Welcome to the worst part of the college football season. While the national championship game provides excitement, the final gun also marks the end of the season. To cope with our pain, let’s dive into a way-too-early look at the Top 25 teams for 2026.
25) Houston
Willie Fritz’s latest rebuild heads into 2026 with the belief that they’ll challenge for the Big 12 title. With Conner Weigman returning, the offense is in good hands. He’s joined in the backfield by DJ Butler and incoming Oregon transfer Makhi Hughes, and the pass catchers are a promising group as well.
Fritz also hammered the transfer portal to replace multiple departures in the trenches on both sides of the ball. After a 10-3 season, the Cougars are one of the hottest programs heading into the new season.
24) Virginia
One of the biggest surprises in college football will look a little different next year. Tony Eliott’s Cavaliers broke through in 2025, but replicating their success won’t be as easy. Quarterback Chandler Morris will be replaced by a transfer, with Beau Pribula and Eli Hostein battling for the starting job.
23) Vanderbilt
It seems that Vanderbilt may have entered the Jared Curtis era on offense with Diego Pavia headed to the NFL. Pavia was the top-ranked quarterback according to PFSN’s CFB QB Impact Metrics.
Head coach Clark Lea stayed put despite rumored interest from multiple other schools, and his staff went to work putting together another exciting roster for 2026. Curtis is the big question mark, but the talent returning and incoming from the portal makes the Commodores intriguing next season.
22) Arizona
Brent Brennan did what he does best in 2025. With some putting him on the hot seat, his Wildcats rattled off a 9-4 season. A big reason for their success? The development of Noah Fifita, who improved his PFSN CFB QB Impact grade from 74.3 in 2024 to 83.6 this year.
Arizona has seen a number of key players depart for various reasons, but it has addressed some of those needs through the transfer portal. Fifita is the big returning piece, and his development should give them a chance to repeat their run from this year.
21) Tennessee
Josh Heupel has big questions at the quarterback position heading into 2026. Joey Aguilar’s eligibility is the biggest one, but what they do if Aguilar isn’t granted another year will be a subsequent problem.
The Vols did get Colorado’s Ryan Staub, but is getting a third-string quarterback from an overhyped 3-9 team really the solution? Probably not. Look for incoming freshman Faizon Brandon to make a push regardless of what happens with Aguilar.
20) Utah
All Morgan Scalley has to do is continue the tradition of winning established by Kyle Whittingham, who has 177 wins to his name. Seems easy enough, right? The Utes’ culture is strong, though, so Scalley doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel.
Quarterback Devon Dampier’s return gives the fan base confidence that things won’t change, and that’s a good enough foundation to keep the winning in play. It might take some time to get used to, but the product on the field shouldn’t change much.
19) Washington
While the Demond Williams transfer drama has concluded, the aftershocks might take some time to heal. The offense will be without key players like Jonah Coleman and Denzel Boston, but Williams is a stud who can make up for that in the meantime.
18) Arizona State
All Kenny Dillingham had to endure was losing his top quarterback and running back to the transfer portal while also seeing his top receiver head to the NFL. He also had to find replacements for those players while fending off questions about his future with the Sun Devils.
Welcome to the chaos that is college football. Dillingham stuck with his alma mater and turned his attention to a new era offensively. Cutter Boley (Kentucky transfer) and Mike Keene (Michigan) are options at quarterback, and Dillingham loaded up the wide-receiver room to help.
Omarion Miller (Colorado), Raiden Vines-Bright (Washington), and Reed Harris (Boston College) boost the Sun Devils’ passing attack. After last year’s struggles in that department, Dillingham’s clearly making sure that won’t be a problem in 2026.
17) Alabama
It’s been a tough last few months for Kalen DeBoer and Alabama. A disappointing finish to the 2025 season was followed by an exodus of talent from key positions, and fans aren’t exactly showing much patience. Still, DeBoer’s squad returns plenty of talent.
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Who’s the quarterback? Austin Mack and Keelon Russell will battle for the starting spot, and they’ll inherit mounting pressure as a reward. Can Ryan Williams rediscover his freshman form? That’s arguably just as important as who the starting quarterback is.
16) Michigan
Whittingham takes over a Michigan program that needed a cleanse. One of the biggest wins early in his tenure was keeping star quarterback Bryce Underwood. Under offensive coordinator Jason Beck, Underwood should take steps in his development.
If the Wolverines embrace the new culture, winning shouldn’t be a problem. Whittingham’s a proven winner who can create a solid foundation, but how long will that take in Ann Arbor? Expectations are always high, but he could win them over quickly if he finds a groove with Underwood.
15) LSU
Lane Kiffin didn’t waste much time changing the roster. He brought in Sam Leavitt from the transfer portal to fix the offensive woes, and their combination should elevate a group that was tough to watch. As long as he stays healthy, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Another huge win for Kiffin was keeping defensive coordinator Blake Baker. His defense was a huge reason why LSU had success this year, and an improved offense makes the Tigers a more dangerous team in 2026.
14) SMU
Every year since joining the ACC, the SMU Mustangs have been overlooked and underrated. Rhett Lashlee’s done a great job of building a competitive roster, and he’s developed quarterback Kevin Jennings well. He improved his PFSN QB Impact score from 79.7 to 81.6 this year, and he’s back to take another step.
Lashlee added intriguing talent to help his star quarterback, ECU’s Yannick Smith, Alabama’s Jalen Hale, and Florida State’s Randy Pittman, so the passing attack should be fine. The defense must replace star talent like safety Isaiah Nwokobia and defensive end Isaiah Smith, but Lashlee has developed talent behind them.
