Always all in \u2026 with big resultsAlabama<\/p>\n
Present: Alabama\u2019s shot at winning its seventh national championship dating back to 2009 largely depends on whether its still-undecided starting quarterback develops into a star and if the team\u2019s running game improves.<\/p>\n
Future: Kalen DeBoer\u2019s contract was extended through 2033 after rumored interest from Michigan. Alabama\u2019s 2027 recruiting class is surprisingly average, but DeBoer previously signed two top-five classes. He\u2019s too good a coach not to win big in Tuscaloosa.<\/p>\n
Georgia<\/p>\n
Present: Kirby Smart\u2019s roster is stacked with stars, including several veterans from the last two SEC championship squads. Winning a third national championship this decade likely comes down to the effectiveness of a new-look receiving corps.<\/p>\n
Future: The 2026 recruiting cycle marked the first time since 2016 that Georgia didn\u2019t sign a top-four class. But there\u2019s no reason to be worried about talent in Athens. Smart has a contract paying him $13 million per year through 2033, and the school is spending $56 million to expand its football complex by July 2027.<\/p>\n
Who will win the Heisman Trophy this year?<\/p>\n
Ralph D. Russo, Sam Khan Jr. and more<\/p>\n
LSU<\/p>\n
Present: Between buyouts, coaching changes and a roster overhaul, LSU spent nearly $200 million to fix its football and basketball programs. The football team\u2019s 2026 title hopes come down to the health of new quarterback Sam Leavitt, a revamped offensive line and consistency in the secondary.<\/p>\n
Future: A successful sitting head coach leaves a stable situation because he believes LSU will give him a better opportunity to win a national title. Sound familiar? Brian Kelly didn\u2019t make it through four seasons in Baton Rouge. Kiffin might seem to be a better fit than his predecessor, but the locals will not be happy if he doesn\u2019t win a national title<\/a> in the next few seasons.<\/p>\n Miami<\/p>\n Present: Mario Cristobal has to replace four starters on the offensive line from last year\u2019s national championship runner-up, but developing that position is his specialty. Miami\u2019s offense should be less turnover-prone and more explosive with Duke transfer Darian Mensah at quarterback.<\/p>\n Future: School president Joe Echevarria said recently that The U is \u201cplaying for its next (realignment) contract, not for the one we\u2019re in.\u201d He continued, \u201cHowever the realignments occur, we are going to be invited where the leading one is. They won\u2019t leave us out. We\u2019ll be far too relevant and too big a brand.\u201d<\/p>\n Michigan<\/p>\n Present: Kyle Whittingham did a fine job filling immediate needs in the portal, notably with a few of his former Utah players. If offensive coordinator Jason Beck can get former five-star QB Bryce Underwood to live up to expectations, it could be a special first season in Ann Arbor for Utah\u2019s all-time winningest coach.<\/p>\n Future: The Wolverines are only three years removed from winning a national championship and have signed top-20 recruiting classes every year since 2018. The program is well-funded and always has talent, but weird stuff won\u2019t stop happening in Ann Arbor. So while the program is one of the sport\u2019s true blue bloods, it\u2019s not wise to assume success at Michigan.<\/p>\n Notre Dame<\/p>\n Present: The Irish need someone to fill Jeremiyah Love\u2019s shoes in the backfield, but CJ Carr is back at quarterback and the defensive line should be improved. Receiver remains the biggest question mark in the program\u2019s quest to win its first national title since 1988.<\/p>\n Future: As long as Marcus Freeman doesn\u2019t leave for the NFL, things shouldn\u2019t change in South Bend. Plus, the Irish have a guaranteed spot in the CFP if they finish in the top 12 of the final ranking. Easy peasy with their schedule.<\/p>\n Ohio State<\/p>\n Present: Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin are back to lead one of the best offenses in the country against a really tough schedule. If the portal additions on defense live up to potential and the offensive line is a little more reliable, the Buckeyes will be in a position to make a run at a second national title in three years.<\/p>\n Future: Ohio State\u2019s athletic program brought in $336 million in revenue \u2014 second-most among all FBS programs \u2014 and the Buckeyes spent more on football ($92.3 million) than any other program in terms of total football operating expenses. Ohio State is virtually recession-proof<\/a>.<\/p>\n Oregon<\/p>\n Present: The Ducks had to replace both coordinators \u2014 who are now Power 4 head coaches \u2014 but return arguably the best defensive line and quarterback in the country. If the offensive line finds three new quality starters without a hitch, Oregon should be in the hunt to win its first national championship.<\/p>\n Future: Lanning has signed three top-five recruiting classes in a row and has a proven starting quarterback in Dylan Raiola waiting to take over for Moore. Nike co-founder and booster Phil Knight, 88, is also still around.