2026 Preseason College Football Playoff Bracket Projections and Predictions

Following an eight-game Week 0 slate, the 2026 season is officially underway. The march to the College Football Playoff is on.

At last, our final preseason predictions are due.

Bowl eligibility is nice, and contending for a conference title is valuable. But the ultimate goal, for every program within the Football Bowl Subdivision, is earning a spot in the 12-team CFP field to chase a national championship.

These projections—which follow a refresher of the CFP format and B/R's Top 25 to open the season—are a personal outlook on the 2026 campaign.

CFP Format

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As with seemingly everything else in the sport, the College Football Playoff has undergone some notable changes for the 2026 season.

Most importantly, the path to an automatic bid has changed. In both 2024 and 2025, the five highest-ranked conference champions—no matter their league affiliation—landed a spot in the CFP.

The rules are different in 2026 due to a memorandum of understanding signed in March 2024. This year, the winners of the Power Four conferences—the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC—are guaranteed a Playoff invite.

Additionally, the highest-ranked Group of 6 program will receive a bid, even if it is not a conference champion.

Notre Dame secured some unparalleled protection for itself, as well. If the Fighting Irish are 12th or better in the final CFP rankings, they're in. Again, that MOU was signed in March 2024. The change is not in response to ND's end-of-season drama a year ago—but it sure is a timely coincidence.

Preseason B/R Top 25

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Dante Moore

1. Oregon
2. Ohio State
3. Notre Dame
4. Miami
5. Georgia
6. Texas
7. Indiana
8. Texas Tech
9. Ole Miss
10. Texas A&M
11. Oklahoma
12. LSU
13. Alabama
14. USC
15. BYU
16. Washington
17. SMU
18. Utah
19. Michigan
20. Tennessee
21. Louisville
22. Penn State
23. Houston
24. Iowa
25. Kansas State

Season Predictions

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Gunner Stockton

Throughout the season, the bracket projections will be based on B/R's Top 25. Entering the campaign, though, this is an individual prediction—one that assuredly won't go terribly wrong by, like, Week 4.

Power 4 Champions and Top Group of 6 Team

1. Georgia (SEC)
2. Indiana (Big Ten)
3. Miami (ACC)
4. Texas Tech (Big 12)
5. Navy (American)

At-Large Bids

1. Oregon (Big Ten)
2. Notre Dame (Independent)
3. Ohio State (Big Ten)
4. Alabama (SEC)
5. Oklahoma (SEC)
6. BYU (Big 12)
7. SMU (ACC)

Projected CFP Bracket

College Football Playoff Notes

First-round games will be played on the campuses of teams seeded fifth to eighth.

This postseason, the Fiesta Bowl, Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl and Cotton Bowl will serve as the four quarterfinal sites.

The semifinals will be played at the Orange Bowl and Sugar Bowl, and Las Vegas will host the CFP national championship.

Key Teams to Watch in September

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Trinidad Chambliss

When discussing the biggest game of the opening month, the easy answer is Ohio State at Texas. It should be a battle of Top Five teams in Austin.

Several teams, though, have at least two early showdowns.

LSU headlines the group with three huge matchups, kicking off the campaign at home against Clemson. After a (theoretical) tune-up game, the Tigers head to Ole Miss in Week 3 prior to hosting Texas A&M. Few teams face a tougher September slate.

Ole Miss, meanwhile, has that LSU contest after meeting Louisville in a neutral-site opener. Also in Week 3, Louisville takes on SMU in a likely Top 25 clash.

Wrapping up this group, Oklahoma is set to play at Michigan and Georgia during the opening month. Dropping both games would put a serious dent in the Sooners' hopes of returning to the CFP before October even begins.