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Brant calls his shot on the 12 College Football Playoff teams for the 2026 season. Read to see where he has Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, Notre Dame, and more in the field.
It is not even summer yet, but college football fans are starving for content as spring camps are underway across the nation.
I did this exercise last summer, where I projected the 12-team field way too early and took a few big swings. Some paid off, such as Indiana, Ole Miss, and Tulane, while others were complete misses -- like Penn State, Clemson, Auburn, and Nebraska.
I will say that this year’s list will be a bit more conservative -- I learned my lesson on keeping Georgia and Oregon out of the field -- but I threw in a few twists to keep fans on their toes. Read on to see how I project this year’s CFP field eight months out from the event.
1. Miami Hurricanes
I’ve got Mario Cristobal and company heading into the CFP as the No. 1 seed. This team played differently in the playoff stretch, and while it lost a lot of talent to the NFL, it also brought back some key players and utilized the transfer portal to plug gaps.
Former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah is an upgrade talent-wise over Carson Beck, and while it took a bit of tampering to pry him from the defending conference champs, Cristobal got his guy.
Mensah brings top target Cooper Barkate with him, joining breakout star receiver Malachi Toney and an electric playmaker in South Carolina transfer Vandrevius Jacobs to form an adequate group of receivers.
Star running back Mark Fletcher Jr. is back, along with Marty Brown, who had two touchdowns in last season’s playoff run, to re-establish the run game. While Francis Mauigoa should hear his name called early in the 2026 NFL Draft, five-star tackle Jackson Cantwell is set to step in as a one-for-one replacement.
Losing Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor on the defensive line is tough, but Missouri transfer Damon Wilson II is set to step in as an instant replacement.
This roster is built to compete right away, and the schedule should allow it to be in the picture as the potential one-seed all season.
The toughest ACC game is a road matchup with Clemson. The Hurricanes are likely favored in all games except for a November 7 road trip to South Bend. If they can knock off Notre Dame for a second straight season, the Hurricanes should have a clean path to the No. 1 seed.
That being said, this team lost to underrated programs in Louisville and SMU a season ago. It will have to be careful against teams like Florida State, Duke, and Virginia Tech.
2. Texas Longhorns
It’s possible that I was a year early on Texas after projecting it as the one seed last season. Now with another year of experience for Arch Manning and an even more talented arsenal of weapons, the Longhorns should be an unstoppable force offensively.
Joining Manning on the offensive side of the ball are returning receivers Ryan Wingo and Emmett Mosley V, who was hurt for a good portion of last season. Auburn transfer Cam Coleman, widely regarded as one of the best receivers in college football, will slot in alongside them to form college football’s best receiver trio.
The Longhorns return three starters on the offensive line in Trevor Goosby, Connor Robertson, and Brandon Baker. This continuity should help them hit the ground running instantly. They should have more of a ground game as well, as they poached star running back Hollywood Smothers from NC State and Arizona State transfer Raleek Brown to form a one-two punch.
1 of 1 @ColinSimmons__ pic.twitter.com/YEdkI3Uy66
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 4, 2026
Texas loses a lot on defense, but star edge-rusher Colin Simmons is back in the fold. It added Pitt transfer linebacker Rasheem Biles to replace Anthony Hill Jr., and grabbed star cornerback Bo Mascoe from Rutgers to replace the departed Malik Muhammad.
The schedule is not easy. Ohio State comes to town in Week 2, and conference play opens up with a road game at Tennessee. Games against Oklahoma, Ole Miss, and three tough November road games at Missouri, LSU, and Texas A&M will define the season. I project it to lose one regular-season game and to win the SEC, bringing home the two-seed.
3. Indiana Hoosiers
Curt Cignetti is not done after last year’s undefeated season and national title. Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza may be off to the NFL along with a slew of other players from last season’s team, but Cignetti recouped a strong roster through retention and portal additions.
Indiana WR Nick Marsh wore gold cleats to IU's first spring camp session. Curt Cignetti was not pleased to see that.
