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Mike's top 25 college football teams at the end of spring practices for 2026. His complete top 25 rankings, including Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, and more.
The spring games and practices are over. We have some sort of idea of how teams will look when they take the field in August.
There are still a few hundred players left in the portal. For many of those players, their careers are over. For the others, they are looking to get a chance to do it all over again next year. Those left won't have a significant impact on the 2026 season.
The Group of 6 was decimated by the Big Four in the offseason, so you won't even get a ranked team out of that group from me this year. Memphis and Boise State have a chance to crack the top 25 in practice, but on paper, they don't. Who are the 25 that made the cut this year?
25. Clemson
2025 final ranking: NR
I wanted to put a Group of 6 team in this spot, but there isn't much left at that level. James Madison, Tulane, South Florida, and North Texas lost everything that wasn't bolted down, even the coaches.
Boise State is probably the best of the rest, but I don't see an extended run out of them like the four Go6 teams made last year. So, we'll go back to a tried and true team: Clemson.
The Tigers are the kings of continuity, thanks to treating the portal like a four-letter word. Star freshman Naeem Burroughs will join the already dangerous WR room of T.J. Moore and Bryant Wesco Jr.
Christopher Vizzina looked good playing sparingly in blowouts last year, but he is unproven. Sophomore back Gideon Davidson was expected to make an impact last year, but lost the job. Chris Johnson Jr. comes in from SMU as insurance. If the offense delivers on the promise, we know the defense is good enough.
24. Arizona State
2025 final ranking: NR
This is about believing in the coach more than the players. Kenny Dillingham has gotten the most out of Arizona State in every season he has coached there.
Replacing Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson will be really difficult. The Sun Devils brought in Kentucky prospect Cutter Boley to take over the offense. Interceptions were a problem last year (12), but Dillingham could get the most out of him.
Raleek Brown is gone, but Kyson Brown and Demarius Robinson are still good backs. The WR room is completely revamped with Omarion Miller (Colorado), Reed Harris (Boston College), and Raiden Vines-Bright (Washington) joining Derek Eusebio.
I'm not worried about the offense aside from Boley, and the defense should be better. If things break right, this could be a 10-win team. Unfortunately, we've seen what the CFP committee thinks of 10-win Big 12 teams...
23. California
2025 final ranking: NR
Two more throws from Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele that aren’t making the rounds
I know the glazing is crazy
But when a true fresh does surgery like this in his first career game and it’s on the road, you can tell there might be something special
Guy didn’t miss a throw all night pic.twitter.com/4Luca6U0n6
— Liam Blutman (@Blutman27) August 31, 2025
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele had a strong freshman season at Cal last year, but didn't have a lot around him. The Bears rectified that through the portal. Adam Mohammed was excellent behind Jonah Coleman at Washington last year.
They completely revamped the WR room with Ian Strong (Rutgers), Chase Hendricks (Ohio), and Cooper Perry (Oregon).
Coach Tosh Lupoi also hit the portal to import some defensive starters. Daniel Harris (Georgia) and Ricky Fletcher (Ole Miss) were good backups for highly ranked teams last year. There are some questions about the defense, but Cal wasn't afraid to spend money to try to put the Bears in the thick of the ACC race.
22. Houston
2025 final ranking: NR
Makhi Hughes to Houston.
Had 2,779 rushing yards, 22 TDs, & 5.3 YPC in his 2 seasons he started at Tulane. Really hard guy to tackle after first contact.
Got buried in Oregon depth chart this season. I’ll be interested in him getting a fresh slate.
pic.twitter.com/ScTe4Mj5cd— Garrett Armbrust (@4thandsaturday) January 4, 2026
QB Conner Weigman was very good (2,705 yards, 25 TD, nine interceptions) in his first season as a starter. He should be even better in his second year in the system.
Former Tulane standout Makhi Hughes will replace Dean Connors in the backfield. If Hughes can be anywhere near as good as he was for the Wave in 2024, Houston could be a problem.
WR Amare Thomas was a star last year. Adding Oregon State's Trent Walker to the WR room is huge. The trio of Thomas, Walker, and Koby Young will give Weigman some reliable targets.
He'll need them with last year's security blanket (TE Tanner Koziol) off to the NFL. UTSA's Patrick Overmyer could be nearly as good as Koziol was if he picks up the offense. Houston improved an already good offense and put a lot of portal effort into the defense.
21. SMU
2025 final ranking: NR
The ACC behind Miami is wide open. As we saw in the ACC Championship last year, anything can happen. SMU has to be the favorite to join the Hurricanes in Charlotte for the ACC Championship Game.
