ESPN Releases Initial 2026 College Football SP+ Top 25

Ohio State, Oregon, Notre Dame, Georgia, and Indiana lead the way in ESPN's preseason rankings.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 2:23pm

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ESPN has released its initial college football rankings for the 2026 season using the SP+ metric, which factors in returning production, recent history, recruiting, and coaching changes. Ohio State, Oregon, Notre Dame, Georgia, and defending champion Indiana top the list, with several other top programs like Texas, Texas Tech, and Miami also making the top 25.

Why it matters

The SP+ rankings provide an early look at which teams are expected to be the national title contenders in the upcoming college football season. These projections will help shape the early narratives and storylines as programs gear up for the new year.

The details

Ohio State, despite losing a significant number of players to the transfer portal, retains key offensive pieces in QB Julian Sayin and WR Jeremiah Smith. Oregon also had a busy portal period but brings back star QB Dante Moore. Notre Dame, Georgia, and Indiana round out the top five, with the Hoosiers looking to avoid a title hangover after winning it all in 2025. Texas, Texas Tech, and Miami also cracked the top 15 after strong offseasons in the portal and recruiting.

  • ESPN released the initial 2026 SP+ Top 25 rankings on March 29, 2026.

The players

Ryan Day

The current head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes, who are two years removed from a national championship.

Dante Moore

The returning starting quarterback for the Oregon Ducks, who are coming off consecutive College Football Playoff appearances.

Marcus Freeman

The head coach of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, who are looking to bounce back from a CFP snub last season.

Kirby Smart

The head coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, who are aiming to win their third national title in six years.

Curt Cignetti

The head coach of the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers, who are looking to avoid a title hangover in 2026.

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The takeaway

The initial 2026 college football rankings from ESPN's SP+ metric highlight the continued dominance of the Big Ten and SEC, with Ohio State, Georgia, and Indiana leading the way. However, programs like Oregon, Notre Dame, and Miami have also emerged as national title contenders, setting the stage for an exciting and competitive 2026 season.