They Might Not All Be Title Contenders, But These 25 College Football Teams Are Must Watch

Star power, drama unpredictability and tradition all factor into our ranking of the 25 teams most worth watching this season.

College football is full of high-quality play, pageantry, shenanigans and plenty of unexplainable moments. Each and every year, we sign up for yet another season because there’s no sport quite like it. But with 138 FBS programs, it’s highly unlikely that you can dedicate the time to watch every single game of every single team. 

So what if you were in a pinch and had the time to watch just one team? Introducing, Sports Illustrated’s college football watchability rankings for the 2026 season. 

Based on four metrics—star power, drama, tradition and unpredictability—we ranked the top 25 teams that are the most worth watching this fall. That could be because they have the more exciting players, or are surrounded by antics (looking at you, Lane Kiffin), or boast some of the strongest traditions in the sport, or some combination of it all. There’s something really worth paying attention to for all 25 of these programs in 2026, so let’s break down exactly what that is for each team.

Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

Editor’s note: Each chart lists the rankings in this order—Star Power, Drama, Unpredictability and Tradition.

1. LSU

Two words, one man: Lane Kiffin. The former Ole Miss coach set college football ablaze last winter with his move from Oxford, Miss., to Baton Rouge—all while the Rebels were busy prepping for the College Football Playoff. He then spent a pretty penny in the transfer portal to create one of the most expensive, and talented, rosters in the sport. One thing is true: It’s hard to imagine a more hostile environment than the one we’ll see when Kiffin returns to Oxford on Sept. 19.

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2. Ohio State

Receiver Jeremiah Smith is single-handedly worth the price of admission. And the guy that’s throwing him the ball, Julian Sayin, should be in the Heisman conversation. Plenty of eyes will be on Ryan Day, who may already have used up his goodwill from the national championship two seasons ago and has a new conference top dog to chase after. When it comes to pairing all of the talent on the field with the Buckeyes’ band dotting the “I” and the helmet stickers? Priceless.

Sports Illustrated

3. Ole Miss

Trinidad Chambliss is the most entertaining player in college football—just give last season’s Sugar Bowl win (362 yards passing, two TDs) vs. Georgia a rewatch. And he forms only half of the best quarterback–running back tandem in the sport with Kewan Lacy. But can individual talent sustain the success of last year under new head coach Pete Golding? The Ole Miss fan base will certainly hope so as they tailgate in one of the best spots in the country in The Grove.

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4. Indiana

The defending champions will not only be competitive, but Curt Cignetti’s facial expressions and the revitalized Indiana fan base also will make Bloomington, Ind., a sight to see. Just how competitive the Hoosiers are remains to be seen. Cignetti got new quarterback Josh Hoover and star receiver Nick Marsh from the portal and is creating a talent pipeline for the future. But trying to repeat is no small feat, even if the entire state seems to be traveling to every game to support the team.

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5. Miami

Following last year’s title game appearance, the Canes may be even better with former Duke QB Darian Mensah throwing to Malachi Toney. The defense may not be quite as explosive without Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, but there’s still plenty of continuity and talent waiting to step up. There’s something about Miami running out onto the field through a cloud of smoke when the team is in the national championship mix that makes The U finally feel fully back.

Sports Illustrated

6. Notre Dame 

CJ Carr is in the Heisman Trophy hunt while the Fighting Irish, in those sparkling gold helmets, have an inside track on the No. 1 seed. With an easier start to the schedule, Notre Dame should avoid any early pitfalls like last year before the biggest test comes Nov. 7 against Miami—a rematch of last season’s delightful opener. That matchup will take place in South Bend this year and there’s few experiences that sum up college football as perfectly as prime-time football at Notre Dame Stadium on a crisp fall evening. 

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7. Texas

Arch Manning looks to build off his strong second half and quiet any lingering doubters—and Steve Sarkisian could stand to do the same with another CFP appearance. Texas has made the necessary upgrades around its quarterback to be more consistently explosive in 2026, with receiver Cam Coleman and running back Hollywood Smothers joining from the portal. The pressure will be high on the Forty Acres, which should result in great theater. It’s a shame we won’t get a Bevo vs. Uga showdown until a potential SEC championship matchup.

