The college football landscape enters its third season under the 12-team playoff format, heading toward a title game scheduled for January 25 in Las Vegas. The playoff bracket kicks off with four campus games starting on December 18. Recent tweaks to the system mandate that any team finishing inside the top 12 must receive a playoff spot.
College Football Playoff and National Championship Outlook
In a poll of 31 writers and editors conducted for national title, Power 4 championship, Playoff, and Heisman Trophy picks, 13 staffers selected Notre Dame to win the national championship (The Athletic). The Fighting Irish open the season ranked No. 4 in the preseason AP poll and No. 5 in the coaches poll (The Athletic). Supporters point to a stacked defense led by All-America cornerback Leonard Moore, the return of quarterback C.J. Carr, and a favorable schedule under head coach Marcus Freeman (The Athletic). The New York Post also tabs Notre Dame (+650) as its best bet to win the national championship, citing a soft early schedule and a 10-game win streak to end last season (New York Post).
Ohio State and Oregon tied for second in staff votes for the national title (The Athletic). While Ohio State holds the No. 1 spot in both the AP Top 25 and coaches poll, the Buckeyes must replace 11 players lost to the NFL, including first-round selections Sonny Styles, Caleb Downs, and Arvell Reese (The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, WRAL). Matt Patricia takes over the defensive side of the ball, while Arthur Smith steps in as offensive coordinator alongside co-offensive coordinator Keenan Bailey (Yahoo Sports).
Heisman Trophy Contenders and Standout Players
Several prominent quarterbacks are drawing early attention for the Heisman Trophy. Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin returns after finishing his first season as a starter as a Heisman finalist in New York City (Yahoo Sports). He is joined on offense by wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and a backfield featuring Bo Jackson and Isaiah West (Yahoo Sports).
Oregon’s Dante Moore bypassed the 2025 NFL Draft to return to Eugene (New York Post). He anchors an offense with a receiving corps featuring a returning Evan Stewart alongside Dekorien Moore and Jeremiah McClellan (New York Post).
Additional Heisman contenders highlighted by analysts include: * Darian Mensah (QB, Miami): Listed at 11/1 by bet365 after transferring following stints at Tulane and Duke, where he threw for 3,979 yards and 34 touchdowns with six interceptions last season (New York Post). * Byrum Brown (QB, Auburn): Listed at 55/1 by Fanatics Sportsbook after reuniting with head coach Alex Golesh following a 2025 campaign at South Florida where he recorded 3,158 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns, 1,121 rushing yards, and 14 rushing scores (New York Post).
Expanded Contender Tiers and Projected Rankings
Beyond the leading favorites, analysts have categorized several programs as emerging threats or teams knocking on the door of contention.
In projected playoff seedings, teams positioned in the 9-12 range include LSU, Oklahoma, Virginia, and South Florida. Oklahoma is led by quarterback John Mateer, who scored a touchdown in the 2025 playoff first round against Alabama (Yahoo Sports, WRAL). Additional programs knocking on the contender door include Texas Tech, Michigan, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss (Yahoo Sports). Team success for these groups depends heavily on roster development, such as improved consistency from Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed and a major step forward from Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood (Yahoo Sports).
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