College Football Rankings: ESPN's Computer Model Unveils the Top 10 Teams

ESPN's database has revealed what it believes are the 10 best teams entering the 2026 college football season.

Dec 27, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; A detail view of ESPN College Football logo on a TV camera prior to the game between the Houston Cougars and the Louisiana State Tigers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The unveiling of preseason rankings can only mean that college football is right around the corner.

USA Today was the first outlet to reveal a set of rankings, releasing its coaches poll on Tuesday. Less than a week later, ESPN unveiled its Football Power Index rankings for all 138 FBS teams entering the 2026 season.

Seven of the top 10 teams within ESPN's database reached the College Football Playoff last season. The SEC and Big Ten were the only conferences with multiple representatives in the top 10; the SEC occupied four spots while the Big Ten took three.

1. Ohio State

FPI: 28.7

Projected record: 10.2-2.4

The Buckeyes sat atop the AP poll for all but one week of the 2025 regular season, and both ESPN's computer and the coaches poll slot them in the No. 1 spot ahead of the 2026 season.

Ohio State is well-equipped for a second national title run under Ryan Day, but it must fight through one of college football's most challenging schedules if it wants to get there. The Buckeyes are accustomed to missing ranked opponents for weeks at a time, but they play six teams ranked in ESPN's preseason top 25 this year.

2. Texas

FPI: 26.9

Projected record: 9.8-2.7

The consensus around the Longhorns in 2026 is that their portal additions will elevate them from the outside looking in to true national championship contenders. The Longhorns' resurgence and the increased confidence of their quarterback in the final eight games have created a buzz around the program this year.

Each of the Longhorns' previous two seasons as SEC members has featured five ranked matchups, and the 2026 schedule should ramp up in difficulty. Currently, eight of the 10 Power Four programs on Texas' 2026 schedule rank within the top 25 spots of ESPN's database.

3. Notre Dame

Nov 22, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive back Devonta Smith (0) celebrates a stop against the Syracuse Orange during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

FPI: 25.9

Projected record: 10.7-1.3

ESPN projects the Fighting Irish to win the second-most games of any program in the country in 2026. A veteran-heavy roster coupled with a friendly schedule is a recipe for Notre Dame to return to the College Football Playoff after a disappointing finish in 2025.

Notre Dame's entire 2026 regular season should boil down to its games against BYU and Miami. The Fighting Irish face another ranked foe in SMU later in the season, but those first two games should ultimately determine their seeding in the College Football Playoff.

4. Oregon

FPI: 25.3

Projected record: 10.2-2.3

The Ducks have unfinished business this season after folding to Indiana in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Quarterback Dante Moore and a plethora of other starters from Oregon's 2025 roster have returned in hopes of gifting the Ducks their first national championship victory.

Oregon hasn't seen a schedule with four or more ranked opponents since its penultimate season as a Pac-12 member. Most of their ranked matchups are concentrated in November, but the Ducks' late September trip to USC is an important test early in conference play.

5. Georgia

FPI: 24.8

Projected record: 9.9-2.5

ESPN projects the reigning SEC champions to finish with the best record in the conference this season. Georgia took a marginal step forward with a younger roster in 2025, and the now veteran-heavy roster is poised to take the Bulldogs deep into the College Football Playoff.

Georgia plays five teams in ESPN's preseason top 25, but three of the five matchups will be played within state borders since the matchup against Florida is in Atlanta. The two true road games are at Alabama and Ole Miss, both of which have handed the Bulldogs losses each of the past two seasons.

6. Indiana

Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Rolijah Hardy (21) attempts to stop Ohio State Buckeyes running back Bo Jackson (25) on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, during the Big Ten football championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

FPI: 23.1

Projected record: 10.1-2.3

The reigning national champions occupy the No. 6 slot in both ESPN's database and the Coaches poll. Curt Cignetti once again utilized the portal to find new toys on offense while the defense retained many of its key pieces, including two defensive ends who were granted eligibility by a recent court ruling.

The Hoosiers' 2026 schedule lacks any Power Four competition out of conference, but it features more ranked opponents than they faced in the previous two seasons combined. Ohio State is an obvious College Football Playoff contender, but ranked foes like Michigan, USC and Washington also sit in the back half of Indiana's schedule.

7. Miami

FPI: 21.8

Projected record: 10.4-2.3

The biggest question surrounding the Hurricanes in 2026 is whether they can effectively reload across the offensive line. Miami retained many key pieces on defense, and the acquisition of quarterback Darian Mensah should elevate the offense from what it was a season ago.

Five of the nine teams on the Hurricanes' 2026 ACC schedule combined for an 18-39 overall record in 2025. Clemson and Notre Dame are the only teams ranked within ESPN's top 25 to appear on Miami's schedule.

8. Alabama

FPI: 20.1

Projected record: 8.6-3.6

Alabama's 8.6 projected wins are the second-lowest in ESPN's top 10. The Crimson Tide possesses a veteran-heavy defense, but the offense is filled with question marks at almost every position group.

The Crimson Tide's schedule isn't the most unbearable in the SEC, but the four-game stretch between Georgia and the trip to LSU could make or break their hopes of a second consecutive College Football Playoff appearance under Kalen DeBoer.

9. LSU

Nov 8, 2025; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; LSU quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. (11) threads a pass by Alabama defensive back Keon Sabb (3) at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Alabama defeated LSU 20-9. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

FPI: 20.0

Projected record: 8.4-3.8

LSU's projected record is the worst of any team in the top 10 at 8.4-3.8. Lane Kiffin is accustomed to fielding transfer-heavy rosters over the last five years of his coaching career, but his roster must meet the expectations of a fan base yearning for a return to the College Football Playoff in 2026.

The middle of the Tigers' SEC schedule is manageable, but there are challenging pockets on both the front and back ends. LSU faces a pair of top-15 opponents in Ole Miss and Texas A&M to round out September. It opens in November with home games against Alabama and Texas, who rank in the top 10.

10. Texas Tech

FPI: 20.0

Projected record: 10.8-1.8

Despite rounding out ESPN's top 10, Texas Tech has the best projected win total of any team in the country. Will Hammond is not who the Red Raiders were hoping to start at quarterback in 2026, but they possess the most complete roster in the Big 12.

Texas Tech is the other team in the top 10 to miss Power Four opponents in non-conference play. Arizona and Houston are the highest-ranked teams the Red Raiders face, and both rank outside of ESPN's top 30 spots.