Notre Dame enters the final days before the 2026 college football season at No. 1 in USA TODAY Sports’ preseason FBS Re-Rank, leading a field of 138 teams. Ohio State sits at No. 2 and Texas at No. 3, putting three major national-title contenders at the front of the preseason order.
The Fighting Irish’s position stands out because the program is still chasing its first national championship since 1988. The ranking reflects confidence in Notre Dame’s talent, coaching and roster additions, although important questions remain after key departures from last season.
Why Notre Dame starts at No. 1
Notre Dame has holes to fill from last year’s two-deep, including significant losses in the backfield. Running back Aneyas Williams is one of the players expected to take on a larger role, while another strong transfer class has added depth across the roster.
The No. 1 placement is not shared by every major preseason ranking. The AP Top 25 released in August has Ohio State at No. 1, Oregon at No. 2, Georgia at No. 3 and Notre Dame at No. 4, showing how differently preseason evaluations can view the same contenders.
That contrast is useful for fans: these rankings are evaluations rather than standings, and actual results will quickly determine which preseason expectations hold up.
Ohio State, Texas and the Big Ten remain close behind
USA TODAY’s Re-Rank places Ohio State second, followed by Texas at No. 3. Oregon is No. 4 and defending national champion Indiana is No. 5, giving the Big Ten three teams inside the top five.
Georgia starts at No. 6 and Oklahoma at No. 7. Miami is No. 9, while Southern California is No. 10. The source information provided does not identify the team ranked eighth, so that position should not be filled by assumption.
Indiana’s place near the top carries extra context after the Hoosiers completed a historic championship run earlier this year. The team’s first College Football Playoff national championship changed expectations around a program that had traditionally entered seasons as an outsider.
Big Ten and SEC dominate the Top 25
The Big Ten and SEC combine for 15 of the 25 highest-ranked programs, reinforcing how heavily the national picture is concentrated in those two conferences.
The ACC has three teams in the Top 25: Miami, No. 15 SMU and No. 25 Clemson. Five Big 12 programs make the group — No. 12 Texas Tech, No. 14 BYU, No. 20 Houston, No. 21 Arizona and No. 24 Utah.
Clemson will have an early chance to influence perceptions when it visits LSU on September 5. The matchup is among the notable 2026 college football opening games and gives both programs an immediate test against high-level opposition.
Boise State leads the Group of Six teams
Boise State is No. 23 and the only Group of Six program inside the Top 25. The Broncos are also considered the preseason favorite in the reshaped Pac-12.
Navy is ranked No. 31, James Madison No. 33, Western Kentucky No. 34 and Tulane No. 35, giving several programs outside the traditional power conferences a realistic path to climb once games begin.
North Dakota State joins an expanded FBS field
The 2026 ranking stretches to 138 teams following the additions of North Dakota State and Sacramento State. North Dakota State enters the Mountain West at No. 72 after completing one of the most dominant runs in FCS history.
Sacramento State joins the Mid-American Conference and starts at No. 133. For both programs, the move creates a new test: sustained success at a lower level does not automatically translate to the weekly depth of an FBS schedule.
Several Power Four programs begin near the bottom
Purdue is the lowest-ranked Power Four team at No. 113, followed closely by Boston College at No. 112. Stanford sits at No. 108 and Colorado at No. 104.
North Carolina opens at No. 94 as Bill Belichick enters his second season with the program. NCAA’s 2026 schedule highlights North Carolina’s Week 0 meeting with TCU in Dublin as one of the notable early nonconference games. Fans can track official schedules, scores and FBS rankings through the NCAA college football hub.
What the rankings mean before kickoff
Preseason rankings provide a starting point, not a final verdict. Injuries, transfers, quarterback development and early heavyweight matchups can change the order rapidly once games begin.
Notre Dame enters USA TODAY’s Re-Rank with the biggest preseason target, while Ohio State, Texas, Oregon and Indiana remain close enough to reshape the conversation immediately. With several highly ranked teams facing meaningful early-season tests, the 2026 national picture may look very different within the opening weeks.
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