13) Oklahoma
John Mateer did not live up to the media hype placed on him, but a few obstacles played a role. An early-season surgery didn’t help, but Mateer’s decision-making limited the Oklahoma offense. If he can fix that area of his game, the Sooners should be dangerous.
Will the Sooners be back in the College Football Playoff? The defense figures to take a step back thanks to key departures, so the offense must improve for a return to happen. Brent Venables worked his magic on the defense, but can he do that again?
12) BYU
Make no mistake, the BYU Cougars are here to stay. Kalani Sitake surprised the Big 12 again this year, and now he has his sights set on a return to the Big 12 championship. Unlike last year, the quarterback position is set.
Bear Bachmeier returns after a 3,560-yard, 26-touchdown season as a freshman. If he takes a step after a full season of experience, watch out. BYU also got a boost when leading rusher, LJ Martin, announced his return to the Cougars in 2026.
11) Ole Miss
After a magical run in the College Football Playoff, Pete Golding hopes his Ole Miss Rebels can do it again in 2026. If quarterback Trinidad Chambliss ultimately gets another year of eligibility, the Rebels will be on the fast track to do it again.
Even if he doesn’t, the Rebels are in great hands. They added Auburn transfer Deuce Knight, an underused star within the Tigers’ offense. He’s inexperienced, but the flashes we’ve seen are great. He’ll line up next to star running back Kewan Lacy, so the Rebels’ offense is set.
10) Georgia
Two consecutive disappointing exits from the College Football Playoff raise questions about the Georgia Bulldogs, but they’ll be back. The offense needs to be retooled, but the defense grew up this year and returns plenty of depth at every level.
Georgia battled through adversity in 2025, and Kirby Smart hopes that experience makes them stronger this year. The offense has plenty of questions, but the staff’s recruiting efforts allow them to reload the talent at key positions.
9) USC
Lincoln Riley’s offense could be the best in college football next year. Quarterback Jayden Maiava returns, which is huge with Husan Longstreet transferring to LSU. Joining him will be Waymond Jordan and King Miller at running back, with Tanook Hines and Jaden Richardson at wide receiver.
Transfers help the Trojans address needs at key positions. They didn’t take many offensive transfers, but NC State wide receiver Terrell Anderson was huge. Riley continues his search for a defensive coordinator, but that unit could be elite as well.
8) Texas A&M
Anyone ranking Texas A&M high means they believe in Mike Elko, and the evidence continues mounting in his favor. Elko’s done a great job of building the Aggies program into a contender, and this year they took huge strides.
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New offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins must help quarterback Marcel Reed develop, but another step in his development could yield explosive results. Wide receivers Mario Craver and Ashton Bethel-Roman return, and the Aggies added Alabama transfer Isaiah Horton to replace KC Concepcion.
7) Miami
Assuming that Miami wins the Darian Mensah sweepstakes, offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson’s offense should thrive again in 2026. If they don’t, then this ranking will be way too high for the Hurricanes.
Regardless of who’s under center next year, they’ll enjoy the luxury of throwing to superstar receiver Malachi Toney. The offensive and defensive lines will be in a transitional period, but Mario Cristobal and his staff’s recruiting efforts could allow them to reload.
6) Texas Tech
For Texas Tech to make a run in the playoff next year, they needed to make upgrades at key positions. While Brendan Sorsby is an upgrade over Behren Morton, it remains to be seen if they did the same at wide receiver, defensive line, and linebacker.
The Red Raiders’ rushing attack will be lethal next year. Sorsby (580 yards rushing) brings a new dynamic to Mack Leftwich’s offense. He’ll join a promising trio of running backs in Cameron Dickey (1,124 yards), J’Koby Williams (868 yards), and Quinten Joyner (missed the season with an injury).
5) Texas
We clearly didn’t learn our lesson from this past season, because the Arch Manning hype has already begun for 2026. This time, it feels more justified. Manning worked through a roller-coaster season but played well towards the end.
Texas also gave him the gift of Cam Coleman, and the offense finally has a reliable deep threat. He’ll link up with Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosely V, and that combination should spark the passing attack.
4) Indiana
Indiana once again reloads heading into the 2026 season, but will they make another run? It’s unwise to doubt Curt Cignetti, but the Hoosiers will usher in a new era next year. They bring an influx of talent on both sides of the ball, but talent won’t be a problem.
Josh Hoover is the future of the offense, and the Hoosiers also bring in Nick Marsh to be one of his top targets. The defense loses multiple big names, but Cignetti made some big splashes with the additions of cornerback A.J. Harris and defensive end Tobi Osunsamni.
3) Ohio State
Don’t expect Ohio State to go anywhere anytime soon. If anything, the Buckeyes are even more motivated after a disappointing finish. Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith return to lead the offense, and that should be enough if the offensive line can step up more in big games than they did this year.
2) Notre Dame
No one enters the 2026 season more motivated than the Pop Tart Bowl protesters. Notre Dame felt slighted after being left out of the College Football Playoff this year, and the Fighting Irish will be back to avenge their snub.
A young core of skill-position talent fuels the excitement on offense, led by quarterback CJ Carr. The defense loses a handful of players, and a few others weigh their future. However, many of them can return, making this an even better unit in 2026.
1) Oregon
Dan Lanning’s squad may be the most experienced group going into 2026, and the return of Dante Moore puts the Ducks on track to compete for a title. The offense, led by a young core, returns multiple key players from a team that made it back to the College Football Playoff.
New coordinators will run both the offense and the defense, but the talent should make their jobs easier. The defense also got a few surprise returnees, bolstering a team that knows it came up short in 2025. If they stay healthy in 2026, watch out.
