Two Historic College Football Powerhouses Named Wild Card Teams for 2026 Season

CBS has named these two college football programs in its list of the biggest wild cards in the 2026 season.

Nov 1, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators linebacker Jaden Robinson (29) makes a tackle against the Georgia Bulldogs at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Travis Register-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The unpredictable nature of college football is one of the sport's most endearing elements each year.

The 2025 season saw the likes of Penn State, Clemson and LSU fall from preseason national championship contenders to 7-6 finishes while teams like Vanderbilt, Virginia and Houston ended the year with 10 or more wins.

Austin Nivison of CBS Sports unveiled a list of the six biggest wild-card programs in 2026 on Saturday. Two of the most prominent programs featured on Nivison's list of wild cards were Florida and Michigan.

Why is Florida considered a wild card in 2026?

The Gators are one of many Power Four programs with a brand new head coach in 2026.

Florida hired former Troy and Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall, who won no fewer than nine games in each of his previous four seasons as a head coach. Sumrall's staff is well-rounded; offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner and defensive coordinator Brad White were proven commodities at each of their two prior stops in those roles.

From a personnel standpoint, quarterback and offensive line are the two biggest question marks on the roster. Florida retained many pieces from its respectable 2025 defense, and it will boast one of the most potent groups of offensive skill players in the SEC this season.

There is no such thing as a cakewalk schedule in the SEC, but the Gators' schedule is among the more manageable hands dealt to teams across the conference in 2026.

Matchups with Ole Miss, Texas, Georgia and Oklahoma will be challenging, but there are serious questions surrounding the five other teams on Florida's SEC schedule.

Why is Michigan considered a wild card in 2026?

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) celebrates a touchdown against Central Michigan during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Of the programs that made coaching changes this offseason, Michigan is one of the few that hired a proven winner from the Power Four ranks in Kyle Whittingham. Utah posted a 177-88 overall record under Whittingham, a mark highlighted by eight seasons with 10 or more wins.

Like every team that undergoes a coaching change, the Wolverines suffered some losses to the NCAA transfer portal. However, Michigan was able to retain a handful of key cogs from the 2025 team on each side of the ball, and Whittingham brought several proven pieces from his 2025 Utah team along with him.

Michigan also features one of the more unpredictable quarterbacks in the country in Bryce Underwood. The former five-star recruit possesses tremendous upside, but a lack of proper coaching in 2025 led to inconsistency down the stretch.

The Wolverines can unlock a new level of offensive potency if Underwood can iron out the inconsistencies.

The schedule features its fair share of challenges, but most of the Wolverines' more challenging matchups are in the friendly confines of Michigan Stadium.

If Michigan emerges victorious in at least two of its home games against Oklahoma, Iowa, Penn State and Indiana, then it will pose a legitimate threat to Oregon and Ohio State on the road in November.