We’re still several months away from the first practices of fall ball, but there are already seven teams that I believe are in a tier of their own ahead of the 2026 college football season.
You can likely guess a few of them, as programs like Ohio State have become mainstays at the top of college football. But is Indiana poised to make another run in 2026? Is there another Big Ten team that might be better than those two programs? Does Georgia still run the SEC?
With spring ball in the books for most of the country, let’s take a look at my post-spring top 25.Â
There were a lot of teams I considered at No. 25, but Tennessee has been very consistent, at least on offense. Josh Heupel took over five years ago and Tennessee has been the No. 1 scoring offense in the country ever since. However, the Vols have a big question at quarterback entering the summer, which is why they aren’t ranked higher. It looks like the QB competition is down to two players, with redshirt freshman George MacIntyre and five-star freshman Faizon Brandon vying for the job. Both have little or no experience. I think Tennessee will be fine on offense, but it is a quarterback-driven offense.Â
Defensively, Tennessee brought in former Ohio State and Penn State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles for the same job. There’s a lot of talent in Tennessee as it’s been one of the top recruiting programs in the country. The schedule isn’t terrible, but I like that the Volunteers get three of their four toughest games at home (Texas, LSU, Alabama).
This is a bet on top-end talent at important positions. It’s a make-or-break year for head coach Shane Beamer after South Carolina went 4-8 after being a top-10 team early on last season.Â
Quarterback LaNorris Sellers came into the 2025 season as a Heisman hopeful, but that fell off. Edge rusher Dylan Stewart could be a top-10 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, and I had him ranked in my way-too-early top 10 prospects for next year’s class. The Gamecocks also brought in Kendall Briles as their new offensive coordinator, a move aimed at injecting energy into the offense.
South Carolina returns the most offensive production in the SEC, but they have to overcome a really tough schedule. The Gamecocks have road games at Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma, and Clemson, plus home matchups against Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Georgia.
I think new head coach Morgan Scalley keeps some semblance of continuity at Utah, even though many people in that program left with Kyle Whittingham for Michigan. Scalley had to basically replace the entire offensive coaching staff.Â
The Utes still have quarterback Devon Dampier and running back Wayshawn Parker, but they’ve got to replace two first-round picks on their offensive line. That won’t be easy.
Scalley knows how to produce on the defensive side, so that’s not a concern.Â
Another Big 12 school checks in early on the list. I really like Houston head coach Willie Fritz after he helped the Cougars win 10 games in his second season.Â
Conner Weigman not only returns at quarterback, but he has 26 starts in his career. The Cougars also return wide receiver Amare Thomas, who was second in the Big 12 in receiving yards and receiving touchdowns a year ago.Â
Watch out for running back Makhi Hughes at running back, though, as he reunites with Fritz at Houston. Hughes can return to being one of the most productive running backs in the country.Â
Another staple makes the list. Iowa isn’t sure what it’s doing yet at quarterback, but we know the Hawkeyes aren’t a quarterback-centric team. That quarterback battle is going to go on for a bit. Do we care? Yes, we kind of do.Â
I’m more concerned with the Hawkeyes’ offensive line and how they plan to replace some key players, though. That O-line was the best in the country last year, or at least they were awarded as such with the Joe Moore Award.Â
Brent Brennan is a hell of a head coach. Plus, quarterback N
