The Transfer Portal closed Friday, but schools, much less their fans, don\u2019t know who\u2019s exactly on their teams without a program \u2014 or, for our readers under the age of 80, an online roster. Despite all of that uncertainty and the opening weekend still more than seven months away, On3 is not deterred. We will provide what the people want: On3\u2019s Way-Too-Early College Football Top 25 rankings.<\/p>\n
On3\u2019s college football\u2019s experts: Chris Low, Brett McMurphy, Pete Nakos, JD PicKell, Andy Staples and Ari Wasserman (not a slight, Ari, just listed alphabetically) each provided their Way-Too-Early Top 25 ballots. And just like that: On3\u2019s official 2026 Way-Too-Early Top 25.<\/p>\n
Four schools received first place votes and 39 schools overall received votes. Only the top 14 teams in our rankings were listed on everyone\u2019s Top 25 ballot. Ohio State was the top choice of Chris Low, JD PicKell and Andy Staples. Georgia received Pete Nakos\u2019 No. 1 ranking, while Ari Wasserman picked Texas and Brett McMurphy chose Notre Dame as their top teams.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t worry, our final official preseason rankings in August will look much different than our Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings once the players \u2014 and coaches! \u2014 finally determine where they\u2019ll be for the 2026 season.<\/p>\n
1. Ohio State (3 first place votes)<\/p>\n
Chris Low: Having the top pass-catch combo in college football is always a good place to start. Julian Sayin<\/a><\/strong> returns at quarterback and Jeremiah Smith<\/a><\/strong> at receiver. They hooked up for 12 touchdowns in 2015. Running back Bo Jackson<\/a><\/strong>, after rushing for 1,090 yards and earning true freshman All-America honors, is also returning, along with the left side of the offensive line and center Carson Hinzman<\/a><\/strong>. The Buckeyes lost a ton on defense, so bringing back defensive end Kenyatta Jackson<\/a><\/strong> after his breakout 2025 season was a big win for Ryan Day<\/a><\/strong>. The Buckeyes are hopeful Alabama transfer Qua Russaw<\/a><\/strong> can add some pass-rushing punch.<\/p>\n 2. Georgia (1)<\/p>\n Pete Nakos: Kirby Smart<\/a><\/strong> continues to retool Georgia and has the Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff picture. He will return quarterback Gunner Stockton<\/a><\/strong>, who went 12-2 in his first full season as the starter. Stockton had his moments where it was clear he was elevating the Bulldogs offense, notably against Tennessee and Texas. He will have a few new weapons around him, including Georgia Tech transfer wide receiver Isaiah Canion<\/a><\/strong> and Kentucky transfer running back Dante Dowdell<\/a><\/strong>. The Bulldogs return their core of running backs in Nate Frazier<\/a><\/strong> and Chauncey Bowens<\/a><\/strong>, who combined for 1,473 yards in 2025. Smart\u2019s program returns linebacker Chris Cole, who led Georgia with 4.5 sacks this season. <\/p>\n 3. Texas (1)<\/p>\n Ari Wasserman: People got annoyed with the Arch Manning<\/a><\/strong> hype heading into the 2024 season. With the way it turned out, it\u2019s hard to blame them. But if you watched Manning play down the stretch of the season and look at what the Longhorns are returning and adding, it\u2019s hard for the hype train to not leave the station yet again. Manning, incoming receiver transfer Cam Coleman<\/a><\/strong> and elite-level pass rusher Colin Simmons<\/a><\/strong>, it\u2019s hard to envision a world where Texas isn\u2019t very good.<\/p>\n 4. Notre Dame (1)<\/p>\n Brett McMurphy: This season should be vastly different for Notre Dame<\/a><\/strong> after last year\u2019s disappointing College Football Playoff snub and then opting out of a bowl game. The Irish lose star running back Jeremiyah Love<\/a><\/strong>, but return a lot of other key players, including quarterback CJ Carr<\/a><\/strong> and several defensive standouts: linebackers Drayk Bowen<\/a><\/strong> and Jaylen Sneed,<\/a><\/strong> defensive end Boubacar Traore<\/a><\/strong>, cornerback Christian Gray<\/a><\/strong> and safety Adon Shuler<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0The Irish\u2019s defense could be one of the nation\u2019s best and should dominate a schedule featuring only two teams in On3\u2019s Way Too Early Top 25 (No. 9 Miami<\/a><\/strong> and No. 13 BYU<\/a><\/strong>).