The Youngest Team in College Football This Year Might Surprise You

Five teams that made the College Football Playoff last year are now among the youngest in the sport.

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; A general view of the center field logo before the CFP National Championship college football game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There are approximately six weeks remaining until the 2026 college football slate begins across the country.

Anticipation is building ahead of what could be one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory. Multiple P4 programs are positioned to compete for the national championship.

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As we saw last year, anything is possible in the College Football Playoff. The two teams that faced off in the title game in January both had interesting stories.

Miami was the last team in, while Indiana was a perennial cellar dweller until Curt Cignetti arrived in Bloomington. Regardless, they both had something in common; the Hurricanes and Hoosiers each relied on rosters littered with veterans.

Experience is obviously an important aspect of the sport, especially in the modern age, where COVID-19 and waivers have resulted in older players prolonging their careers.

With that being said, there's always a place for youth in college football, and some of the youngest teams this fall are certainly surprising.

5 Of The Youngest Teams In College Football Competed In The Playoffs Last Year

Apr 18, 2026; Athens, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart on the field during the Georgia Spring football game at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Entering the season, the Georgia Bulldogs are projected to be the youngest team in the FBS.

That's not something you see often with the program that head coach Kirby Smart has built in Athens, especially with the Bulldogs coming off another playoff berth. According to Yahoo Sports, Georgia's roster has an average age of 19.8 years old.

The Bulldogs will field 87 underclassmen, including 52 freshmen. That accounts for 69.6% of the team, as Georgia only has 15 seniors among its 125 total players.

Luckily, there is plenty of time for Georgia to foster chemistry in September. The Bulldogs face Tennessee State and Western Kentucky to open the season and travel to Arkansas on September 19. The real test will be the following weekend when Oklahoma comes to town.

Somewhat astonishingly, Georgia isn't the only team coming off a College Football Playoff run that is now among the youngest teams in the sport.

Ohio State (No. 11), Texas A&M (No. 16), Alabama (No. 20), and Miami (No. 25) have plenty of youth on the roster as well.

The Buckeyes (77), Aggies (78), Crimson Tide (45), and Hurricanes (67) will each field at least 45 underclassmen.

Texas (No. 4) and Notre Dame (13), who were left just outside of the 12-team field last season, also rank in the top 25 of the youngest rosters.

Rather than relying on veterans, many of the top programs in America are taking a different route.

It's a complete 180 from the strategy Indiana used to win its first national championship. The Hoosiers pushed all their chips in on experience, with 47 players who were 22 or older.

Cignetti also seems to be adjusting as time passes. Indiana isn't among the top 25 oldest teams in college football this year.

A new narrative could be written by the end of the year depending on how things unfold.

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