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Brant's way-too-early bold predictions for the 2026 college football season, including picks for Texas, Ohio State, LSU, BYU, and more. His college outlooks.
Yes, I know we are just over a month removed from the end of the 2025 college football season. Yes, that does mean that there are still six months until Week 0 comes around. But spring football is underway on many campuses!
With the transfer portal closed and schedules fully released, teams are shaping up for the upcoming season. It will be full of juicy matchups, new and old star players alike, and a long and winding road to crowning our 2026 national champions.
It’s super early, but here are some bold predictions for the 2026 season.
No. 10: Tanook Hines is a Biletnikoff Finalist
Only true college football junkies have heard this name before. Tanook Hines was a true freshman at USC last season and finished his campaign with 34 catches for 561 yards and two scores. Behind Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane, Hines played third fiddle in the passing offense as a true freshman.
He learned from Lemon and has some similarities in his game. Hines is a great route-runner, but also has next-level speed. With Lemon and Lane off to the NFL, USC is in need of a top receiver. They brought in NC State breakout Terrell Anderson and five-star freshman Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, but Hines should have the upper hand due to his connection with quarterback Jayden Maiava and the talent he displayed as a true freshman.
Not only will Hines earn the right to the top receiver role in Los Angeles, but I believe he has the talent to put up numbers in the same ballpark as what Lemon did last season. Mark it down right now, Tanook Hines will be a Biletnikoff finalist in 2026.
No. 9: LSU Offense Nears 2019 Levels
Let’s get real bold here. LSU has been lacking firepower offensively since the days of Joe Burrow, Justin Jefferson, and Ja'Marr Chase. That legendary 2019 offense averaged a staggering 48.4 points per game, as they were virtually unstoppable.
Lane Kiffin’s debut in Baton Rouge could see an offense nearly as high-flying as that 2019 team was. On the offensive line, Kiffin reeled in Colorado transfer Jordan Seaton to anchor the blindside for veteran Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt. Sophomore running back Harlem Berry and junior running back Caden Durham return with another season of experience.
The most exciting position group is the pass catchers. 6-foot-7 phenom Trey'Dez Green returns at tight end, and he is surrounded by a group of capable transfers in Florida’s Eugene Wilson III, Kansas State’s Jayce Brown, Hawaii’s Jackson Harris, Old Dominion’s Tre’ Brown, and one of Kiffin’s own in Ole Miss transfer Winston Watkins, who plays like his cousin Sammy.
He's overthrown, but LSU's Winston Watkins has the potential to be more than your regular slot wide receiver. You can see how sudden his acceleration is here. pic.twitter.com/DwSdlQkPrB
— Will Rosenblatt (@rozenwill) February 11, 2026
There is no Jefferson or Chase-level talent in the group, but it is extremely deep. Even if Leavitt were to struggle, second-year quarterback Husan Longstreet is waiting behind him and could elevate the offense to another level. With the depth of this group of receivers, the talent of the running back duo, and the veteran experience at quarterback with Leavitt, Kiffin will have this offense operating at an Ole Miss-esque level right away.
No. 8: Boise State Returns to CFP with G5 Bid
It was a down year in 2025 for Spencer Danielson’s Boise State team after the 2025 run that ended with a loss to Penn State in the CFP. After losing a Heisman contender in Ashton Jeanty, regrouping wasn’t easy.
That won’t be the case in 2026. The Broncos return a lot from last year’s team, most notably quarterback Maddux Madsen. Their offense should be formidable with running back duo Dylan Riley (1,125 yards, 10 touchdowns) and Sire Gaines (811 yards, eight touchdowns) back in the fold, along with three returning starters on the offensive line.
They return five starters defensively as well, which is something to build off of as a G5 school in the transfer portal era.
Boise State does draw a tough non-conference schedule, opening the season at Oregon and home against Memphis. If they go 1-1 to open the season, the rest of the schedule should be manageable for them to bring home the Pac-12 title in the conference’s first year back from the dead. If they do that, a CFP return is imminent.
No. 7: Ohio State Loses Three Regular Season Games
Ohio State has not lost more than two games total in a season since 2011, when Luke Fickell was the interim head coach for a season after the Jim Tressel firing. Suggesting that the Buckeyes lose three would put them in uncharted territory and certainly would bring the “lunatic fringe” Ryan Day hater crowd back to the forefront, just two years removed from a national title.