"He learned what getting your ass ripped is all about. I don't know if that happened to him very often at Michigan State." #iufb pic.twitter.com/UHRMM0i2bf
— Jared Kelly (@Jared_Kelly7) March 26, 2026
TCU transfer quarterback Josh Hoover has struggled with turnovers, but is now surrounded by a great defense and run game. He won’t have to force plays this season. Hoover has a talented top two targets in late-season breakout Charlie Becker and Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh.
Cignetti returns a great deal of talent on the defensive side of the ball in defensive tackle Tyrique Tucker, linebacker Rolijah Hardy, and cornerback Jamari Sharpe. The Hoosiers should again be a stout unit on defense.
The schedule is full of winnable games, with a tough stretch coming in late October when the Hoosiers host Ohio State, followed by a road game at Michigan. They also have a potential trap game at Washington in late November.
Outside of those three, it is hard to see the Hoosiers potentially dropping any other game on the schedule. They should return to the CFP and have a great shot at landing a bye again.
4. Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia may not be on the same level in recent years as it was in the early 2020s, but this season’s Bulldogs team should be very dangerous when looking at returning talent paired with the schedule.
Getting Gunner Stockton back was huge, as his experience should help guide the team in 2026. Georgia should again play through the ground game with Stockton paired with returning running backs Nate Frazier and Chauncey Bowens. The Bulldogs also return four offensive line starters in Drew Bobo, Dontrell Glover, Earnest Greene III, and Juan Gaston.
Defensively, this will again be a hard-hitting team. Returning stars such as safety KJ Bolden, linebacker Raylen Wilson, cornerback Ellis Robinson IV, and linebacker Chris Cole will anchor what shapes up to be a traditional Georgia defensive unit.
With all of the returning talent from last year’s SEC champions, paired with the fact that their first real test doesn’t come until late September when they host Oklahoma, this team should absolutely start hot.
The real tests on the schedule come on October 10 when they visit Alabama and November 7 when they visit Ole Miss. Outside of those two games, it is tough to see the Bulldogs dropping another one on the schedule.
5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame’s retention going into 2026 is massive. The Fighting Irish do lose star running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, but young quarterback CJ Carr should be well-equipped to take more of a workload this season after growing through a year of starting experience.
Carr will be throwing to returning receivers Jordan Faison and Jaden Greathouse, as well as Ohio State transfers Quincy Porter and Mylan Graham.
The defensive line is deep, led by Bryce Young, Francis Brewu, Boubacar Traore, and Keon Keeley. Superstar cornerback and 2027 first-round lock Leonard Moore is back as well, anchoring a defense with a lot of depth.
Notre Dame’s season comes down to two games: October 17 at BYU and November 7 vs. Miami. As long as it takes care of business against teams like SMU, Wisconsin, Michigan State, and North Carolina, it just needs to win one of those two games to secure itself a playoff spot and potentially a bye. It’s hard to see a world where that does not happen.
6. Oregon Ducks
Say what you want about Oregon and falling flat on its face in CFP appearances, but this team has too much talent not to have another stellar regular season.
Getting quarterback Dante Moore back was unexpected, but a cherry on top of all of the other talent sprinkled across this roster. Moore has a very deep group of weapons surrounding him.
Evan Stewart is back after missing all of last season with an injury, Dakorien Moore and Jeremiah McClellan are set to take another step forward, true freshman Gatlin Bair is looking to make an immediate impact, and former UAB slot receiver Iverson Hooks should transition cleanly into the offense.
Welcome Iverson Hooks 🦆
pic.twitter.com/5lVr4VQ04R— Barstool Ducks (@BarstoolDucks) January 12, 2026
Last year’s freshman duo of Jordan Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. are both back in the fold, set to anchor a strong running game.
On defense, the addition of Minnesota transfer Koi Perich is massive. Perich joins an already loaded secondary that features standout sophomore cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. The return of Matayo Uiagalelei on the defensive line is huge as well.
Like Indiana, Oregon has to play Ohio State and Michigan in back-to-back weeks. November is a brutal month for the Ducks, as they play at Ohio State, home against Michigan, at Michigan State, and home against Washington. That stretch should have them well-prepared for a playoff run as the Ducks seek their first national title.
