College Football Superlatives: Previewing Every Big Storyline for the 2026 Season

From a Heisman-chasing corner in South Bend to a walk-on quarterback now running a Big 12 offense, here is how 40 of the sport's biggest names earned their yearbook titles before kickoff.

A preview of the 2026 college football season by handing out superlatives to the notable players, coaches, situations and storylines. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 2026 college football season kicks off in a few weeks with new coaches, new conferences and a new playoff format. Indiana enters as the defending champion. Lane Kiffin starts over at LSU. Arch Manning gets another run at Texas.

So we opened the yearbook and handed out superlatives. Every team, player and coach below earned a title you might remember from high school. Each one doubles as a preview of what's coming this fall.

Most Likely to Be a Star: Arch Manning, Texas

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Manning gets one more run in Austin, and everything is set up for a leap. Texas rebuilt his receiving corps with Cam Coleman, Hollywood Smothers, Raleek Brown and Melvin Siani. The quarterback threw for more than 3,100 yards and 26 touchdowns last fall, but the Longhorns went 10-3 and missed the playoff. A Week 2 trip to Ohio State gives him an early stage. Manning could exit next spring as the No. 1 overall pick.

Most Likely to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse: Kirby Smart, Georgia

Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Smart wins on toughness no matter what the roster looks like. And you know this man has every exit strategy mapped out in his mind in case he ever gets pinned down by a zombie horde. Georgia went 11-1 and won a second straight SEC title last season, then lost to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl. He enters his 11th season built on physicality and grit, words he repeats constantly. The Bulldogs open No. 3 in the Coaches Poll with a revamped receiving corps around quarterback Gunner Stockton. Smart brought in nine transfers to reload. His program keeps competing for titles year after year regardless of who leaves.

Most Athletic: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) runs after a catch during football training camp. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Smith enters the fall as the Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year and the sport's most dangerous weapon. The junior wants the Biletnikoff and the Heisman, and he said so himself. He needs 39 catches, 341 yards and nine touchdowns to pass Emeka Egbuka, Michael Jenkins and Chris Olave atop Ohio State's career receiving lists. With Julian Sayin throwing to him again, the Buckeyes wideout should clear those numbers by November.

Best Smile: Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) signals a first down after his run against the Miami Hurricanes. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Nobody in college football has more reason to grin. Chambliss went from Division II Ferris State to eighth in Heisman voting, then won a court fight for a sixth season when the Mississippi Supreme Court declined to hear the NCAA's appeal. Now the SEC Newcomer of the Year runs it back under new coach Pete Golding. The schedule hands him a Week 3 shot at Lane Kiffin's LSU and a Week 8 date with Texas.

Most Likely to Be the Team Mascot: Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame

Head coach Marcus Freeman shakes hands with one of his players during a Notre Dame football practice. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Freeman enters his fifth season as the most beloved Notre Dame coach in decades, and the energy shows. The Irish open No. 5 in the Coaches Poll after a snub left them out of last year's playoff despite 10 straight double-digit wins. Their 2026 theme is "leave no doubt." CJ Carr returns at quarterback with a deep receiving corps and Leonard Moore anchoring the defense. Notre Dame opens Sept. 6 against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field. Anything short of a title counts as failure; expectations brought on by Freeman.

Best Hair: John Mateer, Oklahoma

Oklahoma's John Mateer (10) signs autographs following the Sooners' Spring Game | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The flow is elite, but the story is the comeback. Mateer broke his thumb on Keldrick Faulk's helmet last September, had surgery and returned 17 days later to face Texas. He still led Oklahoma to 10 wins and a playoff berth as the No. 8 seed. Now the Sooners quarterback says his grip strength has jumped from 90 to 150 since surgery. A healthy Mateer belongs squarely in the Heisman conversation.

The Guy You Love to Hate: CJ Carr, Notre Dame

Quarterback CJ Carr walks to a Notre Dame football practice at Irish Athletic Center. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Carr checks every box entering his second year as the starter. He threw for 2,741 yards with 24 touchdowns against six interceptions as a redshirt freshman. Now he leads a Notre Dame team that opens as the national title favorite. The Irish also carry fuel from last December, when Miami leapfrogged them at the eleventh hour, knocking them out of the bracket. Carr is the early Heisman frontrunner, and the schedule gives him every chance to hold that spot.