<\/p>\n \n Can Dan Lanning and the Ducks break through and win the program\u2019s first national title? (Ben Lonergan \/ USA Today Network via Imagn Images)<\/p>\n Texas<\/p>\n Present: Arch Manning\u2019s supporting cast was upgraded. If the Longhorns are going to win their first national championship since 2005, it\u2019s because Manning and transfer Cam Coleman have formed college football\u2019s most electric quarterback-receiver tandem.<\/p>\n Future: Texas athletics has produced the most revenue of any college for two years running, including $352.5 million in 2025. The Longhorns expect to be elite in every sport \u2014 and football is priority No. 1.<\/p>\n Big spenders \u2026 hoping for resultsAuburn<\/p>\n Present: Tigers fans have had a tough time stomaching five consecutive losing seasons, but new coach Alex Golesh is adept at building offenses \u2014 and he brought a bunch of his guys with him from South Florida to expedite the rebuild. The question is on the other side of the ball, where coordinator DJ Durkin, a holdover from the previous staff, has some key personnel to replace.<\/p>\n Future: Auburn is 1-12 in its last 13 one-score games, so with a little bit of luck, the Tigers might be in position for a quick turnaround. Golesh is doing a stellar job so far on the recruiting trail, but talent acquisition is rarely a problem for this program. Being normal is. Can Golesh solve that?<\/p>\n Florida<\/p>\n Present: New coach Jon Sumrall inherited future NFL playmakers at running back and receiver from Billy Napier\u2019s staff. How much Florida improves in 2026 will depend on the play of the new quarterback \u2014 either Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo or holdover Tramell Jones \u2014after the underwhelming DJ Lagway era.<\/p>\n Future: School officials unveiled plans recently for a $1.45 billion overhaul<\/a> of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to be completed by 2030. It shouldn\u2019t take Sumrall that long to make the Gators worth watching again.<\/p>\n Oklahoma<\/p>\n Present: The Sooners brought in help at receiver, tight end and on the offensive line to assist quarterback John Mateer in improving an offense that ranked 79th in scoring in 2025. If those newcomers deliver and a retooled defense plays well \u2014 as expected \u2014 OU could make a run at its first national championship since 2000.<\/p>\n Future: Oklahoma has failed to win eight games only twice this century, both times under current coach Brent Venables. So while everything appears to be in place \u2014 OU ranked 12th in football operating expenditures ($63 million) in 2025 \u2014 it\u2019s fair to question whether Venables is the right coach.<\/p>\n Penn State<\/p>\n Present: Penn State imported a Big 12 coach (and a Big 12 roster) to try to win the Big Ten. Matt Campbell was really good at his job at Iowa State, but expectations in Happy Valley dwarf what he dealt with in Ames. On paper, the Nittany Lions aren\u2019t good enough yet to win big in 2026. But Campbell made a habit of exceeding expectations at Iowa State.<\/p>\n Future: Can Campbell eventually lead the Nittany Lions to where James Franklin couldn\u2019t? Maybe. Penn State hasn\u2019t slowed down spending big on football \u2014 the Beaver Stadium renovation will cost around $700 million \u2014 in its quest to win its first national championship since 1986.<\/p>\n Tennessee<\/p>\n Present: The Vols were not able to lure a veteran quarterback via the portal, and it\u2019s fair to question whether holdover George MacIntyre or incoming freshman Faizon Brandon will be good enough to survive a brutal SEC schedule that includes Texas, Alabama, LSU and Texas A&M. Still, Josh Heupel has managed to win at least eight games each of the last four seasons, and he made the CFP in 2024.<\/p>\n Future: Neyland Stadium\u2019s $337 million renovation is supposed to be completed by the end of this summer, and an additional $280 million will be spent on creating an entertainment district near the stadium<\/a> by the end of 2028. Investing in the football product never slows down in Knoxville, win or lose.<\/p>\n Texas A&M<\/p>\n Present: The Aggies brought in 11 transfers who started at their previous stops, including four offensive linemen from other SEC schools, and they lost only one 2025 starter to the portal. The big questions: Can quarterback Marcel Reed bounce back from his late-season fade, and will the team\u2019s new coordinators be as good as their predecessors?<\/p>\n Future: The Aggies have burned us in the past \u2014 most recently after signing the highest-rated recruiting class ever in the 2022 cycle \u2014 but few programs appear to be in better shape for the next decade. Mike Elko, who guided A&M to its first CFP last season, is proving to be an elite head coach, and he is poised to sign the nation\u2019s No. 1 recruiting class \u2014 a group that currently includes six five-star prospects.<\/p>\n \n USC is 35-18 in four seasons since Lincoln Riley joined the Trojans from Oklahoma. (Luke Hales \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n USC<\/p>\n Present: Quarterback Jayden Maiava is back with an experienced offensive line and an influx of young talent at receiver from the No. 1 recruiting class. What we don\u2019t know: Can new defensive coordinator Gary Patterson turn the Trojans into an elite group on that side of the ball?