College Football Preview 2026: Big Ten Part 1

Dante Moore, Oregon

 

Power Rankings

1. Oregon Ducks

Oregon has established themselves as one of the truly elite programs in college football under Dan Lanning. After winning the Big Ten in their debut season in the league in 2024, they followed it up with an 8-1 conference record last fall, with the lone defeat coming to eventual National Champion Indiana. That's 18 wins in 19 conference games for the Ducks, Big Ten Championship Game included.

The next step for the program is winning on the big stage of the College Football Playoff after two earlier-than-expected postseason exits. The 2026 team has all the pieces in place to do just that.

It starts at quarterback, where redshirt junior Dante Moore made the surprising decision to wait on the NFL Draft and return to Eugene for another year. Moore threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns last season, and his physical tools have NFL scouts drooling. He is a Heisman frontrunner heading into the 2026 campaign.

The Ducks also went out and added Nebraska transfer Dylan Raiola in the portal, providing them the depth at the QB position that is increasingly rare in modern college football. Raiola never quite lived up to the hype he received coming out of high school while at Nebraska, but he provides ample experience if anything were to happen to Moore.

The rest of the skill positions are loaded, providing Moore arguably the most impressive supporting cast in college football. The backfield is deep and only getting better, with Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill Jr. set to handle the load after the graduation of Noah Whittington. Davison ran for 15 touchdowns on just 113 attempts in 2025, and is now out to prove he can be a workhorse for the Ducks.

Out wide, Oregon is eager to have both Dakorien Moore and Evan Stewart fully healthy for 2026. Moore was well on his way to a monster freshman campaign before injuries limited him, while Stewart did not play at all a year ago. Jeremiah McClellan will also factor in heavily and at tight end, don't expect the Ducks to miss first-rounder Kenyon Sadiq too much. Junior Jamari Johnson is drawing significant offseason buzz and could end up somehow even being an upgrade at the position.

It's more of the same story on defense, where there is star power dotting the entire roster. The defensive line is going to bully opponents, feeling more reminiscent of a SEC defensive line in the early 2010s than a Big Ten unit. Matayo Uiagalelei is your prototypical twitchy, long edge rusher, while Bear Alexander and A'Mauri Washington will eat up blocks on the interior.

Losing Bryce Boettcher at linebacker hurts, but the back-seven remains loaded. Senior Teitum Tuioti is going to be unleashed at outside linebacker after notching 16 tackles for loss last fall, while veteran Jerry Mixon will play an important leadership role in this position group.

The secondary loses Dillon Thieneman, but the staff went out and simply landed the best safety transfer in college football in Koi Perich. Perich will be out to prove he can not only make the jump to an elite college program after two seasons at Minnesota, but that an underwhelming 2025 campaign was merely a sophomore slump. Rising sophomores Brandon Finney and Aaron Flowers will reprise their roles after impressive freshman seasons.

It's rare to see this much talent on both sides of the ball in the modern era of college football. Perhaps the greater question than the personnel is on the coaching staff, where the Ducks must replace offensive coordinator Will Stein and defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi. Lanning opted for continuity by promoting Drew Mehringer and Chris Hampton internally, but both will need time to adjust to their new roles.

Bottom Line: Before Indiana's National Championship run last fall, the last college football program to win their first National Title was the 1996 Florida Gators under Steve Spurrier. I fully expect the 2026 Oregon Ducks to be next. This roster is loaded top-to-bottom, they have the depth to withstand any potential injury bugs, and there's an extra bit of motivation after two consecutive early College Football Playoff exits. This team should cruise through their first two months, before traveling to Columbus to meet up with Ohio State on November 7. A week later, they welcome the Michigan Wolverines to Eugene. Those two games not only provide a fascinating back-to-back challenge, but may also be exactly what the Ducks need to spark the momentum that carries them across the finish line come December and January. 

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

Throughout the first 12 games of the 2025-26 season, Ohio State looked en route to a National Title defense. Behind the nation's top defense and the dazzling duo of Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith, the Buckeyes cruised to into the Big Ten Championship Game with an undefeated record.

