B/R Experts' October Bold Predictions for 2026 CFB Season

Being bold never gets old.

We're a month-plus into the college football season. Teams have shown their true colors. Some are off to fast starts, while others have disappointed.

The only predictable thing in college football is that it's going to be unpredictable, so why not go out on shaky limbs this early? Right now, almost anything can still happen, right?

The College Football Playoff picture is a little clearer than it was at the start of the year. The top players are separating themselves from the field. So, let's get crazy.

It's no fun to predict Texas or Georgia wins the Natty, or Darian Mensah hoists the Heisman Trophy, because those things are expected at the moment. Some things, though, really make you go, "Whoa."

B/R Experts David Kenyon, Adam Kramer, Joel Reuter and Brad Shepard have your wild and wacky right here. Let's get bold, shall we?

Kenyon: Oklahoma Falls Short of Bowl Eligibility

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Brent Venables is not on the hot seat. His recently signed two-year extension prevents us from having that conversation.

Check the mood around Oklahoma, however, and you would probably think otherwise. I'm not here to say that's wrong, either. The offense has been nothing short of an absolute disaster this season, falling short of 300 yards in three straight games against Michigan, New Mexico and Georgia.

I don't see much improvement.

John Mateer, once a prized transfer QB, has dealt with serious turnover issues that aren't simply a product of bad luck. He's making poor decisions downfield and not protecting the ball as a runner. The staff even considered benching him during the UGA loss. Compounding the problem is OU's offensive line, which isn't blocking much of anything. So far, the Sooners are 98th in sacks allowed, 111th in tackles for loss allowed and a horrendous 134th—out of 138 teams nationally—in yards per carry.

Given what's left on the schedule, the 2-2 Sooners may struggle to even hit bowl eligibility. The remaining slate includes six AP Top 25 teams, including No. 1 Texas, No. 8 Florida and No. 9 Ole Miss. Unless OU springs an upset in one of those contests, it'll need a 4-1 finish to reach six wins.

Maybe that happens. But there isn't much evidence to support it right now.

Kramer: UCLA Makes the College Football Playoff

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You want bold? Let's get bold.

Through four games, UCLA has looked the part. While the Bruins haven't played a ranked opponent yet, they've played twice on the road and looked downright dominant at times. They've also played three Power Four teams, which is more than most can say.

Yes, Bob Chesney looks like one of the next great coaches in college football. He's taken a program that seemed adrift and brought it immediate life. We'd go so far as to say the whole thing looks Indiana Light right now.

Here's the part with UCLA that is really intriguing: the schedule.

Sure, the Bruins play at Oregon. They also play at Michigan and close out with USC. But the rest of the games look extremely manageable. It wouldn't be surprising one bit to see this team flirt with a two-loss season.

At the very least, that would put UCLA in contention. Given where this season started, what a moment it would be.  

Reuter: Malachi Toney and Jeremiah Smith Are Both Heisman Trophy Finalists

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In the 91 years the Heisman Trophy has been awarded, there has never been a season where two wide receivers finished in the top five in balloting, so having them occupy two seats as finalists in New York would be uncharted territory.

Ohio State star Jeremiah Smith (33 catches, 618 yards, 7 TD) is the current odds favorite entering Week 5, followed by Miami quarterback Darian Mensah. However, his top target Malachi Toney (34 catches, 564 yards, 6 TD) is also on the board as a top-10 candidate. There's a case to be made for him overtaking his teammate.

The share of production Smith has provided (51.2% of team receiving yards, 23.3% of team points) isn't as far ahead of Toney's impact (46.6% of team receiving yards, 17.6% of team points) as you might think. So if Smith is the leading candidate over Julian Sayin, the same should apply to Miami's candidates.

Both teams are also part of the College Football Playoff conversation and will remain in the national spotlight, but Toney has a significantly easier road ahead. Miami's only remaining currently ranked opponent is Notre Dame, while Ohio State still faces Iowa, Indiana, USC and Oregon.

Shepard: Oklahoma State Wins the Big 12

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As a Florida believer, I thought about going bold with a Gators pick, but given that they're in the top 10, that didn't quite fit the "bold" bill. So, let's head west instead.

Stillwater, Oklahoma, is experiencing an unexpected resurgence of first-year coach Eric Morris' Oklahoma State Cowboys. They are 3-1 and just whipped West Virginia in Morgantown.

A successful season seemed a stretch following a 24-10 season-opening loss to Tulsa, but OSU stunned Oregon 39-31 in Week 2 and hasn't looked back.

This isn't fool's gold. The tandem of QB Drew Mestemaker and RB Caleb Hawkins is elite, proving they can do it on any stage. Their familiarity with Morris' high-octane attack is turning viewers who see them play into believers.

Massive games at Houston (October 17) and at home against Texas Tech (November 14) loom, but split those and run the table, and the Cowboys are likely in the Big 12 championship game. This is a team with the dangerous combination of youth, belief and talent in a wide-open conference.

I like the Cowboys' path to shocking the nation.