2026 College Football Playoff Predictions: Will Big Ten’s Dominance Come To An End?

It’s about that time, as the offseason winds down, and predictions start looming. Which teams are bound to make waves this college football season?

As Oregon returns plenty of production from their 2025 team and Indiana aims for a repeat title, the competition for conference championships and a national title are wide open. 

Here are Klatt’s predictions for every Power Four conference champion, 12-team bracket and his national champion prediction:

Conference Championship Game Predictions

Klatt’s thoughts: “I do think that the Big Ten is absolutely loaded at the top. I think all of us know that after all these preseason rankings have finally come out. We saw Ohio State at the top of the AP [Top 25 Poll]. Oregon was on the prime of my preseason ballot. And you continue to have Indiana, the defending nationwide champion. You’ve got received groups like USC, Penn State and Michigan, who will all be in there vying and making an attempt to degree up into that rarefied air of these prime three groups within the Huge Ten. 

“Ohio State’s schedule goes to be too tough. … They have to play at Iowa after opening on the street in Week 2 in opposition to Texas. They have to play on the street a number of instances in opposition to very tough opponents. They have to go to USC. They have to go to Indiana. These are all very tough locations to play. That is why I do not suppose Ohio State will make it to Indianapolis.

“Oregon’s additionally received a tough schedule, however I feel they’ll be ready to deal with it. I feel Indiana will get again into that spot. … I will take Dan Lanning and the Geese.”

Kirby Sensible and Steve Sarkisian have led their respective applications to loads of success. (Photograph by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos)

Klatt’s ideas: “It is a very deep convention — everyone knows that. I feel there are two, a minimum of on this month, which are perhaps higher than the remainder. We’ll see the way it performs out, significantly with a staff like LSU. However I actually, actually like Georgia and Texas. I actually like Texas rather a lot. My wild card is LSU. 

“You begin to surprise to your self if [Texas coach Steve Sarkisian] can recover from the hump. Let’s simply say if Ohio State have been to beat them early within the season, that might be an actual defining second for that program. For them to show issues round and break a few of these obstacles later within the season — a type of obstacles being Georgia and Kirby Sensible. I do not wish to guess in opposition to Georgia and Kirby Sensible, however I do not know if they’ll have the firepower to maintain up with what might be an excellent offense in Texas.  

“I feel Texas and Steve Sarkisian can recover from that hump.”

Klatt’s ideas: “This one’s fairly simple. Texas Tech is essentially the most gifted staff within the league, they usually’ve received a reasonably mushy schedule. They solely have one ranked opponent on their schedule because it stands proper now: Week 3 in opposition to Houston. 

“Who will Texas Tech face? I like Arizona rather a lot, however I simply do not love their schedule within the Huge 12. They have quarterback Noah Fifita coming again. I actually like what they’ve completed with their program. … You simply have a look at these schedules and I simply do not find it irresistible for Arizona. They have at BYU, at Texas Tech and residential in opposition to Utah.

“I feel the second spot goes to the winner of the Holy Conflict, BYU and Utah. As was the case a 12 months in the past, I will lean towards BYU. A variety of turnover at Utah. In the meantime, BYU, they nonetheless have head coach Kelani Sitake, quarterback Bear Bachmaier and working again LJ Martin.

“Texas Tech is simply at a special degree by way of the roster compilation in opposition to the opposite Huge 12 faculties.”

Klatt’s ideas: “Miami has an analogous hole over the ACC. I do not see them shedding an ACC sport this 12 months. They may lose to Notre Dame. I will predict that they do lose to Notre Dame. However Miami isn’t going to have a big difficulty with regards to the ACC schedule.

“The true query is who’s Miami going to face? You begin to throw out these groups you suppose might need the expertise and schedule to get themselves into the ACC Championship Sport. I’ve 4 groups I thought-about right here: Clemson, Virginia Tech, SMU and Louisville. With Clemson and Virginia Tech, I simply do not know. … Louisville and SMU occur to play one another in a monster sport in September. I will go together with SMU as a result of they’re 14-2 in ACC play since becoming a member of the convention a 12 months in the past. 

“However SMU isn’t in Miami’s hemisphere, a minimum of because it at the moment stands.”

The 12-Staff Bracket

Klatt’s ideas: “If Oregon have been to win the Huge Ten with just one loss, then I feel the Geese take the No. 1 seed. They’re rewarded for successful the Huge Ten.”

Klatt’s ideas: “I feel Notre Dame goes undefeated, however their schedule is simply not wherever near Oregon’s.”

Klatt’s ideas: “With just one loss to an undefeated Notre Dame on the street, I feel Miami will get the No. 3 seed. … They’re 12-1 with an ACC championship.”

Arch Manning is getting into his second season as Texas’ beginning quarterback.(Photograph by Dustin Markland/Getty Photos)

Klatt’s ideas: “The fourth spot is a tricky name. I feel it will come all the way down to a staff that didn’t play of their convention championship sport, however beat a convention champion. Texas goes to get the fourth spot as a result of the SEC championship, contemporary off a win in opposition to Kirby Sensible and Georgia, will assist give Texas all of the love that they need, and they’ll be one spot forward of a staff that beat them: Ohio State.”

