It’s mid-August and the preseason coaches poll has already been released with the first AP Top 25 poll set to be released Monday around noon ET. With the start of the 2026 college football season right around the corner, Sports Illustrated is projecting its preseason Top 25 teams.
With plenty of time to ruminate and predict where these teams check in, and to make this even more fun, this writer has made a bold prediction for every team listed in our Top 25 projection.
1. Notre Dame
Bold prediction: The Fighting Irish make the CFP as the top seed and win it all.
Hell hath no fury like a scorned Fighting Irish team that was snubbed from last season’s College Football Playoff. Notre Dame in 2026 seemingly has it all: a Heisman Trophy contender in CJ Carr, experience on both sides of the ball and one of the better coaches in the land in Marcus Freeman, who has already taken one Fighting Irish team to the title game. This year’s team has all the motivation in the world to win the program’s first title since 1988.
2. Oregon
Bold prediction: Oregon—not Ohio State or Indiana—is the Big Ten’s best team in 2026.
Ever one of the Big Ten’s bridesmaids but never the bride, the Ducks have been poached by the eventual champion—and a conference foe to boot—in each of the last two CFPs. But no more! In 2026, the Duck and friends will buck the trend and advance to the national title game. There’s room for Heisman hopeful Dante Moore to take another leap. And the defensive line, with multiple potential NFL draft picks and a deep stable of reserves, could bully teams up front.
3. Georgia
Bold prediction: Elyiss Williams, the next great Georgia tight end, breaks out in a big way.
Williams is 6'7", a force as a blocker and a freakish athlete who flashed downfield receiving capabilities in five games as a freshman. Georgia has become something of a tight end factory in recent years, as Darnell Washington, Brock Bowers and Oscar Delp have all gone on to the NFL. The Bulldogs need to generate big plays on offense, and Williams could be a vertical mismatch for opposing defenses.
4. Indiana
Bold prediction: This year’s portal class outdoes last year’s.
Now that’s bold. It’ll certainly be difficult to outdo what Fernando Mendoza & Co. achieved last season, but coach Curt Cignetti somehow managed to find a transfer QB perhaps more accomplished than Mendoza was entering last season in Josh Hoover, pesky turnovers aside. There’s a potential No. 1 receiver in Nick Marsh, as well as two explosive playmakers in Turbo Richard and Shazz Preston. And the defense was restocked in the trenches and on the back end. A repeat title on the back of a loaded portal class is certainly a possibility.
5. Ohio State
Bold prediction: Three Buckeyes finish in the top 10 of the Heisman vote—again.
Only nine teams have ever had three players finish in the top 10 of the Heisman voting, a feat last season’s Buckeyes team accomplished (Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs). Ohio State will do it again in 2026. Another offseason of work has continued to forge the already strong Sayin-Smith connection, and running back Bo Jackson, despite early fall camp fears he’s been supplanted on the depth chart, will thrive in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s running back–friendly offense.
6. Miami
Bold prediction: Darian Mensah makes the Cam Ward leap into the top five picks of the NFL draft’s first round.
Just two seasons ago, Ward transferred from Washington State to Miami, where he took a giant leap in offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson’s Air Raid offense. Now, Mensah is poised to do the same after landing in Coral Gables following seasons with Tulane and Duke. Mensah, like Ward was, is an accurate passer who can really push the ball vertically to challenge defenses. Throwing to the explosive Malachi Toney and ex-Duke teammate Cooper Barkate, Mensah will take another step forward and play his way up the draft board into the top five picks of the first round.
7. Texas
Bold prediction: Cam Coleman breaks Longhorns’ single-season touchdown receptions record.
Anytime Texas has gotten into the red zone in the last couple of years, it’s felt like pulling teeth (see goal-line malfunction in 2025 Cotton Bowl vs. Ohio State). Heck, even the numbers back up the eye test, as the Longhorns have scored touchdowns on just over 63% of their red zone trips in each of the last two years. Enter transfer receiver Coleman, a 6'3" contested catch machine. Coleman has 13 career touchdown catches in two years, but will eclipse that number in 2026—and break Jordan Shipley’s program record of 13 touchdown receptions—as Arch Manning’s top red zone weapon.
8. LSU
Bold prediction: The Tigers make it to the CFP, and Lane Kiffin wins first CFP game in his first year in Baton Rouge.
Why is this bold? Kiffin’s last two stops in the SEC haven’t exactly started off with a bang (seven wins at Tennessee in 2009, five wins at Ole Miss in ’20). The third time will be the charm for Kiffin in the SEC. He has the quarterback in Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt, he imported one of the top transfer portal classes—if not the top class—in the country, and he has two rock stars on the sideline in offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. and defensive coordinator Blake Baker. LSU will be CFP-bound and will net Kiffin his first-ever victory in the playoff.