Then, they managed just ten points and were outmatched by eventual National Champion Indiana. Instead of rebounding in the College Football Playoff, the second-seeded Buckeyes were shocked by Miami, a 24-14 loss that was among the most surprising of the Playoff era. That disappointing finish has to serve as an extra bit of motivation for Ohio State as they look towards 2026.

The main core of this Buckeye offense is back, with Sayin and Smith leading the way. Sayin was firmly in the hunt for a Heisman Trophy before the frustrating finish, exceeding expectations in his first season as starter. His accuracy was particularly impressive, as his 77% completion percentage was the third-best in FBS history. The next step for him will be showing out in the most important games, including road trips to Texas and Indiana this upcoming fall.

Smith is one of the most complete receivers we've ever seen at the college level, and the Biletnikoff Award frontrunner. He benefitted from teams also having to focus on future No. 4 overall pick Carnell Tate, plus tight end Max Klare. Although both depart, senior Brandon Inniss and freshman phenom Chris Henry Jr. are expected to be the complementary pieces this time around. Henry has been receiving hype similar to that of Smith when he first arrived in Columbus, while Inniss is hoping to put together the breakthrough season that has been long awaited from him.

Bo Jackson emerged as the top option in the backfield last year, and now figures to be one of the best in the Big Ten as he prepares for his sophomore season. Behind an offensive line that returns four starters, the Buckeyes have the chance to have real balance in their offensive approach, which was missed at times in 2025.

There aren't a ton of questions about the personnel offensively, but the staff shakeup will be a storyline to watch. Arthur Smith is the new offensive coordinator, taking on his first college coaching gig in a decade-and-a-half. Smith has made a name for himself in the NFL, but underwhelming runs as the Falcons head coach and Steelers offensive coordinator in recent years naturally lead to some questions.

There's more turnover on defense, but Matt Patricia proved his worth on this side of the ball a year ago. He replaced eight starters from the 2024 group, but still managed to put together a defense that allowed just 9.3 PPG and 219.1 YPG - both first nationally.

The front seven will miss Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles, but the D-Line still has the looks of a nasty group. Senior end Kenyatta Jackson Jr. was tied for second on the team in sacks last fall and should be the leader, while Beau Atkinson is in line to start opposite of him. This unit was further bolstered by the additions of Qua Russaw and James Smith, a pair of transfers from Alabama.

Caleb Downs played the QB on defense role last season, so there's no question his departure is significant. Yet, Ohio State still has high expectations for this back-end, with sophomore corner Devin Sanchez a popular breakout candidate, and transfers in line to fill holes. Earl Little Jr. and Terry Moore, both coming from ACC country, will likely have a chance to start at safety right away.

Bottom Line: The Buckeye machine shows no signs of stopping, even with the rise of Indiana and Oregon inside the league. The collection of talent on both sides of the ball boggles the mind, and this feels like a team that will finish stronger than they start as the new pieces acclimate. Another trip to the College Football Playoff feels like a certainty, but there is no denying the schedule presents challenges. The road trip to Texas is quite the test in mid-September, and the stretch in late October to early November is as tough as you will find, going to Indiana and USC and matching up with Oregon. Even so, this is a Top 5 team nationally and they should be in the thick of the National Title race once more this fall.

3. Indiana Hoosiers

College Football Preview 2026: ACC Part 2

Micah Ford, Stanford

Power Rankings

Teams 1-9 in Part 1

10. Virginia Tech Hokies

The James Franklin era begins in Blacksburg at a key moment for the program. Once a perennial power in the Big East and ACC, the Hokies have not reached the ten-win plateau in a decade, since Justin Fuente’s first season in charge. Franklin has immediately brought energy, and the hope is that he will eventually bring wins.

Coming with Franklin was quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, who started seven games down the stretch for Penn State during the lost 2025 campaign. Grunkemeyer showed real promise, hitting 69% of his passes and nearly leading the Nittany Lions to a shocking upset of eventual National Champion Indiana.

