Joel Klatt Finally Announces His National Championship Pick Days Before 2026 Season

Preseason bracket predictions have become one of the more anticipated traditions in college football media each August. Fans spend the offseason debating rankings and schedules, but a full 12-team playoff projection forces an analyst to commit to an actual outcome, game by game.

Joel Klatt, Fox Sports' lead college football analyst, delivered his version on his show days before the 2026 season opens, walking through every conference championship game and filling out his seeding from 1 through 12 before naming his national champion.

Oregon claims the top seed in Klatt's bracket

Klatt has Oregon beating Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game, calling it the Ducks' second Big Ten title in Indianapolis in their first three years in the league.

Even with a regular-season loss on the resume, Klatt gives Oregon the No. 1 overall seed. "The Ducks take the top spot," he said, adding that "they are rewarded for winning the Big Ten."

Notre Dame lands at No. 2 as an undefeated team, but Klatt says the committee still favors Oregon because Notre Dame's "schedule is just not anywhere close."

From there, Klatt has Oregon beating USC in the quarterfinals in a rematch of their regular-season meeting, then facing Ohio State in the semifinal, a rematch of the Buckeyes' November 7 home game against the Ducks in Columbus. "Give me Oregon in the semifinal," Klatt said, sending the Ducks to the national championship game for the second time in three years.

Notre Dame lands the national championship pick

Klatt has Notre Dame reaching the championship unbeaten. In the quarterfinals, he has the Fighting Irish facing Georgia in a rematch of a previous playoff meeting between the two programs. Klatt predicted a growing narrative questioning Notre Dame's level of competition through the season, then dismissed it. "I think Notre Dame is going to be incredible," he said.

Notre Dame then meets Miami in the semifinal, a rematch of their regular-season game in South Bend. "Notre Dame is that good," Klatt said. "I think this roster is outstanding." He called cornerback Leonard Moore the best defender in the country and quarterback C.J. Carr one of the best quarterbacks in the sport, sending the Irish to the title game against Oregon.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman waits in the tunnel before the Blue-Gold game at Notre Dame Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Klatt picked Notre Dame to win it all, ending a national championship drought that stretches back to 1988. "My national champ in my very first bracket prediction: Notre Dame Fighting Irish," he said.

Klatt has missed on this pick before. He picked Clemson to win it all a year ago, and the Tigers fell well short. This time, he's betting on the two teams he ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in his preseason poll to meet in the title game, with Notre Dame coming out on top.

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