2026 College Football Top 25: Surprising Contenders and Shocking Snubs Revealed!

The dust has finally settled on the 2025 college football season, and boy, did it leave us with a plot twist for the ages. Indiana—barely a blip on the preseason radar at 20th—stormed through to claim the National Championship, leaving preseason favorites Texas, Penn State, and Ohio State scrambling in its wake. It’s a reminder that in college football, the unexpected is almost expected. As we wipe the slate clean, the question on everyone’s mind: who will rise, who will falter, and which teams will sneak into this season’s spotlight? From powerhouse programs to emerging contenders, our way-too-early 2026 College Football Top 25 is here to stir the pot and ignite some fresh debates. Ready for the surprises, the dark horses, and the storylines that might just rewrite the playbook again? Let’s dive in. LEARN MORE.

The book has closed on the 2025 college football season. Indiana came away with the National Championship, but that was not expected in the pre-season rankings. Texas, Penn State, and Ohio State opened up as the top three teams in the AP and Coaches polls. Indiana was ranked 20th. By the end of the season, Indiana was number one, while Ohio State finished fourth, Texas finished 12th, and Penn State was unranked. Now, it is time to look towards 2026, with a way-too-early 2026 College Football Top 25.

Just Missed: Arizona State, Boise State, Florida, South Carolina, Vanderbilt

25. Hawaii

Hawaii Rainbow Warriors head coach Timmy Chang during the second half against the Colorado State Rams at Sonny Lubick Field at Canvas Stadium. — Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Since 2002, a Group of Five team, now Group of Six, has finished inside the top 25. While sometimes this has been teams that are now in power conferences, such as TCU, UCF, or Cincinnati, many times it has been teams still in non-power conferences. There are a couple of teams from the non-power conferences that could pop into this spot, such as Boise State or Tulane, but Hawaii is in a prime position.

The Rainbow Warriors ended 2025 strong, and while they lost Jackson Harris, the defense brings back a ton on an already solid unit. Further, Micah Alejado can be a star at quarterback, as long as he stays healthy. They have added top talent and will be the best in the Mountain West. Timmy Chang’s squad has chances for big wins at Stanford and Arizona State, and as long as they can knock off UNLV at home, this will be a top-25 team.

24. Oklahoma State

North Texas finished the season ranked 24th in the nation. Oklahoma State hired the former North Texas head coach, Eric Morris, and he brought a ton with him. Drew Mestemaker, Caleb Hawkins, and Wyatt Young, the three stars of the North Texas offense, are all Cowboys now. Add in receivers Chris Barnes and Justin Bowick from Wake Forest and Illinois, respectively, and the offense is going to be hard to stop. The defense got better as well, and this is a team that could be similar to Indiana in 2024, with hopes to repeat the Hooisers 2025 performance in 2027.

23. Virginia Tech

Speaking of teams that were dominant in the transfer portal, look no further than Virginia Tech. James Franklin will elevate the program. While Penn State struggled his last year, it was a playoff team in 2024. The Hokies also brought in a ton of quality players. This includes Luke Reynolds and Ethan Grunkemeyer from Penn State, as well as Que’Sean Brown from Duke. From a talent perspective, this is a top 25 squad, and outside of SMU and Miami on the road, have a fairly manageable schedule.

22. TCU

TCU took a major hit in the transfer portal with the loss of Josh Hoover to Indiana. Still, the offense should be solid with Gordon Sammis coming in as the OC. Jaden Craig joins the team and QB from Harvard, while Jordan Dwyer will get the majority of carries in the backfield. The defense should be solid enough to stay in the race in the Big 12.

21. Houston

Willie Fritz is a program builder, and he is building another solid team at Houston. After a 4-8 first year under Fritz, they won ten games this year, capped off with a bowl victory. Connor Weigman is back at quarterback, and the defense returns some solid production. The negative is a difficult schedule with multiple tough road games, which could derail their season.

20. SMU

SMU could be back in contention in the ACC this season. Kevin Jennings is back at quarterback, and Kendrick Raphael will be a great pickup for them in the backfield. Jalen Hale comes in from Alabama, which will also improve the offense. On defense, Yannick Smith will be a solid addition, as will Marques White. Still, the defense could be the weak spot for SMU this upcoming season.

