This is not a computer-generated Top 25 ranking. Not ESPN's FPI or SP+.

This ranking comes from ESPN journalist Mark Schlabach's wet computer, his brain. Programming unknown.

Mark has eight B1G teams in his top 25: 1 Ohio State, 2 OREGON, 6 Indiana, 14 Michigan, 15 Penn State, 17 Washington, 19 Iowa, and 20 USC.

Comment from Heritage Hall - Go to 🤬!

I think the Trojans have a case. Iowa's schedule is the easiest in the Big Ten, but 18 starters have to be replaced, including the QB, Goronowski, who led the Hawkeyes to a bowl win over 10-2 Vanderbilt. And the Trojans play OBD and Ohio State in LA.

Mark's B1G Elite 8 as ranked by College Football News strength of schedule (SOS) rankings from 1 to 138.

6 OREGON, 7 Michigan, 15 USC, 17 Ohio State, 26 UW, 50 Indiana, 51 Penn State, and 55 Iowa. (The Buckeye ranking is lower than on many other sites.)

The Hoosiers are not sending out a scheduling SOS.

If Penn State finishes 10-2, I believe several 9-3 B1G teams will be better than the Nittany Lions.

Iowa State went 8-4 last season. How will the play of the 24 Iowa State players transferring to PSU fare in the Big Ten?

I will not be surprised if one or more Big Ten teams outside the top 25 make the PO Committee's final top 25.

I like: No. 3 Georgia being ranked above No. 5 Texas. Mississippi 9, Texas A+M 10, and LSU 11, I question. No. 16 Alabama and No. 25 Tennessee both have new starting QBs.

Alabama finished 125th in rushing last season. Will the former Oregon coach and new Bama OL coach, Adrian Klemm, make a significant difference?

Tennessee hired Jim Knowles as its DC. How did that work out at Penn State last season?

Their schedules and talent justify Notre Dame being ranked 4th, and Miami 7th.

I believe five B12 teams being ranked is generous. Although Utah's SOS is No. 54, Houston's is 64, and Texas Tech comes in at 65.

ESPN.com

2026 college football Way-Too-Early Top 25: Spring update

With rosters settled and practices underway, we rank the top contenders for the 2026 college football season.

1 hour ago, Jon Joseph said:

I will not be surprised if one or more Big Ten teams outside the top 25 make the PO Committee's final top 25.

I look for Illinois to be a candidate to crack that....

Read a Sports Illustrated web column earlier today that Georgia has an "easy" schedule and should go 12-0.

They will play 8 games in Georgia. 9 if they are in the SEC Championship.

Road trips

780 - Arkansas

400 - Ole Miss

275 - Alabama

165 - S. Carolina

3 hours ago, HDuck said:

Read a Sports Illustrated web column earlier today that Georgia has an "easy" schedule and should go 12-0.

They will play 8 games in Georgia. 9 if they are in the SEC Championship.

Road trips

780 - Arkansas

400 - Ole Miss

275 - Alabama

165 - S. Carolina

Thanks, H.

Easy? Compared to what?

If you are looking for easy, check out Texas Tech, one game vs a top 25 opponent, No. 23 Houston, in Lubbock.

UGA also plays Florida in Atlanta, Oklahoma, Auburn, Missouri, and Georgia Tech.

College Football News ranks the Dawgs schedule the 14th most difficult in 2026.

The Sporting News 2026 composite top 25 has Georgia playing Nos. 10, 15, 16, and 24. Unlike Indiana, USC, Penn State, and Nebraska, in 2026, Georgia plays 10 and not nine Power 4 opponents.

Georgia's schedule is not as difficult as the Arkansas schedule, but it is not easy.

A Fansided look at ESPN's (Mark Schlabagh) Updated Top 25 - Under and Overrated Teams - Where I (FWIW) disagree.

FanSided

College football rankings: Teams ranked too high, low in...

Indiana and Miami both have new quarterbacks. One should inspire more confidence than the other.

This is a good read from Alicia de Artola. She does a good job supporting her Over and Underated choices. However, she overlooks schedule strength.

Overrated - Where I disagree -

No. 6 Indiana - When he arrived at Indiana from Cal, Fernando Mendoza was far from a Heisman-quality QB. He joined a team that was coached up. And he was coached up.

Five of Curt Cignetti's last six starting QBs have been All-Conference. Coming in from TCU, Josh Hoover will have better coaching than he had in Fort Worth. (Before Hoover committed to TCU and pre-Cig, Hoover was 'committed' to Indiana.)

In 2026, Indinan's roster ranking will improve from last season's championship roster.

In its 2026 portal rankings, On3 has Indiana at No. 1, and College Football News ranks the Hoosiers 2026 strength-of-schedule (SOS) at No. 50. A favorable mix.

Indiana is odds-on to finish no worse than 10-2 and return to the CFB playoff as the defending champion. Perhaps 10-2 will not be good enough for a No. 6 ranking, but it won't be far off.

Both No. 1 Ohio State and 2nd-ranked Oregon play far more difficult schedules this season than Indiana.

The talent is there on both the Ducks and Buckeyes rosters, but it won't be an easy road for No. 6 SOS OBD, and NO. 17 SOS Ohio State. (Many sites other than College Football News have Ohio State with a SOS in the top 5.)

No. 15 - Penn State's SOS is ranked 51st nationally, and 17th in the B1G. It has a reasonable chance of finishing 10-2 and being in the PO discussion. If PSU stays healthy, I don't believe it will finish too much lower than No. 15.

No. 7 Miami's SOS is ranked 59th. Miami has an excellent chance of finishing 12-0 or 11-1. The only game on the schedule where the Canes will not be favored is vs. Notre Dame in South Bend.

The Hurricanes lose a lot of talent on both LOS, but quality players are on hand to fill the holes, and other than Notre Dame, no opponent has the personnel to take advantage of the new starters on the O-line and D-line.

The first third of the schedule, at Stanford, Florida A+M, at Wake Forest, and Central Michigan, will provide new QB Menseh the opportunity to settle in. Having stud WR Baby J and RB Fletcher back will help the Canes cause.

2026 should see Miami finally winning an ACC championship.

I think No. 8 A&M is overrated. Before its loss to Texas, followed by the PO home loss to Miami in 2025, the Aggies had not defeated a team with a winning record.

The Aggies No. 3 portal rankings is impressive, but A&M loses loads of talent to the NFL, and the in-conference schedule is more difficult than 2025.

Underrated -

I agree that No. 20 USC may be underrated.

The Trojans will likely finish no worse than 9-3. If this is the record, SC will probably be ranked in the top 15.

10-2 and a spot in the PO is doable, but SC is a young team, with significant loss of talent at WR, a new DC, and plays the 15th most difficult schedule in the country.

Notre Dame's schedule is Charmin soft. The Irish have a chance to go 12-0 and finish No. 1.

Beat Boise!