Most Likely to Give Homework Over the Holiday: Ryan Day, Ohio State

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day watches during football training camp inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Day enters his eighth season chasing an eighth straight AP top-10 finish. Ohio State lost two straight to end last year, falling to Indiana in the Big Ten title game and Miami in the playoff. So the schedule turns brutal in 2026. The Buckeyes play Texas, Oregon, Indiana, USC, Michigan and Iowa. Day told his team they will get challenged in ways they were not a year ago. Hopefully the Buckeyes have been studying hard this offseason. They've got one of the toughest slates in the country.

Most Improved (You'll See): LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina

South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers before the game Saturday, November 29, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Sellers entered last season among the Heisman favorites, then watched everything collapse. South Carolina started top 10, lost seven of eight games and finished 4-8. So Shane Beamer overhauled the offense around his quarterback. New coordinator Kendal Briles brings his veer-and-shoot system from TCU, a high-tempo attack built on run-pass options. The scheme puts athletes in space, and Sellers is the best athlete on the roster. A bounce-back fall would revive his draft stock too.

Quietest Overachiever: Conner Weigman, Houston

Houston Cougars quarterback Conner Weigman (1) warms up prior to the game against the Louisiana State Tigers at NRG Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Weigman left Texas A&M, landed in Houston and quietly won 10 games. Nobody outside the Big 12 seemed to notice. The Cougars quarterback returns with one of the conference's highest floors, and the league around him looks wide open. Texas Tech faces a quarterback change, and the usual contenders all have questions. Willie Fritz has built something sturdy in his third year. Another 10-win season would push Houston into the playoff conversation for real.

Most Likely to Break a QB Streak: Leonard Moore, Notre Dame

Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback Leonard Moore (15) celebrates scoring against the Syracuse Orange. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A defensive player has not won the Heisman since Charles Woodson in 1997. Moore gives Notre Dame a legitimate case to end that drought. The junior cornerback picked off five passes last season and has arguably been the country's best corner since his freshman year. Quarterbacks avoid his side of the field, which ironically hurts his counting stats. But a few return touchdowns on national broadcasts could change the math. He is the best defender in America. It would help if non-traditional stats could make a bigger national push, which might highlight how infrequently Moore will be thrown to or how tight he is in coverage.

Most Likely to Be the No. 1 Pick: Dante Moore, Oregon

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore throws downfield during the Oregon Spring Game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene April 25, 2026 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Moore returns as a Heisman contender with the NFL already waiting. He was a top prospect in the 2026 draft, projected to the Jets, but chose one more year at Oregon. The redshirt junior threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns in his first full season as a starter. His last game was a multi-turnover loss to Indiana in the playoff semifinal. Now he wants to bring Oregon its first national title. An Oregon player has not won the Heisman since Marcus Mariota in 2014.

Most Likely to End Up a Tech CEO: Steve Sarkisian, Texas

Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian looks on before a game against the Michigan Wolverines at Camping World Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He looks the part. Sarkisian runs Texas like a startup with 48 newcomers to onboard. He leans on veterans Arch Manning, Trevor Goosby and Jelani McDonald to hold it together. The Longhorns went 10-3 last year and missed the playoff after a Week 1 loss to Ohio State. Sarkisian says he competes for championships regardless of conference. A Week 2 rematch with Ohio State tests the pitch early.

Most Likely to Be President: Sam Leavitt, LSU

Quarterback Sam Leavitt speaks to the media after the team held their first day of practice at Camp Tontozona on Aug. 6, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Leavitt ran a whole campaign before picking a school. The Arizona State transfer took official visits to Kentucky, LSU, Tennessee and Miami before committing to Lane Kiffin. He was the No. 1 quarterback in the portal, and LSU reportedly invested more than $4 million to land him. Leavitt led the Sun Devils to a Big 12 title and a playoff berth in 2024, then lost five games to a foot injury last fall. He arrives fully cleared. Now he inherits a playoff-or-bust roster.

