The Ohio State Buckeyes, Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Texas Longhorns all believe they can be the champions of college football in 2026.
Each of those programs has a legitimate shot to do it as well because they all have the one-two punch needed to win a title. It comes down to talent and coaching in college football, and the Buckeyes, Irish and Longhorns are elite in both categories.
Ryan Day, Marcus Freeman and Steve Sarkisian all have great rosters. They have the high-end talent to win it all, and each coach, respectively, is considered amongst the best in the profession.
These three schools have so much talent that each is represented twice in a recent ranking of the top 10 players in college football heading into 2026 by Joel Klatt.
And yet, it’s Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers who are the defending national champions.
Not a single Hoosier makes Klatt’s top 10.
