College Football 2026: The Ultimate Season Preview

The 2025 season ended in the most improbable way: the Indiana Hoosiers won the national championship. This is a school known mostly for its massive alumni base and its historic basketball program, yet head coach Curt Cignetti found a way to put the football program on the map—and promises it’s not a fluke. Coach Cignetti has vowed to make Indiana a household name and a force for years to come.

As we head into the 2026 season, major questions surround every corner of the college football landscape:

Quarterbacks & Offenses

• Is Darian Mensah ready to lead Miami to the promised land?
• Has Arch Manning matured enough to lead Texas to an SEC title and more?
• Will Alabama use a two-quarterback system, or will a clear starter emerge before the season?
• Can Marcel Reed elevate his game and get Texas A&M to the playoff?
• Is Trinidad Chambliss ready for a Heisman Trophy run?

Contenders & Conference Powerhouses

• Is Indiana for real, or are the Hoosiers a one-hit wonder?
• Can the Big 12 produce additional playoff-caliber teams this season?
• Can Kirby Smart keep Georgia focused down the stretch and make another deep playoff run?
• Are Dan Lanning’s Oregon Ducks ready for a national title run?
• Can the Buckeyes break their current losing streak against Michigan?
• Are the Tennessee Volunteers ready to make a run at the SEC championship?
• Will Notre Dame get left out of the playoff again if the Fighting Irish lose more than one game?

Coaching Hot Seats & Big Moves

• Is it playoff or bust for Lane Kiffin in his first year at LSU?
• Will Dabo Swinney’s roster reset get Clemson back to its winning ways?
• Will this be Lincoln Riley’s last year in L.A., or will he finally get USC over the hump?
• Will new Florida head coach Jon Sumrall finally bring stability to Gainesville?
• Is this Mike Norvell’s final season at Florida State?
• Can Coach Prime get his Colorado team back to a bowl game?
• Will the Bill Belichick experiment at UNC extend beyond 2026?

Roster Turnover & Big Questions

• How will the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets’ offense and defense adapt under two new coordinators?
• How will Matt Campbell adjust to a grueling yearly Big Ten schedule at Penn State?
• Which new head coaching hire will come in and make the biggest splash in Year 1?
• Which transfer portal additions will make the biggest overall impact?
• Which true freshmen will make an immediate contribution?
• Will a Group of 5 program secure a spot in the College Football Playoff this season?

The season starts on August 29, with North Carolina taking on TCU across the pond, in Dublin, Ireland at NOON!