\u00a0<\/p>\n 5. Indiana<\/p>\n Andy Staples: At this point, we should trust Curt Cignetti<\/a><\/strong> to populate his roster with players capable of competing at the highest level. Yes, the Hoosiers lose a lot of talent off this team. But TCU transfer QB Josh Hoover<\/a><\/strong> arrives in Bloomington with an even better resume than Fernando Mendoza had last year. Plus, homegrown talents like receiver Charlie Becker<\/a><\/strong> and edge Daniel Ndukwe<\/a><\/strong> are ready to become stars.<\/p>\n 6. Oregon<\/p>\n McMurphy: The Ducks\u2019 meltdown against Indiana<\/a><\/strong> in the College Football Playoff was a little easier to take with the news that quarterback Dante Moore<\/a><\/strong> will return this season. Moore\u2019s return makes the Ducks among the top teams in the Big Ten. Oregon<\/a><\/strong> has had four consecutive double-digit win seasons, but is still seeking its first national title game berth under Dan Lanning<\/a><\/strong>. To make the final game this season, they\u2019ll have to do so without several standouts from last season, including tight end Kenyon Sadiq<\/a><\/strong>, running back Noah Whittington<\/a><\/strong> and wide receivers Malik Benson<\/a><\/strong> and Gary Br<\/a><\/strong>yant Jr.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n 7. Texas Tech<\/p>\n JD PicKell: I don\u2019t believe 2025 was a flash in the pan for the Red Raiders. I said all year long that Texas Tech was the real deal, regardless of playing in the Big 12. General Manager James Blanchard is poised to retool the defensive trenches. Offensively, QB transfer Brendan Sorsby<\/a><\/strong> gives Tech the extra firepower that could have made a difference in their playoff loss to Oregon. Head coach Joey McGuire<\/a><\/strong>, once again, will be in a strong position to earn a playoff spot in 2026.<\/p>\n 8. Texas A&M<\/p>\n Nakos: It\u2019s hard not to get excited about what Texas A&M could look like in 2026. Starting quarterback Marcel Reed<\/a><\/strong> is back, and he\u2019s only expected to improve. The Aggies added Alabama transfer receiver Isaiah Horton<\/a><\/strong> to give Reed another experienced option. That\u2019s with Mario Craver<\/a><\/strong> returning, too. Mike Elko\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> program went all-in on adding talent to the front seven in the portal, picking up proven pass rushers in Northwestern\u2019s Anto Saka<\/a><\/strong> and San Diego State\u2019s Ryan Henderson<\/a><\/strong>. With offensive coordinator Collin Klein<\/a><\/strong> leaving for Kansas State, the offseason will be critical to ensure Reed continues his development. <\/p>\n 9. Miami<\/p>\n McMurphy: The Hurricanes continue to ascend under Mario Cristobal<\/a><\/strong>, increasing their win total from 5 to 7 to 10 to 13 and a berth in Monday\u2019s College Football Playoff title game. In other words, the \u2018Canes are here to stay. Miami<\/a><\/strong> looks to have already found a replacement for quarterback Carson Beck<\/a><\/strong> in Duke<\/a><\/strong> transfer Darian Mensah<\/a><\/strong>. UM also landed Ohio State<\/a><\/strong> transfer Jarquez Carter<\/a><\/strong>, one of the nation\u2019s top 10 defensive linemen in the portal, which will help offset some defensive losses.<\/p>\n 10. Oklahoma<\/p>\n PicKell: 2025 verified that Brent Venables<\/a><\/strong> has the chops as a head coach in the SEC. His defense is going to be something we can depend on being consistently elite in Norman. The excitement with Oklahoma is on the offensive side of the ball. When quarterback John Mateer<\/a><\/strong> was healthy, the offense gave OU a chance to hang with anybody in the country. If the Sooners can run the ball more effectively in 2026, they\u2019re going to be back in the CFP and a dark-horse SEC title contender.<\/p>\n 11. Michigan<\/p>\n Wasserman: Michigan\u2019s 2024 ended in disaster with a loss to Ohio State, and things (somehow) got worse. The Sherrone Moore saga \u2014 which ended in his firing \u2014 was one of the more bizarre off-the-field stories you\u2019ll find in college football. But what happened after is all really good stuff. The Wolverines hired former Utah coach Kyle Whittingham<\/a><\/strong>, retained quarterback Bryce Underwood<\/a><\/strong> and added a bunch of pieces in the transfer portal. Given Whittingham\u2019s history and Michigan\u2019s resources, the Wolverines should be a very tough out in the Big Ten next year.