QB Kevin Jennings, who was born, raised, and starred in high school in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, returns for his third year as a starter. Jennings needs to cut down on the interceptions.
Adding WRs Jalen Hale (Alabama) and Yannick Smith (East Carolina) will help after SMU lost Jordan Hudson and Romello Brinson. Cal transfer Kendrick Raphael will attempt to replace T.J. Harden, and Johnson Jr. Derrick McFall should be a good option B behind Raphael.
Yamir Knight and Smith will catch a lot of what Jennings throws. SMU hit the portal hard on defense to build a unit that can keep up with the offense.
20. Auburn
2025 final ranking: NR
Byrum Brown (6’3 231) Auburn
✅ Dual-threat ability with over 3,00 passing yards and 28 passing touchdowns and over 1,000 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns in 2025
✅ Throwing on the move
✅ 75.6% adjusted completion rate during the 2025 season
✅ Thickly built frame… pic.twitter.com/NhhzJUmeSg— Bengals & Brews (@BengalsBrews) June 1, 2026
This is another situation like Oklahoma State. Alex Golesh brought the whole USF offense, including star QB Byrum Brown, to the Plains. Golesh got RB Jeremiah Cobb to stay for his senior season and brought in star Baylor back Bryson Washington as a "backup."
The entire USF receiving corps combined for 1,940 yards in Tampa last year. The best part is that Auburn retains most of the defense. That wasn't the issue with the Tigers last year.
The offense was the issue. Now, they have everything they need. This offense is a proven unit with multiple years together, with the exception of Cobb. Most aren't high on Auburn, but I'm intrigued with that defense behind a proven offense.
19. Michigan
2025 final ranking: 19 (⇑2)
The buzz around Ann Arbor is that Kyle Whittingham is the savior. He'll get Michigan back to the promised land. Honestly, this is a soft landing for him.
With everything that Michigan has been through, it's amazing that Whittingham and his staff were able to keep Bryce Underwood and star freshmen Savion Hiter and Salesi Moa. Furthermore, those two aren't even expected to start!
Hiter will see plenty of time behind Jordan Marshall. Marshall saw plenty of time alongside Justice Haynes last year. Expect Michigan to employ the liberal use of both backs again this season.
Underwood needs to make better decisions. Once again, the WR room isn't nearly as good as the 2023 title team. Jaime Ffrench Jr. of Texas and JJ Buchanan from Utah will attempt to stay in front of Moa on the depth chart, but I don't see that lasting past September.
The defense will once again be a strength. If Underwood takes the next step under Whittingham, the Big Ten could have a chance at getting five teams in the CFP.
18. USC
2025 final ranking: 20 (⇑2)
QB Jayden Maiava, RB King Miller, RB Waymond Jordan, and all five starters on the offensive line return. That's great...but that wasn't USC's problem last year. The problem is, and always has been, the defense.
That's the mark of Lincoln Riley. Dangerous and innovative offense, but your son's pee-wee team could put up 300 yards on the defense.
That may change this year. USC brought in former TCU coach Gary Patterson as the defensive coordinator. If he is the missing link, the Big Ten could have a fourth powerhouse team again this year. Last year, it was missing that fourth team.
The Trojans had the top overall recruiting class this year. If Riley and Patterson can get the most out of them. USC could crack the upper echelon of the conference and make the CFP for the first time.
17. LSU
2025 final ranking: NR
Florida State in 2024 and 2025 are the main reasons why I don't have LSU as high as most publications. This is essentially a team full of mercenaries. That didn't work well for the Seminoles in each of the last two seasons. Will it be different for LSU?
There is reason to believe that this might work. Regardless of your opinion of Lane Kiffin, he can coach. What he couldn't steal from Oxford, he went out and got in the portal, thanks to a reported $40 million roster.
QB Sam Leavitt from Arizona State was the prize of the portal. WRs Jayce Brown (Kansas State), Jackson Harris (Hawaii), and Winston Watkins Jr. (Ole Miss) are very talented.
LSU had talented backs in Harlem Berry and Caden Durham. Kiffin persuaded both to stay. The heart of the defense (LB Whit Weeks) also stayed, maybe because he is dating Kiffin's daughter.
Kiffin managed to keep a lot of what was good with LSU last year. He may have overpaid for some pieces in the portal, but the university backed him and gave him the money to go get what he wanted.
It's a given that LSU will be a lot better than last year, but given how poorly 2025 ended, that leaves a wide range of outcomes for Kiffin's first season in Red Stick.
