Spring ball is in full effect this offseason. In preparation of the 2026 college football season, however, ESPN has released its initial SP+ Top 25.
These projections are based on four categories and weighted by their predictiveness. They include returning production, recent history, recent recruiting and coaching change effects.
Notably, there are now 138 FBS football teams this season after the additions of North Dakota State and Sacramento State. Find the full list, courtesy of ESPN, below.
Ohio State lost 32 players to the NCAA transfer portal this offseason. They gained 17 back and are welcoming in the No. 3 overall recruiting class via the 2026 Rivals Industry Rankings.
The Buckeyes are two years removed from a national championship under current head coach Ryan Day. While Ohio State lost talent to the NFL Draft and portal, they retain two key pieces to their offense — QB Julian Sayin and WR Jeremiah Smith.
Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore in the Peach Bowl against the Indiana Hoosiers. (Photo by: © Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Dante Moore’s return for Oregon under center was the biggest news for the Ducks this offseason. While they have new offensive and defensive coordinators for the 2026 season — the Ducks are supposed to be right in the mix once again after consecutive College Football Playoff appearances
As for the recruiting front — similar to their Big Ten foe Ohio State — they lost 30 players to the portal and brought in 16 in return. They’re also set to bring in the No. 4 overall recruiting class.
Notre Dame will look to move on from last season’s CFP snub and leave no doubts where the Fighting Irish stand at the end of the 2026 season. They certainly appear on that trend given the talent brought in this season.
The Irish have the No. 11 overall transfer portal class — with just seven players. WRs Mylan Graham and Quincy Porter came in from Ohio State to bolster the offense while head coach Marcus Freeman revamped his defensive back and defensive line rooms with the other five. Notre Dame is also set to welcome in the No. 2 overall recruiting class to campus this summer.
Georgia is the last team from the SEC to win the national championship. Head coach Kirby Smart’s squad would love to be the team to throw a wrench in the Big Ten-SEC rivalry by winning its third title in six years.
Unlike the other three teams ahead of them, the Bulldogs didn’t use the portal all that much. They signed the 51st-rated portal class this cycle, but are set to welcome in a top-five recruiting class this offseason. Importantly, Georgia has third-most returning production in the SEC behind both South Carolina and Texas.
Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti talks with his team as they grab the trophy after the College Football Playoff National Championship college football game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. Photo: Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The reigning national champions, Indiana Hoosiers will look to avoid a title hangover in 2026. Head coach Curt Cignetti went to work right away to tackle this issue.
Indiana signed the No. 1 portal class that included 17 key transfers including new QB Josh Hoover from TCU. Recruiting-wise, the Hoosiers are behind the other four teams in front of them with the 30th-ranked recruiting class incoming.
What will Texas look like in Year 2 of the Arch Manning era? The national title aspirations are there and the Longhorns are hungry after missing out on the College Football Playoff this past season and appear poised to get back there in 2026.
Manning will have a new WR1 in Cam Coleman to throw to, headlining Texas’ No. 10 transfer portal class. The Longhorns are also set to bring in the No. 10-rated recruiting class to Austin as well.
Texas Tech was the biggest spender last year, and the Red Raiders didn’t hide their money this offseason, either. Coming off a Big 12 title run and CFP berth, Texas Tech appears to be at the forefront of the modern college football landscape.
They signed a pair of five-star recruits as a part of the No. 19 recruiting class. Moreover, they welcomed in the No. 2 overall transfer portal class to Lubbock this winter as well.
After stacking several highly-rated recruiting classes and making the transfer portal a major priority, Mario Cristobal and Miami are now a national power. © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Miami went from being left out of the ACC championship game to making the national championship game before falling short against Indiana. The Hurricanes believe they’re here to stay under head coach Mario Cristobal.
A top-15 transfer portal class and top-10 recruiting class justify this. However, they’ll look to replace some significant production on both the ‘Canes offensive and defensive units.
Texas A&M just missed out on the College Football Playoff in 2025 — but Mike Elko’s squad is locked in and reloaded having signed top ten recruiting and transfer portal classes. They’ve also kept key starters on both sides of the ball such as QB Marcel Reed, WR Mario Craver, and DB Dezz Ricks.
This puts the Aggies’ expectations firmly near the top of the SEC this preseason. After an 11-0 start in 2025 — they’ll try to best that in 2026.
LSU made the biggest splash of the offseason signing Lane Kiffin as its next head coach. Kiffin led Ole Miss to the College Football Playoff last season (though, he didn’t coach) — something he’s expected to do at LSU. The Tigers were last a part of the CFP in 2019 when they won it all with Joe Burrow and company.
Kiffin has made his living off the transfer portal the last several seasons with the Rebels, and that’s no different in his first offseason at LSU. He’s brought in 40 players transfers — good for the No. 3 portal class this offseason. The Tigers will also bring in the No. 12 recruiting class to Baton Rouge.
ESPN SP+ Top 25
Kalen DeBoer (Courtesy of Alabama Athletics)
11. Alabama
12. Oklahoma
13. USC
14. Michigan
15. Tennessee
16. Ole Miss
17. Penn State
18. BYU
19. Florida
20. Missouri
21. Washington
22. Iowa
23. Clemson
24. South Carolina
25. Utah