9. Ole Miss
Bold prediction: The Rebels offense scores more points without Kiffin and Weis.
The Rebels didn’t take a step back without Kiffin in last season’s CFP, and they’re not about to now. Coach Pete Golding smartly brought in a familiar face in John David Baker, who once served as a co-offensive coordinator under Kiffin in Oxford, to call the plays in 2026. If you listen to Ole Miss stars Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy speak about Baker, the common theme is familiarity and similarity. This Rebels offense won’t look too different. And with a year of his experience under his belt as a starter, Chambliss may take another step forward.
10. USC
Bold prediction: Jayden Maiava’s turnover woes continue, but the Trojans are saved by an unlikely hero—the defense.
Maiava, in his third season with Kiffin, sets career bests in yards and touchdown passes pushing the ball downfield vertically to big-play receivers Terrell Anderson and Tanook Hines. Only, the turnovers—26 interceptions in three collegiate seasons—continue to rear their ugly head. But a suddenly opportunistic Trojans defense, commandeered by Hall of Famer and defensive whiz Gary Patterson, flips plenty of fields for USC and creates a bevy of scoring opportunities.
11. Texas A&M
Bold prediction: Texas A&M, done in by the late-season SEC gauntlet, misses the CFP.
The SEC maintains that it’s the strongest conference in college football. In the ultimate twist of irony, the conference’s might—and nine-game conference schedule—will be the undoing of one of its better teams. Texas A&M doesn’t boast the toughest schedule of the SEC’s teams, but its November gauntlet is up there with any team in the country. How about three road trips in four weeks to Alabama, South Carolina and Oklahoma, as well as two home dates against Tennessee and Texas? Mike Elko’s squad has no margin for error down the stretch in 2026.
12. Texas Tech
Bold prediction: Will Hammond makes Red Raiders fans forget the name Brendan Sorsby by November.
Hammond was slated to be the Red Raiders’ backup, then top portal addition Sorsby’s gambling problems came to light, resulting in the mother-of-all investigations and legal battles, a fight Sorsby’s camp ultimately lost. The winner here is Hammond, who has a chance to be one of the best stories of the season. Provided he retains his explosiveness coming off of a torn ACL, Hammond’s athleticism and dual-threat capabilities are going to win Texas Tech a lot of games in 2026.
13. BYU
Bold prediction: BYU pushes eventual champion Notre Dame to the brink in their October showdown.
As has been the case in recent seasons, the Big 12 simply doesn’t boast the top-end talent or depth that the Big Ten and SEC possess. But in a highly anticipated Oct. 17 showdown, BYU, led by dual-threat dynamo Bear Bachmeier and big-play running back LJ Martin, will go shot-for-shot with Carr and Notre Dame, pushing the eventual champion Fighting Irish to the brink. The near-upset will serve the Cougars well when the committee gets together to discuss CFP résumés come November.
14. Oklahoma
Bold prediction: Parker Livingstone breaks out for 150-plus yards and catches game-winning TD in Red River showdown vs. his old team.
Livingstone, Manning’s former roommate, is the big, physical receiver on the outside who the Sooners needed. The 6'3" pass catcher, after a bit of a slow start to the season, will answer the bell against his former team, torching the Longhorns downfield repeatedly, then coming up with the game-winning touchdown reception in the back corner of the end zone to seal a Sooners win in an instant classic at the Cotton Bowl in October.
15. Alabama
Bold prediction: Alabama starts the season 5–0, but fizzles down the stretch to miss the playoff.
Keelon Russell wins the starting QB job and hits the ground running, as the Crimson Tide feast on an easier schedule to begin the season undefeated. All is sunshine and roses for Alabama. But underlying concerns—Russell’s inexperience, a reshuffled offensive line—come to a head in a difficult October stretch that includes games against Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M and LSU. Kalen DeBoer will miss the playoff for the second time in three seasons, conjuring up memories of Ray Perkins in Tuscaloosa.
16. Michigan
Bold prediction: Michigan misses the playoff but scores a huge Big Ten upset.
It certainly won’t be easy for coach Kyle Whittingham in Year 1, as he’ll have to face the Big Ten’s second-toughest schedule, which includes dates against defending champion Indiana, Oregon and bitter rival Ohio State. The Wolverines don’t quite have the juice to make the CFP in Year 1, but how’s this for bold? Michigan, with a fearsome pass rush led by newcomer John Henry Daley and an experienced secondary in the back end, will force multiple Hoover turnovers, raise Cignetti’s blood pressure and score an upset against the defending champions, who’ll be coming off of a hard-fought win vs. Ohio State, in October.
17. SMU
Bold prediction: SMU advances to ACC title game thanks to new tiebreakers.
