It’s a lot easier to label teams overrated than underrated. To call a program underrated, you need more than a decent hunch - you need a team with a modest public projection and a real path to beating it.
With that in mind, four teams stand out heading into the 2026 college football season.
BYU fits the bill. The Cougars have been tough to pin down over the last two seasons in a Big 12 defined by parity, and that league still hasn’t produced a College Football Playoff winner in the 12-team era.
Still, BYU handled everybody on its schedule last year except Texas Tech twice. Kalani Sitake remains in place, and he’s a lot better at this job than he gets credit for.
On offense, Bear Bachmeier is back after a season nobody expected him to start, and now the true sophomore brings a full year of starting experience with him. Running back LJ Martin is also returning.
There’s a real chance this is the year BYU breaks through and wins the Big 12, even if the rankings haven’t caught up.
Michigan is another team that feels easy to overlook. The Wolverines finished 9-3 last season, and then the offseason brought a national scandal and the firing of Sharrone Moore.
But the coaching change may end up being a step forward, not back, with proven winner Kyle Whittingham coming in from Utah and Jason Beck joining as the offensive coordinator. The roster has a strong blend of transfers and returners, including WR JJ Buchanan and former 5-star QB Bryce Underwood, who enters his second season as a starter.
If Michigan’s roster is at least as good as it was a year ago and the new staff gets more out of it, there’s a strong case for a top-15 ranking.
SMU also belongs on this list. A road trip to Berkeley on the final day of the regular season kept the Mustangs out of the ACC Championship and likely cost them a second straight College Football Playoff berth.
Even so, Rhett Lashlee has built something real in Dallas, and the expectation is that it keeps rolling. SMU’s portal haul wasn’t flashy, but it was targeted, with additions made to patch holes rather than chase headlines.
Kevin Jennings is back for his third season as the starter and looks fully healthy after dealing with nagging injuries last year. The Mustangs were a thorn in Miami’s side a season ago, and even though they don’t meet in the regular season, the expectation is that they’ll see each other in Charlotte for the ACC Championship.
Auburn is the final team here, and there’s plenty to like about the direction it’s headed. Last season, the Tigers were lopsided: elite on defense, shaky on offense with QB Jackson Arnold.
This offseason brought in Alex Golesh as head coach, and he made a smart move by keeping Defensive Coordinator DJ Durkin and most of that defense intact. Golesh’s offensive background at South Florida matters here, too, especially with QB Byrum Brown and receivers Kesean Singleton and Jeremiah Koger following him to Auburn.
That combination gives the Tigers a real chance to turn things around quickly, and Auburn’s home-field advantage only adds to the appeal.
In Other News...
BYU Freshman Is Forcing His Way Into A Key Backfield Battle
Fall camp has brought a familiar kind of competition to BYUs backfield, where LJ Martin sits as the established starter but the order behind him is still taking shape. Sione Moa, Preston Rex and Devon Eka are all in the mix, and the Cougars also have a fresh face in Journee Tonga, whose early work has given the staff another runner to evaluate as the offense starts sorting out its depth.
Aaron Roderick has been clear enough about the process to keep the picture fluid, with the running back chart still not settled as camp unfolds. Tonga has already made a strong early impression in live work, turning a short screen into extra yards after shaking off multiple defenders, and that kind of play is exactly how a freshman can force his way into a legitimate battle rather than just a roster spot. [Read more 🡒]
BYU May Have Just Lost A Familiar Name In The O-Line Battle
A Colorado judges ruling this week opened the door for a new group of college athletes to play one more season, and that immediately created movement around BYU. The decision applies to players who graduated high school in 2022 and had already used up their collegiate eligibility, giving them a chance to suit up again after what had looked like the end of their college careers.
For BYU, the early ripple included familiar names testing the waters elsewhere, even as the program continues sorting through its own roster picture. Among the players who entered the transfer portal was former offensive guard Weylin Lapuaho, whose BYU career included multiple seasons in the lineup and All-Big 12 recognition, while Keba Keita has been active on the basketball side after taking part in NBA summer league. [Read more 🡒]
Utah Enters The Big 12 Debate With A Frustrating New Reality
The Big 12 has not been a place where repeat champions come easy, and Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire recently pointed out just how rare that kind of run has been since the leagues modern era began in 1996. Against that backdrop, Stewart Mandels conference preview puts BYU in an enviable spot, with the Cougars expected to be one of the teams setting the pace in a league that also has Houston and Texas Tech positioned for solid seasons.
Utahs entry into the Big 12 conversation comes with a more frustrating reality. Under first-year head coach Morgan Scalley, the Utes are being viewed as a team that may need time to adjust, with Mandel projecting a 7-5 finish. For BYU, that only heightens the intrigue around where the Cougars fit in a league that appears wide open, but still difficult to control from week to week. [Read more 🡒]