Back to poll results >>

Lefunnymaymays4lief Ballot for 2026 Preseason

Ballot Type: Human

Submitted: Aug. 12, 2026, 4:13 p.m.

Rank Team Reason
1 Oregon Ducks An experienced, cream of the crop QB, athletic at skill positions and loads of talent at the LOS on both sides of the ball is pretty difficult to deny here
2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish If anyone outside of Miami and SMU score more than 14 points on them I will be thoroughly shocked. Hell perhaps neither of them score more than 10. Unreal secondary, top 3 at worst at every other position group on defense. Carr may end up even better than Moore too
3 Ohio State Buckeyes Despite the losses on defense, depth on offense and on the coaching staff… Sayin to Smith still exists and Ohio State is still a factory. Nothing more really to say
4 Texas Longhorns If there’s any time for Sark to shed the choker allegations, it’s this year. Profiles similarly to Oregon, except better at the skill positions and slightly weaker at the LOS (made up for by two towers at tackle and possibly the best returning pass rusher AND linebacker in CFB)
5 Indiana Hoosiers I don’t do the whole “defending champion MUST be #1” sentimental crap. In fact a part of me feels like I’m STILL overrating them. I’m also not sold on Hoover, his pocket awareness in particular spooks me. This is still a top 3, probably 2 staff in CFB and has the deepest WR corps in the sport outside of perhaps Miami. Underrated at DB as well
6 Georgia Bulldogs Would be ranked much much higher if they weren’t struggling to find an identity over the last two seasons. Talent-wise they’re at least as good as the Oregons, Ohio States and Notre Dames no question. Last year saw elite stretches of play from both sides of the ball but they came at separate times from each other. If they consistently fire on all cylinders (and also consistently run the ball), Kirby may have #3
7 Miami Hurricanes Huge losses on the LOS on both sides of the ball may come back to haunt them but fortunately this is a backloaded schedule, and overall probably the easiest in the entire top 10 outside of Tech. Bakarte, Toney and Daniels is an insane group of pass catchers for Mensah, not even mentioning Fletcher Jr. taking handoffs and receiving out of the backfield
8 Texas A&M Aggies Marcel Reed hasn’t quite taken the next step despite the heaps of potential. Perhaps 2026 is the year he does so. Mario Craver might be the most underrated name at the receiver position, expect to hear his name a lot. A bit of loss on defense but Elko runs a tight ship, should be business as usual there
9 Ole Miss Rebels Here solely because of Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy. Most dynamic quarterback in college football, bar none with the best returning running back in the sport as well. If they can shoulder the load despite how much Lane thrifted upon leaving for LSU, players and staff alike, there’s a possibility they are as good as last year if not better
10 Texas Tech Red Raiders No Sorsby really fucking stings. They were as good as they were last year in spite of having to play Morton. Hammond has a 4 star pedigree but looked pedestrian when starting for the injured Morton against ASU last year. The softest schedule out of any top contender will give Hammond plenty of opportunity to gel with an otherwise stacked roster, particularly on defense with an absolutely insane front 7
11 BYU Cougars Don’t think the loss of Jay Hill will affect them as much as people think. Will likely still be one dimensional on offense, though Martin and Bachmeier make it EXTREMELY fun to watch. Have the opportunity to make statements with a BXII title and/or an upset over Notre Dame
12 Oklahoma Sooners If Mateer can play like he did for the first half of last season (and the first half of the CFP Bama game), they could win the SEC outright. A highly efficient, productive and skilled defense returns most of its production, including the Bowen brothers and David Stone
13 LSU Tigers I think they’re a year away from being a true contender while Lane and crew settle in, but having a guy like Sam Leavitt come in may make the transition process much easier than anticipated
14 USC Trojans This is it for Riley. No more pesky Notre Dame throwing a wrench into your schedule, Maiava is back, Gary Patterson is in to (finally, maybe) fix the defense for good and this is the first season to see what returns you get from the #1 recruiting class from last year. If they limp to 8-9 wins, that will likely be their ceiling under Riley for the remainder of his tenure
15 Alabama Crimson Tide Only Notre Dame has a better overall secondary, but Brown and Lee are likely the best corner duo in CFB. Unfortunately for the Tide there are questions for essentially every other position group on both sides of the ball. Russell or Mack could win this job, and it won’t matter if KDB still cannot find a way to run the ball when it matters.
16 Washington Huskies Demond Williams saga could go one of two ways… eesh
17 Michigan Wolverines Whitt is such a great hire on paper, and they totally lucked into him. He takes with him experienced edge John Henry Daley and OC Jason Beck, and sniped Jay Hill from BYU too. But all eyes are on Bryce Underwood to take the next leap after a mediocre at best debut last year
18 SMU Mustangs Kevin Jennings and Rhett Lashlee have quietly led one of the most consistent programs in the ACC over the last two seasons despite the 2024 CFP berth. They run it back again in 2026, and get to play Louisville to see who’s really second fiddle to Miami, and also make a trip to Notre Dame late in the year
19 Louisville Cardinals Another man’s trash is another man’s treasure for Jeff Brohm. Lincoln Kleinholtz comes from OSU too step into the same spot where Tyler Shough made the most of his opportunity and Miller Moss was serviceable. Isaac Brown is the most underrated RB in the sport and should be quite productive
20 Houston Cougars Connor Weigman turned it around under Willie Fritz after leaving A&M, and he may not even be the starter to end the year with the top overall recruit from last year Keisean Henderson now on the roster. Wherever Fritz goes he just wins, and perhaps he can leverage that into a BXII title game appearance in 2026, if not more
21 Iowa Hawkeyes Iowa… has an offense now? I think? Kinda? If they do again then they may be even better than #21
22 Utah Utes Devon Dampier returns, but his OC from last year and his days at New Mexico left with Whittingham to Michigan. Scalley finally gets his shot, with a muddy 2nd tier BXIi to sort through
23 Missouri Tigers They essentially traded Kewan Lacy for Austin Simmons. Ahmad Hardy’s health is a big question mark that will answer whether or not Mizzou is a real top 25 team or not
24 Illinois Fighting Illini No more Altmeyer, and Aaron Henry leaves as DC to be the DB coach at Notre Dame. Bielema still elevates the floor, and Henry is probably a much better position coach than a coordinator anyway
25 Arizona Wildcats Noah Fifita is the 2026’s “oh my god he’s still around?” player, which is not an insult by any means. They exist in that same 2nd tier as Utah and Houston, and get to play BYU in week 2 to try and make noise as early as possible

Back to poll results >>