<\/p>\n 12. LSU<\/p>\n Staples: When you hire Lane Kiffin<\/a><\/strong>, you get the circus. But you also get a portal-heavy roster that will produce results quickly. QB Sam Leavitt<\/a><\/strong> was the biggest prize in the transfer portal this offseason. Cornerback Faheem Delane<\/a><\/strong> (Ohio State) is the younger brother of Mansoor Delane, who starred for LSU in 2025. The Tigers aren\u2019t done, either. They\u2019re trying to land Colorado transfer offensive tackle Jordan Seaton<\/a><\/strong> out of the portal. Kiffin also has retained plenty of key players, including red zone cheat code Trey\u2019Dez Green<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n 13. BYU<\/p>\n Nakos: Quarterback Bear Bachmeier<\/a><\/strong> had the Cougars at 12-2 as a true freshman, and it\u2019s hard not be optimistic about his development heading into 2026. Despite multiple overtures from Penn State, head coach Kalani Sitake<\/a><\/strong> is back in Provo, locked into a new deal. Defensive coordinator Jay Hill<\/a><\/strong> has left, however, joining Kyle Whittingham<\/a><\/strong> at Michigan. He\u2019ll be replaced by Kelly Poppinga<\/a><\/strong>, a promotion from defensive ends coach. With Sitake returning his star quarterback and leading rusher, the Cougars will contend for a Big 12 title. <\/p>\n 14. Penn State<\/p>\n Low: Matt Campbell<\/a><\/strong> is in, and James Franklin<\/a><\/strong> is out after 12 seasons as Penn State\u2019s coach. Franklin\u2019s undoing was losing too many games against the best teams on the Nittany Lions\u2019 schedule, even though he built a program that finished in the top 10 more times than not. Not surprisingly, Penn State\u2019s portal haul has a heavy Iowa State flavor, most notably quarterback Rocco Becht<\/a><\/strong>. Campbell, after 10 seasons at Iowa State, is tasked with rebuilding a large chunk of Penn State\u2019s roster, especially with 12 players declaring for the NFL draft. Campbell didn\u2019t retain defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and replaced him with D\u2019Anton Lynn from USC.<\/p>\n 15. Ole Miss<\/p>\n Nakos: One of the biggest storylines of the offseason leading into 2026 will be Trinidad Chambliss\u2019<\/a><\/strong> eligibility lawsuit in Mississippi. The star quarterback\u2019s eligibility will have a major impact on how 2026 plays out. But with running back Kewan Lacy<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 arguably one of the sport\u2019s top five players \u2014 returning, the Rebels will compete for a CFP bid once again. Pete Golding<\/a><\/strong> has not missed a beat in adding portal talent following Lane Kiffin\u2019s<\/a><\/strong> departure to LSU, adding over 20 players through free agency. Lead wide receiver Cayden Lee<\/a><\/strong> is also expected to enter the portal; however, he could return to Oxford depending on Chambliss\u2019 eligibility. <\/p>\n 16. Utah<\/p>\n McMurphy: The Morgan Scalley<\/a><\/strong> era began in Salt Lake City perhaps sooner than Kyle Whittingham<\/a><\/strong> wanted. Whittingham \u201cstepped down\u201d and ended up at Michigan<\/a><\/strong> and took Utah<\/a><\/strong> offensive coordinator Jason Beck<\/a><\/strong>. Scalley\u2019s first season as the Utes\u2019 coach will feature dynamic quarterback Devon Dampier<\/a><\/strong>. Former Utah State<\/a><\/strong> offensive coordinator Kevin McGiven<\/a><\/strong> is the Utes\u2019 new OC and brings wide receiver Braden Pegan<\/a><\/strong> along. Dampier is the unquestioned pulse of the Utes, but he\u2019ll have to work his magic without stud offensive tackles\u00a0Spencer Fano<\/a><\/strong> and Caleb Lomu<\/a><\/strong>, who are headed to the NFL.<\/p>\n 17. Alabama<\/p>\n Wasserman: Alabama\u2019s standard is insane. Even though the Crimson Tide made the College Football Playoff and advanced, you\u2019d think last year was a disaster. Quarterback Ty Simpson<\/a><\/strong> is off to the NFL and there is going to be a quarterback battle between Keelon Russell<\/a><\/strong> and Austin Mack<\/a><\/strong>. Though you\u2019d normally see the Crimson Tide much higher on this list, you know they are going to have as much talent as anyone in the country. Will it come together in a big way in 2026?<\/p>\n 18. Washington<\/p>\n McMurphy: There was briefly some uncertainty if quarterback Demond Williams Jr.