Best Glow-Up: Josh Hoover, Indiana

Indiana's Josh Hoover (10) during Hoosiers football camp practice on Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Hoover leaves a non-playoff TCU team and lands with the defending national champions. The quarterback ranks first among all returning players with 9,629 career passing yards and 71 touchdowns. He set a TCU single-season record with 3,949 yards in 2024. Now he replaces Fernando Mendoza, who won the Heisman and went No. 1 overall. Curt Cignetti runs an RPO system similar to what Hoover already knew under Kendal Briles. The upgrade in stakes could not be steeper.

Most Likely to Shove Someone in a Locker: David Stone, Oklahoma

David Stone (0) runs drills during football practice for the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman, Okla., on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Stone spends his Saturdays throwing 300-pound linemen aside. The former five-star defensive tackle broke out as a sophomore with 42 tackles, eight for loss and 26 pressures despite constant double teams. Pro Football Focus ranked him the No. 31 player in the country, and mock drafts already project him as a 2027 first-round pick. Oklahoma named him a team captain for 2026. He wears No. 0 as the "O" in Oklahoma and carries the state flag onto the field.

Best "Stepping Down" Fake-Out: Kyle Whittingham, Michigan

Michigan Football head coach Kyle Whittingham speaks during Big Ten Media Days at Hilton Chicago. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Whittingham stepped down at Utah after 21 seasons, then resurfaced weeks later as Michigan's coach. He went 177-88 with the Utes and won three conference titles. His final Utah team finished 10-2 and No. 15 in the playoff rankings. Michigan hired him to replace Sherrone Moore, who the Wolverines fired in December. Whittingham now inherits a roster returning many key players. The retirement lasted about as long as it took to negotiate the next job.

Most Trust Issues: Demond Williams Jr., Washington

Washington Huskies quarterback Demond Williams Jr. (2) warms up prior to the LA Bowl Game against the Boise State Broncos at SoFi Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Williams signed a new deal to stay at Washington, then entered the portal days later, then came back. The whiplash offseason ended with the quarterback reaffirming his commitment and switching to No. 1. He threw for 3,065 yards and 25 touchdowns while running for 611 more in 2025, leading the Huskies to a 9-4 record. ESPN ranks him among the nation's top quarterbacks. A Big Ten slate with Oregon, USC, Penn State and Indiana tests whether the drama is behind him.

Most Likely to Be Famous: Cam Coleman, Texas

Auburn Tigers wide receiver Cam Coleman (8) looks on during Auburn Tigers A-Day football practice at Jordan-Hare Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Coleman waited two years for a quarterback like this. The former No. 1 receiver recruit posted 93 catches for 1,306 yards and 13 touchdowns at Auburn while stuck with unstable quarterback play. Now he transfers to Texas and pairs with Arch Manning in Steve Sarkisian's offense. He is the No. 2 receiver in the 2027 draft class behind only Jeremiah Smith. At 6-foot-3 with sub-4.4 speed, Coleman drew a viral endorsement from Manning at camp. A 1,000-yard breakout feels overdue.

Biggest Bully (in a Good Way): Will Heldt, Clemson

Clemson Tigers defensive end Will Heldt speaks to the media during Media Day at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Heldt spends Saturdays living in opposing backfields. The Purdue transfer led Clemson with 15.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in his first season, earning third-team All-ACC. Pro Football Focus ranks him the No. 8 returning edge defender in the country. He turned down the NFL to come back after Clemson lost first-rounders T.J. Parker and Peter Woods. At 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, the Carmel, Indiana native anchors a defensive line that must replace serious production.

Most Likely to be Confused For a Student: Zach Kittley, Florida Atlantic

Florida Atlantic University Head Football Coach Zach Kittley watches his players during morning practice in Boca Raton, Florida, on August 13, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Kittley enters year two at Florida Atlantic as one of the youngest head coaches in the sport at 34. He arrived as the youngest coach in the FBS a year ago and stands 6-foot-7. The Owls went 4-8 in his debut while leaning on his Air Raid offense. Kittley built one of the nation's top passing attacks at Texas Tech before taking the job. Florida Atlantic opens at Florida, then plays a schedule with several winnable games. A first winning season since 2020 is the target.

