Spring practice is officially in the books, and college football fans are already counting down the days until the 2026 season kicks off. With rosters largely settled and no spring transfer portal to shake things up this year, coaches are shifting their focus to summer development and recruiting. That makes now the perfect moment to take a fresh look at where every FBS team stands.
The CBS Sports 138—now expanded to include North Dakota State and Sacramento State—is the definitive ranking of all 131 FBS programs. While our experts vote weekly during the season, the rankings haven't been updated since Indiana hoisted the national championship trophy after a thrilling win over Miami back in January. But with a full offseason of roster moves and spring practice insights, it's time to see how the landscape has shifted.
And shift it has. There's no shortage of debate at the top, with our panel offering wildly different opinions on who deserves the No. 1 spot. Ohio State ultimately claims the crown heading into the summer, but the Buckeyes' average ballot ranking of 2.0 shows just how tight the race really is. The top five—Ohio State, Texas, Oregon, Notre Dame, and Georgia—all posted average rankings of 4.6 or better, but the order is anything but settled.
What's clear is that there's a clear tier of true contenders. Along with those five, reigning national champion Indiana and last year's runner-up Miami (who also received a first-place vote) round out a seven-team group that our experts believe is a cut above the rest. That's elite company, and it sets the stage for what promises to be a thrilling season.
Just below that top tier, a familiar group of playoff-caliber programs is lurking. Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Ole Miss—all of whom made the College Football Playoff in 2025—are poised to make noise. Notably, three of those five return their starting quarterback, giving them a leg up on the competition. But each has enough lingering questions to keep them from cracking the top tier—for now.