2026 College Football Rankings: There's a 3-Way Race for No. 1 in Joel Klatt's Top 10

If you thought Indiana winning the national championship was wild, buckle in for what's to come in college football in 2026, then. The 2026 season looks promising with some really good teams, more parity and another tremendous season, which made a top 10 way-too-early ranking all the more difficult. 

There are a couple of principles I wanted to use when I made this list, especially with how the game has changed over the last few years. We're seeing veteran teams win the national championship, as evidenced by Indiana's, Ohio State's and Michigan's recent title wins. 

However, we've also seen veteran quarterbacks lead their teams to titles, and I know coaches are valuing veteran quarterbacks, too. So, most of these teams in my top 10 are going to have a quarterback with at least a year of starting experience under their belt, with an emphasis on those who remain in the same offensive system. 

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The other thing I'm valuing from a personnel standpoint is a monster defensive line. Indiana's defensive line was dominant for most of the year, and it's a big reason why the Hoosiers went 16-0.

So, let's dive into my way-too-early top 10, with a look at the teams that just missed the cut, too. 

Almost top 10: USC, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, BYU

10. Texas Tech

2025 record: 12-2

Joey McGuire and the Red Raiders are coming off their best season in program history. They won their first Big 12 title and got a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff. Texas Tech shouldn't go anywhere because there's too much being invested in that program. McGuire's also a terrific coach. I love what he did with his staff last year, and that program is fully bought in. 

In addition to the great transfer adds Texas Tech has made, it landed the No. 1 recruiting class in the Big 12 this year. Still, Texas Tech's transfer additions were big, namely quarterback Brendan Sorsby. The Red Raiders got a quarterback who fits the veteran mold, and he was one of the more highly coveted quarterbacks in the portal this offseason. They also continued to add to their defense in the portal, adding Wake Forest defensive tackle Mateen Ibirogba and Kansas State linebacker Austin Romaine, among others. 

So, Texas Tech is now in a position to resemble what it did in 2025, as it had to replace a lot of key players from that defense, including linebacker Joey Rodriguez and edge rusher David Bailey. It won't be easy, but defensive coordinator Sheil Wood did a heck of a job in his first year in Lubbock and I imagine he'll do that again.

Offensively, Texas Tech will pair Sorsby with tight end Terrance Carter Jr., who's a good player. "Cowboy" Coy Eakin is also a tremendous wide receiver on the outside, while returning both of its lead running backs and three of its starters along the offensive line. 

The schedule should also be pretty easy for Texas Tech. Let's just say if it doesn't win 11 games, something went terribly wrong. 

9. Michigan

2025 record: 9-4

Michigan had a really good offseason, even after the wild exit for former head coach Sherrone Moore. But Michigan has been able to solidify things since then, coming out better from that moment. Kyle Whittingham is one of the better coaches in America. From a foundational standpoint, hiring Whittingham was a perfect fit for Michigan. He put together a really good staff. Jason Beck will be the offensive coordinator after doing a tremendous job in the same role at Utah. Jay Hill will also be the defensive coordinator after having that same role at BYU. 

Michigan also did a good job at retaining the players who either entered the portal or flirted with the possibility of going into the portal. Beck's system should be a great match for this Michigan offense, which will still have Bryce Underwood at quarterback. Clearly, Underwood will need to take a step forward, but Whittingham brought in a quarterbacks coach specific to him in Koy Detmer Jr., who came from Utah. He'll also have another of throwing to wide receiver Andrew Marsh, while running back Jordan Marshall will return. The Wolverines also landed the No. 1 running back in the recruiting class, Savion Hiter, who'll further help their run game. If former Texas wide receiver Jamie Ffrench can do anything opposite of Marsh, that offense should be pretty good. 

There were a few additions that Michigan made defensively in the portal that I liked as well. Ultimately, it comes down to the schedule. It has home games against Oklahoma, Indiana, Iowa and Penn State to go with road games at Ohio State and Oregon. That's not an easy schedule. Michigan's going to have to take care of its homefield. Still, I think the Wolverines should be a really good team. 