19. Washington

This could drop very quickly if things do not get fixed between Demond Williams Jr and his Washington teammates. Williams tried to leave in the transfer portal after signing a deal to stay, but ended up back at Washington. If he throws for another 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns, all will be forgiven. Washington also brought in a mix of talented prospects to help the defense. Kai McClendon and Logan George both come in on the defense line, but a player to watch is DeSean Watts. He was great on the d-line of Sacramento State, and if he can translate that to Washington, the defense will be stellar.

18. Alabama

Alabama not in the top ten or nearing it is odd for a pre-season rankings. Still, Alabama lost a ton in the transfer portal. Overall, they lost 21 players, including six of the top 80 players in the portal. Add in the fact that they have to replace Ty Simpson, Germie Bernard, and Kaydn Protcor, and this could be a rough season. Further, the team did not do anything to improve the dreadful run game. They are still a top-25 squad, but rank low currently.

17. Iowa

Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz during the first half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. — Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Iowa is going to have to replace a lot of starters, including Mark Gronowski, who changed the offense for them. This will be a run-first team once again, with L.J. Phillips coming in from South Dakota. He ran for nearly 2,000 yards last season and will be behind a line bringing back two starters who won the Joe Moore Award. The defense has the most holes to fill, but Iowa always has a pipeline of solid front-seven defenders.

16. Louisville

Louisville is a team that was solid last year and got better in the portal. The addition of Lincoln Kienholz from Ohio State gives them a solid dual-threat quarterback. They also add Tre Richardson and Lawayne McCoy as top targets for their new quarterback. They will need some rebuilding on both lines, but if those pieces come together, the Cardinals will be in contention to win the ACC.

15. USC

Lincoln Riley and USC will start in the top 25, but unless they find a way to have a solid season, the season under Riley could get hotter. They have a ton of talent with Jayden Maiava, all five offensive linemen returning, plus King Miller and Waymond Jones in the backfield. Still, the defense has question marks, and with D’Anton Lynn leaving his post as the defensive coordinator, they need to find answers quickly.

14. Ole Miss

Ole Miss will have a different look in the 2026 season. Lane Kiffin is at LSU, and he took some coaches and players with him. Princewill Umanmielen and TJ Dotters both leave the defense, heading to LSU. Meanwhile, there is still uncertainty around the eligibility of Trinidad Chambliss. If he cannot return for another year of college balls, Deuce Knight is coming in from Auburn to play quarterback. The offense will also have Keegan Lacy returning, while Darrell Gill Jr. will need to step up at receiver. The Rebels lost a lot in the portal, but also brought in a lot, with the second-ranked transfer class. This is a team that will compete for a playoff spot again in 2026.

13. BYU

BYU won 11 or more games for a second straight season, and then staved off Penn State to keep Kalani Sitake. The team will also be one of the leaders in returning production. Bear Bachmeier and LJ Martin return for the offense, and BYU also brought in a bunch of experienced players on the offensive line. The biggest loss may be Jay Hill, their defensive coordinator, who went to Michigan to join the staff of Kyle Wittingham.

12. LSU

LSU was a major winner in the offseason and will be much improved in 2026. Lane Kiffin brought in a massive transfer haul, including the top player in the class, Sam Leavitt. Leavitt will be a solid upgrade over Garrett Nussmeier, and the Tigers also brought in four wide receivers to help change the offense. The defense was solid last season, and will be adding Jordan Ross, Malik Blocton, and TJ Dottery to the group. Whit Weeks is also back and will lead the defense. If Kiffin can get the team gelling quickly, they will be a force in the SEC.

11. Miami

Miami made an incredible run to the CFP National Championship. They have some questions at quarterback for 2026. Carson Beck is out of eligibility, and his backup, Emory Williams, has transferred to East Carolina. They may have a lifeline, though, if Darian Mensah can transfer out of Duke; Miami is a likely destination. The offense returns Mark Fletcher Jr. at tailback and Malachi Toney on the outside. The losses on the defense were massive as well. Regardless, the ACC is manageable and will lead to an easier schedule. Outside of a trip to Notre Dame, the Hurricanes could be favored in every other game.

10. Michigan

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) looks to pass against Ohio State during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. — © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan is going to be ranked in the top 25 by most places in the pre-season, but where is going to be the question. The team loses some solid pieces on defense, but the offense will be good. They bring back Jordan Marshall and Bryce Unerwood, plus have a great recruiting class coming in. Further, multiple solid players from Utah and BYU will be joining the defense, which will make them a formidable threat in the Big Ten. The schedule was not kind to Michigan, though. They will host Indiana, Michigan State, Iowa, and Penn State, plus have road trips to Oregon and Ohio State in 2026.