Best New Face in a New Place: Drew Mestemaker, Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker celebrates after an OSU touchdown during a spring football game. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Mestemaker followed his coach and took over a Power Four job overnight. The former North Texas walk-on led the FBS in passing as the only 4,000-yard quarterback last fall, throwing 31 touchdowns against seven interceptions. He won the Burlsworth Trophy and American Conference Offensive Player of the Year as a redshirt freshman. Now he joins Eric Morris at Oklahoma State, which opens 2026 without Mike Gundy for the first time since 2004. Seventeen North Texas players made the move with him.

Class Clown: Lane Kiffin, LSU

LSU Tigers head coach Lane Kiffin speaks to the press during SEC Football Kickoff Media Day at the Tampa Marriott. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Kiffin arrives in Baton Rouge with the jokes and a $40 million portal haul. LSU signed 43 transfers, including No. 1 portal player Sam Leavitt at quarterback. The Tigers went 7-6 last fall and fired Brian Kelly midseason, so expectations reset immediately to playoff or bust. The punchline everyone circled comes in Week 3, when the coach walks back into Oxford to face Ole Miss. The trolling will be constant. The results need to match.

Best Friends: James Franklin and Brent Pry, Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech head coach James Franklin speaks to the media during Media Day at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Franklin left a nearly $40 million Penn State buyout on the table to coach right away in Blacksburg. Then he hired Pry as his defensive coordinator, three months after Virginia Tech fired Pry as head coach. The reunion has already paid off, because the Hokies flipped 11 former Penn State commits. Franklin says Virginia Tech "won the offseason." Now the two longtime colleagues try to turn that momentum into the program's first real playoff push.

Least Photogenic: Bill Belichick, North Carolina

North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick is seen here experiencing the happiest moment of his life. You wouldn't know it, though. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The scowled jowl returns for year two in Chapel Hill. Belichick went 4-8 in his debut, and the ACC media picked the Tar Heels 15th of 17 this summer. So he hired Bobby Petrino to run the offense and signed 40 true freshmen. Belichick calls the difference from last year "night and day." The schedule ranks as the nation's toughest by opponent win percentage, which means the six-time Super Bowl champion needs every bit of that improvement.

Hardest Shoes to Fill: Matt Campbell, Penn State

Penn State football head coach Matt Campbell answers a question during a press conference at football media day. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Campbell replaces Franklin and inherits win-now expectations, which he embraces openly. The former Iowa State coach brought quarterback Rocco Becht and a wave of Cyclones transfers with him to State College. Penn State opens Sept. 5 against Marshall, and games against USC and Michigan will swing the season. Campbell built Iowa State into a consistent winner without elite talent. Now he gets a loaded roster and a fan base that expects a playoff berth immediately.

Best New Teacher: Jon Sumrall, Florida

Florida head coach Jon Sumrall watches practice during Florida Football Fall camp availability at Heavener Football Training Center. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Sumrall walks into Gainesville with a 43-12 record as a head coach and zero patience for rebuilding talk. He guided Tulane to the playoff last season, then took the Florida job and kept star running back Jadan Baugh home. The Gators have churned through coaches since Urban Meyer left, and the fan base wants proof this hire is different. Sumrall has won everywhere he has been. An SEC schedule will test that resume immediately.

Biggest Leap of Faith: Alex Golesh, Auburn

Auburn Tigers head coach Alex Golesh talks with wide receiver Erick Smith (81) during football practice at Woltosz Football Performance Center. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Auburn hands the keys to Golesh and hopes it finally got one right. He won 23 games in three seasons at USF, including a 9-3 finish last fall, after the Bulls won four total games in the three years before him. The new coach moved his players into a hotel for 13 days of fall camp. Auburn has not posted a winning SEC record since 2020. The Tigers open against Baylor on Sept. 5.

Most Likely to Copy Cignetti's Homework: Bob Chesney, UCLA

UCLA Bruins coach Bob Chesney reacts during the spring game at Rose Bowl. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

UCLA watched Indiana hire Curt Cignetti away from James Madison and win a national title within two years. So the Bruins went to the same school and grabbed Chesney, who led the Dukes to the playoff last season. The formula worked once, and UCLA is betting it works twice. Chesney has won at every stop of his career. Turning around a program this dormant in the Big Ten would top all of it.