16. Alabama
2025 final ranking: 11 (⇓5)
Alabama lost QB Ty Simpson and star receiver Germie Bernard from a team that underachieved (by Alabama standards) in 2025. Noah Rogers from North Carolina State will fill Bernard's role nicely, but what about the rest of the offense?
Austin Mack and Keelon Russell are both unproven. Simpson was before last season as well. Can the staff turn one of those guys into a good starter? What about the severe regression of WR Ryan Williams?
Lotzeir Brooks is rated as the better receiver by some scouts, less than two years after Williams was hailed as the second coming of DeVonta Smith.
The good news is that most of the Alabama defense is intact. Kedrick Bingley-Jones is the only defensive starter who didn't play for the Tide last year. The biggest problem for Alabama in 2025 wasn't addressed in the offseason.
The team couldn't run the ball even with Jam Miller, and they did nothing to rectify that. Instead of targeting a back in the portal, Alabama beefed up the line. Will that be enough?
Daniel Hill and Kevin Riley were solid last year. Redshirt freshman AK Dear looked good last year and was a top-five RB in the 2025 class. I may be underranking Alabama here, but they have more questions than every team in front of them.
Alabama freshman RB AK Dear HOUSES this carry for 56 yards:
pic.twitter.com/RFzpsjElqx— Sidelines - Bama (@SSN_Alabama) September 7, 2025
15. Penn State
2025 final ranking: NR
Matt Campbell always did more with less at Iowa State. He brought the entire offense with him except for backup RB Abu Sama III.
QB Rocco Becht (who has already won 25 collegiate games), 1,000-yard rusher Carson Hansen, WR Chase Sowell, WR Brett Eskildsen, and TE Benjamin Brahmer are all still with Campbell. 24 players followed their coach to Happy Valley.
The difference is that Campbell managed to retain quite a bit of the Penn State defense alongside the players he brought. Not only that, but Penn State doesn't play Indiana, Ohio State, or Oregon this year.
The path is there for Penn State to get back to the CFP in the first year after the James Franklin drama. They have the players to do it.
14. Oklahoma State
2025 final ranking: NR
The "NR" above is a bit disingenuous. North Texas finished at 22 in my final poll last year. Oklahoma State landed North Texas head coach Eric Morris and all of his best players, moving from Denton to Stillwater.
Oklahoma State quarterback Drew Mestemaker is set for a breakout year with the Cowboys.
+ Rocket of an arm
+ Excellent velocity on passes
+ Amazing pocket presence
+ Decisive. Progresses through reads quickly
+ Mobile enough to extend the pocket
- How will he translate to the… pic.twitter.com/p5pLcyHeaw— Drew Collings (@DrewMCollings) May 18, 2026
The staff, the scheme, and most of the players are the same. Drew Mestemaker led FBS in passing yards last year. Leading receiver Wyatt Young is paired with former Ball State standout Justin Bowick and Wake Forest's Chris Barnes.
Caleb Hawkins was the best running back you've never heard of in 2025. He led FBS with 25 rushing touchdowns and was fifth with 1,434 rushing yards. He added 370 more and four more touchdowns through the air.
Holdovers LaDainian Fields and Jaleel Johnson were better than any defensive players that UNT had last year. Eric Morris took the best of North Texas (including 80% of the offense), kept the best of what was left at OSU, and built the lines through the portal. This is a dangerous team.
13. Utah
2025 final ranking: 12 (⇓1)
I understand that Whittingham left and took most of his assistants to Michigan. This is about what Morgan Scalley kept Whittingham from packing up and taking to Ann Arbor with him.
Scalley convinced Devon Dampier to roll with the Utes one more year. He retained leading rusher Wayshawn Parker and several key defensive players (Karson Kaufusi, Pupu Sepulona, and Jackson Bennee, to name a few).
Utah also went out and got Kyri Shoels from San Jose State and Braden Pegan from Utah State. Along with Larry Simmons, this could be a very good receiving corps. Expect Utah to use the WR more than last year.
We're going to find out if some of the Utah fans were right. Some claimed that Whittingham and his old-school style were holding the offense back. If that's true, this team could win the Big 12.
12. Texas A&M
2025 final ranking: 10 (⇓2)
Not much has changed with the Aggies. Marcel Reed is back and better than ever. Rueben Owens II looked good last year when Le'Veon Moss was out. A&M replaced KC Concepcion with Alabama's Isaiah Horton.
Horton isn't quite as good as Concepcion, but Mario Craver and Ashton Bethel-Roman will likely be better than last year. A revamped DL should help the defense.