7. LSU Tigers
Brian Kelly out, Lane Kiffin in, and a completely new roster full of transfers has LSU fans ecstatic for the upcoming 2026 season. This is the most hyped LSU team in a long time, and easily the winner of the transfer portal.
Starting at the quarterback position, Kiffin brought in Arizona State transfer Sam Leavitt to run the show. Leavitt has playoff experience and is well-equipped to run the Tigers offense. Should he falter, USC transfer Husan Longstreet is waiting behind him.
Leavitt will be surrounded by talent. Last season’s young running back tandem in Harlem Berry and Caden Durham returns. The receiving room is loaded with a mix of lower-level production and talent with names like Eugene Wilson III, Jayce Brown, Winston Watkins, Jackson Harris, and Tre’ Brown.
Returning tight end Trey’Dez Green will again be a red-zone threat coming off a seven-touchdown season. Incoming freshman receiver Corey Barber has turned heads as well, giving the Tigers seemingly limitless weapons.
The offensive line is much improved through the portal, anchored by superstar Colorado transfer Jordan Seaton. This offensive unit is oozing with potential and should look similar to Kiffin’s high-flying Ole Miss offenses.
On defense, star linebacker Whit Weeks returns and is surrounded by Ole Miss transfers TJ Dottery and Princewill Umanmielen as experienced members on an otherwise younger defense. The defensive side of the ball won’t be LSU’s strong suit, but it has talent that could mesh together to form a dangerous unit.
The schedule is not easy in the first season of the Kiffin tenure. LSU opens with Clemson in Baton Rouge, then travels to Ole Miss for one of the most anticipated games in school history. It then turns around to host Texas A&M. If it can go 2-1 in that three-game stretch, the season is very much alive.
LSU also hosts Alabama and Texas in back-to-back weeks in early November, followed by a road game at Tennessee. These two three-game stretches will define the season, and could be reminiscent of a playoff-level type of stretch that LSU may face a month later.
8. BYU Cougars
BYU has been so close the past two seasons, losing just three games combined but never breaking into the CFP field. This year is the year that it happens.
Kalani Sitake should have another gritty team on his hands, led by sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who did a tremendous job as a true freshman a season ago. The return of star running back LJ Martin should help keep the pressure off Bachmeier.
Bear Bachmeier connects with Jojo Phillips. Phillips will start and is one of the front-runners to be WR1. pic.twitter.com/ioukjA9ajv
— Casey Lundquist (@casey_lundquist) March 4, 2026
Losing top receiver targets in Chase Roberts and Parker Kingston hurts, but Jojo Phillips is healthy, and tight end transfers Walker Lyons and Roger Saleapaga are turning heads in camp.
Defensive continuity will be huge for the 2026 Cougars team. They return eight starters and added Cal linebacker Cade Uluave to plug a hole left by the departed Jack Kelly. Safety Faletau Satuala and Uluave will lead the rugged group.
The Cougars dodge Texas Tech in conference play. A November 7 matchup with rival Utah will be the biggest Big 12 game on the schedule. Outside of that, October 17th’s matchup with Notre Dame may determine if the Cougars will be able to earn an at-large bid or not this season, should they not win the Big 12.
9. Michigan Wolverines
Here’s where we start getting bold. Michigan is entering a new era after the Sherrone Moore fiasco, as longtime Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham steps into the head-coaching role. He brings some leaders with him on the defensive side of the ball in EDGE John Henry Daley and versatile cornerback Smith Snowden.
Offensively, Whittingham has all of the talent at his disposal to do what he does best, which is establish the run game. Sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood has another year of experience, and the running back duo of Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter should form an imposing presence.
Wide receiver Andrew Marsh broke out down the stretch last season and should pace the way in 2026, with Texas transfer Jamie Ffrench and Utah transfer JJ Buchanan set to play alongside him.
The Wolverines return three starters on the offensive line, offering some familiarity up front for Underwood in Year 2.
The hard part about Michigan navigating its way back to the College Football Playoff in 2026 is the schedule. It starts the season with four straight home games, but has tough ones against Oklahoma and Iowa. It also has to play home against Penn State and Indiana, while playing on the road at Oregon and Ohio State late in the season.