Sports Illustrated

8. Oregon

Could this really be the year in Eugene, Ore.? The Ducks, consistently one of the best outfitted teams in the sport, have all the pieces in place for a national championship run. Dan Lanning’s intensity is infectious and he’ll be good for at least one viral sound bite this season. Quarterback Dante Moore has real NFL potential, but recognized that a bit more seasoning at the college level would serve him well. His return should supercharge the offense and force the Oregon Duck to do one too many pushups this fall.

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9. USC

Lincoln Riley needs to take the next step into the CFP in Year 5, and QB Jayden Maiava’s talent (3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns last year) may be what finally gets him there. Nine wins may not cut it anymore. And frankly, college football would benefit greatly if the Trojans were all the way back in the title conversation. The Coliseum is an ideal late afternoon setting, especially when you get to see USC in the cardinal and gold. We may not get to see a USC–Notre Dame game, but matchups in SoCal against preseason top-two teams Oregon and Ohio State just feel right. 

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10. Texas Tech

College football always needs a villain and that’s what the Red Raiders will be in 2026 after the gambling saga involving almost-Tech QB Brendan Sorsby. The program tied itself in knots to try and smooth things over, but it might be worth just embracing being hated. Will Hammond is the next man up behind center and he should be serviceable at worst. The real strength of the highly priced roster will still be the defense, which is filled with top transfer talents that could be a real nightmare for opposing offenses if the pieces mesh in time. 

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11. Georgia

Come for the (at least) one classic the Bulldogs are good for each season. (See last year’s two Ole Miss games.) Stick around for college football’s goodest boy, mascot Uga. There may not be an appropriate amount of hype around Georgia, seeing as it won back-to-back titles in 2021 and ’22 before the recent Big Ten takeover. The defense is still chock full with speed and athleticism, which will make the Dawgs a tough out in between the hedges all season long. 

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12. Michigan

After taking the job under wild circumstances with the arrest and dismissal of Sherrone Moore, coach Kyle Whittingham starts a new chapter in Ann Arbor, Mich. He still might need a history lesson on the importance of The Game, one of the sport’s fiercest rivalries, but he’s the adult in the room the Wolverines seem to need. QB Bryce Underwood will try to ascend in Year 2 as the starter and there’s reason to believe he will under offensive coordinator Jason Beck, who may be better suited to getting the best out of the former five-star recruit.

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13. BYU

The BYU community rallied to keep coach Kalani Sitake from leaving for Penn State, showing that the passion is strong in Provo, Utah. The environment at Cougars games is regularly off the charts and the intensity is dialed up even further for the annual Holy War against Utah. Plus, running back LJ Martin is a star. He rushed for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2025 and there’s a world in which he becomes even more involved in the offense this season, pushing for around 300 touches by year’s end.

Sports Illustrated

14. Washington

Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. will try to win back the locker room after trying to skip town. One way to do that is by flashing his signature electricity on the field, because when he’s on, the Huskies can be really dangerous. But how close-knit is this group still? And does Williams even want to be there? Had he left, he’d miss the sight of boats sailgating on Lake Washington, one of the most iconic backdrops for a Saturday game day.

Sports Illustrated

15. Alabama

Can Kalen DeBoer weather another CFP flameout? The Tide lost four games in consecutive years for the first time in nearly two decades, putting them on disaster watch. DeBoer did his best to overhaul last season’s awful offensive line and give redshirt freshman quarterback Keelon Russell more help, but there’s definitely an air of tension building in Tuscaloosa, Ala. This could go off the rails, or DeBoer could restore greatness to perhaps the sport’s most accomplished program.

Sports Illustrated

16. Auburn

Optimism is high on the Plains as coach Alex Golesh arrives from South Florida with dynamic dual-threat quarterback Byrum Brown in tow. Seeing as neither of the two previous hires ended with a winning record, expectations have hopefully been reset. Golesh had three such seasons at USF, though it’s unclear how well that will translate in the SEC. The same can be said for Brown, who was responsible for more touchdowns (42) than any other player in the country last season. That tandem should at least give the Tigers life.

