2026 college football season preview highlights schedule, rule changes and key storylines
The Athletic’s guide outlines the opening week, new NCAA eligibility rules, conference realignment, financial trends and top players and coaches to watch in the 2026 season.
The 2026 college football season began with eight FBS games on "Week 0," including a Bill Belichick-coached North Carolina upset of TCU in Ireland. Week 1 will feature a five-day stretch of games from Thursday’s Colorado-Georgia Tech matchup to Monday night’s Florida State-SMU contest.
The NCAA’s revised eligibility rule now allows athletes five years to compete in five seasons, ending the traditional "redshirt" designation. Targeting penalties have also been adjusted: a second-offense ejection results in a half-game suspension, while a third offense leads to a full-game suspension.
Legislative efforts such as the Protect College Sports Act aim to revert transfer rules to previous standards and codify the age-based eligibility window. Meanwhile, name, image and likeness (NIL) deals continue to drive spending, with several Power Five programs reportedly allocating $20-50 million to football rosters.
Revenue-sharing initiatives have introduced jersey patches and field sponsorships, exemplified by Notre Dame’s agreement with SoFi and the Big 12’s partnership with Monster Energy, each worth tens of millions of dollars annually.
Conference realignment adds new members to the Pac-12, Mountain West and Sun Belt, bringing the total FBS count to 138 teams. The College Football Playoff retains 12 slots, but automatic bids now guarantee spots for the champions of the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC, while the highest-ranked Group of 6 team also receives an automatic berth.
Key storylines include Indiana’s attempt to defend its national title, Lane Kiffin’s efforts to rebuild LSU, and Arch Manning’s season with Texas. The guide lists eight Tier 1 quarterbacks projected to start, such as Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Texas’s Arch Manning, and highlights standout non-quarterback talent like Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith and South Carolina defensive back Leonard Moore.
The schedule features several marquee matchups, including Ohio State vs. Texas, Georgia vs. Ole Miss, Alabama vs. LSU and a rematch of Indiana vs. Ohio State. Rivalry week begins on Nov. 26 with games such as TCU at Texas Tech and Texas at Texas A&M. The national championship is set for Jan. 25 in Las Vegas, with semifinal bowls at the Orange and Sugar on Jan. 14-15.