9. Texas A&M

Texas A&M has heavy losses on both lines, but did a great job filling holes through the transfer portal. Wilkin Formby, Tyree Adams, and Trovon Baugh all join the offensive line, while Anton Saka and Angelo McCullom join on the defensive side. The Aggies will need to replace KC Concepcion at receiver, but Isaiah Horton should be up for the task. Meanwhile, Marcell Reed is back, and the offense will once again be solid. The Aggies will deal with a more difficult schedule this year, but could make a run back to the playoffs.

8. Oklahoma

John Mateer is coming back for Oklahoma. The team was great this year with him at quarterback, but it took time for him to come back to form after his injury. With a full offseason to get healthy, the offense will be rolling with Mateer at the helm. The offensive line is already solid, while Parker Livingstone, coming in from Texas, will add a nice weapon for Oklahoma. The Sooners lost some depth in the front seven on defense, but they are still going to be hard to move the ball against, and a return to the playoffs is a real possibility.

7. Texas Tech

It has been a while since a team repeated as Big 12 Champions, but if one team can do it, Texas Tech can. Behren Morton is gone, but in comes Brendan Sorsby, along with Donte Lee Jr, Kenny Johnson, and Malcolm Simmons to catch the ball. The bigger issue for the Red Raiders is replacing Jacob Rodrigues and Bryce Ramirez at linebacker. If Joey McGuire can find replacements for those two, the offense will be better, and the Red Raiders will be making another run in 2026.

6. Notre Dame

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman looks on in the second half of a NCAA football game against NC State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in South Bend. — © MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame was left out of the CFP in 2025, but the new rules would have placed them in the field over runners-up Miami. There is no way to change the past, but a top-12 finish will change the future. Jeremiyah Love will be difficult to replace, and CJ Carr will need to step up. Regardless, the defense is stacked. They bring back plenty of production and added a solid haul for the D in the portal. Scoring against the Irish will be tough in 2026.

5. Georgia

Georgia was one of the youngest teams in the SEC in 2025, and still won the conference. They also brought back Gunner Stockton and added Isaiah Canion from Georgia Tech. The offensive line is going to be good, bringing back four starters, but losing Monroe Freeling to the NFL. Even with losing Freeling, the line will be good, which is great for tailback Nate Fraizer. The secondary will be the biggest concern in 2026, but the pass rush will help them by getting pressure on the opponent’s quarterback. The schedule is also good for Georgia, with just four games outside the state, but Alabama and Ole Miss are two of them.

4. Oregon

Dante Moore coming back is massive. He was considered a top-three pick in the NFL Draft, but instead, he will be leading the Oregon offense. The major losses for the Ducks are on the coaching staff. Tosh Lupoi leaves the Oregon defensive coordinator role to be the head man at Cal, while Will Stein leaves his offensive coordinator spot to be the Kentucky head coach. Lanning was promoted from within, which will help with continuity. Adding in our stud defensive players all deciding to return to Oregon, the defense is going to be good, as will Oregon.

3. Texas

Texas is a team that was already solid and upgraded for 2026. They have Arch Manning back, and he showed major improvements at the end of 2025. Meanwhile, the Longhorns lost Quintrevion Wisner at running back, but upgraded with the duo of Hollywood Smothers and Raleek Brown. They lost receiver DeAndre Moore Jr., but added Cam Coleman from Auburn. The offensive line was upgraded, and bringing in Will Muschamp to coach up the defense will surely lead to improvement for Texas.

2. Ohio State

Ohio State will once again be in the conversation to win it all in 2026. The team lost some major parts, with Caleb Downs, Caden Curry, Avrell Reese, Sonny Styles, and Davison Igbinosun all leaving the defense. Still, the offense will be hard to stop. Julian Sayin is back, as are Bo Jackson and Jeremiah Smith. With road dates against Texas, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, and USC, plus home games against Michigan and Oregon, the Buckeyes will be tested. If they come out the other side undefeated, they will be the favorite for the title.

1. Indiana

Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti smiles as he is interviewed on the podium after the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. — © Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Until you can beat the best, you do not get to be the best. Indiana is the best, and while they lose Fernando Mendoza, Roman Hemby, and Elijah Sarrat, the offense should be solid. Josh Hoover enters from TCU, and Curt Cignetti has been great with transfer quarterbacks. Meanwhile, Nick Marsh and Turbo Richard should move in seamlessly. Indiana is not going to drop off and could be making a run at another title in 2026.

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