Crain & Cone release Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2026 college football season

The 2025 college football season just culminated with the Indiana Hoosiers completing a perfect 16-0 season, which means it’s now time to look ahead to 2026.

The transfer portal closed Friday, January 16, and while there is still much we do not know regarding player and coaching movement heading into spring practice, our team at Crain & Cone has compiled a definitive post-portal top-25.

College football experts Jake Crain, Blain Crain, & David Cone each ranked teams individually, then aggregated them into a single, collective list. The following metrics were taken into consideration: coaching staff, player retention, transfer portal additions as of this listing, and opponent schedules.

Here is a breakdown of teams by conference: SEC = 8, Big Ten = 8, Big 12 = 5, ACC = 3, and Notre Dame.

1. Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana will likely lose quite a bit from its national championship roster, but few programs have shown the ability to build from scratch the way the Hoosiers have under Curt Cignetti. And there will be plenty of talent returning, too.

The Hoosiers are already seeing the impacts of proof of concept in the transfer portal. They’re getting better and better players. Until someone proves they can knock off Indiana, it’s the Hoosiers’ show to run.

2. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

There’s one area that Notre Dame simply must get better under Marcus Freeman if it hopes to continue to cement its status as a College Football Playoff regular: early season. The program has lost six of its 11 games under Freeman as the full-time head coach in the first month of the season.

This year, that kept the Fighting Irish out of the playoff. Barely. Freeman clearly has a working formula, though, and quarterback CJ Carr should return as one of the front-runners for the Heisman Trophy.

3. Georgia Bulldogs

Nobody stacks talent out of the high school ranks quite like the Georgia Bulldogs, and there’s plenty of it on the roster and already returning next fall. Moreover, Georgia should have plenty of motivation.

Kirby Smart is looking to guide his squad back to the promised land after taking a small step back over the last three years. Expect the Bulldogs to be in the conversation all year long.

4. Ohio State Buckeyes

One year removed from a national title, Ohio State came up just short in the playoffs this season. But there’s a wealth of talent returning, starting with Jeremiah Smith and some of his cohorts.

Staff changes created some challenges for the Buckeyes this fall, at least in terms of continuity. Will more of that pay dividends going forward into 2026?

5. Texas Longhorns

Arch Manning quietly — at least as quietly as is possible for him — emerged as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks toward the end of the season. He’ll be back, and Texas has spent handsomely in the transfer portal to get him some quality targets.

Cam Coleman could be in for a superstar season if he and Manning develop some chemistry. There’s a lot of roster turnover, but Texas did a nice job in the transfer portal plugging holes.

6. Oregon Ducks

Few have been as consistent as Dan Lanning in recruiting plenty of talent and utilizing it. Throw in the fact that Dante Moore is back and the Ducks are in good position to pick up right where they left off this season.

After winning 10 games in his first season, Lanning has been to the College Football Playoff or a New Year’s Six bowl in every season since. The smart money is on that continuing next fall.

7. Texas Tech Red Raiders

The poster child for spending aggressively in the NIL space, Texas Tech showed that can get it to the playoffs in 2025. Can the same approach get the Red Raiders farther? That’s something that will be up to the new additions.

Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby was one of the top gets out of the portal and figures to be a step up from Behren Morton. That could be the difference in being a participant in the College Football Playoff and a real competitor.

8. Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M could have made a case as the nation’s best team until a late season loss to rival Texas. The team never seemed to recover its momentum from there, falling to Miami in a defensive showdown.

Can Marcel Reed take the next step as a fourth-year college football player in 2025? That’s probably what Texas A&M needs if it’s going to be come a legitimate national title contender.

9. Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma shook things up by hiring a new offensive coordinator and bringing in quarterback John Mateer in 2025. It mostly worked, until Mateer was injured and had to slowly get back up to speed midseason.

One thing is clear, though. Brent Venables knows how to coach some defense and has recruited that side of the ball extremely well. If the Sooners can get both sides firing at the same time they’ll be as dangerous as anyone.

10. LSU Tigers

When you hire a coach who has had the kind of success Lane Kiffin has had, you’ve got a chance to be really good. When you throw a lot of money at it, you’ve got a chance to be even better.

LSU has been aggressive in the transfer portal and has secured the pieces to win right away. It’s all about how quickly the players can get up to speed in Kiffin’s system. Something tells us it won’t take too long.

Rest of the Way-Too-Early Top 25

11. BYU Cougars
12. Miami Hurricanes
13. Michigan Wolverines
14. USC Trojans
15. Alabama Crimson Tide
16. Ole Miss Rebels
17. Washington Huskies
18. Iowa Hawkeyes
19. SMU Mustangs
20. Louisville Cardinals
21. Houston Cougars
22. Utah Utes
23. Penn State Nittany Lions
24. Oklahoma State Cowboys
25. Florida Gators

Also receiving votes: Tennessee, Arizona, Missouri, & Georgia Tech.