Who could forget the massive headache that was the ACC’s tiebreaker system last season? Well, the new and improved tiebreaker is here, and it will come into play quickly, causing angst for one of college football’s most polarizing figures. Imagine this. Riding the steady QB play of senior Kevin Jennings and an improved running game, SMU goes 7–2 in conference play, resulting in a tie with a Clemson team that went 7–1. Since they don’t play in 2026, the tie will be broken by SportSource Analytics, SMU will advance to the title game against Miami, and Dabo Swinney will go on an all-time rant.
18. Penn State
Bold prediction: Matt Campbell wins more games than any other first-year Big Ten coach.
There’s plenty of talent rolling into the Big Ten, from Campbell to Michigan’s Whittingham to UCLA’s Bob Chesney to Michigan State’s Pat Fitzgerald. Heck, if anyone is going to make this prediction age poorly, it’s Chesney, who has won at every level he’s coached at. But Campbell benefits from all-important continuity at quarterback in Rocco Becht, who followed him from Iowa State, and the Big Ten’s easiest schedule. A nine-win season is very possible, particularly if the new-look receiver room exceeds expectations.
19. Washington
Bold prediction: Demond Williams Jr. finally scores a much-needed Top 25 win.
This assumes that all fences have been mended after Williams’s attempted transfer portal breakup, but if a playmaker can emerge at receiver to help replace the departed Denzel Boston, Williams, playing behind an experienced offensive line, could take a big step forward. He struggled against Top 25 teams last season, so let’s get bold and predict that Williams will break through with a big-time performance against one of USC, Iowa, Penn State, Indiana or Oregon.
20. Missouri
Bold prediction: The Tigers have two running backs selected in the first two rounds of the 2027 NFL draft.
Ahmad Hardy was arguably the best running back in college football last year, and backup Jamal Roberts ran for 753 yards and six scores, giving the Tigers an embarrassment of riches. Hardy’s status for the start of the 2026 season remains up in the air after he was shot in the leg while attending a concert on May 10, meaning Roberts could have a big role to start the year. The junior halfback excels in Missouri’s outside zone scheme and could significantly raise his draft stock if the Tigers call upon him to start the year as the team’s 1A halfback.
21. Florida
Bold prediction: The Gators’ starting QB in Week 1 isn’t their starter for the whole season.
Florida’s open quarterback competition between sophomore transfer Aaron Philo and freshman Tramell Jones Jr. doesn’t yet have a victor, and, if you heed first-year coach Jon Sumrall’s recent words, may not have one for a while. While Philo’s familiarity with offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner’s system has given him the leg up over Jones, the latter’s arm talent will keep him an arm’s length away from the starting job. Sumrall may go with the Steve Spurrier approach at QB in Year 1 in Gainesville.
22. Tennessee
Bold prediction: The Volunteers field a top-50 defense in 2026.
Tennessee’s defense was swiss cheese in 2025, surrendering 396.9 yards and 28.8 points per contest in 2025, marks that ranked outside the top-80 teams in the country. Tennessee responded by bringing in longtime defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and a transfer portal class teeming with defensive reinforcements at all three levels. It might take a bit for the Volunteers to jell, but a cupcake start to the year against Furman, Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State ensures a soft landing for the new-look unit.
23. Boise State
Bold prediction: Rasean Jones is one of the best freshmen in the Group of 6.
How will the Broncos replace their top four pass catchers from 2025? With a true freshman, of course. Jones, a 6'2" receiver with a tantalizing blend of size, speed and athleticism, made plenty of plays, including a one-handed touchdown grab, during an impressive spring that left coach Spencer Danielson saying “the sky is the limit for that young man.” There are plenty of vacated targets available in the Boise State offense, and Jones might just be the program’s next great receiver.
24. Utah
Bold prediction: Devon Dampier throws for 3,000-plus yards and rushes for 1,000-plus yards.
Only 12 FBS quarterbacks have ever achieved this rare dual-threat accomplishment, with Byrum Brown the most recent signal-caller to do so in 2025 for South Florida. Amazingly, Dampier, who threw for 2,490 yards and rushed for 835, wasn’t far off in 2025 despite playing through a sports hernia and an ankle injury. With some experienced transfer receivers coming in, a healthy Dampier could take a big step forward as a passer in 2026, and author a dual-threat season for the ages.
25. Iowa
Bold prediction: The Hawkeyes will (at last) have a 300-yard passer in a game.
You’d have to go all the way back to 2019 to find the last time an Iowa quarterback threw for 300 passing yards in a game. The Hawkeyes offense has infamously been much maligned over the years, but truly, something has to give here, right? Right?! Iowa’s QB battle between 2025 backups Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski doesn’t inspire much confidence that this streak is going to end, but maybe the continuity helps the Hawkeyes. Plus, with dates against Ohio State, Washington and an improved Michigan offense, there may very well be games where Iowa has no choice but to sling the pigskin just to keep up.
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