12 Most Intriguing College Football Games of the 2026 Season

Ole Miss Rebels defensive tackle Zxavian Harris (51) and defensive end Kam Franklin (5) sack Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

One of the beautiful things about a college football season is that any given Saturday could scramble the conference standings and College Football Playoff rankings.

Most of the traditional rivalry games are scheduled for the weekend after Thanksgiving. But if your team trips up once in September and maybe again at the end of October, a win over a hated rival will taste sweet, but it may be too late to lead to a championship run.

Looking ahead to what promises to be a thrilling 2026 college football campaign full of surprises, we have come up with a season's worth — 12 games — of the most intriguing games. This is not a week-by-week compilation. Some of the top games are happening the same week — get ready for some channel surfing on Oct. 24.

Here are our top 12 most intriguing games of the 2026 season.

12. Fresno State Bulldogs at Washington State Cougars

Washington State Cougars running back Kirby Vorhees (9) is stopped short of the goal line by Oregon State Beavers linebacker Andy Alfieri (88) | James Snook-Imagn Images

A hearty "Welcome Back!" to the Pac-12. We missed you. The conference returns with nine teams after it was decimated in 2023 by the departure of 10 schools. This will likely be the first conference game, especially if it ends up on Friday, Oct. 2. The cool part is that it will be hosted by the Cougars, who have been part of the conference in all its iterations since 1962.

11. Texas Tech Red Raiders at Cincinnati Bearcats (Oct. 24)

Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby (2) drops back to pass against the TCU Horned Frogs | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Red Raiders are coming off a Big 12 championship season that earned them a bye in the College Football Playoff. But Texas Tech needed a quarterback for 2026, so it signed former Bearcats signal-caller Brendan Sorsby from the transfer portal. That didn't sit well with Cincinnati, which is suing Sorsby, seeking a $1 million buyout from his two-year contract. Sorsby will make his return to Nippert Stadium to face what is sure to be a hostile reception.

10. Oregon Ducks at Ohio State Buckeyes (Oct. 24)

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore throws a pass as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There are national analysts predicting Oregon to become the fourth different Big Ten team to win a national title since 2024. This is the toughest game on the schedule for head coach Dan Lanning and returning quarterback Dante Moore.

A victory at "The Shoe" could catapult the Ducks back to the No. 1 CFP seed it held two years ago before falling to eventual national champion Ohio State. The Buckeyes still boast Heisman Trophy candidates in signal-caller Julian Sayin and receiver Jeremiah Smith.

9. Duke Blue Devils at Miami Hurricanes (Nov. 14)

Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) yells to the sideline Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, during the NCAA football game against the Clemson Tigers | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Duke shocked the football world by winning the ACC championship last season. But Miami was the only conference squad to make the CFP and marched all the way to the title game before falling to the Indiana Hoosiers. Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah entered the transfer portal on the last day after previously announcing he would stay at Duke.

Can you guess where he headed? Miami, indeed. So the ACC's leader in passing yardage and touchdowns will welcome his former teammates to South Florida for a key conference game.

8. Indiana Hoosiers and Michigan Wolverines, Oct. 24

Indiana wide receiver Charlie Becker (80) makes a catch against Miami defensive back Ethan O'Connor (24) during the second half of the CFP National Championship | James Lang-Imagn Images

Head coach Curt Cignetti has worked miracles since taking over the Indiana program in 2024. The Hoosiers made the CFP in '24 and won the whole thing last season to go along with a Big Ten championship, their first since 1967. But there are two things missing from Cignetti's resume: He has never won at Ohio Stadium or Michigan Stadium, the Big Ten's hallowed grounds. This will be a big chance at "The Big House," but it comes one week after the Hoosiers host the Buckeyes.

7. Ohio State Buckeyes at Texas Longhorns (Sept. 12)

Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) rushes the ball against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the first half at Ohio Stadium. | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The Longhorns will have revenge on their minds after losing last year's season opener 14-7 at Ohio Stadium. Texas quarterback Arch Manning got off to an uneven start in that game, which led to an inconsistent first half of the season. He improved late in the year and will have plenty of weapons in 2026, led by transfer portal prize Cam Coleman at receiver. This game is in Week 2, which may be good for the Buckeyes, who will have to replace a ton of top-tier talent, especially on defense.

6. Georgia Bulldogs at Alabama Crimson Tide (Oct. 10)

Oklahoma's John Mateer (10) is pressured by Alabama's Yhonzae Pierre (42) | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

These SEC juggernauts met twice last season. Alabama won the regular-season meeting in Athens, 24-21, but the Bulldogs rolled, 28-7, in the conference title game. Georgia will welcome back quarterback Gunner Stockton for his senior season, while Alabama must replace Ty Simpson, who is off to the NFL. The winner of this rivalry game in Tuscaloosa may well be the best candidate to end the SEC's three-year title drought.

5. Miami Hurricanes at Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Nov. 7)

Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr, center, runs with the ball in the second half of a NCAA football game against USC | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This historic matchup in Week 1 last season ended up having a huge impact on the CFP bracket. Miami's 27-24 victory was the reason head coach Mario Cristobal and his team made the playoff — and the reason the Fighting Irish didn't. Notre Dame will get to host this one and have to hope for an early winter, at least for one day, in South Bend to put the 'Canes on their heels. The game promises a nice quarterback matchup between Mensah and Notre Dame sophomore CJ Carr.

4. Texas Longhorns at Texas A&M Aggies (Nov. 28)

Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed (10) runs the ball during the first half against the Texas Longhorns. | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

The Aggies owned the No. 3 ranking, marching toward a perfect regular season and a spot in the SEC Championship Game before stubbing their toe in Austin. That led to a first-round CFP loss to Miami, a sour end to a promising campaign. Texas A&M will have returning quarterback Marcel Reed and its 12th Man to face a Longhorns team that is expected to enter this game near the top of the national rankings.

3. Georgia Bulldogs at Ole Miss Rebels (Nov. 7)

Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss (6) passes the ball under pressure from Georgia Bulldogs defensive lineman Elijah Griffin (90) | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Ole Miss enjoyed a breakout season in 2025 that included a couple of memorable games against Georgia, the last of which was a 39-34 victory in the Sugar Bowl/CFP quarterfinal. The Rebels defied expectations when they advanced to the semifinal after the exit of former head coach Lane Kiffin.

Whether new head coach Pete Golding will have quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is still a matter for the courts. The Bulldogs would rather remember their 43-35 win in the regular season, when Stockton threw four touchdown passes.

2. Michigan Wolverines at Ohio State Buckeyes (Nov. 28)

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) lines up during the NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With due respect to the other awesome end-of-season rivalries around the country — Alabama-Auburn, Ole Miss-Mississippi State, Clemson-South Carolina, Florida-Florida State, Georgia-Georgia Tech — "The Game" is a war every year and always means something. The Buckeyes broke a four-game losing streak in the series last season and will seek to get a long streak of its own going. College football fans can only hope there will be snow again this year.

1. LSU Tigers at Ole Miss Rebels (Sept. 19)

Ole Miss Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin interviews prior to the game against the Washington State Cougars | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

No surprise here. Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU on Nov. 30, right after the Rebels completed an 11-1 regular season and before they made their first CFP appearance. Eventually, he took several assistant coaches with him and later snagged top Ole Miss defenders Princewill Umanmielen and TJ Dottery, among others.

Do you think the Rebels will remember that when the Tigers show up in Oxford? Some wondered if Kiffin really upgraded his title chances by moving from Ole Miss to LSU. The Rebels would love to prove that he did not.