The 2026 college football season already feels like it’s going to be wild. There are changes everywhere—new playoff rules, conference shakeups, even tweaks on the field. And if you want the full scoop, check out the article on Yahoo Sports.
Changes to the College Football Playoff Format
The CFP format is getting another update for 2026. We’re not at 16 or 24 teams yet, but the 12-team playoff is rolling out its third different setup in three years.
- Power Conference Champions: If you win one of the four power conferences, you’re in. Simple as that.
- Non-Power Conference Champions: Six champs from outside the power leagues will fight for one guaranteed spot.
- Notre Dame: The Irish get in if they finish in the top 12 of the final rankings. No more sweating it out on Selection Sunday.
- Bowl Game Selection: Top teams now get to pick their preferred bowl. That’s going to shake up the postseason in ways we can’t even predict yet.
What This Means for Teams
The aim here is to get the right teams in and avoid those weird snubs that always spark debate. Notre Dame, for example, would’ve been safe last year after getting jumped by Miami despite a higher ranking.
Pac-12 Conference Realignment
The Pac-12 has pretty much reinvented itself. It’s down to eight teams, and the new faces are:
- Boise State
- Colorado State
- Fresno State
- San Diego State
- Texas State
- Utah State
Implications of the New Pac-12
This “conference of states” setup changes everything. Teams will play six others once, then face one team twice—so, yeah, there’s a real chance of three-game series if you count the championship on December 4.
North Dakota State Joins the Mountain West
It finally happened—North Dakota State is moving up. The Bison, after dominating the FCS scene with 10 titles since 2011, are joining the Mountain West.
Challenges Ahead for NDSU
Their first schedule isn’t exactly a cakewalk: road games at Air Force, UNLV, New Mexico, and Hawaii. Still, with their history, you can’t rule them out as Mountain West contenders right out of the gate.
Other Notable Conference Changes
Lots of other teams are on the move too:
- Northern Illinois: The Huskies bailed on the MAC after a rough 3-9 year. They’re in the Mountain West for football, Horizon League for everything else.
- Sacramento State: The Hornets jumped up to FBS and joined the MAC as a football-only member. For other sports, they’re off to the Big West.
Geographic Oddities
Some of these moves don’t make much sense on a map—Northern Illinois in the Mountain West? Sacramento State in the MAC? But hey, money talks, and so does the lure of better competition.
On-Field Rule Changes
The NCAA’s rolling out a couple of new rules for 2026:
- Targeting Rule: If you get tossed for targeting in the second half, you’re still ejected, but you don’t have to miss the first half of the next game. That’s a relief for players and fans alike.
- Coaches’ Challenges: Coaches get a third challenge if one of their first two is successful. The NFL’s system is stricter, so this is a bit more forgiving.
Impact on the Game
These tweaks should help make things fairer. The targeting change means players aren’t punished twice for one mistake, and more coaching challenges could mean fewer blown calls. Will it work perfectly? Probably not, but it’s a start.
The 2026 college football season is shaping up to be wild—maybe even a bit chaotic. There are big changes coming to the playoff format and conference alignments.
On top of that, some on-field rules are getting a shake-up. The idea, at least, is to make everything a bit more competitive and fair for everyone.
If you want to dig into the details, check out the full piece on Yahoo Sports. It’s worth a look if you’re curious about what’s ahead.
- Schools Covered
- College Football Articles
- Men's College Basketball Articles
- Men's College Soccer Articles
- Women's College Basketball Articles
- Olympic Athlete Articles
- Men's College Baseball Articles
- College Sports Media Professionals Articles
- Hall of Fame Member Articles
- Former College Player Articles
- Game Previews