Whittingham certainly did not get a lucky draw in Year 1 in Ann Arbor, but if he is able to squeak out a 10-2 record with that schedule, Michigan is a playoff lock.
10. Ohio State Buckeyes
If you’ve read my Big Ten bold predictions piece, you know that I’m down on the Buckeyes in 2026. Losing three probable top-10 NFL Draft selections defensively and replacing them with underheralded transfers, you are naturally due for regression.
Ohio State’s offense should be elite again in 2026. Julian Sayin is back under center, Bo Jackson is back at running back, and superstar receiver Jeremiah Smith is set to carry the offense again. The offensive line is fully back as well, and while it was inconsistent in 2025, another year of experience should help.
The holes are on defense, as Matt Patricia will have his hands full with an inexperienced group. EDGE Kenyatta Jackson Jr. and cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. will need to lead this unit as the experienced members.
The schedule is as hard as it has been in years for Ohio State. It plays at Texas in Week 2, while also playing road games at Iowa, Indiana, and USC. The Buckeyes host both Oregon and Michigan in November.
I’m predicting the Buckeyes make the playoff field, but it may not be a pretty ride there, as I have them as my 10th team in the field. Then again, all you need to do is get in and let the magic unfold. Ohio State can afford two losses in the regular season and should still be safely in.
11. Houston Cougars
Here’s an under-the-radar team that nobody’s talking about. Don’t sleep on Willie Fritz’s Houston Cougars. 10-3 a season ago, they will draw a very manageable schedule with no BYU. The tough matchup is September 19th at Texas Tech, the Big 12 opener. Winning that will be tough, but even if they lose, the Cougars have a manageable remaining schedule.
The Big 12 is made up of a bunch of teams with uncertain ceilings and floors this season due to the ever-revolving landscape of college football between coaching movement and the transfer portal. Houston has potential tough games on the road against Kansas State and Utah, and potential tough home games against Oklahoma State, Cincinnati, and Baylor.
Again, this is a bold take, but there is definitely a world where Houston loses one game or even goes undefeated in the regular season and earns a CFP bid. Experienced quarterback Conner Weigman is back after a strong season a year ago, and his top target, receiver Amare Thomas, is joined by Oregon State transfer Trent Walker to form a duo that could be among the conference’s best.
He may not play a lot this season, but five-star freshman quarterback Keisean Henderson will be learning behind Weigman, giving the Cougars a high ceiling for years to come.
The run game should stay strong after losing Dean Connors to the NFL, with Oregon transfer Makhi Hughes set to take over the backfield. He didn’t get much run last year at Oregon, but Hughes had back-to-back 1,300+ yard rushing seasons at Tulane in 2023 and 2024. He’ll be running behind a familiar face in Tulane transfer Shadre Hurst.
Defensively, the Cougars brought in potential stars in the secondary in Jalen Mayo and Javion White. Mayo was an FCS All-American at Stephen F. Austin, and White was a star at Tulane.
Fritz’s team is built to compete now and is a sleeper pick to qualify for the CFP field in 2026.
12. UNLV Rebels
UNLV finished Year 1 under Dan Mullen at 10-4, a very strong season considering its roster had been torn down from the previous season’s 11-3 team after the departure of Barry Odom to Purdue. Now headed into 2026, the Rebels have a bit more continuity as they retain about half of their starters on either side of the ball.
The big splash for Mullen was reeling in former Oklahoma and Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold. A former highly touted recruit, Arnold never put it all together as a power conference starter. Now with two years as a starting quarterback under his belt, Arnold moves down to G5 with the opportunity to truly thrive.
First look at SEC transfer QB Jackson Arnold at UNLV.
"We've put some things in that he's done in the past that he's comfortable with. He's doing a pretty good job picking up. He's a veteran guy." - Dan Mullen
Spring ball practice #1 @FOX5Vegas 🏈 pic.twitter.com/erP9ZVTb8m
— Paloma Villicana (@PalomaFOX5News) March 26, 2026
UNLV opens the season against Memphis in a major G5 non-conference showdown. Win or lose that game, the season remains alive. It then has to play at Hawaii and at North Texas back-to-back, and then host California on October 3rd in what should be the toughest game on the schedule.