<\/p>\n Future: USC has been recruiting \u2014 and spending \u2014 at an elite level since the arrival of GM Chad Bowden, but at some point, coach Lincoln Riley needs to break through and take the Trojans to the CFP. Surprisingly, this program has not won a league title since the Pac-12 in 2017.<\/p>\n Washington<\/p>\n Present: Quarterback Demond Williams tried to leave for LSU but was essentially forced to return because he had already signed a revenue-sharing deal with Washington, creating one of the more awkward situations<\/a> in the sport. The Huskies lost quite a bit of star power around Williams, but at least they have one of the best offensive lines in the country, on paper. The defense should be solid under coordinator Ryan Walters.<\/p>\n Future: Jedd Fisch\u2019s approach thus far has been investing in high school recruits over high-priced free agents (only one transfer starter came over from a P4 program). The Huskies \u2014 who are not yet receiving a full Big Ten revenue share ($46.7 million instead of $76 million for fully vested schools) because they joined under a phased-in distribution model \u2014 have signed top-25 recruiting classes in the last two cycles and rank in the top 25 in 2027.<\/p>\n New moneyBYU<\/p>\n Present: The Cougars filled most of their immediate needs in the portal and have two key frontline pieces back on offense in quarterback Bear Bachmeier and running back LJ Martin \u2014 the 2025 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year \u2014 to contend for the league title. The receiver position is the biggest question mark.<\/p>\n Future: With Kalani Sitake pledging his allegiance to his alma mater after flirting with Penn State and elite QB recruit Ryder Lyons arriving in 2027 to \u2014 at some point \u2014 take over for Bachmeier, BYU\u2019s football future in a middling Big 12 is looking as warm and gooey as a fresh box of Crumbl Cookies<\/a>.<\/p>\n Indiana<\/p>\n Present: Curt Cignetti had another stellar offseason in the portal and retained his coordinators. Repeating as national champions, though, largely depends on whether new quarterback Josh Hoover can perform at the same Heisman level Fernando Mendoza did.<\/p>\n Future: Cignetti, who had his contract extended through 2033, just signed Indiana\u2019s best recruiting class in the last 15 years and recently landed a five-star commitment<\/a> in the \u201927 class. The school\u2019s president said in October that they\u2019re committed to investing to \u201ccompete at a championship level.\u201d<\/p>\n Ole Miss<\/p>\n Present: Pete Golding added some dudes on defense through the portal, including four former starters in the secondary, two at linebacker and one at nose tackle. The question in Oxford is what the Trinidad Chambliss-led offense will look like without Lane Kiffin and Charlie Weis Jr. around to call the plays.<\/p>\n Future: Kiffin\u2019s departure might have been a blow to the Rebels\u2019 collective ego, but the school\u2019s boosters \u2014 led by the Grove Collective \u2014 might be even more inspired to spend to beat Kiffin and LSU than before the team\u2019s run to the national semifinals last season. Golding, however, will have to prove he can be the CEO of an SEC program.<\/p>\n SMU<\/p>\n Present: An influx of additions will team with veteran quarterback Kevin Jennings, who hopes to lead the Mustangs back to the CFP. For that to happen, SMU must improve dramatically on defense after ranking 135th nationally in passing defense in 2025.<\/p>\n Future: SMU gave up nine years\u2019 worth of media-rights revenue to get into the ACC because it had a war chest of money provided by rich boosters. Then, the Mustangs advanced to the CFP in their first year in the ACC and kept their coach from bolting to the SEC<\/a>. This is far from a one-hit wonder.<\/p>\n Texas Tech<\/p>\n Present: The defending Big 12 champions retained their coordinators and addressed their offseason needs via the portal, but they dropped the ball with quarterback Brendan Sorsby. If Will Hammond proves a capable replacement \u2014 and is healthy in time for the meat of the schedule \u2014 the Red Raiders should be back in contention.<\/p>\n Future: Mega booster Cody Campbell is willing to spend as much as necessary to keep Texas Tech in the hunt. Also, have you seen the rest of the Big 12? The Red Raiders, the new villains of college football (and other sports<\/a>), are not going anywhere.<\/p>\n Big brands with big questionsClemson<\/p>\n Present: Dabo Swinney is coming off a head-scratching 7-6 season despite having nine players selected in the NFL Draft \u2014 tied for fourth-most.\u00a0 This year\u2019s team has more personnel issues than that one.<\/p>\n Future: The Tigers haven\u2019t been kicked out of the ACC\u2019s heavyweight division yet, but there are signs Swinney\u2019s kingdom is beginning to crumble. When you look at its portal class, it\u2019s clear that Clemson still is not spending enough on its roster, and the 2026 recruiting class was ranked a rather ordinary 21st in the 247Sports Composite.<\/p>\n Florida State<\/p>\n Present: It\u2019s never a good sign when the spring fundraising tour with the head coach is canceled. The Seminoles were unable to attract one of the top transfer QBs and will head into the season with Ashton Daniels as the starter. He had some nice moments at Auburn last year, but the track record, dating back to his time at Stanford, isn\u2019t great.