College Football Thread - 2026

[Willmark]

It’s that time of year for us to dog fight about who’s college team is better.

Best way to start it out IMO is with the preseason coaches poll that just dropped:

Preseason Coaches Poll
1.Ohio State
2.Oregon
3.Georgia
4.Texas
5.Notre Dame
6.Indiana
7.Miami
8.Texas A&M
9.Oklahoma
10.Ole Miss
11.Alabama
12.Texas Tech
13.LSU
14.USC
15.BYU
16.Michigan
17.Penn State
18.Tennessee
19.Washington
20.SMU
21.Utah
22.Iowa
23.Clemson
24.Houston
25.Missouri

We all know who are backing after that last few years but the 2026 season is almost upon us.

For my own part, this year is special I’m attending my first home game ever at ND on 9/12.

[SkullCrusher]

I can't wait until I see how they seed this 24 team nonsense. Probably have some 4 loss big 10 team ranked 24th going up against some SEC powerhouse in the 1st round. NCAA can't get out of its own way.

We've seen a 7-9 team make the NFL.
12 it's already stop the whining. 24 it's like omg your such a big baby.
If you don't make it when it is 24, show some self respect and keep a lid on it.

The main advantage of the college system is it is talked about a lot and that is interest and that is ratings.
NFL you don't have the opinion nuance, you still get plenty of playoff picture talk, but it's all a formula as we know.
Probably how this world spins, like it or not, advantage college.

[Willmark]

I dont know if obsessed is strong enough. Its like a kid who got their ass beat for 20 years by another kid. He is probably blaming the SEC for gas prices

I have zero problems continuing to point out the BS narrative of the supposed dominance of the SEC.

If I’m the lone voice here I likewise have qualms as well.

[Willmark]

4 was absolutely dumb. 12 I understood. 24 is lunacy.

12 is about as good as it can get with the current rules.

24? ESPN needs to recoup that $$$ somehow.

[Attyla]

Since they went to the playoff structure (2014) the SEC has won 6 National Championships. Notre Dame won all the others of course.

[Willmark]

Since they went to the playoff structure (2014) the SEC has won 6 National Championships. Notre Dame won all the others of course.

Cool story. ND has nothing to do with my point. But I suspect you knew that.

[Attyla]

Cool story. ND has nothing to do with my point. But is suspect you knew that.

My bad, read it wrong, Notre Dame got jobbed by the SEC and were kept out of the playoffs.

[FLORIDARAYDAH]

My bad, read it wrong, Notre Dame got jobbed by the SEC and were kept out of the playoffs.

They played 2 games last season and lost them both. Not sure how they were even in the playoffs consideration.

[Reno Hightower]

It's no coincidence that parity began to develop amongst the P4 conferences once NIL and the transfer portal became factors.

[rcraider]

Kamario Taylor signs 7.5 million Nil deal up to 9 million with incentives. 19 years old. College football has lost the plot

[Willmark]

It's no coincidence that parity began to develop amongst the P4 conferences once NIL and the transfer portal became factors.

It’s odd isn’t it? /sarcasm

All kidding aside it’s one of the factors in play. The end of the conference championship games also (potentially) means the end of conferences as they are currently configured. I suspect it will take some time but eventually the question about cost vs benefit will have to be answered.

Right now the super conferences were in many ways an arms race: if one conference did it the others needed to follow suit. Now? I’m not so sure.

I could see it getting back to more regional like it used to be but may take more time owing to TV deals.

[Attyla]

They played 2 games last season and lost them both. Not sure how they were even in the playoffs consideration.

It was a tongue in cheek response to the never ending narrative that the SEC gets preferential treatment. But quality wins and losses do play a part in the collective decisions of who is elevated and who is not. Fact is, that is sport. It is all about opinions and very few facts. The new 24 team playoff system does one thing nobody is talking about. It will create more opportunity for upsets and such. The SEC preseason was not well represented in the top 10 and even now they are not well represented. Sounds like the opinions are that there are strong teams out there that are not SEC teams. Georgia is universally considered one of the better teams. They earned that consideration due to play on the field and not some bias. Can they be beaten? Of course. And if they are, some guy will come out and shout from the mountaintop that they were only ranked high because of the conference and were overrated because of bias. Just like the Raiders getting jobbed by the NFL.

[pfish57]

Manning makes a lot of stupid throws!

[raider_kin]

Notre Dame squeaks by BCU

[Reno Hightower]

It was a tongue in cheek response to the never ending narrative that the SEC gets preferential treatment. But quality wins and losses do play a part in the collective decisions of who is elevated and who is not. Fact is, that is sport. It is all about opinions and very few facts. The new 24 team playoff system does one thing nobody is talking about. It will create more opportunity for upsets and such. The SEC preseason was not well represented in the top 10 and even now they are not well represented. Sounds like the opinions are that there are strong teams out there that are not SEC teams. Georgia is universally considered one of the better teams. They earned that consideration due to play on the field and not some bias. Can they be beaten? Of course. And if they are, some guy will come out and shout from the mountaintop that they were only ranked high because of the conference and were overrated because of bias. Just like the Raiders getting jobbed by the NFL.

Conspiracy theories have nothing to do with it. The SEC is still riding the inertia of the last two decades. I wouldn't call it preferential treatment but rather a degree of hype, bias and politics marketed by the media-maybe once deserved but still at odds with today's reality.

Were you not the one lecturing about human bias influencing the grading curve? Or was that another one of your self aggrandizing kung fu riddles?

[DanKD]

I really dont understand the criticism, Arch Manning is going to make a great CFL quarterback.