“OVER-RATED!” It’s the kind of chant that echoes through student sections for a reason.
Sometimes it’s noise. Sometimes it’s dead on.
Heading into the 2026 college football season, a few teams are carrying public hype that looks a lot heavier than the actual product. Name brand helps.
Recent history helps. A flashy offseason helps.
But none of that changes what shows up on the field.
Alabama is the clearest example. Under Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide were the standard in college football, the kind of program that collected elite recruits and won the biggest games.
But Nick Saban isn’t walking through that door. This is the Kalen DeBoer Alabama, and that old Saban shine still seems to be propping up how people view this team.
The defense was only okay last year, and now it has been gutted. On offense, Ty Simpson covered up a lot of problems, especially the total lack of a run game.
Simpson is now a Los Angeles Ram, and Alabama still hasn’t named its starting quarterback for 2026. Right now, it’s hard to see the version of this team that matches the national buzz.
Kalen DeBoer’s seat is going to be getting awfully warm.
Oklahoma is another team getting treated like a true contender when the betting market is telling a different story. The Sooners are in the top 10 of the first AP Poll, and on the surface it makes sense. They bring back dynamic starting quarterback John Mateer, Brent Venables kept much of his coaching staff together, and a lot of that nasty defense returns.
But sportsbooks have Oklahoma’s win total at 7.5, and that number matters. Vegas is basically saying this looks more like a 7-5 or 8-4 team than a top-10 outfit.
That lines up with what happened last season: a pitiful run game, an elite defense, and a kicker doing a ton of the heavy lifting in low-scoring, one-possession wins. Oklahoma was 4-1 last season when the margin of victory was 8 or fewer points.
That kind of profile doesn’t scream breakthrough.
Miami has a similar problem, except its public perception might be even more inflated by how last season broke. What would people be saying if the Hurricanes had lost to Texas A&M in the first round of the College Football Playoff? Or if the CFP Committee hadn’t randomly leapfrogged Miami over Notre Dame to get it into the bracket?
Without that, the conversation looks a lot different. You’re talking about a team that has a history of losing to inferior opponents because of baffling game-management decisions by Mario Cristobal, and it still did that twice last season.
You’re also talking about a team that lost its cheat code: Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor are now in the NFL. Darian Mensah could be an upgrade over Carson Beck at quarterback, but the run Miami made last season feels a little fluky, and the loss of Bain and Mesidor is a real hit to the defense.
Penn State rounds out the list, and this one is all about the jump people are assuming simply because of the uniform. Out goes James Franklin, in comes Matt Campbell, and with him comes what feels like nearly the entire starting lineup from Iowa State last season. That has apparently been enough for some to treat Penn State like a top-15 team.
But why? Iowa State went 8-4 in the Big 12. There’s no reason to assume that same group suddenly becomes a major force just because it’s wearing a different jersey.
The counterpoint is obvious: Penn State landed a Charmin Extra-Soft Big 10 schedule that avoids Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana. The Nittany Lions will likely be favored in 10 or 11 games. That still doesn’t automatically make them a quality football team.
In Other News...
Alabama Has Four Starting Jobs Riding On One Final Scrimmage
Alabama is heading into the third week of fall camp with one last scrimmage left before the staff starts locking in its season-opening two-deep. Even with camp well underway, there is still plenty left to sort through, and the biggest questions are spread across the lineup, with spots open at quarterback, offensive guard, offensive tackle and linebacker as the Tide continue to evaluate the group.
A few players have started to separate themselves, but the coaching staff is waiting on the final live look before making the calls that matter. Keelon Russell and Austin Mack remain part of the quarterback race, while Will Sanders, Mal Waldrep, Nick Brooks, Jayvin James, QB Reese and Luke Metz are all still involved in the other major battles, leaving Alabama with several important decisions hanging on one more scrimmage. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas New Center Is Suddenly Key To A Big Offensive Reset
Alabamas offensive line has a new face in the middle after bringing in center Racin Delgatty from Cal-Poly through the transfer portal, a move aimed at helping fill the void left by Parker Brailsfords decision to enter the NFL Draft. Delgatty arrives as a senior and has already drawn attention inside the program for the way he has added weight and strength since joining the Crimson Tide, a sign that he is settling into a bigger role at the right time.
The timing matters because Alabama is looking for a reset up front, especially in the run game under new offensive line coach Adrian Klemm. Delgatty has spoken positively about the coaching staff and the nutrition program, and those early signs of buy-in matter for a team hoping to get more consistent physicality at the point of attack. The questions now are less about whether he fits the environment and more about how quickly he can translate that progress into production for an offense that wants to lean on its line again. [Read more 🡒]
Alabamas Quarterback Battle Is Nearing The Call That Shapes This Offense
The quarterback competition at Alabama is moving toward a decision at exactly the sort of point where a choice starts to define an offense. Keelon Russell and Austin Mack have spent camp as the leading candidates, and with the season opener against East Carolina set for Sept. 5, the staff is no longer talking about a distant evaluation. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has made it clear the call is close, which only adds to the sense that this battle is reaching its final stage.
Kalen DeBoer has also pointed to progress from both quarterbacks during scrimmage work, a reminder that this is not just about sorting talent but about choosing the right fit for what Alabama wants to be this fall. The difference between the two is still the most important unanswered question in camp, and the answer will shape how the Crimson Tide build around their starter once game week arrives. [Read more 🡒]