<\/p>\n Future: School leaders spent big on stadium renovations and facilities, but it\u2019s evident boosters aren\u2019t happy with coach Mike Norvell, who is 7-17 since winning the ACC title in 2023. His contract runs through 2031, and his buyout at the end of the 2026 season is north of $45 million. FSU\u2019s 2027 recruiting class, meanwhile, is on pace to be its worst in the modern era.<\/p>\n Nebraska<\/p>\n Present: Matt Rhule, 19-19 in three seasons, needs a breakthrough in Lincoln. That will have to come without Dylan Raiola, the five-star quarterback recruit who is now at Oregon. If Anthony Colandrea, the 2025 Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year while at UNLV, proves to be a suitable replacement, winning eight games is a possibility.<\/p>\n Future: The \u201cBig Red Rebuild\u201d<\/a> of 103-year-old Memorial Stadium will cost $600 million and won\u2019t be completed until the start of the 2028 season. If Rhule is still winning only six or seven games by then, someone else will be in charge of the program.<\/p>\n North Carolina<\/p>\n Present: The first year of the Bill Belichick era did not go well \u2014 to put it kindly. Now, Belichick is bringing in 40 freshmen and 19 transfers (only one of whom started for a P4 team in 2025) to get things going in Chapel Hill. Oh, Bobby Petrino is the new offensive coordinator. What could go wrong?<\/p>\n Future: It\u2019s hard to know how invested Belichick, 74, is in seeing things through at UNC if things don\u2019t change for the better after 2026. The inevitable departure of GM Mike Lombardi<\/a>, who failed to show he could evaluate talent at the collegiate level, could be a blessing in disguise.<\/p>\n \n The Bill Belichick experiment is not going well at North Carolina. (William Howard \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n Wisconsin<\/p>\n Present: Luke Fickell went 4-8 in 2025<\/a> to drop his record to 17-21 in three seasons at Wisconsin. The Badgers were able to sign five transfers who started at other P4 schools in 2025 \u2014 and that doesn\u2019t include quarterback Colton Joseph, the 2025 Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Year at Old Dominion. If Joseph plays up to expectations, the Badgers should eclipse the team\u2019s over\/under 6.5-win mark and become bowl-eligible for the first time in three years.<\/p>\n Future: Attendance is slipping in Madison, which is never a good sign for the head coach. If you\u2019re wondering, Fickell\u2019s buyout at the end of the 2026 season is roughly $19 million. But if things go south, again, the school will have no choice but to make a move.<\/p>\n \u2018Big 2\u2019 money with big dreamsArkansas<\/p>\n Present: Ryan Silverfield went 50-25 at Memphis and hired Gaizka Crowley<\/a>, a smart general manager with a strong track record at Arizona. It\u2019s a heavy lift for both. The Razorbacks went winless in the SEC in 2025 and will rely on a large transfer class in Year 1 of the new regime.<\/p>\n Future: The Hogs spent $57.3 million on football operations in 2025 (18th among public schools) and were unable to hire SMU\u2019s coach<\/a>, who is an Arkansas native. Not great.<\/p>\n Iowa<\/p>\n Present: Kirk Ferentz still has to decide whether Hank Brown or Jeremy Hecklinski<\/a> will replace Mark Gronowski as the starting quarterback. Iowa usually doesn\u2019t struggle to find linemen, but it has to replace three NFL Draft picks on the O-line.<\/p>\n Future: The Hawkeyes added seven transfers who started for their previous teams in 2025. Only one is coming from the FBS ranks, which should tell you all you need to know about their NIL budget. Still, Iowa is a stable, winning, NFL-producing program under Ferentz. Nothing wrong with that.<\/p>\n Kentucky<\/p>\n Present: Kentucky spent $37 million, the third-highest buyout in college football history for a coach, to offload Mark Stoops and then proceeded to funnel cash Will Stein\u2019s way to help him land a top-10 transfer portal class<\/a>. There was a recent hiccup, however, when GM Pat Biondo \u2014 who followed Stein from Oregon \u2014 stepped down<\/a>.<\/p>\n Future: After witnessing basketball-crazy Indiana go from Big Ten cellar dweller to national champion, expectations have changed in Lexington. New athletic director J Batt recently said, \u201cFootball is really, really important to the ultimate revenue-driving that we are going to do here.\u201d<\/p>\n Michigan State<\/p>\n Present: Since going 11-2 under Mel Tucker in 2021, the Spartans have averaged 4.5 wins over the last four seasons. Michigan State lost seven starters to other P4 programs amid the coaching change. New coach Pat Fitzgerald and general manager Bryan Gasser have a lot of work ahead of them to make this program relevant again in the Big Ten.<\/p>\n Future: In the last four years, Michigan State has had three football coaches, three athletic directors and three presidents. The vibes aren\u2019t great in East Lansing.