8. LSU

2025 record: 7-6

While the exit from Ole Miss was messy, Lane Kiffin is guaranteed to have a great offense, which LSU lacked in 2025. The Tigers were 103rd in scoring and 111th in total offense. They're going to turn that around right away, and Kiffin has operated well out of the transfer portal every year. So, the fact that he's bringing in 35 transfers doesn't scare me at all. That's normal for him. 

Most importantly, Kiffin got his guy: former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt. Widely considered the best quarterback in the transfer portal, Leavitt has playoff experience and won a Big 12 championship. I really love that get for LSU, and the Tigers were able to get some good receivers and defensive players out of the portal, too. LSU's probably not done, either. I'm sure it'll land a couple more players that we didn't know it was going to get.

LSU also retained defensive coordinator Blake Baker. He had some head coach interest across the country after doing a good job in Baton Rouge last season. If he continues to do that and the offense develops, this should be a top-10 team. 

I love that LSU's SEC opener is at Ole Miss, by the way. 

7. Miami (Fla.)

2025 record: 13-3

This was one I struggled with because Miami's going to lose a lot of good players. However, I've got to believe that the Canes are going to build in the portal and recruiting, which this team and program have done. They were just in the national championship game and potentially a blocked punt away from winning it all. If Miami continues on the trajectory it's on under head coach Mario Cristobal, it'll be on the doorstep again.   

Departing edge rushers Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor are likely first-round picks. The Canes also have to replace their linebackers, four offensive linemen and quarterback Carson Beck. It's not official yet, but we think Miami is going to land quarterback Darian Mensah from Duke, pending the legal process in that situation playing itself out. If that's the case, it gets an experienced quarterback to pair with some pretty talented players, including one of the more talented players in the country: wide receiver Malachi Toney. Running back Mark Fletcher was also terrific throughout the playoff. 

Miami will need some players to step on defense and it needs to add an offensive lineman or two in the transfer portal. But if Miami is able to do that, then I think it's easily a top-10 team. 

6. Texas

2025 record: 10-3

I couldn't put Texas in the top five in good conscience after what happened this past season. Texas was the consensus No. 1 team and Arch Manning was the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman entering the year before they fell on their face in the opening weeks of the season. They didn't play as well as they should've. 

We know Steve Sarkisian's going to have a good football team and be right there to fight for a spot in the SEC Championship Game or College Football Playoff. If Miami proved anything to us, if you get into the tournament, maybe you can go all the way. We know Texas is going to be right there, right?

Texas went big game hunting in the transfer portal, and the Texas folks I've spoken with believe they've upgraded their roster this offseason. I know some of the star power from the recruiting classes left, but it feels like they're getting better in the transfer portal. The Longhorns got former Auburn wide receiver Cam Coleman and NC State running back Hollywood Smothers, along with some good defensive players in the portal. They still have Colin Simmons at edge rusher, and he's one of the premier players at his position. 

I like what I see from Texas. It'll host Ohio State and Ole Miss, while traveling to Tennessee, LSU and Texas A&M to go with the annual Oklahoma matchup. So, a few difficult games in there, but a manageable schedule. 

5. Notre Dame 

2025 record: 10-2

There's no better motivation than being totally furious with how your season ended and feeling like you didn't get what you deserved. That's exactly how Notre Dame feels. It felt like it should've been in the CFP, and with the way Miami went through the field, who's to say Notre Dame couldn't have won the whole thing? At times, Notre Dame looked like one of the better teams in the country. So, Notre Dame's offseason is going to be filled with motivation and vinegar.

I think Notre Dame will be a little more pass-heavy with running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price going into the NFL. You're looking at a good combination, though, at quarterback and wide receiver. C.J. Carr is in his second season as a starting quarterback and his top two receivers (Jaden Greathouse, Jordan Faison) are back. They also added a pair of wide receivers out of Ohio State (Quincy Porter, Myles Graham) from Ohio State. 

The defense is still one of the best, if not the best, defensive units in the country. You know Notre Dame is going to have really solid defensive backs and a tough defensive line. 

