The 2026 college football season is here, and the race for the 12-team College Football Playoff is wide open. Ohio State opens at number one and as the title favorite, the SEC packed the Top 25 with nine teams, and the Big Ten is not backing down. Below is the full preseason Top 25, the national title odds, our projected 12-team Playoff field, and a free printable bracket so you can fill in your own picks.
Quick Facts: 2026 College Football Predictions
- Ohio State opens as the preseason number one and the national title favorite at +600.
- The SEC placed nine teams in the Top 25, but the Big Ten sits on top with Ohio State and Oregon.
- The Playoff is a 12-team field, with the top four seeds earning a first-round bye.
- Our national champion pick is Ohio State over Texas.
- A free printable bracket lets you fill in all 12 seeds and pick your champion.
2026 Preseason AP Top 25
Here is the 2026 preseason AP Top 25. Ohio State is the clear number one, followed by Oregon, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Texas. The SEC leads the way with nine ranked teams, but the Big Ten holds the top of the poll.
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State |
| 2 | Oregon |
| 3 | Georgia |
| 4 | Notre Dame |
| 5 | Texas |
| 6 | Indiana |
| 7 | Miami |
| 8 | Texas A&M |
| 9 | Ole Miss |
| 10 | Oklahoma |
| 11 | LSU |
| 12 | Texas Tech |
| 13 | Alabama |
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
| 14 | BYU |
| 14 | USC |
| 16 | Michigan |
| 17 | Washington |
| 18 | Penn State |
| 19 | SMU |
| 20 | Tennessee |
| 21 | Utah |
| 22 | Iowa |
| 23 | Houston |
| 24 | Louisville |
| 25 | Missouri |
National Title Odds
| Team | Title Odds |
|---|---|
| Ohio State | +600 |
| Notre Dame | +700 |
| Oregon | +700 |
| Texas | +700 |
| Indiana | +800 |
| Georgia | +900 |
Ohio State is the betting favorite at +600, with Notre Dame, Oregon, and Texas all right behind at +700. Odds shift from book to book and week to week.
Our Projected 12-Team Playoff Field
Here is our projected 12-team College Football Playoff field. The five highest-ranked conference champions earn automatic bids, and the top four seeds get a first-round bye. This is our prediction, so grab the printable and make your own.
| Seed | Team | How they get in |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio State | Big Ten champion, bye |
| 2 | Texas | SEC champion, bye |
| 3 | Miami | ACC champion, bye |
| 4 | Texas Tech | Big 12 champion, bye |
| 5 | Oregon | at-large |
| 6 | Notre Dame | at-large |
| 7 | Georgia | at-large |
| 8 | Indiana | at-large |
| 9 | Oklahoma | at-large |
| 10 | Ole Miss | at-large |
| 11 | LSU | at-large |
| 12 | Group of 5 champion | auto-bid |
Three Dark Horses
Three teams that can crash the bracket: Texas Tech, which spent big and can win the Big 12 outright; Miami, with the talent to run the ACC; and Oklahoma, quietly dangerous in a loaded SEC. If one of these hits, the Playoff picture changes in a hurry.
Games That Decide the Race
- Week 0: North Carolina vs TCU (Dublin)
- Week 1: Clemson at LSU
- Week 1: Notre Dame vs Wisconsin (Green Bay)
- Week 1: Ole Miss vs Louisville (Nashville)
- Week 2: Ohio State at Texas
The schedule does not ease you in. Clemson at LSU headlines Week 1, and then Week 2 brings the one to circle: Ohio State at Texas, a rematch that could shape the entire Playoff race.
Our National Champion Pick
The odds say Ohio State, and we agree. The talent, the quarterback in Julian Sayin, and the path all line up. Our Playoff final: Ohio State over Texas. This is the widest field we have seen, though, so use the printable bracket to make your own call.
How to Use the Printable Bracket
The free printable lays out the full 12-team bracket. Write in your top four seeds with their first-round byes, fill in the first-round matchups (5 vs 12, 6 vs 11, 7 vs 10, and 8 vs 9), then work through the quarterfinals, semifinals, and the national championship. Print one for yourself and one for each person in your group, then compare picks all the way to January.
2026 College Football Playoff FAQ
Who is the preseason number one for 2026?
Ohio State is the preseason AP number one and the national title favorite at +600, led by quarterback Julian Sayin.
How does the 12-team Playoff work?
Twelve teams make the field: the five highest-ranked conference champions get automatic bids, and seven at-large teams fill out the bracket. The top four seeds earn a first-round bye, and the other eight play first-round games at the higher seed’s home site.
When does the 2026 season start?
The season opens in late August, with Clemson at LSU in Week 1 and Ohio State at Texas in Week 2. Print the bracket and lock in your picks now.
More 2026 College Football
- 2026 College Football Top 25 Schedule Grid (Printable)
- College GameDay 2026 Location Tracker (Printable)
- 2026 College Football Schedule Hub: Every Team