<\/p>\n Mississippi State<\/p>\n Present: Offensive guru Jeff Lebby enters his third season in Starkville with an exciting second-year quarterback in Kamario Taylor. But Lebby needs some other young pieces to pan out for the Bulldogs to finish better than .500 for the first time since Mike Leach\u2019s final season in 2022. The hope is that new DC Zach Arnett, Mississippi State\u2019s head coach in 2023, can fix the defense in his return to Starkville.<\/p>\n Future: Mississippi State spent $37.6 million on football operating expenses in 2025, the lowest figure among the 15 public SEC schools (Vanderbilt, a private school, doesn\u2019t have to release its numbers). The Bulldogs have proven they can be competitive in the SEC, but they have yet to do so in the era of player compensation.<\/p>\n Missouri<\/p>\n Present: Eli Drinkwitz hired a new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, signed a quarterback in the portal (Austin Simmons from Ole Miss) who was supposed to start for an SEC rival last year if not for injury and added six other starters from Power 4 rosters. On defense, the Tigers must replace 11 starters from a unit that ranked third in the league in points allowed per game (18.9).<\/p>\n Future: Missouri is no longer an afterthought in the SEC, but the Tigers also haven\u2019t reached the top yet. A $250 million stadium renovation project, meanwhile, should be completed by October. They\u2019re acting like a program that wants to compete at the highest level.<\/p>\n South Carolina<\/p>\n Present: The Gamecocks offensive line received a much-needed makeover via the portal to help quarterback LaNorris Sellers, who spent most of last season\u2019s 4-8 campaign under duress. But coach Shane Beamer has more issues to address. He lost quite a bit on defense, and star edge rusher Dylan Stewart needs others around him to develop and deliver.<\/p>\n Future: A three-phase, $350 million renovation project at Williams-Brice Stadium is supposed to be completed by 2028. Whether Beamer is still coaching the Gamecocks by then remains to be seen, but whoever is in charge will have resources to back them.<\/p>\n Times are changing \u2026 we have money!Oklahoma State<\/p>\n Present: New coach Eric Morris could challenge for the Big 12 championship if the 87 new players<\/a>, including the 17 transfers he brought over with him from North Texas, make a smooth transition to the Big 12. But this feels more like a two-year turnaround \u2014 with a return to bowl eligibility in 2026 \u2014 than a miraculous leap from 1-11 to the CFP.<\/p>\n Future: The Cowboys essentially traded nostalgia for a rocket-powered offense. It appears there is enough NIL gas money for Morris to fuel at least a lift-off.<\/p>\n Vanderbilt<\/p>\n Present: Life after Diego Pavia begins for the Commodores, who won 17 games over the last two seasons. Jared Curtis, a five-star recruit from Nashville, is the favorite to take over, and he will be operating behind a rebuilt offensive line. The defense should be improved, but we might soon realize just how instrumental Pavia was to Vanderbilt\u2019s success.<\/p>\n Future: For the first time \u2026 maybe ever, there is true alignment at Vanderbilt. Does that mean consistent 10-win seasons? No, but the Commodores should remain relevant.<\/p>\n Virginia Tech<\/p>\n Present: The Hokies figure to be much improved after winning only three games in 2025, but 2026 feels more like a foundational year of change than a quick, storybook turnaround.<\/p>\n Future: The money is now flowing in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech received a school-record $75 million commitment this month, most of it directed at athletics as part of the Invest to Win initiative. That comes on the heels of a $229 million addition to the athletic budget last September. James Franklin<\/a> will soon run out of things to complain about (Who are we kidding?).<\/p>\n UCLA<\/p>\n Present: The Bruins have suffered through back-to-back losing seasons since Chip Kelly left, but new coach Bob Chesney has brought optimism back to Westwood \u2014 along with a bunch of former James Madison players. If Nico Iamaleava plays well as a senior \u2014 after an underrated junior year \u2014 the Bruins should top the 6.5 over\/under win mark set on BetMGM.<\/p>\n Future: Could UCLA be the next Indiana? Chesney and his staff did solid work in the portal and have followed it up with some valuable recruiting wins in the 2027 class. If Chesney wins games, UCLA\u2019s long-running financial issues in the athletic department could finally be put in the rear-view mirror.<\/p>\n \u2018Other 2\u2019 but with big dreamsArizona State<\/p>\n Present: Arizona State made some nice moves in the portal, but it lost its quarterback, leading rusher, left tackle and a starting cornerback to other Power 4 teams. Are the Sun Devils going to be as good as the CFP team Dillingham had two years ago? Probably not.<\/p>\n Future: The good news in Tempe is that Dillingham, an alumnus, didn\u2019t leave for Michigan, and he not only earned himself a raise but also increased the staff salary pool to $11 million, making it among the leaders in the Big 12. There\u2019s also a $55 million indoor practice facility on the way.<\/p>\n Louisville<\/p>\n Present: The Cardinals kept star tailback Isaac Brown from leaving while restocking the shelves, as usual, through the portal. The difference this year is that coach Jeff Brohm signed an inexperienced backup in Lincoln Kienholz (Ohio State) to take over at quarterback instead of a former starter.