Now, the bad news: The 2026 schedule isn't as forgiving as the 2025 version. Collin Klein is off to coach his alma mater. Will the offense be as good under Holmon Wiggins? There is a lot of talent on this team, but there are just enough questions to make me think that the Aggies might slip a bit this year.
11. Notre Dame
2025 final ranking: 13 (⇑2)
I understand that the loss of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price is a big deal. That doesn't kill the season for the Irish. CJ Carr is coming back and will likely be better. Jaden Greathouse should be healthy once again.
Notre Dame returns the top receivers and the quarterback. Aneyas Williams was very good when he got touches last year. This will be a different-looking Notre Dame team. They'll have to pass more than last year, but is that really a bad thing?
The defense might be better than last year. Most of the offense is as well. The schedule lines up favorably for the Irish. We know that the CFP committee is going to put them in the top 12, so I guess they have to be in mine as well.
I'm not going to pretend that the Irish play by the same rules as everyone else. That said, it's hard to believe that they won't make the CFP with that schedule.
10. Mississippi
2025 final ranking: 4 (⇓6)
Pete Golding not only held it together after Kiffin left, but also retained many players who most thought were following him to LSU. Trinidad Chambliss is running it back again in Oxford. Not only that, but Golding managed to hang on to workhorse Kewan Lacy.
He was the best back in the SEC last season and could be the best in the country this year. So, why is Ole Miss so much lower than its 2025 finish? Losing leading receivers De'Zhaun Stribling and Harrison Wallace III is a big deal.
The loss of Princewill Umanmielen is a tough hole to fix. Blake Purchase and Jordan Renaud may be able to do it, but you would much rather have it all in one player. Umanmielen was that player.
Ole Miss will have to rely on the Syracuse tandem of Johntay Cook and Darrell Gill Jr. to replace Stribling and Wallace. That's not as far-fetched as it may sound. Remember what they did before Steve Angeli got hurt last year.
Ole Miss should be a top-10 team again in 2026. That's a great achievement by Golding before a down of football is even played.
9. Texas Tech
2025 final ranking: 7 (⇓2)
Why are we acting like Texas Tech's season is dependent on the eligibility of Brendan Sorsby? Sorsby was brought in so they didn't have to rush Will Hammond back.
After what we saw with Alonza Barnett III last year, there is a chance that Hammond could be good to go by the time conference season starts. The non-conference schedule is painfully weak. They can survive until Hammond returns. Sorsby was an embarrassment of riches to begin with.
The two-headed attack of J'Koby Williams and Cameron Dickey can keep this offense afloat through September, even with no help at QB. Kenny Johnson from Pitt was added to Coy Eakin and Micah Hudson, so the WR group is still strong.
The Red Raiders rebuilt the front seven as well. We have every reason to believe that Tech will be better in 2026, regardless of Sorsby's status.
8. BYU
2025 final ranking: 9 (⇑1)
Bear Bachmeier hits Reggie Frischknecht in stride for a first down.
Frischknecht is a little bit of an x-factor in a BYU wide receiver room that will need new faces to step up in 2026. pic.twitter.com/OCuD8zu1Oz
— Casey Lundquist (@casey_lundquist) March 24, 2026
I don't know why more people aren't higher on BYU. Bear Bachmeier was a star last year and looked even better in the spring. LJ Martin returns to the backfield for his senior year. He will again have Sione Moa and Preston Rex backing him up.
The only major loss on offense is WR Chase Roberts, who is replaced by Kyler Kasper from Oregon. If he falters, Legend Glasker could be a star as a freshman.
Kalani Sitake refused the Penn State job for a reason. He realizes that he has a good thing going in Provo. The Cougars added Cade Uluave from Cal and Jake Clifton from Kansas State to revamp the LB room. They also improved the offensive line.
With all of the issues surrounding Texas Tech, the Big 12 is wide open for BYU this year.
7. Oklahoma
2025 final ranking: 14 (⇑7)
Oklahoma needs the 2024 version of John Mateer for this team to live up to expectations. He was good before he broke his thumb last year, but his motion looked off for the rest of the year. He looked much better in spring practices.
Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock are both capable backs. Isaiah Sategna III was the best receiver on the team last year. This year, he adds Trell Harris (led Virginia in receptions and yards in 2025) and Parker Livingstone from Texas. This passing game could be elite if Mateer is fine. There is reason for optimism in 2026.
The losses of R. Mason Thomas and Marvin Jones Jr. on the defensive line will hurt, but Brent Venables knows how to build a defense. The three new starters on the line played well in significant roles last year. The front seven is still the strength of this team.
