College football rankings: CBS Sports updates Top 25 following spring practice

Spring football has come and gone, leaving us with a whole new set of information and data to build off of when it comes to projecting the 2026 season. So how about building a post-spring Top 25 for college football?

The fine folks at CBS Sports have done just that, with national analyst Brandon Marcello churning out his ranking after watching spring ball around the country. The SEC claims the top spot.

But who else will contend for the college football national championship this fall? Let’s check out the complete CBS Sports post-spring football Top 25 to find out. We begin below.

1. Texas Longhorns

A year removed from back-to-back CFP semifinal appearances, Texas took a slight step back in 2025. But the program returns Arch Manning and spent a bundle of cash in the transfer portal to bolster the roster around him.

Can additions like star Auburn receiver Cam Coleman start to pay dividends for the Longhorns? Coach Steve Sarkisian has had his squad as competitive as any in the last few years. The 2026 season could be the year Texas finally puts it all together.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State was mounting a monster 2025 season until it met Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game and lost a close contest. Then the program couldn’t get it back together in time to take down Miami in the College Football Playoff.

The talent level is still undeniably superb in Columbus. Julian Sayin is back as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks, along with star weapon Jeremiah Smith. Can the Buckeyes plug and play after losing a ton of talent to the NFL Draft?

3. Oregon Ducks

Oregon reached the College Football Playoff semifinal last year, winning two playoff games before being trounced by Indiana. But quarterback Dante Moore is back and that’s an excellent place for the Ducks to start in 2026.

The pass-catching corps should be one of the nation’s best this fall, and that was on display during the team’s spring work. Coach Dan Lanning has been knocking on the door and with this much talent, there’s always a chance he breaks through.

4. Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia is coming off a 12-1 regular season that included an SEC Championship Game blowout of Alabama. The Bulldogs then lost in a shootout to Ole Miss in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. Could more be in store for 2026?

Sensing a theme yet here in the Top 25? Georgia is yet another program that has its starting quarterback coming back. Gunner Stockton could be poised for a big second-year jump as the starter.

5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Lather, rinse, repeat. Notre Dame also has a starting quarterback returning. Potentially a Heisman Trophy caliber one in CJ Carr. The real question is whether the Fighting Irish can come out of the gates hot.

Starting the season well has been a big issue under coach Marcus Freeman. It’s close enough to being called a trend at this point. Half (six) of the 12 losses during Freeman’s tenure have come during the first month of the season. That has to change.

6. Indiana Hoosiers

Coach Curt Cignetti erased all doubts about whether what Indiana had done the year prior was sustainable. He went out and won the whole darned thing. Of course, now quarterback Fernando Mendoza is gone.

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Can Indiana replace him and the various other stars that departed? Seventeen transfers are on their way in. It’s the nation’s top-ranked portal class and one that includes former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover. We’ll see if Cignetti can work his magic again.

7. Miami Hurricanes

Miami reached the national championship game and came up just a little short, but not for lack of talent. Many of the stars are gone, though, including quarterback Carson Beck, offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa and EDGE Rueben Bain, amongst a host of others on defense.

That’s where Mario Cristobal enters the picture. The Miami coach has recruited lights out and established an incredibly high floor in Coral Gables. That will be put to the test this season.

8. Texas A&M Aggies

Texas A&M started the year 11-0 and then suffered back-to-back losses to rival Texas and Miami in the College Football Playoff. But the Aggies are clearly moving in the right direction, and that’s reflected in the college football post-spring Top 25.

Quarterback Marcel Reed is back. He probably needs to take a significant jump if the Aggies are going to be a national championship contender, but he’s certainly capable.

9. LSU Tigers

Lane Kiffin takes over after Brian Kelly was ousted, and he’ll look to continue the remarkable run of success he had at Ole Miss. LSU was as competitive as anyone in the transfer portal this offseason and Arizona State transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt will take the reins.

The health of Leavitt might be the key factor. He didn’t participate in spring ball while recovering from his injury, so how quickly he can get up to speed will be hugely important. The schedule is tough out of the gates, with Clemson and Ole Miss in the first three weeks.

10. Oklahoma Sooners

Brent Venables turned things around in a major way last season, getting the Sooners to a 10-win season and the College Football Playoff. Can he parlay that into a move even further up the Top 25 rankings once the season gets underway?

Quarterback John Mateer will have a lot to say about that. He wasn’t the same after his injury last season. Will a full recovery — and the added experience he gained last year — get him back to a Heisman Trophy-contending level of play?