Most Likely to Crash the Playoff: Dan Mullen, UNLV

UNLV Rebels head coach Dan Mullen talks on the field prior to game against the Ohio Bobcats. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mullen won 10 games in his UNLV debut with one of the most explosive offenses in the country. Now the Rebels chase the Group of 6 automatic bid under a format that rewards exactly this profile. The highest-ranked G6 team gets in this year even without a conference title. Boise State left the Mountain West for the Pac-12, which clears a path. Mullen has the quarterback pedigree and the schedule to make a real run.

Most Likely to Transfer at the Worst Time: Jim Mora, UConn to Colorado State

Colorado State football coach Jim Mora talks with linebacker Jaylen King during practice on Aug. 5, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Mora spent four years dragging UConn out of a decade of misery, then left right when it got good. Back-to-back nine-win seasons ended with the coach taking the Colorado State job. Now he rebuilds in the new-look Mountain West while Jason Candle inherits the Huskies. Candle takes over a program with real momentum for the first time in years. Mora gets a roster in a conference suddenly open after Boise State's exit.

Coolest Teacher: Michael Vick, Norfolk State

Norfolk State Spartans head coach Michael Vick looks on before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Vick went 1-11 in his coaching debut, and the lone win needed overtime against Virginia State. The name still carries weight in recruiting living rooms, and year two brings a bigger spotlight. Norfolk State visits Virginia on Sept. 11 in the first meeting ever between the programs. Then DeSean Jackson brings Delaware State to town on Halloween for a matchup of former NFL stars turned coaches. The record needs work. The schedule delivers theater.

Teacher's Pet: Notre Dame

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish mascot performs for fans during the second half against the Army Black Knights at Yankee Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The new playoff format hands Notre Dame a gift no one else gets. The Irish receive an automatic bid if they finish anywhere in the top 12, a clause written for one independent program. That perk arrives one year after Miami leapfrogged them at the eleventh hour and knocked them out of the bracket. With CJ Carr leading a title favorite, Notre Dame probably will not need the help. The rest of the sport noticed anyway.

Mr. Congeniality: Darian Mensah, Miami

Miami quarterback Darian Mensah speaks to the media during ACC Media Days at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Mensah makes friends everywhere, then leaves. The quarterback suits up for his third school in three years after Tulane and Duke. His Duke exit required an actual legal settlement before Miami could sign him. He brings 6,696 passing yards and 56 touchdowns to a Hurricanes team that lost the national title game. In a thin ACC, the expectation is playoff or bust. Duke visits Coral Gables on Nov. 14, and that reunion should be frosty.

Best Love Triangle: Keelon Russell, Austin Mack and Kalen DeBoer

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Keelon Russell (12) runs with the ball during the A-Day spring football scrimmage game at Saban Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

DeBoer must choose between two quarterbacks, and he admits the decision may drag into fall. Mack backed up Ty Simpson last season and relieved him in the Rose Bowl loss to Indiana. Russell arrived as the No. 2 overall recruit and threw two touchdowns as a freshman. Both signed new revenue-sharing deals to stay in Tuscaloosa. Alabama opens with heavy expectations either way. Someone gets the rose, and someone holds a clipboard.

Most Likely to Be Late to Graduation: Bret Bielema, Illinois

Illinois coach Bret Bielema disputes a call in the first quarter of the Music City Bowl against Tennessee. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Bielema keeps sticking around while nearly his whole roster turns over. He returns just 50 percent of his 2025 starters and only one offensive lineman. Illinois won nine games and the Music City Bowl last season, its second straight nine-win year. Bielema enters his sixth season in Champaign on a seven-year contract, tied to the program long-term. He notes Illinois trails only Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State in Big Ten win percentage over two years. A new quarterback and line make 2026 a rebuild.

Biggest Power 4 Spoiler: Kevin Jennings, SMU

SMU Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) runs with the ball during the game against the Cardinals at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jennings enters his final season with 26 career starts, more than 8,000 yards of offense and 65 total touchdowns. He played through an ankle injury last fall and still threw for 3,641 yards. SMU launched a formal Heisman campaign for him, chasing the school's first winner since Doak Walker in 1948. The Mustangs open at No. 20 in the Coaches Poll. A healthy Jennings could wreck several ACC contenders' playoff plans.