Klatt’s ideas: “Ohio State goes to be rated one spot forward of the sixth-place staff, Indiana, as a result of on this prediction, I’ve received Ohio State with a win over Indiana. Ohio State would have wins over Texas and Indiana, however loses on the ultimate bye seed as a result of Texas has the SEC championship.”

Curt Cignetti is 27-2 at Indiana. (Photograph by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos)

Klatt’s ideas: “Indiana would have the sixth seed due to their loss to Ohio State as an 11-2 staff.”

Klatt’s ideas: “Georgia can be No. 7 after the loss to Texas within the SEC Championship Sport.” 

Klatt’s ideas: “Texas Tech’s power of schedule isn’t wherever shut. So, whilst a convention champion, except they have been undefeated and beating everybody by 20 or 25 — I may see them shedding a sport within the Huge 12 slate — I’ve received them because the eighth seed.”

Klatt’s ideas: “Now, it begins to get attention-grabbing. I feel everybody can agree that the primary eight groups are the perfect eight groups. Who on the planet goes to play themselves into the ultimate at-large spots? I am bullish on [USC]. … I feel USC goes to have an actual improbable 12 months. I like what they’re doing on the line of scrimmage, each offensively and defensively. I like the truth that they’ll run the soccer. I like the truth that they’re returning their beginning quarterback. I’ve received them going 10-2 with loss to Oregon and Indiana, however they decide up an enormous resume-building win in opposition to Ohio State.” 

Lane Kiffin enters his first 12 months at LSU after a 55-19 tenure at Ole Miss. (Photograph by Gus Stark/LSU/College Photos through Getty Photos)

Klatt’s ideas: “I simply suppose LSU goes to return out and play very strong soccer. That does not imply they’ll win their convention. I do not know if they’ll go to that echelon. However I can actually see them fixing what occurred on the offensive facet of the soccer. … Lane Kiffin’s going to have them producing 500 yards of offense, week in and week out. This concept that it is one way or the other a query or anomaly of how that is going to return along with all these gamers from the switch portal, let’s not act like Kiffin hasn’t completed this earlier than. … LSU goes to be a 10-2 staff.”

Klatt’s ideas: “I’ve received three groups going for the ultimate at-large spot within the Faculty Soccer Playoff: Penn State (they’ll be 10-2), Alabama (at 10-2) and the winner of the Michigan-Oklahoma sport. I feel the winner of that sport will go 9-3. So, they’ll have an enormous resume-building win out of convention, however they’re nonetheless 9-3. … I feel Penn State will get thrown out instantly as a result of they will not have a resume-building win. On this state of affairs, they might have misplaced to Michigan and USC and there is not a marquee win on their schedule. Alabama can be 10-2 in opposition to both 9-3 Michigan or Oklahoma. 

“This staff ought to be wonderful on protection. … It is a staff that I feel can get again to that Alabama defensive identification.”

Klatt’s ideas: “Let’s simply go together with Boise State. Can anybody predict the Group of 5? These rosters flip over with such an enormous diploma. … I feel Boise State will get rewarded with a harder power of schedule.”

First Spherical

Klatt’s ideas: “Ohio State ought to win this sport fairly handily.”

Klatt’s ideas: “Kalen DeBoer and firm go as much as Bloomington and guess what? They nonetheless cannot cease Indiana from working the soccer. Indiana may run it 55 instances within the climate up there.”

Klatt’s ideas: “Nice 12 months for Lane Kiffin. I do suppose they should win a playoff sport for them to achieve their expectations. … However Georgia strikes on.”

Klatt’s ideas: “I do not suppose Texas Tech, based mostly on what we noticed final 12 months within the postseason when it received shut out by Oregon, will probably be as much as par with a staff like USC, who’ll be very examined by that time.”

Quarterfinals

Klatt’s ideas: “I like USC rather a lot, however not on this sport. Oregon’s my No. 1 total seed for a motive.”

Gunnar Stockton and Georgia misplaced to Notre Dame within the Faculty Soccer Playoff two seasons in the past. (Photograph by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Photos)

Klatt’s ideas: “I feel Notre Dame goes to be unbelievable. They’ll play in opposition to Georgia, and they’ll win. Notre Dame goes to win that sport for the second time in three years.”

Klatt’s ideas: “I believed it was a coin flip… however Miami is simply constructing one thing. I feel Miami wins that sport.”

Klatt’s ideas: “This may be the fourth assembly within the final three years. I’ve to take Ohio State. I feel they’ve one thing over Texas.”

Semifinals

Will Oregon get revenge over Ohio State for its loss within the 2025 Rose Bowl?(Photograph by Harry How/Getty Photos)

Klatt’s ideas: “I mentioned that Oregon is tremendous gifted… at this level, who is aware of what the depth appears to be like like for Ohio State?… Give me Oregon.”

Klatt’s ideas: “A rematch of that sport in South Bend this 12 months. I feel Notre Dame wins the primary one, I feel Notre Dame wins the second. Notre Dame is that good.”

Nationwide Championship

Klatt’s ideas: “It may be a curse to be the staff that I decide because the nationwide champ. Final 12 months, I picked Clemson. 

“My nationwide champ in my very first bracket prediction of the 12 months is [drumroll please]: the Notre Dame Combating Irish.”