The Buckeyes’ defense was historically good in year one under Matt Patricia, but they lost an exodus of talent in EDGE Caden Curry, defensive tackle Kayden McDonald, linebackers Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, safety Caleb Downs, and cornerbacks Davison Igbinosun and Lorenzo Styles Jr. The 2026 version of the Ohio State defense will be a mix of talented but inexperienced players and transfers brought in to attempt to fill patches. That doesn’t always work out, and we could see a major step back defensively in 2026.
Not only is the defense primed to fall off, but Ohio State’s schedule is the main reason that they find themselves attached to this bold prediction. The Buckeyes play six losable games: at Texas, at Iowa, at Indiana, at USC, vs Oregon, and vs Michigan. With that schedule, a return to the Big Ten championship game seems unlikely, and even a playoff berth would be hard-earned. I think that we see the Buckeyes drop three regular-season games for the first time in fifteen years.
No. 6: Michigan Returns to College Football Playoff
After the Sherrone Moore fiasco, the Wolverines were in search of a man who knows how to lead a program. They could not have done a better job with the hire, bringing in longtime Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham to develop the next wave of Michigan men.
"Our staff has been very well received, and we're excited to get going."@UMichFootball HC Kyle Whittingham on getting settled in Ann Arbor 〽️ pic.twitter.com/sfT6S9MXEB
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) February 4, 2026
Sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood showed flashes of greatness as a freshman, and a year of experience, along with a fresh coaching staff, should help his progression. The Wolverines will certainly lean on their run game again, with Jordan Marshall back and five-star freshman Savion Hiter set to take a large portion of the work.
Underwood should be surrounded by a handful of sure-handed receivers, as last year’s freshman breakout, Andrew Marsh, returns, along with Texas transfer Jaime Ffrench Jr. and Utah transfer JJ Buchanan.
On defense, Whittingham brought over stars John Henry Daley (11.5 sacks) and the versatile Smith Snowden (two interceptions) from Utah to continue to anchor his scheme.
The schedule features tough games against Oklahoma, Iowa, Penn State, and Indiana at home, with Oregon and Ohio State on the road. Michigan must win four of those six and not drop any that they shouldn’t in order to get back to the CFP, and with this coaching staff and roster in place, I see it happening.
No. 5: BYU Wins the Big 12, Earns Program’s First CFP Bid
Kalani Sitake has led BYU to a 23-4 record over the past two seasons. Despite a last-second change at quarterback this past season, the Cougars were still one of the top teams in the nation. The only thing missing on the resume is a CFP berth, as they have fallen just short over the past two seasons to Arizona State and Texas Tech, respectively.
Bear Bachmeier is back under center after an incredible true freshman season, and star running back LJ Martin returns for his senior year to form a stellar one-two punch in the backfield. Losing receivers Chase Roberts and Parker Kingston hurts, but Jojo Phillips is healthy, and Oregon transfer Kyler Kasper should provide some immediate pop.
On defense, the Cougars return starters at every level. They also added Cal transfer linebacker Cade Uluave, who had 97 total tackles and three sacks last season as a junior. Continuity is key, and Sitake has a lot of it on hand for 2026.
The Cougars’ biggest game comes on October 17, when they host Notre Dame. However, that is not a must-win for them since it isn’t a Big 12 game. Their toughest Big 12 matchups are vs Arizona, at TCU, and at Utah. Dodging Texas Tech is huge, and even if they were to meet in the Big 12 championship, that defense is due for a step back. It’s a very manageable schedule for BYU as they hunt for their first-ever CFP bid.
No. 4: Pete Golding, Ole Miss, Blow Out Lane Kiffin, LSU in Return To Oxford
The game of the year for some is in mid-September when Kiffin is set to return to Oxford to take on his former team in Ole Miss. The game is the first SEC matchup for both teams, adding some extra juice to what was already an extremely juicy matchup.
The energy in the stadium will be unlike anything that we’ve ever seen before in Oxford. Hatred will be pouring out towards Kiffin from all angles.
Breaking: Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss has been granted a sixth season of eligibility by a Mississippi state court judge, clearing the way for him to play in 2026.
