Blatant Homerism: Checking in on the rest of the college football world
With the start of the 2026 season looming, this seems like a good opportunity to weigh in on what are believed to be some of the top teams in college football. We’ll exclude the Oklahoma Sooners – you’ve already got the official BH projection for OU in ‘26 – and zero in on the squads that seem to be showing up consistently at the top of the major polls. We’ll go in no particular order.
Ohio State Buckeyes
At this point, it feels like the Buckeyes should be the default favorite to win the national championship for the foreseeable future. That doesn’t mean they will win the title every year or dominate the sport. However, OSU’s track record tells us that the program doesn’t take seasons off – its infrastructure will keep the team in position to field the best roster in college football more often than not.
One thing that does seem out of the ordinary for Ryan Day’s team: The Buckeyes have an unforgiving schedule. It includes trips to Texas, Iowa, Indiana and USC. They also host Oregon and Michigan.
Even so, OSU still has experienced quarterback Julian Sayin throwing to the best player in the country in receiver Jeremiah Smith. A plethora of weapons surround the dynamic duo on the offensive side of the ball, which should carry the team through the first half of the year as coordinator Matt Patricia gets his defense up to speed.
This is my pick to win the national championship. Yes, really going out on a limb here.
LSU Tigers
I’ve been told that a surprising list of programs would have cut ties with their starting quarterbacks in favor of Sam Leavitt, the Arizona State transfer who ultimately landed in Baton Rouge. I don’t see the appeal. To be fair, new LSU coach Lane Kiffin has a more distinguished history of picking QBs than me.
The Tigers spent lavishly on Leavitt and other acquisitions in the offseason in hopes of endowing Kiffin with a roster that will make his first year at LSU a memorable one. Taking out a payday loan from a private-equity shop makes more sense when you consider how much LSU spent on this team… on top of paying former head coach Brian Kelly to go away… on top of what it took to lure Kiffin away from Ole Miss.
This all seems destined to have a Peak Louisiana ending.
Kiffin’s run with the Bayou Bengals will likely have a peak Kiffin ending some day, too. That’s for another time. Year one looks more like a springboard into the future of Kiffin’s tenure than a win-now moment. I reckon this is an 8-4 team.
Texas Longhorns
Speaking of win-now moments. The perception nationally seems to be that QB Arch Manning and Texas went on a tear down the stretch of the ‘25 season by winning seven of their final eight games, setting the stage for their ascendence this year. In reality, the Horns mixed strong performances versus high-profile teams like OU and Texas A&M with clunkers versus Kentucky and Mississippi State.
UT loaded up in the offseason in an effort to make sure that Manning’s fourth – and presumably final – year in Austin doesn’t go to waste. Head coach Steve Sarkisian might have sacrificed some of his team’s depth in the process, but he upgraded the front lines of the offensive skill positions by signing stud receiver Cam Coleman and running backs Raleek Brown and Hollywood Smothers. The personnel additions at the skill positions will make them better, but you could argue Sark’s moves to improve the offensive line didn’t go far enough. (Pickings in the transfer market tend to be slim there.) Recent news about the health of star left tackle Trevor Goosby could be a field day for 20-20 hindsight.
For all of the firepower on offense, Texas’ aspirations of competing for a national championship will probably hinge on the decision to cut ties with defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski. Retread Will Muschamp has overseen some good and not-so-good defenses in the past, but his tactical acumen isn’t really the issue. The Horns largely had a good thing going on defense with Kwiatkowski at the helm since UT hired Sark in 2021. That’s not to say the D couldn’t be better, but the timing is odd.
Ultimately, the situation in Austin reminds me of what OU is facing now. Last season was a decent springboard into ‘26, but Texas will have to do much more than simply maintaining that level of performance to compete for the biggest prizes this fall.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
From a perception standpoint, ND probably benefited from not making the College Football Playoff last year. The Irish coasted out of the national spotlight after thrashing a slate of overmatched foes. That absolutely counts for something, but we didn’t get a chance to see how they stacked up at the end of the year against the strongest programs in the country.
ND will be back in the tournament this year – the schedule virtually assures it. Marcus Freeman has built this team up through the trenches, which will make the Irish a tough out when they do get there. That said, do they have enough weapons at the skill positions around QB CJ Carr to threaten other contenders?
If some playmakers emerge, ND’s prospects of competing for the national title will increase dramatically. Color me more on the skeptical side, though.
Miami Hurricanes
The ND inverse, ironically. The U will improve with QB Darian Mensah now behind center. The Tulane-Duke transfer at QB should enjoy distributing the ball to studs like running back Mark Fletcher and Malachi Toney.
Instead, the big questions about the Hurricanes start with the offensive line, which feels bizarre to say about one of Mario Cristobal’s teams. Naturally, the unit boasts talent to spare, but it’s short on experience. That situation mirrors developments along the defensive line, where the losses of Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain will sting.
There’s also the matter of Cristobal himself, a dynamite recruiter with a penchant for numbskullery on game days. His team will have the rest of the ACC outmanned to the point that a conference crown looks like a given this year. If the promising OL gels, it might be too much for even Cristobal to mess up in the postseason.
Georgia Bulldogs
College football’s version of Quaker Oats. UGA no longer has the sport in a recruiting headlock, but the roster remains as deep as any in the country. The Bulldogs seem content to continue brute-forcing their way to the top of the SEC as a result. Can you blame them?
At some point, though, UGA will need to do more than club opponents over the head. The Bulldogs don’t necessarily have to get more production from QB Gunner Stockton and their infamously pedestrian receiving corps, but teams are going to force them to win with their passing game in the postseason. The track record there is spotty.
Still, much like Ohio State, you can’t blame people who use Georgia as a default for comparison versus other contenders. The Bulldogs continue building well-fortified teams to outlast their competition, which gives them a supremely high floor. This season, Stockton’s development will determine if they can win it all.
A few other quick-hitters…
Oregon Ducks
When did everyone decide Dante Moore is an elite prospect as an NFL QB? That says a lot about the state of the position – and it’s not good.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Biggest wild card in the country. If Keelon Russell wins the job at QB, it will raise the ceiling of the Tide offense considerably. Relying on defensive coordinator Kane Womack to keep the defense humming doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence. Even so, look for Bama to play more like the team we’ve become accustomed to this year.
Indiana Hoosiers
Call me a hater if you’d like, but the Hoosiers can’t keep up this streak of good turnover luck. They will probably go 8-4. Now imagine how you would have felt five years ago if someone told you this would be a disappointment for IU.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
If Tech keeps this up, the Red Raiders will eventually have a national contender on their hands. Not this year.
Michigan Wolverines
Don’t underestimate how badly the Sherrone Moore Experience dragged this program down the last two seasons. The Wolverines look poised to become one of college football’s big surprises this year under the new management of Kyle Whittingham. (For entertainment purposes, you can get them at +300 to make the CFP.)