Full Breakdown
2026 College Football Preseason Rankings Reveal Notre Dame at No. 1 and a Wide-Open Conference Landscape
8/25/2026, 1:54:36 AM
Overview of the 2026 USA TODAY Sports Re-Rank
On August 24, 2026, USA TODAY Sports published its inaugural “Re-Rank 1-138,” a preseason evaluation of every Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program. Writer Paul Myerberg placed the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at No. 1, citing talent, coaching and motivation. The top five were Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas, Oregon and Indiana. The Big Ten and SEC supplied 15 of the top-25 slots; the ACC contributed three (Miami, SMU, Clemson) and the Big 12 five (Texas Tech, BYU, Houston, Utah, TCU).
Conference Representation and Notable Rankings
- Power Five dominance: 15 of the top 25 teams hail from the Big Ten or SEC.
- ACC presence: Miami (No. 9), SMU (No. 15) and Clemson (No. 25).
- Big 12 outlook: The SI power-ranking listed Texas Tech as the preseason favorite, followed by BYU, Houston, Utah and TCU.
- Group of Six: Boise State (No. 23) leads the former Pac-12-aligned schools, with Navy (No. 31), James Madison (No. 33), Western Kentucky (No. 34) and Tulane (No. 35).
Team Spotlights
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Myerberg argues the Irish’s recruiting depth, experienced staff and “smallest margin for error” path make the No. 1 slot realistic, though backfield holes remain.
Florida Gators
USA TODAY Sports placed the Gators at No. 36, two spots higher than the writer’s April re-rank. Head coach Jon Sumrall opens the season in early September against FAU; the team remains outside both the Coaches and AP top-25 polls.
Boston College Eagles
Boston College held its second preseason scrimmage at Alumni Stadium. Coach Bill O’Brien said the squad showed “more athleticism and more playmakers,” highlighting running backs Bo MacCormack III and Mekhi Dodd and true-freshman receiver DJ Biggins, while noting the need for better run defense and line protection.
Big 12 Contenders
SI’s power-ranking notes Texas Tech entering as the reigning conference champion after an eight-win 2025 campaign. BYU, led by quarterback Bear Bachmeier, is described as the “most battle-tested challenger.” Houston, Utah (new head coach Morgan Scalley) and TCU round out the early picture, with analysts warning the conference’s “chaos” could reshape rankings.
Official Statements & Responses
- Paul Myerberg (USA TODAY Sports): Attributes Notre Dame’s top ranking to its “talent, coaching and motivation,” while noting backfield deficiencies.
- SI analysts (Big 12): Call the upcoming season “the most unpredictable league” with “chaos” likely to dominate the conference race.
Data & Statistics
- Top-5 teams: Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas, Oregon, Indiana.
- Power-Five representation in top 25: 15 teams (Big Ten + SEC).
- Group of Six highest-ranked: Boise State (No. 23).
- Big 12 power-ranking order (selected): 1. Texas Tech, 2. BYU, 3. Houston, 4. Utah, 5. TCU.
- All-American omissions: Eight Top-25 programs—including Texas A&M (No. 8), USC (No. 15), Washington (No. 17), Penn State (No. 18), SMU (No. 19), Tennessee (No. 20), Utah (No. 21) and Louisville (No. 24)—received no preseason AP All-American selections.
What’s Next
Week Zero games will launch the 2026 campaign, with Texas Tech positioned as the early favorite in the Big 12 and Florida preparing for its opening matchup in early September. The evolving rankings will be closely watched as teams seek to solidify playoff credentials amid a landscape marked by historic programs and emerging challengers.
