Josh Pate Top 10 Programs for 2026

You’re applying your criteria to his rankings

Based on what metrics?

When you lose saban it should be drop off until the next guy wins natty, should it be number 7 probably not, but because of saban debeor doesn’t get the benefit of doubt that others do, especially guys like lanning and sark who have no rings and no natty appearances

JohnLark said:

Based on what metrics?

He posted the Metrics on his twitter page, the main things is the fact DeBoer is not saban and his benefit of doubt isn’t the same as others(sark/lanning) he’s gonna have to win a natty for some people and others won’t, it’s what comes with taking the job after saban

I think we are top 5. Where in the top 5 you can debate. But our resources, coaching staff, management/support, recruiting classes are elite.

Michigan is so far down in organizational stability and structure they should be out of the top 25

Ewat3 said:

Has bama at 7.. From number 1 in 2023 to number 7 in a span of 3 years.. OSU, UGA, Indiana, Oregon, Texas, ND, Bama, Miami, TxAM, Michigan To me number 3 is hilarious Id love to ask Pate which job is more high profile and prestigious? That seems to go along way in answering what are your top programs are.. If Alabama and Indiana jobs both became open tomorrow.. which is the more attractive job and garnering the highest of profile head coaches.. Alabama is a prominent top 5 program at minimum..

Explain yourself @JoshPate ..

Indiana just beat us 38-3, is backed financially by Mark Cuban (having a person/entity of that nature has proven itself to be at the very least equally as important as tradition/blue blood status as it stands) and arguably has the best coach is the sport currently. I don’t like it either but yeah they ahead lol.

When you listen to the metrics he applied ... makes sense to me. He's not talking about "all time". He is talking about last three years and in the short term going forward. I think Alabama was ranked fairly myself.

Mase1717 said:

Indiana just beat us 38-3, is backed financially by Mark Cuban (having a person/entity of that nature has proven itself to be at the very least equally as important as tradition/blue blood status as it stands) and arguably has the best coach is the sport currently. I don’t like it either but yeah they ahead lol.

I disagree.. 2 year sample size does not make you a top 3 program.

I’d say Josh is closer to being right here than most of us may publicly want to admit. At this moment in time and in the current era that I would say began in 2022/2023, I’d say 7th—10th is probably about right if you are measuring the state of the current program top to bottom.

JimmyStein said:

When you listen to the metrics he applied ... makes sense to me. He's not talking about "all time". He is talking about last three years and in the short term going forward. I think Alabama was ranked fairly myself.

To me it felt more like a team rankings, not a program rankings.

Ewat3 said:

I disagree.. 2 year sample size does not make you a top 3 program.

It absolutely does when he is basing the ranking on what's happened the last three seasons alone. That was the point of the segment on his show.

With the playoffs expanded to 12, as long Bama consistently finishes in the top 10 at the end of the regular season and is in the hunt I don't think we can complain. In this day and age of NIL, Transfer Portal, and other issues I think that's the best anyone can hope for

7-10 is about right. Saban is gone, different era.

JimmyStein said:

It absolutely does when he is basing the ranking on what's happened the last three seasons alone. That was the point of the segment on his show.

Did you consider Auburn a top 3 program after they won the Natty or after they lost the Natty?

fuck uga

trailerparkboyz said:

**** uga

Speaking of UGA.. they havent won a natty in 4 years.. and are 0-2 in the playoffs

Heck, Klatt would have us at #83. I can live with 7.

If we’re being objective here, I don’t know we can say he’s wrong. If anything we might be too high. Asking honestly, what have you seen the last two years from us to justify us being ranked #7?

biggest sham on this list is UGA at 2. What have they accomplished the last 3 years? 2 SEC title wins is nice, but I don’t think that alone justifies top 2

We’re above Texas and ND, personally. The others I’m okay with at the moment.

That’s cool. I have us at 1 since we’re the biggest brand in college sports and the only thing anyone has over us is ultra wealthy donors willing to throw whatever money it takes to land a 22 year old from a bottom tier fbs team

Cp1996 said:

That’s cool. I have us at 1 since we’re the biggest brand in college sports and the only thing anyone has over us is ultra wealthy donors willing to throw whatever money it takes to land a 22 year old from a bottom tier fbs team

Yup.. To go along with the most viewership in CFB last year.

TSKR said:

If we’re being objective here, I don’t know we can say he’s wrong. If anything we might be too high. Asking honestly, what have you seen the last two years from us to justify us being ranked #7?

Well in the past two months alone, we were in the final 8 teams playing for a national championship and we have a better program than multiple teams that also played in the same round and got eliminated based probably on what you’d want to base a top program being. “we GoT bLoWn OUt” and so did Oregon the next round by the same team whose head coach has an 0-3 record vs our coach who has a better resume over the last three years than maybe all but 2 coaches in the sport. And that’s not even including half the other things I’d say make up a top program. If anything we might be too high for 7? Are you sure you’re being objective?