4. Ohio State

2025 record: 12-2

At the beginning of the transfer portal window, I was a bit alarmed about Ohio State (and I know its fans were, too). The Buckeyes had a lot of exits, which made you wonder what the heck was happening. But when the dust settled, you realized that Ohio State's going to be fine.

Obviously, the way this past season ended wasn't the way it hoped would end. There'll also be more turnover than most are used to in Columbus. But even though Ohio State is going to have 44 new players, it still has quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. That's a lot, and that's not even considering running back Bo Jackson and a few of its starting offensive linemen. Edge rusher Kenyata Jackson's decision to return was a big boost for Ohio State, too. 

Ohio State's defense is losing eight starters, and four of them are going to be first-round draft picks. There'll also be some question if they'll be able to retain defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as the coaching carousel develops. 

The schedule will also be tough for Ohio State. It has road matchups against Texas, Indiana, USC and Iowa while hosting games against Oregon and Michigan. Still, it's got a veteran quarterback, the best player in the sport and an improved offensive line. 

3. Indiana

2025 record: 16-0

The debate for the No. 1 spot started with Indiana. I couldn't put the Hoosiers at No. 1, though, because Fernando Mendoza is leaving. I know they didn't have a returning quarterback this past season, but that's what I value in these rankings. Former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover and Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh should be perfect fits in Curt Cignetti's system, though. 

In fact, I know that Hoover, Marsh and the other transfers will be perfect fits at Indiana because it didn't lose any major members of its coaching staff. Those were the major signings for Indiana this offseason, being able to retain offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines. That continuity can't be overlooked and I think it's the reason why Indiana won the national championship.

The problem Indiana faces will be replacing the core players that followed Cignetti from James Madison to Indiana. Wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, defensive end Mikail Kamara and LB Aiden Fisher will be moving on, while cornerback D’Angelo Ponds and a handful of others have a decision to make soon about their futures. Those guys are going to be hard to replace. 

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Still, this is a continuity of schematics that this staff has that others don't. This team could be a favorite to win the Big Ten entering the year. 

2. Georgia

2025 record: 12-2

Georgia has won two straight SEC titles and three of the last four, but it feels like times might be tough in Athens because it hasn't been to the semifinal of the CFP in the last three years. So, I think we're about to get Kirby Smart's best. I think Gunnar Stockton can take another step at quarterback. We've seen him play really big in crucial moments and late in ballgames when he's needed to play well. Georgia also continues to rank in the top five in recruiting. 

The Bulldogs will need to find some playmakers to replace Zachariah Branch, who got the ball late in the season, and tight end Oscar Delp. But they've got some other returning pieces, like running back Nate Frazier, tight end Lawson Luckie and center Drew Bobo. 

So, Georgia's not going anywhere and you have to assume that with it getting older at the right spots, it's going to take a step forward. 

1. Oregon 

2025 record: 13-2

A really tough ending for Oregon in each of the last two seasons, getting blown out in the playoff each year. But if you look at the slow build for Dan Lanning and this Oregon program, they continue to take a step forward. Now, Lanning is returning his most veteran, talented and the best defensive line that he's had at Oregon. Look at the returning players for Oregon: quarterback Dante Moore, wide receiver Dakorien Moore, wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan, running back Jordan Davison, tight end Jamari Johnson, edge rusher Matayo Uiagalelei, defensive tackle A'mauri Washington, defensive tackle Bear Alexander, edge rusher Teitum Tuioti and cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. 

That is a loaded team just looking at those names, and the Ducks will be loaded exactly where you need to be loaded. That defense is excellent and the return of Moore at quarterback makes them the No. 1 team. I don't think you can win the national championship with a first-year starter anymore. I think the game's progressed past that because of the veteran nature of some of these teams. 

Dante Moore's surprise return has placed Oregon among the few early favorites to win the national championship in 2026. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images)

I know Oregon is replacing two coordinators, but that secondary should be one of the best in the country. So, watch out for this Oregon team.