<\/p>\n Future: Brohm has raised the floor and turned the Cardinals into a steady ACC contender. He\u2019s signed through the 2033 season. Still, the athletic department\u2019s budget is running $30 million short and is exploring \u201cexternal financing options.\u201d<\/p>\n TCU<\/p>\n Present: Sonny Dykes, four years removed from playing for a national championship, signed former Harvard starting quarterback Jaden Craig to take over for Josh Hoover (Indiana) and will run a more traditional, physical ball-control offense in 2026. Changing his program\u2019s offensive identity could blow up in Dykes\u2019 face. Or, he could look like a genius and take the Frogs back to the Playoff.<\/p>\n Future: Many pointed to TCU as a program that was well-positioned to take command in the Big 12 following the departures of Oklahoma and Texas. But the Frogs are just 11-7 in the league in the last two seasons, tying for fifth in 2023 and tying for seventh in 2024. If you\u2019re looking for a snapshot of TCU\u2019s NIL budget, none of the five incoming transfers who started at their previous schools came from the Power 4 ranks.<\/p>\n Utah<\/p>\n Present: The Morgan Scalley era kicked off with four Utah starters following former coach Kyle Whittingham to Michigan, and a fifth, safety Tao Johnson, bolting for UCLA. All five starters on a very good offensive line need to be replaced, too. But at least quarterback Devon Dampier is still around, and he\u2019s got a couple of new receivers from the Mountain West.<\/p>\n Future: None of the five former starters Utah signed in the portal played at P4 programs. It was the same story last offseason. Scalley is going to have to hire the right people, find hidden gems off other rosters and recruit his butt off \u2014 just like Whittingham did for two-plus decades.<\/p>\n Fighting chance \u2026 We\u2019re trying, but we aren\u2019t flush with cashArizona<\/p>\n Present: Quarterback Noah Fifita, a first-team All-Big 12 pick in 2025, is back, but the Wildcats must replace four NFL Draft picks from the secondary. They did add six transfers who started at their previous schools, but five are from Group of 6 programs.<\/p>\n Future: Brent Brennan\u2019s contract runs through 2030, and defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales has a good thing brewing in the desert. But it\u2019s hard to build a consistent winner on a budget. Arizona spent $39.8 million in football operating expenses in 2025 \u2014 $17 million less than rival Arizona State.<\/p>\n California<\/p>\n Present: GM Ron Rivera hired Tosh Lupoi, a Cal alum, and together they kept budding star quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele<\/a> from entering the portal while building a pretty good offense around him. The problem is that Cal did lose some talent to the portal and is young and inexperienced along the defensive front seven.<\/p>\n Future: Cal\u2019s travel costs rose while its media-rights revenue fell, and the athletic department is operating under some financial pressure with its move to the ACC. It\u2019s going to take Lupoi\u2019s recruiting chops and Rivera\u2019s leadership to keep things going in the right direction.<\/p>\n \n Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele\u2019s performance on the field and his decision to return for his sophomore season have given Cal fans reason to believe. (Darren Yamashita \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n Colorado<\/p>\n Present: The Buffaloes signed 16 starters from other FBS rosters, including a receiver and a linebacker from Texas, a cornerback from Vanderbilt and offensive linemen from Houston, Rutgers and California. But they also lost seven starters to the portal, most notably the best available left tackle in Jordan Seaton (LSU).<\/p>\n Future: Deion Sanders,\u00a0thankfully now cancer-free, achieved his goal of getting Colorado back on the map with a 9-4 season and Heisman winner in 2024, but ticket sales were down in 2025, and the momentum in Boulder has been lost while athletic department bills keep piling up.<\/p>\n Duke<\/p>\n Present: The defending ACC champions lost their star quarterback and receiver to a conference rival and scrambled to find a graduate transfer from San Jose State to fill the opening at the sport\u2019s most important position. We\u2019re probably not going to see the Blue Devils back in Charlotte, and it\u2019s more likely they\u2019re a borderline bowl team this fall.<\/p>\n Future: In April, Manny Diaz agreed to a contract extension through 2031, a good sign if you\u2019re a Duke fan in search of some coaching stability. But when the best players on your team leave for a rival school \u2014 just a month after you\u2019ve won a league championship \u2014 it\u2019s confidence-shaking and makes it feel as though your program has a ceiling.<\/p>\n Georgia Tech<\/p>\n Present: Brent Key signed Alberto Mendoza, the younger brother of the Heisman winner, to be his quarterback, and the Yellow Jackets also picked up one of the Big Ten\u2019s best running backs last season \u2014 before injury \u2014 in Justice Haynes from Michigan. The retooled offense won\u2019t skip a beat if both of those players pan out. But it still doesn\u2019t change the fact that the team finished 10th in the ACC last season in scoring defense and has holes to fill on that side of the ball.