Big Ten, SEC teams highlight early college football rankings for 2026 season

Indiana just put a bow on what might be the single greatest run for any program in college football history, completing the first 16-0 season since 1894 and putting the Hoosiers on the map after decades of futility.

But as the confetti falls in Miami and Curt Cignetti hoists the College Football Playoff trophy, the rest of the country is already taking a long look ahead towards next fall and what teams will be in position to make a run of their own in the 2026 season.

For some programs, that effort started early after a historic coaching carousel that saw 32 programs make changes at the top while thousands of players enter the transfer portal in another wave of major roster transformation heading into next season.

As expected, the SEC and Big Ten are heavily represented in the early rankings looking ahead to 2026, but don’t overlook other conferences making a run next year.

Very early college football rankings for 2026

1. Ohio State

College football rankings for 2026 season — Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Julian Sayin returns to the Buckeyes’ dynamic offense after emerging as college football’s most accurate quarterback this past season, and once again Jeremiah Smith is back as arguably the single-best player in the country.

But how will the defense respond to a rash of outgoing talent? Defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has more than proven himself capable of running this unit, but now he faces a notable rebuild, albeit one aided by an expected eight incoming transfers.

2. Texas

Arch Manning started off his first season as the Longhorns’ starting quarterback in a bad way, but improved well enough to garner some realistic confidence heading into 2026, especially with Auburn wideout Cam Coleman transferring in next season.

Running backs like Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown come to Texas from the transfer portal to replace some lost production from the backfield, putting this SEC title hopeful in position for a credible playoff run next season.

3. Georgia

Early college football rankings for 2026 season — Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kirby Smart is still operating one of the SEC’s best talent-acquisition machines and should return one of the better offenses in the conference with Gunner Stockton making a comeback at quarterback and Nate Frazier working out of this backfield.

Georgia’s defense may not have been as dominant as it was during the school’s mini-dynasty when it won two-straight titles, and it needs to replenish its stocks with some returning youngsters, especially when creating a rotation around the line of scrimmage that can generate consistent pressure.

4. Notre Dame

The loss of lead rusher Jeremiyah Love is nothing to overlook for this offense, but the return of quarterback CJ Carr should serve as a quality foundation to build around, especially after the program added Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter at wide receiver.

NFL teams made a serious run at Marcus Freeman, which should give the Irish head coach some credibility as one of the best young coaches in college football, and he should forge a path back to the College Football Playoff facing a relatively easier schedule.

5. Indiana

Google the name Curt Cignetti. He’s a winner.

The veteran coach may have just pulled off the single-greatest individual run in college football history, taking the perennial loser Hoosiers to unprecedented glory on the back of a 27-2 run over the last two seasons and becoming the first 16-0 team in major ball in 132 years.

Fernando Mendoza is out of the picture, but Cig just pulled down a major transfer in Josh Hoover, the former TCU signal caller who was one of the nation’s most productive passers, returning both coordinators, and beefed up their talent on both lines.

6. Oregon

The return of Dante Moore at quarterback instead of entering the NFL Draft is a major point of positivity for the Ducks looking to get back to the playoff, in particular with the talent they return at wide receiver, including Dakorien Moore.

Defensively, this Oregon roster returns enough experience from this past season’s run to get back into the postseason picture. A trip to Ohio State and a home date against Michigan will be two of the games that decide if they get to the playoff or not.

7. Texas Tech

Texas Tech made waves coming into this season by spending a boatload in the transfer portal, and saw that investment turn out one of the best defenses in college football.

They dipped back into the portal coming off their Big 12 title by signing a top-ten class that includes Brendan Sorsby, probably the best quarterback that transferred this cycle, putting the Red Raiders squarely back in the Big 12 title picture again.

8. Oklahoma

There shouldn’t be any questions around the caliber of this Sooners defense under the direction of head coach Brent Venables. Coming off a strong season that took the program into the playoff once again, it should be as good if not better looking ahead to 2026.

The return of John Mateer at quarterback can be a benefit, as well, provided offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle can make some adjustments. Trell Harris comes in from Virginia, as does Parker Livingstone from Texas as two of the more notable additions in the portal.

9. Michigan

Just when it appeared Michigan was in real crisis after the shocking exit of Sherrone Moore, into their lap fell veteran coach Kyle Whittingham at exactly the right moment, coming off two productive decades at Utah to come right the ship in Ann Arbor.

Bryce Underwood stays in place at quarterback and will have the added benefit of working with new offensive coordinator Jason Beck, who orchestrated Utah’s offensive renaissance in 2025. Whittingham’s teams are solid on defense and never lose at home.

10. LSU

All eyes are on Lane Kiffin, as they usually are, after he became the biggest attraction in a very noteworthy coaching carousel. LSU should win games right away with Kiffin at the helm, although a spot in the College Football Playoff is far from assured just now.

Sam Leavitt steps into the offense as the QB1 after transferring in from Arizona State and the Tigers benefited from several notable transfers from Kiffin’s former Ole Miss program, as is maintaining Blake Baker as the mastermind of this defense.