Can Ohio State Repeat? Can the Big Ten Continue to Dominate? Who are the Pre-Season Favorites?
On Saturday, August 23, college pigskin fans will get their first taste of one of the world’s most popular sports, with five games on the schedule, including the Aer Lingus College Football Classic on the storied gridiron of …Dublin, Ireland. It’s the sophomore year of the College Football Playoffs, and the fanfare is starting to heat up. Can the Buckeyes of Ohio State continue the momentum of last year’s title run? Can the resurgent Big Ten claim a third consecutive national title? Who are the favorites to get into the field of 12 and vie for a spot at the championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on January 19, 2026?
Some Answers May Come Early
Though the national champion Ohio State Buckeyes saw a school record 14 players drafted into the NFL, the preseason poll has them at number 2, behind the Texas Longhorns and Heisman hopeful Arch Manning—yes, he’s the grandson of Manning patriarch and namesake Archie Manning, and the nephew of NFL greats Peyton and Eli Manning. Surprisingly, it’s the first time in school history that the Longhorns have opened the college football season at the top of the polls. Neither team will start the season with a creampuff opponent, though—in fact, they’ll square off in Columbus on August 30 in the season opener for both teams.
Other early games that promise to set the stage for the college football season include Alabama at Florida State in Week 1, as well as Notre Dame at Miami. Michigan, the 2023 national champs, travels to Oklahoma in Week 2 for a showdown of powerhouses from major conferences.
The Power Conferences in 2025
Not surprisingly, the SEC and the Big Ten are the cream of the crop in the preseason coaches poll, with the SEC claiming nine of the top 25 spots and the Big Ten landing six spots. Penn State comes in at number 3, giving the Big Ten two of the top three spots. The Georgia Bulldogs lead the SEC onslaught in the number 4 spot.