<\/p>\n Future: Key is 27-19 at Georgia Tech, including 7-1 against ranked ACC opponents, which is why his contract was extended through 2030 last December. This still feels like a program that will have to overachieve to flirt with the College Football Playoff every few seasons.<\/p>\n Houston<\/p>\n Present: Willie Fritz has quickly turned the Cougars into Big 12 championship contenders, and the team filled some big needs on the offensive line via the portal. Fritz\u2019s biggest concern is depth on defense.<\/p>\n Future: Fritz kept the No. 1 prospect in the 2026 cycle, quarterback Keisean Henderson, home and has done a fine job overall on the recruiting trail. The question now is whether Houston will spend enough to make winning sustainable. Only one of the eight former starters added via the portal came from another P4 program.<\/p>\n Illinois<\/p>\n Present: If East Carolina transfer Katin Houser proves capable of taking over for Luke Altmyer at quarterback, the Illini should post a winning record for the fourth time in the last five years under Bret Bielema. There\u2019s a lot of turnover on defense, including the coaching staff, which could prevent Illinois from hitting the over for wins (7.5).<\/p>\n Future: Bielema\u2019s contract runs through 2031, and he earns $7.8 million a season \u2014 in the top 20 nationally. But if you\u2019re keeping score at home, the Illini lost three starters to other P4 programs and didn\u2019t bring in any former P4 starters this offseason.<\/p>\n Kansas State<\/p>\n Present: The Wildcats won at least eight games five times from 2019 to 2024 before last year\u2019s 6-6 slide ended with Chris Klieman\u2019s retirement and former K-State quarterback Collin Klein returning to take over. Klein was able to keep quite a few valuable players around, including quarterback Avery Johnson, but six starters left for other P4 programs.<\/p>\n Future: K-State spent $27.7 million in football operating expenses in 2025 \u2014 only Houston among public Power 4 schools spent less. Klein needs to overachieve and recruit efficiently like his predecessor, Klieman, and his former coach, Bill Snyder.<\/p>\n Minnesota<\/p>\n Present: If quarterback Drake Lindsey takes the next step, this might become one of PJ Fleck\u2019s best teams at Minnesota. Big Ten sack leader Anthony Smith is back, and some holes were filled via the portal.<\/p>\n Future: Fleck, who is being paid $7.9 million a season through 2030, kept most of the players he wanted but still lost star safety and in-state product Koi Perich to Big Ten rival Oregon. It\u2019s hard to envision a scenario in which Minnesota climbs to the next level if those things are still happening, despite Minnesota routinely fielding successful teams.<\/p>\n NC State<\/p>\n Present: CJ Bailey is one of the most polished quarterbacks in the ACC, but the Wolfpack lost the team\u2019s leading rusher, top two receivers and starting left tackle to the portal. The defense wasn\u2019t very good in 2025. The good news: The Pack doesn\u2019t play Miami or SMU in 2026.<\/p>\n Future: Dave Doeren is entering Year 14 at NC State and is signed through 2029. Few programs have more stability, but there isn\u2019t a war chest of resources to restock the shelves when players leave. The Pack seem to have a high floor and a low ceiling.<\/p>\n Virginia<\/p>\n Present: Tony Elliott figured things out in Charlottesville last season with a school-record 11 wins but didn\u2019t land the dismount (Virginia lost in the ACC Championship Game). Now, he and his staff need to prove they can reliably on players in the portal after another offseason of significant roster turnover.<\/p>\n Future: The Cavs are leaning into the portal once again, signing 30 transfers in the offseason. Of the 12 who started at their previous stops, only four played at the Power 4 level last year \u2014 including quarterback Beau Pribula (Missouri). High school recruiting continues to be uninspiring. Their 2026 class ranked 99th nationally and included only 14 players. So far in the 2027 cycle, they have 15 commitments and rank 70th.<\/p>\n Treading waterBaylor<\/p>\n Present: Since winning the Big 12 in 2021, the Bears have had only one winning season under Dave Aranda, who has a new boss in athletic director Doug McNamee. If quarterback DJ Lagway (a Florida transfer) gets off on the right foot back home in Texas and four defensive line transfers make a big impact, there\u2019s a good chance Aranda will still be the head coach in 2027.<\/p>\n Future: Baylor hasn\u2019t signed a top-30 recruiting class since Matt Rhule was in charge in 2018, and the transfer portal scoreboard shows more losses than wins in recent years.<\/p>\n Cincinnati<\/p>\n Present: Scott Satterfield has 19 starters to replace from a 7-6 team, but the good news is three starting offensive linemen \u2014 including a pair of All-Big 12 selections \u2014 are back. The real problem is that the Bearcats lost six starters from last year\u2019s roster to other Power 4 programs.<\/p>\n Future: Cincinnati completed a $135 million indoor practice facility last summer and is only five years removed from a trip to the CFP as a Group of 6 school. But it seems like the Bearcats are trying to compete on a budget in the Big 12. The school spent $30.1 million in football operating expenses in 2025 \u2014 $20 million less than the P4 median.