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17. North Carolina

All eyes will be on Chapel Bill after his Year 1 roller coaster that saw the Heels go 4–8. Coupled with all things off the field, from banning Patriots scouts to all of the bizarre Jordon Hudson situations, UNC turned into a circus that no one could escape. The roster is overhauled again and filled with younger players, which is certainly a zag in this era of college football. Either the eight-time Super Bowl champion turns things around or crashes and burns.

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18. Oklahoma

Brent Venables masterminds a tough defense and QB John Mateer, who played last year with a thumb injury, is healthy. That should give Oklahoma a higher ceiling than a first-round CFP exit. Tradition-wise, it’s hard to top the Sooners. Between the Sooner Schooner and one of the best rivalry games in the country in the Red River Rivalry, Oklahoma exceeds all the requirements to create a rich college football culture. What would help add to that? Some postseason wins. 

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19. Penn State

There may be no greater Saturday night scene than the annual “White Out” game, especially as new coach Matt Campbell tries to return the Nittany Lions to national relevance after a miserable 2025. The roster doesn’t pop off the page as much as it did in James Franklin’s final seasons, but Campbell is a proven winner and is bringing plenty of his Iowa State crew with him. That should excite the faithful fans in Happy Valley.

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20. Oklahoma State

The post–Mike Gundy restoration era begins under the up-and-coming North Texas brigade of coach Eric Morris, QB Drew Mestemaker and running back Caleb Hawkins. It’s one of the biggest swings any school took this offseason, replacing the entirety of their infrastructure with one that rose rapidly at a much smaller program just a little more than three hours directly to the south. It’s a shame there will be no mullet, but the Pokes desperately need this jolt, no matter what it looks like in Year 1. 

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21. Boise State

If the iconic blue turf isn’t enough to catch your eye, quarterback Maddux Madsen and his wonderful mullet lead a playoff contender into a new era for the Pac-12. Boise State couldn’t follow up on the 2025 CFP appearance when Madsen got hurt in early November and the Broncos lost consecutive games to start the month. They still won their swan song in the Mountain West and now have a chance to revitalize a league steeped in tradition.

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22. Northwestern

After starting out the season with two home games on Lake Michigan, the Wildcats will open a new $870 million stadium to showcase their Chip Kelly–led offense. Early looks at the state-of-the-art facility have been stellar with top-notch sightlines and modern amenities. Plus, Northwestern has seemingly spent more on its players, too, bringing in former Michigan State QB Aidan Chiles and keeping the majority of their top returners in-house. It’s a difficult schedule, but the views in Evanston, Ill., will be immaculate.

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23. North Dakota State 

Moving from FCS to the Mountain West, the Bison bring 10 national championships and the beloved Fargodome with them to the FBS. So how will they fare in the new-look conference? With such a rich tradition of winning, they could make the leap up and immediately get into the Group of 6 playoff spot. The next James Madison, perhaps?

Sports Illustrated

24. FAU

If you like seeing teams air the ball out, know that Caden Veltkamp threw more passes (515)—and interceptions (17)—than any other FBS player last year. That didn’t exactly lead to a successful season in Zach Kittley’s first year on the job in Boca Raton, Fla., seeing as the Owls went 4–8, but boy was it entertaining. FAU opens their season on the road at Florida, and Veltkamp might have to throw the ball 60 times to keep pace. Air Raid, all the time. 

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25. Hawai’i

The Rainbow Warriors not only have you covered at the end of Saturday night, but they are also reliably entertaining with the Run and Shoot offense. Quarterback Micah Alejado is one of the best at the Group of 6 level and doesn’t get enough praise. The same goes for the uniforms, especially the main black jerseys, which have long been a staple. If you want to keep watching football into the wee hours of Sunday morning (and why wouldn’t you), this is a great team to get behind.

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