2026 CFB Power Rankings: Ohio State headlines the list

With new starters, drama across the league and loads of transfers, this is shaping up to be an interesting season.

Here is a breakdown of the top five teams according to ESPN's Power Index.

1 - Ohio State Buckeyes 

The Buckeyes are coming into the season with returning key players such as Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin.

It's clear why Ohio State may be the favorite to win the National Championship this year, even though they lost 38 players to the transfer portal.

Redshirt sophomore Sayin will be coming in with many lessons learned from last season, plus new experiences, like being a Heisman Trophy finalist and CFP semifinalist.

A lot of players on the roster were a part of the 2024 National Championship, including Smith, so it'll be all about showing the younger guys what the Buckeyes are capable of.

2 - Texas Longhorns

A program on the rise, the Longhorns have quickly turned around, making two semifinal appearances in the last three years.

It's been one season with Arch Manning at the helm... the one where they didn't make the playoffs.

However, the Austin-based college has strong incoming transfers and recruits, making Texas one of the teams to fear this season.

Will the Longhorns be able to claim their first National Championship of the playoff era? We'll have to see.

3 - Notre Dame Fighting Irish

A team that went unnoticed last season after being runner-up in 2024, Notre Dame might have a team that can make the playoffs this year.

CJ Carr, an early favorite for this year's Heisman Trophy, is coming in for his second season as the starting QB for the Fighting Irish.

Now, it's not that Notre Dame had a bad season last year; it's just that even though they finished with a 10-2 record, they didn't make the 12-team playoff format.

It seems like Marcus Freeman might have something up his sleeve this season.

4 - Oregon Ducks

The Ducks have a lot of pressure on them after making their first semifinal appearance last season since 2014, when they were runner-ups to Ohio State.

Just like Ohio, Texas, and Notre Dame, Oregon also has a Heisman Trophy favorite on its roster, Dante Moore.

The quarterback had a superb first season as a starter for the Ducks, finishing with a 13-2 record.

Back in January, Moore announced he would decline to enter the Draft and go back to Oregon for a third season.

5 - Georgia Bulldogs

You can never really count out Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs, the only team with back-to-back championships in the playoff era.

It's been a couple of rough years for Georgia since 2022, after players like Stetson Bennett and Darnell Washington declared for the Draft.

Gunner Stockton will be coming back to Athens for his fifth year after taking the Bulldogs to the quarterfinals in his first season as a starter.

While under the radar, Georgia might be a surprise this season.

ESPN's Power Index top-25

The ESPN Football Power Index measures a team's true strength on a net point scale; expected point margin vs average opponent on neutral field.

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