There’s a lot to be excited about surrounding Grunkemeyer at the skill positions. Marcellous Hawkins is back at running back after rushing for 749 yards a year ago, while Ayden Greene leads the receiver corps. Tight end will also be a strength, as Benji Gosnell has multiple years of experience as a starter, and Luke Reynolds also arrives from Penn State.

The defense will be the question mark. In a fascinating move, Franklin brought back Brent Pry as defensive coordinator – after he was fired as Virginia Tech’s head man just a few months prior. As strange of a situation as it is, you can understand Franklin bringing back one of his longtime assistants, a coach who was one of the best defensive minds in the game before his unsuccessful tenure as head coach.  

There are some solid pieces returning to this Hokie defense, and several former Penn Staters arrive. Between Aycen Stevens at defensive end and Kemari Copeland and Elhadj Fall, Virginia Tech will look to be more physical at the point of attack this fall. 

Forcing more turnovers will be a priority, particularly on the back-end. The Hokies were -8 in turnover margin last season, which had them ranked 115th in the country. Safeties Tyson Flowers and Quentin Reddish, who is healthy again, could help tilt them into the positive side of things in 2026.

Bottom Line: Between the arrival of Franklin and Grunkemeyer, early success on the recruiting trail, and a significant NIL investment, Virginia Tech has become somewhat of an offseason darling. With how wide open the ACC is, many are expecting the Hokies to compete right away under the new regime. Yet, I'm not quite sold on the Hokies for 2026, for several reasons. For one, this team went just 3-9 last season - there is a long way to go for them to become a contender once again. The schedule is also tricky, as the Hokies play arguably the top three teams in the league (Miami, SMU, Clemson) all on the road, plus Virginia, Georgia Tech, and Pittsburgh at home. And for all his success, Franklin has typically needed a couple years to really get things rolling at his previous stops. 2026 should be all about laying the foundation for brighter days ahead, with a bowl game being both a reasonable and attainable goal.

11. Duke Blue Devils

Sure, Miami may have been the National Runner-Up, but it was none other than the Duke Blue Devils who finished as ACC Champions in 2025. Manny Diaz has done a superb job over two seasons in Durham, winning nine games each year, and winning both the league title and a bowl game. 

There was real momentum for Duke heading into 2026, before Darian Mensah's decision to hit the transfer portal. Not only did the decision rob the Blue Devils of their starter, it was so late in the process, the staff had to scramble to find a suitable replacement. San Jose State transfer Walker Eget was the eventual answer.

Eget brings both experience to the table, and he threw for over 3,000 yards last season for the Spartans. However, he was limited by injury in the spring, injecting some further concern into the position. The expectation is that he'll be ready to go by the opener against Tulane, but redshirt freshman Dan Mahan is a name to watch as fall camp begins.

With Mensah gone, as well as top target Cooper Barkate, Duke is going to look to tailback Nate Sheppard to shoulder the offensive load. Sheppard went for 1,132 yards as a freshman last season, and punctuated it with a dominant showing in the Sun Bowl win. Another full offseason with the program, plus running behind a strong offensive line could earn him Doak Walker Award consideration.

Finding new weapons out wide will be a top priority for the Blue Devils. Tight end Jeremiah Hasley is a returnee who is going to play an outsized role, but it's likely transfers who will get the most attention. Jared Richardson, an FCS All-American at Penn, and Javen Nicholas from Charlotte are considered the top two options. Nicholas actually began his career as a preferred walk-on at LSU before showing out on a bad Charlotte team a year ago.

It was pretty surprising to see how much Duke struggled on defense last season. Diaz comes from a defensive background and made a name for himself as one of the most aggressive defensive minds in the game. That clearly didn't rub off on this 2025 team, as they surrendered 424.2 yards per game and were among the worst teams in the nation on pass defense.

There's reason to believe this group will take a step forward. The defensive line may actually be their greatest concern after significant turnover, but the back-seven shows real promise. At linebacker, Luke Mergott finished last season strong and seems to have a penchant for making plays, while Nick Morris is healthy again for his senior season.

The secondary simply can't be as bad in 2026 as it was last fall. Dashawn Stone is a great starting point as one of the best tackling defensive backs in the ACC, and there are familiar faces around him. Corners Kimari Robinson and Landan Callahan now have the experience they need to take a step forward.

