Fraud Alert: Which College Football Playoff contenders are fooling us?
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Get the siren ready; we have some potential frauds among us.
The college football season is here and there are several teams starting off with full-on belief they will be in the College Football Playoff. But there are only 12 spots (for now).
Sure, some teams left out will feel like they got hosed (see: Notre Dame), but a majority of them won't do themselves any favors by falling short of expectations — and there will be plenty of them. If you don't believe it, consider this: While a small sample size, in the two editions of the 12-team playoff, there have been at least four teams ranked in the top 10 of the preseason US LBM Coaches Poll that didn't make the field.
In summary: There will be imposters.
So in 2026, who will be the ones that end up as pretenders? Whether its questions about coaches, rosters or just what awaits, here are some teams that very well could be labeled as frauds by the end of the season.
Texas A&M
The No. 8 Aggies return Marcel Reed and most of their secondary from a solid defense that made the playoff last season, but did it involve some incredible scheduling luck? While it did beat Notre Dame, Texas A&M's first CFP appearance was greatly aided by what ended up being a weak SEC slate. Of the seven victories, just two of them — Missouri and LSU — came against teams that made a bowl, with plenty of scares from conference cellar-dwellers as well. That won't be the case this time around as the schedule gets tougher with Alabama, Tennessee and Oklahoma all waiting at the end of the season before facing Texas. It makes complete sense if Mike Elko isn't able to get back in the bracket.
Ole Miss
With Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy back for the fiery Pete Golding, why wouldn't No. 10 Ole Miss be back in the playoff? Well, Golding could simply be fool's gold. He did help the Rebels navigate the Lane Kiffin departure well into the semifinals last season, but there's reasonable doubt for a guy thrust into the position to not handle the gauntlet of a full season. Ole Miss lucks out with a relatively safe schedule, but it is one team that is very susceptible to some trap games like against Florida. Talent can only get you so far.
LSU
Kiffin could only wish all the talk about his program would lead to instant success in Baton Rouge, but don't drink out of the Kool-Aid just yet with No. 13 LSU. Everyone clearly wants to play for the Tigers, evident in their top transfer class ranking highlighted by quarterback Sam Leavitt. However, that doesn't mean it will all mesh well. If you add in all the off-the-field distractions, it's a perfect recipe to end up losing quite a few games to where it just ends up on the outside of the final playoff ranking reveal. It shouldn't be counted as a disaster; Kiffin is the right hire to get LSU back into the national title picture — it just won't be in Year 1.
Texas Tech
Of all the teams here, No. 12 Texas Tech has the best chance to make the playoff. But to actually do something in it? Feels like it will be deja vu. The best Big 12 team money can buy greatly benefits from being in a conference filled with parity, especially with one of the easiest schedules in the country. It makes for an easier ride toward Selection Sunday, but it doesn't really get the Red Raiders ready for when the competition levels up, evident in the goose egg it laid in its first playoff appearance. It's easy to predict Texas Tech makes the playoff again, but it's again going to be really hard to gauge all season if it is actually dangerous and can go on a run.
Michigan
The No. 16 Wolverines lucked out in getting Kyle Whittingham to help reset the program, and they are one of the teams outside the obvious Big Ten favorites that can sneak its way into the field. That will be tough to do with a monstrous schedule awaiting Michigan. Having Oklahoma, Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State all on the schedule is simply too much to think the Wolverines can manage the slate without a loaded roster, and there's a realistic chance Michigan can finish 7-5 or 6-6 in a very disappointing campaign. Whittingham was never able to get Utah to the promised land in his two decades there, and he likely has to wait to do it in Ann Arbor.
SMU
After Miami, the seat for the ACC's possible second playoff spot is wide open, with the No. 20 Mustangs owning the inside track to get it. SMU has its guy in Kevin Jennings back to lead an experienced offense, yet it's still hard to fully buy it won't let some games slip away like last season when the road was laid out for back-to-back playoff spots. The road has been tricky for SMU and there are plenty of traps that await, and it already has to deal with Notre Dame in what could be a letdown in Dallas.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fraud Alert: Which College Football Playoff contenders are fooling us?
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