Paul Finebaum Reveals the Two Most Talented College Football Teams

The 2026 college football season is a little more than one week away from getting started as teams are making the final adjustments during fall camp.

AP Top Five Teams Announced

The AP poll was released earlier this week, helping signal the start of the season. The Ohio State Buckeyes, Oregon Ducks, Georgia Bulldogs, Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Texas Longhorns are the top five teams in the sport entering the season.

While these are considered the five best teams, ESPN's Paul Finebaum has a different order for the most talented teams in the sport. Now, it's important to note that being the most talented team and being the best team are two different arguments.

Paul Finebaum Names Two Most Talented Teams in College Football

On "The Paul Finebaum Show," the SEC Network analyst agreed that Ohio State belongs as one of the top two most talented teams, but instead of going with the Ducks as the other team, Finebaum went with the Longhorns.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) throws an interception to Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"If you are looking at just pure talent, you would go with Texas and Ohio State as your top two teams," Finebaum said. "But there's more to it than just pure talent across the board. You factor in where the games are. Situational football. A lot of things are involved in that."

The Buckeyes have long been one of the most talented teams in college football under head coach Ryan Day. The team brings back one of the most talented quarterbacks, Julian Sayin. They also return star freshman Bo Jackson, as well as arguably the best player in college football, receiver Jeremiah Smith.

Arch Manning Leads a Loaded Texas Offense

But Texas is the more fascinating one since the Longhorns aren't ranked in the top two. The Longhorns certainly have the individual talent to support Finebaum's argument. Texas has invested heavily in its roster and enters 2026 with one of the most talented groups in the country.

The most obvious starting point is quarterback Arch Manning, who enters his second season as Texas' full-time starter after showing significant improvement during the second half of 2025.

The Longhorns also return a talented group of skill-position players. Running backs Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown give Texas multiple options in the backfield, while wide receivers Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo provide Manning with two high-level targets.

That combination gives Texas an imposing collection of offensive talent entering the 2026 season. Finebaum's comments don't necessarily mean Texas will finish ahead of the other preseason contenders, but they reinforce why the Longhorns remain one of the most closely watched teams in the country.

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