Bottom Line: So much of Duke's success last season was built on their passing attack, so it can't be overstated how much of a loss Mensah and Barkate are. Sheppard does at least provide the offense the starting point they need, but there will be real pressure on Eget from Day One. Unfortunately, there's not a bunch of time for him to get his feet wet, as the Blue Devils open with Tulane and then go on the road to Illinois. Given the circumstances, a step back may be expected from Duke after the highs of 2025, but Diaz should still have this team battling hard into the postseason once more.

12. Florida State Seminoles

College Football Preview 2026: ACC Part 1

Malachi Toney, WR, Miami

Power Rankings

1. Miami Hurricanes 

Last winter was the breakthrough Miami fans have been long awaiting since the Hurricanes made the jump from the Big East to ACC. The 'Canes went 13-3 and went on an impressive College Football Playoff run, toppling Texas A&M, Ohio State and Ole Miss en route to a National Runner-Up finish. Despite the success, the Hurricanes still have their eyes set on a clear goal in 2026: their first ACC Title since joining the league two decades ago.

Most of the offensive names remain the same, with one notable exception. Carson Beck is now an Arizona Cardinal after an impressive one-year pit stop in Coral Gables. In response, Miami went out and stole Darian Mensah away from Duke, the reigning ACC Champ. Now on his third school in as many years, Mensah left many Blue Devil fans with a bad taste in their mouths - but he represents a potential upgrade for the Hurricanes. Mensah threw 34 touchdowns on a 67% completion rate last fall, while throwing far less interceptions than Beck. Not only that, his ability to improvise and extend plays with his legs could give this Miami offense a much different element than they had in 2025.

The offensive line does lose Top 10 NFL Draft selection Francis Mauigoa, but this unit is Mario Cristobal's specialty. He'll lean on returning starter Matthew McCoy heavily at one of the tackle spots, while Georgia transfer Jamal Meriweather could fill the other after appearing in 13 games a year ago. Five-star true freshman Jackson Cantwell also comes in with significant fanfare, and is likely to see immediate snaps.

As good as Mensah and this O-Line are projected to be, it's the skill position talent that has to have Miami fans drooling. Wide receiver Malachi Toney was one of the most electrifying players in all of the land in his first season of college ball and looks well on his way to superstardom. He'll be joined by one of Mensah's favorite targets, Cooper Barkate, who caught 72 passes for the Blue Devils in 2025. Tight end Elijah Lofton will also factor in, but I am curious if another pass-catcher will emerge with all the attention defenses will pay to Toney and Barkate.

In the backfield, Mark Fletcher Jr. should once again be the feature option after notching 1,192 yards an 12 touchdowns a season ago. CharMar Brown will reprise his role as the physical short-yardage option, giving this Miami team the punch in the backfield the 'Canes have too often been missing in recent years.

On defense, coordinator Corey Hetherman engineered an extremely impressive turnaround last fall, with a group that allowed under 15 points per game and just over 294 yards per contest. He'll have to make do without Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor, two NFL Draft selections who accounted for 22 sacks last fall. 

Even without Bain and Mesidor, the front seven should be in good hands with Justin Scott and Ahmad Moten Sr. on the interior, plus Missouri transfer Damon Wilson II pegged as a likely breakout candidate. Senior linebacker Mohamed Toure is another bright spot, back for his eighth season of college football.

Don't be surprised if the secondary ends up as the best unit on the defense. O.J. Frederique Jr. is the established name at corner, but it's rising star Bryce Fitzgerald who could shine through after picking off six passes in just four starts in 2025.

Bottom Line: Was 2025 truly the long-awaited breakthrough? It certainly felt like it, but this Miami team is now under pressure not to only prove they are the ACC's top dog, but a program that can compete for National Titles year-in, year out. The 2026 edition may be Cristobal's most talented team yet, and the schedule is miraculously soft. It's ACC Title or bust, with the Hurricanes likely setting their eyes on far loftier sights come winter.

2. Clemson Tigers