The 2025 college football season wrapped up with an absolutely wild finish—Indiana Hoosiers pulled off their first national championship in Miami. That game? Legendary. Now, as folks catch their breath after what might’ve been the most captivating season in years, all eyes are turning to 2026.
Sports Illustrated just dropped its way-too-early Top 25 for next season, and, honestly, it’s never too soon to speculate. Let’s poke around the highlights and see which teams could shake things up.
Ohio State Buckeyes: Poised for a Strong Comeback
Ohio State lost a handful of stars from last year’s lock-down defense, but don’t count them out just yet. They’ve got some serious firepower coming back:
- Julian Sayin – Quarterback
- Bo Jackson – Running Back
- Jeremiah Smith – Wide Receiver
The Buckeyes’ schedule isn’t doing them any favors: road games at Texas, Indiana, Iowa, and USC. Still, they’ll get Michigan and Oregon at home in the Horseshoe. After dropping two straight, you can bet Ryan Day’s squad is itching for redemption.
Key Games to Watch
The Texas game in Week 2? Must-see TV. And, of course, home showdowns with Michigan and Oregon could decide everything.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish: High Expectations for 2026
Notre Dame’s got playoff dreams again. Sure, they’ll miss Jeremiyah Love, but CJ Carr is sticking around to run the offense. If the defense can stay healthy, they’re in business.
Favorable Schedule
Home games against Miami and SMU, and BYU on the road—those are really the only ranked matchups. Not a bad setup for a playoff push.
Georgia Bulldogs: Aiming for Postseason Success
Georgia hasn’t quite lived up to postseason hopes lately, but most of their SEC championship squad is back. Gunner Stockton and Nate Frazier will be the names to watch:
- Gunner Stockton – Quarterback
- Nate Frazier – Running Back
The defense should get a boost from all the young talent gaining reps. Plus, Georgia dodges Texas on the schedule and gets Florida in Atlanta, with Oklahoma coming to Athens.
Key Matchups
Florida and Oklahoma—circle those dates. They’ll be huge for Georgia’s playoff hopes.
Texas Longhorns: Ready to Live Up to the Hype
Texas hype is off the charts, mostly because Arch Manning is back at QB. They’ve added some serious weapons:
- Cam Coleman – Wide Receiver
- Raleek Brown – Running Back
- Hollywood Smothers – Running Back
November brings tough trips to LSU and Texas A&M, but if they can get past Ohio State at home, the rest of the path isn’t too scary.
Impact Players
Honestly, it all comes down to Manning and how quickly the new guys fit in.
Indiana Hoosiers: Defending Champions with High Hopes
Indiana, after back-to-back playoff trips and a national title, suddenly looks like a program built to last. They’ve pulled in some key transfers:
- Josh Hoover – Quarterback
- Joe Brunner – Offensive Line
- Tobi Osunsanmi – Defensive Line
Both coordinators are sticking around, and they’ll host Ohio State and USC. That’s a nice setup for another deep run.
Strong Foundation
With a steady core and some savvy additions, Indiana’s got a real shot to defend the crown.
Oregon Ducks: Building on Momentum
Dante Moore returns at QB, which should keep Oregon in the thick of things. The defense, led by Matayo Uiagalelei and Bear Alexander, looks scary good.
Strategic Additions
They landed Koi Perich out of the portal. The schedule’s not easy—Ohio State on the road, but Michigan comes to Autzen. That’s a break.
Miami Hurricanes: Rebuilding with New Talent
Miami found a new QB in ex-Duke standout Darian Mensah. Their schedule’s rough—trips to Notre Dame and Clemson—but they could be the ACC’s best playoff hope.
Key Players
Malachi Toney has to keep growing, and if Mensah settles in, Miami could surprise a lot of people.
Texas Tech Red Raiders: Aiming Higher
Texas Tech finally grabbed a Big 12 title and wants more. They brought in Brendan Sorsby at quarterback, which could be a sneaky good move.