The NCAA can still appeal. pic.twitter.com/Aa9sU1f8io
— ESPN (@espn) February 12, 2026
While Kiffin was able to poach a few players from Ole Miss to bring with him to LSU, he couldn’t grab the most important one, quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. Considered an early Heisman frontrunner, Chambliss will keep this offense running on all cylinders with help from running back Kewan Lacy and receiver Deuce Alexander. Syracuse transfer receivers Darrell Gill Jr. and Johntay Cook figure to make an impact right away as well, and this offense should continue to stay hot.
Defensively, Pete Golding knows how Kiffin runs his offense. Star linebacker Suntarine Perkins is back for Ole Miss and will be ready to call the shots. This game could get out of hand, but in the event that it is close, the Rebels still have college football’s biggest weapon in kicker Lucas Carneiro.
This game will be hyped up from day one of the 2026 season, but I’m predicting an ugly end for the Tigers.
No. 3: Lotzeir Brooks Usurps Ryan Williams as Alabama WR1
In the first game of his college football career, Alabama receiver Ryan Williams caught two passes. He took them for 139 yards and two touchdowns. Williams quickly developed into the most hyped Crimson Tide receiver since Amari Cooper, but his fall off happened almost as quickly as his rise to stardom.
Williams recorded 13 drops during the 2025 season, recording an alarming 18.9% drop rate. The star receiver caught 49 passes for 689 yards and four touchdowns, falling behind Germie Bernard in the pecking order. Despite the down season, Williams is still regarded as one of the top prospects in the 2027 NFL Draft.
I’m projecting that to change. Lotzeir Brooks was a true freshman at Alabama last season, but showcased elite playmaking ability en route to 441 receiving yards and two scores. Brooks’ best game of the season came in the CFP comeback win over Oklahoma, where he caught five passes for 79 yards and two scores.
Brooks stepped up as a reliable target when the lights shone the brightest, and with a year of experience under his belt, I think he has what it takes to continue to earn targets. If he remains reliable and Williams continues to fight drop issues, Brooks will surpass Williams as the go-to target for the Crimson Tide.
No. 2: Notre Dame-Miami is an Undefeated Matchup
At the surface level, this doesn’t seem like that hot of a take. Notre Dame and Miami were two of college football’s best teams a season ago, and played each other early on in the season in a historic matchup.
This year’s game doesn’t happen until early November. Miami will travel to South Bend with just four games left on the schedule. And I predict that it will be a monumental game in which both teams are 8-0.
Mario Cristobal made all the right moves in the transfer portal, whether you agree with his methods or not. He surrounded returning talent in running back Mark Fletcher Jr. and receiver Malachi Toney with a superstar quarterback in Darian Mensah, along with more weapons in Duke transfer Cooper Barkate and South Carolina transfer Vandrevius Jacobs.
Miami’s toughest game before Notre Dame is a road game at Clemson.
As for Notre Dame, Marcus Freeman returns a ton, starting with quarterback CJ Carr. Top targets Jordan Faison and Jaden Greathouse are back, and the defense is stacked around superstar cornerback Leonard Moore.
Prior to facing the Hurricanes, Notre Dame takes on Big Ten bottom dwellers Wisconsin, Michigan State, and Purdue, along with road games at North Carolina and BYU. If they beat BYU, it’s unlikely that they drop any of the others.
This year’s matchup may carry even more weight than last year’s did, and with it being so late in the year, it could define the season for both teams.
No. 1: Texas Wins the National Championship
I made this bold statement before last season as well, and I am chalking that one up to being a year early. Arch Manning now has 15 career starts, and he visibly improved his performance over the course of the 2025 season as he gained experience. Now heading into 2026, he has the most talented receiver he has ever played with in Auburn transfer Cam Coleman, joining Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosley V to form arguably the best receiver trio in college football.
The run game will be much improved, as NC State transfer Hollywood Smothers and Arizona State transfer Raleek Brown are set to form a formidable duo.
On defense, star EDGE rusher Colin Simmons is back to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks, while standout sophomore corner Graceson Littleton is ready to build on his breakout freshman season.
The Longhorns will be tested right out of the gate as they open with a newly inducted Pac-12 member, Texas State, followed by hosting Ohio State. They also play road games against Tennessee, Missouri, LSU, and Texas A&M while hosting Florida and Ole Miss and taking on Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry. They will be battle-tested by the time the CFP rolls around, and the talent and experience combine to make a legitimate title contender under Steve Sarkisian.
