2026 College Football Rankings: CBS Sports ranks all 138 FBS teams after spring practice

College football teams have finished their spring practices, and CBS Sports has ranked all 138 FBS teams ahead of the 2026 regular season. Experts from CBS Sports and 247Sports compiled the ranking, and it’s the first time the group has gotten together to determine the best teams in the country since Indiana won the national title in January.

The FBS has grown by two teams with the additions of Sacramento State and North Dakota State. Normally, new FBS teams are ranked near the bottom, but that is not the case for one of these teams.

As for Indiana, will the Hoosiers leave spring practice as the team to beat in 2026? Here’s a look at CBS Sports’ post-spring Top 138 compiled by Chip Patterson.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State has put itself in a position where it will be a contender consistently. The Buckeyes look to win their 10th national title and second in three seasons.

In 2025, Ohio State won its first 12 games before losing to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship game. In the College Football Playoff, the Buckeyes lost to Miami in the quarterfinals.

2. Texas Longhorns

Texas fans had high expectations in 2025 because of Arch Manning. And while Manning had a solid season, Texas finished 10-3 and missed the College Football Playoff.

The Longhorns should improve in 2026, since Manning got better as last season progressed. They have a big test early in the season when they face Ohio State on Sept. 12.

3. Oregon Ducks

Will this be the year that Dan Lanning and Oregon take the next step? In 2024, the Ducks lost in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Last year, Oregon reached the semifinals but lost to Indiana.

Quarterback Dante Moore will be the key to Oregon’s success. In 15 games last year, Moore completed 71.8 percent of his passes for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns.

4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame fans are ready to see the team break through and win its first title since 1988. Head coach Marcus Freeman is entering his fifth season and has led the Fighting Irish to a championship game appearance in 2024.

Last year, Notre Dame finished 10-2 and missed the playoffs. This led the team to elect not to play in a bowl game, so 2026 is likely championship-or-bust for the team from South Bend, Indiana.

5. Georgia Bulldogs

One could argue that Georgia has been the team of the 2020s, as it has won two national titles and three SEC titles since the start of the decade. But fans are hoping that the Bulldogs can get “back on track,” since they have not won a playoff game since beating TCU in the championship game in January 2023.

QB Gunner Stockton had a strong 2025 season, but can he take the next step? If that happens, there’s no reason the Dawgs can’t win their third national title in six seasons.

6. Indiana Hoosiers

The loss of QB Fernando Mendoza will impact Indiana, but it won’t be that big because of head coach Curt Cignetti. In his first two seasons with the Hoosiers, Cignetti has won 27 games and lost only two.

Former TCU QB Josh Hoover will likely be the starter in the fall. Last year, Hoover completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 3,472 yards and 29 TDs.

7. Miami Hurricanes

Despite Duke winning the ACC championship last year, Miami is the best team in the conference after reaching the national championship game. The Hurricanes will have a new QB since Carson Beck is now in the NFL.

Speaking of Duke, former Blue Devils QB Darian Mensah will likely start for Miami this fall. He was named to the All-ACC Second Team last year after throwing for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns.

8. Texas A&M Aggies

2025 was one of the Aggies’ best seasons in the last decade. They finished 11-2, the first 10-plus win season since 2012.

QB Marcel Reed will need to take a big step forward if Texas A&M wants to make a run at the title. But head coach Mike Elko will have his team ready for what will be a challenging schedule that includes games against Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, and Texas.

9. Texas Tech Red Raiders

Like Texas A&M, Texas Tech’s 2025 season was one of its best in recently member. The Red Raiders finished 12-2 and reached the quarterfinals of the playoffs.

Texas Tech has 13 starters returning this fall. One of the starters returning is RB Cameron Dickey, who rushed for 1,095 yards and 14 TDs last year.

10. Oklahoma Sooners

Oklahoma clinched a spot in the playoffs last year after finishing with a 10-2 record in the regular season. In the first round, the Sooners suffered a 34-24 home loss to Alabama.

Oklahoma should be in a position to make another run at the title since 14 starters are returning. QB John Mateer looks to improve after throwing for 2,885 yards and 14 touchdowns in 12 games last year. He also rushed for 431 yards and eight TDs.

CBS Sports College Football post-spring Ranking 11-25

11. Alabama

12. Ole Miss

13. LSU

14. USC

15. BYU

16. Michigan

17. Tennessee

18. Penn State

19. Washington

20. SMU

21. Missouri

22. Utah

23. Iowa

24. Louisville

25. Florida

Ranking college football teams 26-50

26. Clemson

27. Houston

28. Illinois

29. Arizona

30. Kansas State

31. Vanderbilt

32. South Carolina

33. Boise State

34. TCU

35. Nebraksa

36. Auburn

37. Virginia Tech

38. Virginia

39. Arizona State

40. Minnesota

41. Pittsburgh

42. Georgia Tech

43. Duke

44. NC State

45. Wake Forest

46. UNLV

47. Florida State

48. Northwestern

49. UCLA

50. Baylor

Ranking 51-75

51. Maryland

52. California

53. Navy

54. Iowa State

55. Cincinnati

56. Kansas

57. Mississippi State

58. Kentucky

59. UTSA

60. Oklahoma State

61. Wisconsin

62. Arkansas

63. Memphis

64. Rutgers

65. UCF

66. Michigan State

67. Tulane

68. Syracuse

69. San Diego State

70. West Virginia

71. James Madison

72. South Florida

73. Colorado

74. Fresno State

75. New Mexico

Ranking 76-100

76. East Carolina

77. Army

78. North Carolina

79. North Texas

80. Toledo

81. Old Dominion

82. Miami (Ohio)

83. Texas State

84. Georgia Southern

85. Washington State

86. Jacksonville State

87. Western Kentucky

88. Marshall

89. Stanford

90. Utah State

91. Western Michigan

92. Arkansas State

93. Hawaii

94. Troy

95. Louisiana

96. Air Force

97. Liberty

98. Boston College

99. Purdue

100. Louisiana Tech

Ranking 101-125

101. Ohio

102. Appalachian State

103. FAU

104. Temple

105. Colorado State

106. Oregon State

107. UConn

108. Tulsa

109. North Dakota State

110. Kennesaw State

111. South Alabama

112. Central Michigan

113. Coastal Carolina

114. Delaware

115. Buffalo

116. Wyoming

117. FIU

118. Eastern Michigan

119. Rice

120. Bowling Green

121. Nevada

122. San Jose State

123. New Mexico State

124. UAB

125. Northern Illinois

Ranking 126-138

126. Missouri State

127. Southern Miss

128. Akron

129. Kent State

130. Georgia State

131. UTEP

132. UL-Monroe

133. Sam Houston

134. Ball State

135. Middle Tennessee

136. Sacramento State

137. Charlotte

138. UMass