Championship Aspirations
With a pretty friendly schedule, they’re thinking about another trip to AT&T Stadium.
BYU Cougars: Veteran Leadership
BYU, under Kalani Sitake, is right on the edge of breaking into the top 12. There’s experience everywhere, with Bear Bachmeier at QB and LJ Martin at running back.
Key Games
Home games against Arizona State and Notre Dame could make or break their season.
LSU Tigers: High Expectations
Lane Kiffin’s LSU squad is making noise, especially with Sam Leavitt taking over at quarterback. Their opener against Clemson? That’ll be a tone-setter.
Season Opener
How they look against Clemson will probably tell us a lot about what’s coming.
Michigan Wolverines: New Era Under Kyle Whittingham
Kyle Whittingham is taking over at Michigan, and there’s a sense of cautious optimism. Bryce Underwood, a sophomore, gets the keys at QB, and there’s a new coordinator in town.
Favorable Schedule
Only four road games on the slate. That’s a pretty nice start for Whittingham’s first go-round.
Texas A&M Aggies: Building on Success
Texas A&M is riding high after a historic 2025. Marcel Reed’s got to keep it steady at quarterback, and Mike Elko’s defense could be a real difference-maker.
Defensive Strength
If the defense holds up, they’ll be right in the mix again.
USC Trojans: High Expectations
Lincoln Riley’s feeling the heat at USC. It’s time to deliver. They’ve got the No. 1 recruiting class and Jayden Maiava back at quarterback.
Crucial Games
Trips to Indiana and Penn State, plus home games with Ohio State and Oregon, will test the Trojans.
SMU Mustangs: Favorable Path
Kevin Jennings is back for year three at QB, and the Mustangs don’t have a brutal schedule. They’re favored in nearly every game except for a tough one at Notre Dame.
Key Player
Jennings needs to keep elevating his game for SMU to make some noise.
Washington Huskies: No Excuses
Kalen DeBoer’s got a loaded roster at Washington. Keelon Russell, a redshirt freshman, is expected to lead the offense.
Running Game
They really need to get the ground game going if they want to take the next step.
Iowa Hawkeyes: Veteran Leadership
Kirk Ferentz’s Iowa squad has experience and a real shot at a big season. Mark Gronowski at QB could be a difference-maker. Their schedule’s no joke—Ohio State at home, but Michigan and Washington on the road.
CFP Aspirations
With this veteran group, Iowa’s got their eyes on a first playoff berth.
Utah Utes: New Leadership
Morgan Scalley takes over as head coach, ushering in a new era for Utah. Devon Dampier returns at quarterback after a 10-win season. They’ll host BYU and Houston, which should help, but there are some big shoes to fill after key departures.
Key Departures
How they replace those losses will be the real test.
Ole Miss Rebels: High Stakes
Pete Golding’s first full year as Ole Miss head coach is already a huge storyline. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss will be one to watch—his health and play could shape the whole season.
Challenging Schedule
The SEC slate’s a grind, but if they can scratch out double-digit wins, another playoff trip isn’t out of the question.
Oklahoma Sooners: Redemption
Oklahoma had a breakthrough, then stumbled at the finish line in 2025. John Mateer is back at quarterback, and the roster looks solid.
Tough Road Games
Trips to Michigan, Georgia, and Florida—brutal. We’ll see if they can survive that gauntlet.
Florida Gators: New Era Under Jon Sumrall
Jon Sumrall steps in as Florida’s new head coach, hoping to win folks over with his knack for getting to conference title games. The Gators’ schedule is stacked—Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Vanderbilt. Not exactly easing into things.
High Expectations
Sumrall’s got his work cut out for him. The Gators are staring down a tough schedule, and fans aren’t exactly known for their patience.
If you’re curious about the nitty-gritty details or want to see the whole way-too-early Top 25 for 2026, check out Sports Illustrated.
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