on the field before the game against the Ohio Bobcats at the Ford Center at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

It’s no longer just a Mountain West rumor: Dan Mullen has the UNLV Rebels back and better than ever. In his first year as the head coach, the Rebels capped off a 10-4 season with a Mountain West Championship loss, but now look to avenge their 2025 campaign and make a real push for the G6 playoff spot.

The Rebels reloaded their offense, adding former five-star quarterback Jackson Arnold. Joining Arnold in the backfield will be returning running back Jai’Den Thomas, who is coming off a 1200-plus all-purpose yard season.

With a revamped Mountain West and Boise State no longer in their path, UNLV has all the opportunity to capture a Mountain West title this season and hopefully earn a shot at the 2026-27 CFP.

Boise State Broncos (PAC-12)

NCAA Football: Boise State at Notre Dame

Oct 4, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Boise State Broncos quarterback Maddux Madsen (4) celebrates as he runs in a touchdown against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

Speaking of Boise State, the Broncos head to a new conference as the PAC-12 was restructured into eight teams for the 2026 season, and with this restructure comes a more favorable schedule for CFP bids.

Their schedule is considered one of the toughest for a G6 team this season, as they’ll have to face Oregon, Memphis, and San Diego State. However, with returning quarterback Maddux Madsen at the helm, perhaps Boise State can get through this tough slate and make a legitimate run at the playoffs this season.

11 other starters also return with Madsen and will look to put Boise State back into the playoff picture, a taste they got in 2024 when the team finished 12-2.

Although their 2026 outlook suggests a repeat of that season is unlikely, a solid year plus a tougher strength of schedule than other G6 playoff hopefuls could make Boise State a favorite to snag that single playoff bid.

UTSA Roadrunners (AAC)

NCAA Football: Texas-San Antonio at Texas

Sep 14, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas-San Antonio quarterback Owen McCown (2) throws a pass during the first half against Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images Credit: USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect (Reuters)

While this may be a stretch given their back-to-back 7-6 finishes, the UTSA Roadrunners bring back plenty of talent on both sides of the football as head coach Jeff Traylor enters year 7 with the program and hopes to get back into bowl-game territory.

As Owen McCown returns to lead the Roadrunners offense for a third straight year, Coach Traylor will need the offense around him to stay disciplined and help limit turnovers, as they gave the ball up 18 times last season and were the seventh most penalized team in college football.

Still, their schedule is a manageable feat for a team that has all the pieces to win its division.

Now, whether or not winning the AAC after a 7-6 finish is good enough to get you into the college football playoff certainly remains to be seen, but UTSA is still not a team to sleep on this college football season.

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