First Guy Off the Bus: Byrum Brown, Auburn

Auburn Tigers quarterback Byrum Brown (17) rolls out of the pocket during the A-Day spring game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

There are bigger and stronger players in college football. But at quarterback? Brown, who will remind a lot of folks of Cam Newton now that he's in the Auburn Blue & Orange. He led the caravan from Tampa to the Plains as USF's players followed Alex Golesh to Auburn. In total, 12 former teammates came with Brown. He was the only FBS player with 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards last season. Auburn's three scholarship quarterbacks all transferred out, so the job is his alone. A fourth straight year in Golesh's offense means no learning curve.

Prom King: Jayden Maiava, USC

USC quarterback Jayden Maiava speaks during Media Days at Hilton Chicago. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Maiava turned down the NFL draft to run it back in Los Angeles. He led the Big Ten in passing and paced the nation in deep-ball production last season. Now the senior returns with all five offensive line starters and the No. 1 recruiting class behind him. He must replace Biletnikoff winner Makai Lemon and Ja'Kobi Lane. USC has never made the playoff, and Maiava's final season is the program's best shot yet.

Most Changed Since Freshman Year: Indiana

Indiana Football has coach Curt Cignetti on the red carpet prior to the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Indiana went 9-27 in the three years before Curt Cignetti arrived. Two seasons later, the Hoosiers are national champions. Now comes the encore without Fernando Mendoza, who went No. 1 overall to the Raiders as one of a school-record eight draft picks. Cignetti says he is "stalking complacency" this offseason. The Big Ten media still picked Indiana third in its own conference, which should provide all the motivation the defending champs need.

Best Bromance: Ahmad Hardy and Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri

Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy (29) runs the ball against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hardy and Drinkwitz spent the offseason leaning on each other through a hard stretch. The running back was shot in the leg at a concert in May, had surgery and returned to Columbia to rehab. Drinkwitz kept him around the team through every step, and Hardy showed up to 6 a.m. workouts while recovering. The coach announced at SEC Media Days that Hardy was medically cleared. Hardy rushed for 1,560 yards and 16 touchdowns in his first Missouri season. The two now chase a bounce-back year together.

Most Likely to Break Every School Record: Ohio State's offense

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) practices during football training camp inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Julian Sayin already owns one record after completing 77%of his passes last season, a program best. The Heisman finalist threw for 3,610 yards and 32 touchdowns, and now he gets Jeremiah Smith for a full season again. Smith needs 39 catches, 341 yards and nine touchdowns to top three career receiving lists at once. Bo Jackson anchors the ground game. The Buckeyes could rewrite most of the record book by December.

Best Long Overdue Reunion: The Pac-12

The Pac-12 is so back. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The conference of champions returns from the dead this fall. Washington State and Oregon State kept the lights on, and now five Mountain West schools plus Texas State join the party. The new league stretches from San Marcos, Texas to Pullman, Washington. Boise State arrives as the favorite and a realistic playoff contender under the new format. The name is old, and the roster is new. College football's strangest reunion kicks off in weeks.

Most Likely to Get Lei'd: Micah Alejado, Hawai'i

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors quarterback Micah Alejado (12) reacts after defeating the California Golden Bears 53-31 to win the Hawaii Bowl. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Timmy Chang finally broke through with a 9-4 season and a Hawai'i Bowl win, his first winning year at his alma mater. Now the Rainbow Warriors enter 2026 as a real Mountain West contender. Micah Alejado was voted the conference's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Boise State and four others left for the Pac-12, which opens the title path. The school even chartered flights for all six road trips. A playoff game in Honolulu remains the dream.