6. Indiana
2025 final ranking: 1 (⇓5)
Indiana lost a lot from its title-winning team, including QB Fernando Mendoza, who was the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. RBs Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black will be replaced by Turbo Richard from Boston College and incumbent Khobie Martin.
Indiana picked up Nick Marsh from Michigan State and Shazz Preston from Tulane to ease the loss of Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt. Aiden Fisher, Louis Moore, Devan Boykin, D'Angelo Ponds, and Stephen Daley are all gone from the defense.
The addition of Kansas State's Chiddi Obiazor will take some of the pressure off of Rolijah Hardy and Isaiah Jones. The Hoosier brought in Josh Hoover to replace Mendoza, who won the 2025 Heisman Trophy.
I still have questions about how Hoover will fit in this offense, but if he does, Indiana has the ammunition to contend for another title. We've learned by now to trust Curt Cignetti, right?
5. Miami (FL)
2025 final ranking: 3 (⇓2)
A lot of people slept on Miami in 2025. They made it to the National Championship Game. The team famously lost QB Carson Beck, but immediately reloaded with Duke's Darian Mensah, who led the Blue Devils to an ACC title last year.
Mensah brought his favorite receiver (Cooper Barkate) to the Sunshine State with him. Barkate and South Carolina's Vandrevius Jacobs join star Malachi Toney to give Miami a very explosive passing game.
Mensah was second in FBS in passing yards last season (3,973) and has more weapons this year. Mark Fletcher Jr. returns in the backfield to give Miami one of the best offenses in the country.
The losses of Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. on the defensive line hurt, but Miami brought reinforcements with Damon Wilson II (Missouri) and Keona Davis (Nebraska). If those two hold up, the Canes should win the ACC this year.
4. Georgia
2025 final ranking: 6 (⇑2)
Georgia was one of the youngest teams in the SEC last year and still won 12 games and the conference championship. The only major loss for Georgia in the offseason was WR Zachariah Branch.
The Bulldogs poached Isiah Canion from Georgia Tech to replace him. QB Gunner Stockton and RB Nate Frazier return to run the offense. Georgia has returning starters and a schedule (the team plays only four games outside the state of Georgia) to win another conference title.
Most publications have Georgia above Texas, but what can I say? Texas has the flashier players and will be in the top spot if the Longhorns open the season with a win over Ohio State.
3. Oregon
2025 final ranking: 3 (⇓1)
WR Malik Benson never really panned out in Eugene, but the loss of TE Kenyon Sadiq will hurt. Oregon didn't add much on offense, aside from projected 2027 starting quarterback Dylan Raiola from Nebraska.
This is still Dante Moore's team. Evan Stewart, Dakorien Moore, and Jordon Davison all return around Moore on offense. Defensively, all-conference selections Matayo Uiagalelei, Bear Alexander, and A'Mauri Washington all return on the line.
Koi Perich from Minnesota is the only new starter on defense, a unit that improved significantly in 2025. Oregon returns enough on offense to make this a team that could challenge Ohio State and Indiana for Big Ten supremacy.
2. Texas
2025 final ranking: 10 (⇑8)
Here we go again. Texas fooled me (and many others) in the preseason last year. The team struggled in September and into October as Arch Manning adjusted to being a full-time starter.
Manning led the Longhorns to six wins in the last seven games and a win over Michigan in the Citrus Bowl. He threw just two interceptions in those eight games after throwing five in the first five games.
It's safe to say Arch is acclimated, making Texas a very dangerous team. Texas lost RB Quintrevion Wisner, but got better in the portal with Hollywood Smothers (North Carolina State) and Brown (Arizona State).
Cam Coleman may have been the best pickup of the portal, and he gives Manning the kind of target that he lacked in 2025. If the defense holds up, Texas has a shot at a national championship.
1. Ohio State
2025 final ranking: 5 (⇑4)
It's hard not to be excited about Ohio State heading into 2026. The losses of Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese, and Sonny Styles will hurt, but they reloaded in the portal.
The Buckeyes added Earl Little Jr. (Florida State), Terry Moore (Duke), and Qua Russaw (Alabama) to help. Devin McCuin from UTSA comes in to replace Carnell Tate.
Julian Sayin, Bo Jackson, and Jeremiah Smith all return to an offense that was explosive in 2025. As far as continuity goes, Ohio State has the most of the offensive side coming into 2026.
Maintaining continuity on offense is the hardest part when integrating all the pieces from the portal. Ohio State returns the QB, starting RB, and top receiver from last year's squad.