<\/a><\/strong> would remain with the Huskies, but Williams is definitely back at Washington<\/a><\/strong>. With Williams and 13 other returning starters, the Huskies could continue their momentum from last season when they closed 5-2 with all five wins by at least 17 points. Williams should benefit behind an offensive line with four returning starters. Even with star wide receiver Denzel Boston<\/a><\/strong> off to the NFL, look for Dezmen Roebuck<\/a><\/strong> to be Williams\u2019 top target as the Huskies\u2019 offense will continue to succeed under Jedd Fisch<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n 19. USC<\/p>\n Low: After suffering through a losing Big Ten record in its first season in the Big Ten, USC bounced back with a 7-2 mark in 2025 under Lincoln Riley<\/a><\/strong>, who\u2019s still looking for his first playoff appearance at USC. The good news is that the Trojans are bringing in the No. 1 recruiting class in the country in 2026 and are hopeful some of those players can make immediate impacts. Quarterback Jayden Maiava<\/a><\/strong> is back after establishing himself as one of the most improved players in the country a year ago. Washington transfer Deven Bryant<\/a><\/strong> was a key addition at linebacker. The Trojans\u2019 schedule in 2026 is brutal.<\/p>\n 20. Tennessee<\/p>\n Wasserman: Why is Tennessee in the top 25? That\u2019s a fair question, but Josh Heupel<\/a><\/strong> has shown throughout his tenure with the Volunteers that this team will overachieve. Right now, it seems highly unlikely that quarterback Joey Aguilar will be back next season, which raises the biggest question \u2014 who will play quarterback? Also, Jim Knowles takes over as defensive coordinator, and his defense typically takes more than a year for players to fully adapt to. That said, Tennessee will probably find a way to be ranked in this area next November.<\/p>\n 21. Iowa<\/p>\n Staples: The Hawkeyes were better all season last year than they got credit for, and the Big Ten schedule on paper looks easier than last year. We can always assume excellent defense and special teams from the Hawkeyes. The question is how functional they\u2019ll be on offense. Once coordinator Tim Lester got comfortable with Mark Gronowski\u2019s dual threat capabilities last year, the Hawkeyes became far more dangerous. Lester raved during bowl prep about Wake Forest transfer Jeremy Hecklinski<\/a><\/strong>, who spent last season backing up Gronowski.<\/p>\n 22. Houston<\/p>\n Staples: Willie Fritz<\/a><\/strong> wins everywhere he goes, and he immediately had the Cougars punching above their weight class. Now he\u2019s had a full year to install his culture. QB Conner Weigman<\/a><\/strong> returns after throwing for 25 touchdowns and running for 11 more in 2025. Plus, Houston has added On3\u2019s No. 6-ranked transfer portal class. Could RB Makhi Hughes<\/a><\/strong>, who Fritz recruited to Tulane, return to the form that saw him run for 1,401 yards and 15 touchdowns in 2024?<\/p>\n 23. Virginia Tech<\/p>\n Low: James Franklin<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s name was linked to the Virginia Tech job from the time he was fired at Penn State. Already, there\u2019s a different energy surrounding the Hokies\u2019 program. Franklin has hit the transfer portal hard with nine former Penn State players joining him in Blacksburg, including quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer<\/a><\/strong>, who played well last season after replacing the injured Drew Allar. Losing cornerback Dante Lovett to UCLA wasn\u2019t ideal, but the Hokies replaced him with UConn transfer Cam Chadwick<\/a><\/strong>. Duke transfer receiver Que\u2019Sean Brown<\/a><\/strong> should add some pop to the passing game after catching more than 100 passes over the past two seasons.<\/p>\n 24. Florida<\/p>\n Wasserman: Florida may have been disappointed by not landing Lane Kiffin<\/a><\/strong>, but the coach it hired \u2014 Jon Sumrall<\/a><\/strong> \u2014\u00a0has never failed to reach the conference championship game as a head coach. The Gators lost quarterback DJ Lagway<\/a><\/strong>, but that was a welcome change. They also retained running back Jadan Baugh<\/a><\/strong>, receiver Dallas Wilson<\/a><\/strong> and defensive end Jayden Woods<\/a><\/strong>. So far, Sumrall is passing tests and Florida, on paper, should be at least solid.<\/p>\n 25. Arizona<\/p>\n Nakos: In Year 2 under