Best Dressed: Navy

Navy Midshipmen players celebrate by singing the Navy Alma Mater after defeating the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Liberty Bowl at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Everybody loves a man in uniform. The Midshipmen showed up sharp last fall, winning a school-record-tying 11 games. Navy beat both Army and Air Force to claim back-to-back Commander-in-Chief's Trophies, then won the Liberty Bowl. Now the academy pushes toward something no service program has done in the playoff era. Analysts see the Midshipmen battling for the first service academy berth under the expanded format. The uniforms always look crisp. This year the resume might match, and an Army-Navy game could carry playoff stakes.

Least Respected Honors Program: Duke

Duke head coach Manny Diaz talks with the media during interviews at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Duke did the work and got no credit. The Blue Devils won their first outright ACC title since 1962, upset 10-2 Virginia in the championship game and won the Sun Bowl. They still finished unranked, behind two Group of Five teams. Then Miami raided the roster, taking quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Cooper Barkate through the portal after a legal fight. Manny Diaz must rebuild the offense around a new quarterback. The trophy sits in the case regardless.

Most Likely to Be a Millionaire: Texas Tech

Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire speaks to reporters during Big 12 Conference Football Media Days at The Star. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Texas Tech bought a contender, and nobody hides it. Oil money fueled a portal haul that turned the Red Raiders from lovable underdog into the sport's new villain. The Coaches Poll slots them 12th entering the season. Brendan Sorsby will not play after the NCAA denied his eligibility, so Will Hammond takes over, working back from a torn ACL toward the Big 12 opener in Week 3. The spending hasn't slowed, and Joey McGuire is being counted on to have the answers.

Most School Spirit (And It's Cringe): Clemson

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney communicates with players during practice at the Allen N. Reeves Sports Complex in Clemson, S.C. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Clemson landed at No. 23 in the Coaches Poll, and analysts questioned why. The Tigers went 7-6 last season, their worst finish in 15 years, then matched a school record with nine NFL draft picks, and Dabo Swinney did little in the portal to replace them. First-year starter Christopher Vizzina inherits the offense. Voters ranked the logo, not the roster, a year after Clemson opened sixth and collapsed. The brand still commands respect that the recent results have not earned.

Cutest Couple: Bear Bachmeier and LJ Martin, BYU

BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) hands the ball off to running back LJ Martin (4) who would go on to score a touchdown. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bachmeier and Martin make BYU go, and they trust each other completely. Last fall, the true freshman quarterback checked into the right run at the line, turned to his veteran back to confirm the read and watched Martin take it 41 yards for a score. Bachmeier set a school record with 11 rushing touchdowns while throwing for 3,033 yards. Martin sits under 1,400 yards from BYU's career rushing record and was voted Big 12 Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Both returned to chase a conference title.

Favorite Teacher: Mike Elko, Texas A&M

Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko takes the field prior to the game against the Miami Hurricanes during the first round of the CFP National Playoff at Kyle Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Elko turned Texas A&M into a winner faster than anyone expected. The Aggies went 11-2 last season and reached the playoff for the first time in program history. Now they open at No. 8 in the Coaches Poll despite losing 13 starters. Elko promoted Holmon Wiggins to offensive coordinator and leaned on the portal to reload around quarterback Marcel Reed. He points to an empty trophy case as motivation. Anything short of a return to the bracket counts as failure.

Most Toxic Couple: Greg Sankey and Tony Petitti

Big 10 commissioner Tony Petitti (left) and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey attend the game between the LSU Tigers and the Southern California Trojans at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Sankey and Petitti hold hands on the sport's future and agree on almost nothing. The SEC commissioner wants a 16-team playoff with five conference champions and 11 at-large spots. His Big Ten counterpart pushed a 24-team model with guaranteed bids and play-in games. The two spoke four days in one week and still could not close the gap, so the format stays at 12 for 2026. Petitti and Sankey both floated possible breakaways from the NCAA. The bickering never stops.

Most Likely to Change the Rules: CFP selection committee

The rule changes keep on coming with more on the horizon for the College Football Playoff | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The committee holds enormous power and almost no fixed rules to guide it. Last December it left Notre Dame out at the last minute, elevating Miami in a decision that drew national backlash. This year the panel operates under a new auto-bid structure. Power Four champions get in regardless of ranking, the highest-ranked Group of Six team earns a spot without a title, and Notre Dame slides in if it finishes top 12. The seeding still runs through a room full of subjective debate.