<\/p>\n Iowa State<\/p>\n Present: Matt Campbell proved Iowa State can consistently win with development, evaluation and continuity, but his exit also exposed how fragile the model can be when a richer program wants the coach and his best players. New coach Jimmy Rogers, who spent one year as the boss at Washington State and two at South Dakota State, brought in nine former starters from the FCS and eight from the FBS to fill gaps. It\u2019s going to be a massive undertaking to maintain Campbell\u2019s standard.<\/p>\n Future: Iowa State projects nearly $25 million in annual athletic funding gaps<\/a> through 2031 as revenue sharing, Big 12 expansion and CFP distribution changes reshape its finances. The Cyclones have responded by shelving $45 million in facility projects, cutting costs and raising donor requirements. You get the picture.<\/p>\n Maryland<\/p>\n Present: Mike Locksley is coming off back-to-back 4-8 seasons after winning a total of 23 games from 2021 to \u201923. The good news: The Terrapins only lost three starters to other P4 programs, mostly living up to athletic director Jim Smith\u2019s pledge to retain talent. The problem is that the Terrapins are 2-16 in the last two seasons in the Big Ten. There\u2019s plenty to fix.<\/p>\n Future: The Terps retained some of their top young players, but it\u2019s hard to see this program ever being a factor in the Big Ten unless a lot of the homegrown recruits become stars soon. During fiscal year 2025, Maryland reported $124 million in revenue, which is $22.64 million below the second-lowest Big Ten public school, Rutgers ($146.64 million).<\/p>\n Northwestern<\/p>\n Present: Quarterback Aiden Chiles is one of four incoming transfers who started at a Power 4 team last season. The Wildcats lost two starters to the portal and 11 others to eligibility. If Chip Kelly\u2019s play calling solves some offensive issues, the Wildcats will likely be a bowl team again.<\/p>\n Future: Ryan Field<\/a>, the program\u2019s new $875 million privately backed stadium, is set to open against Penn State on Oct. 2. But does that mean the football team is going to receive an influx of extra NIL to spend going forward? No. The Wildcats will still need to evaluate well and use the portal efficiently.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh<\/p>\n Present: Pat Narduzzi has failed to win at least six games only twice in 11 seasons at Pitt. His 2025 team is armed with a talented second-year starting quarterback in Mason Heintschel, three returning starters on the defensive line and a couple of new additions at receiver, tight end and on the offensive line to fill gaps. It\u2019s a typical Narduzzi-led Pitt squad.<\/p>\n Future: Nothing has really changed at Pitt. Good players like linebacker Rasheem Biles (Texas), receiver Kenny Johnson (Texas Tech) and defensive tackle Francis Brewu (Notre Dame) continue to bolt for bigger paydays at other P4 schools, and Narduzzi finds replacements and does the best he can to stay above water (80-61 overall record).<\/p>\n \n Syracuse has finished with a winning record in just six of the past 24 seasons. (Kevin C. Cox \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n Syracuse<\/p>\n Present: Fran Brown signed a handful of former P4 starters in the portal before he debuted with a 10-3 record in 2024. This offseason \u2014 after a disappointing 3-9 record last fall \u2014 the headliners of the transfer class were six former G6 starters and former Maryland defensive lineman Dillan Fontus. If QB Steve Angeli stays healthy, there\u2019s no reason the Orange can\u2019t at least be a bowl team again.<\/p>\n Future: Brown can recruit, but the Orange have been fighting a losing battle in the retention game. Bryan Blair, the new athletic director, is working with Brown on ways to create extra revenue for use in player compensation.<\/p>\n UCF<\/p>\n Present: It\u2019s been a rough transition to the Big 12 for UCF, but Scott Frost signed a solid portal class that included eight players who started at G6 programs in 2026. Alonza Barnett III, who led James Madison to the CFP last season, is the key to improving an offense that ranked 13th in the Big 12 in scoring last season.<\/p>\n Future: The new $90 million, four-level Roth Tower at the Acrisure Bounce House debuts this fall and will bring in more revenue for the program. That hasn\u2019t stopped Frost from complaining about the financial imbalance<\/a> in college football beyond revenue sharing.<\/p>\n Wake Forest<\/p>\n Present: Jake Dickert\u2019s first season in Winston-Salem was stellar at 9-4, but he has to replace 10 starters on offense, including three lost to other P4 programs in the portal. If the four offensive line transfer additions \u2014 from New Hampshire, Bucknell, Oregon State and Weber State \u2014 pan out, the offense, led by North Carolina transfer Gio Lopez, could be better than last year\u2019s unit.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/2026-03-17T210237Z_1440991271_MT1USATODAY28521641_RTRMADP_3_OREGON-HEAD-COACH-DAN-LANNING-ATTENDS-OR.jpeg\")
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