2026 college football rankings: Crain & Cone release post-spring Top 25

The 2026 college football post-spring top 25 rankings have been released by Crain & Cone. On the latest episode of the show, Jake Crain, David Cone, and Blain Crain revealed the 25 best teams in college football after spring practice.

Jake Crain pointed out that they did not take schedules into account when making the post-spring rankings. This is all about which teams have the best roster, personnel, coaching staff, and other factors.

The crew already released their SEC and Big Ten post-spring power rankings, so they are looking to keep the momentum going with the post-spring top 25. David Cone pointed out that there was more movement in the post-spring top 25 than the ranking they released in January.

But who did they have at No. 1? Where did the defending champion Indiana Hoosiers land after losing QB Ferando Mendoza to the NFL? Here’s a look at the top 25 teams after spring practice, according to Crain & Cone.

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

It’s not surprising to see Crain & Cone have Ohio State on top of the college football top 25 rankings. The Buckeyes always have a talented roster, and Ryan Day has emerged as one of the top coaches in college football.

Last year, Ohio State posted a 12-2 record and a 9-0 record in the Big Ten. The team’s two losses came against eventual national champion Indiana in the conference title game and Miami in the CFP quarterfinals.

2. Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia is looking to get back in the national championship picture after missing out the last three years. They could easily make a run if quarterback Gunner Stockton takes his game to the next level.

In 2025, Georgia finished 12-2 and won the SEC championship for the second consecutive season. The Bulldogs’ losses were against Alabama in the regular season and Ole Miss and in the CFP quarterfinals.

3. Texas Longhorns

The expectations are high for Texas with quarterback Arch Manning returning for his final college football season. In 2025, Manning threw for 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 399 and 10 TDs.

The 2025 season was disappointing for the Longhorns, finishing with a 10-3 record and missing the playoffs. They played in the Cheez-It Bowl to end the year and defeated Michigan 41-27.

4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame just missed the College Football Playoff last year with a 10-2 record. This led to the Fighting Irish opting out of playing in a bowl game, which didn’t sit well with fans and critics.

Quarterback CJ Carr should give Notre Dame a chance to reach the playoffs and compete for a national title. The team also has a strong defense, which should give the Irish a chance to do something special in 2026.

5. Indiana Hoosiers

It’s hard to duplicate what Indiana did in 2025. After going undefeated and winning the national title, every team will be going after the Hoosiers, who will be without Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza.

Josh Hoover takes over at quarterback after spending the last four seasons at TCU. In 2025, Hoover threw for 3,472 yards and 29 touchdowns in 12 games.

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6. Oregon Ducks

Oregon could be a team that makes its way to the national title game because quarterback Dante Moore returns for another year. In 2025, Moore threw for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns while completing nearly 72 percent of his passes.

Oregon came close to playing in the title game last year. The Ducks finished the year with a 13-2 record, with both losses coming against Indiana. One loss came in the regular season, and one came in the CFP semifinals.

7. Miami Hurricanes

Miami fans are expecting big things from the Hurricanes after reaching the College Football Playoff championship game last year. One player to watch in 2026 is Malachi Toney, who became a playmaker last year.

Miami missed out on playing in the ACC Championship game but made a run in the playoffs. Before facing Indiana in the title game, the Hurricanes defeated Texas A&M, Ohio State, and Ole Miss in the CFP.

8. Texas A&M Aggies

Speaking of Texas A&M, the crew from Crain & Cone believes that the team can make another title run in 2026. Head coach Mike Elko and quarterback Marcel Reed are two reasons Aggie fans should be excited about 2026.

Last year, Texas A&M won its first 11 games before losing to Texas in the regular season-finale and Miami in the first round of the playoffs. The biggest win of the year came on Sept. 13, when the Aggies defeated Notre Dame 41-40.

9. Ole Miss Rebels

Lane Kiffin and the 2025 Ole Miss Rebels are rocking and rolling. QB Trinidad Chambliss became a star, throwing for 3,937 yards and rushing for 527 yards in 15 games.

Chambliss helped Ole Miss reach the College Football Playoff semifinals. Kiffin was not with the team during the playoffs, as he agreed to be the coach at LSU.

10. LSU Tigers

And because Kiffin, LSU is expected to do some big things in the 2026 college football season. With Sam Leavitt at QB and multiple transfers coming to Baton Rouge, it would not be surprising to see the Tigers near the top of the SEC.

The 2025 season was tough for LSU fans as the team finished 7-6. Brian Kelly was fired as head coach after eight games into the season. At that time, LSU was 5-3 with a 2-3 record in the SEC.