ESPN’s first FPI release for the 2026 college football season is already stirring the pot, and the early numbers put a familiar heavyweight on top. Ohio State checks in at No. 1, while defending national champion Indiana lands at No. 6 in the initial projection.
That ranking set also leaves plenty of room for argument, which is exactly what happens every time the FPI drops. With schools only a few weeks away from getting players back on campus and starting preseason prep, the debate is already rolling: who got a boost they didn’t deserve, and who got shortchanged?
One team that looks a little too high is Penn State. ESPN’s formula clearly isn’t sweating the fact that the Nittany Lions are heading into a new era, but No. 17 still feels aggressive. Matt Campbell is no longer in the Big 12, and the jump to the Big Ten brings a much tougher weekly grind.
That doesn’t mean Penn State is headed for a rough year. The first three games on the schedule look manageable enough.
But the road slate brings real problems, and with so many unknowns heading into the season, it’s hard to know exactly what this first year under Campbell will look like. At No.
17, Penn State is being given an implied shot at the Big Ten Championship Game. The question is whether Campbell and company can actually get there.
If Penn State feels a touch inflated, Miami looks like the team that should be climbing higher. The Hurricanes are inside the top 10, but there’s a strong case that they belong at Notre Dame’s No. 3 spot instead.
The FPI runs 20,000 simulations, but Miami has reasons to believe this could be a special year. The Hurricanes upgraded at quarterback by bringing in Darian Mensah, and they kept much of the talent that powered last season’s run. That gives Mario Cristobal a roster that could be good enough to return to the national championship game.
Miami should be viewed as a real College Football Playoff threat, especially with the ACC’s traditional powers not looking as dominant as they once did. The big question now is whether Mensah can be the piece that pushes Miami from runner-up territory all the way to the top.
In Other News...
Indiana Basketball Unveils A Bold New Look For Team USA Trip
Indianas offseason has taken on a different look under Darian DeVries, and the latest wrinkle comes with a patriotic twist. The Hoosiers are headed to Lima, Peru, for the International University Sports Federation America Games from July 20 to Aug. 1, where theyll represent the United States in a run of exhibition and pool play that offers a rare chance to see the group together before the 2026-27 season.
Along with the international stage, Indiana is bringing special USA-themed uniforms built around red, white and blue, a fitting touch for a team trying to establish an identity quickly. The trip also gives DeVries and a largely rebuilt roster time to start building chemistry, with only one returning player from last season, and the matchups against Canada, Argentina, Brazil and Peru should provide an early test of how far that process has come. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Landed A December Test That Could Matter In March
A December nonconference date can carry a lot more weight than it first appears, and Indiana is lining up one that should offer a useful early measuring stick. Missouri and Indiana are reportedly finalizing a game for Dec. 18, 2026, in Bloomington, a one-off setup with no return trip to Columbia, and it would be the first time the programs have met since 2004.
For Indiana, the appeal is obvious under Darian DeVries after last season ended without a postseason bid. Games like this can help shape an NCAA Tournament rsum, especially when the opponent is willing to challenge itself the way Missouri has under Dennis Gates, with a nonconference slate built to be demanding from top to bottom. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Lost A Major 4-Star Battle That Really Stings
A key Midwest recruiting swing slipped away from Indiana as the Hoosiers watched one of the regions top defensive prospects come off the board in the 2027 class. The loss matters because Indiana has been trying to build real momentum on the trail, and this was the kind of battle that can help define whether the class keeps climbing or stalls out against the bigger brands circling the same prospects.
Indiana still has a respectable foundation in place with 16 commits and several blue-chip names already in the mix, but the margin for error gets thinner when elite targets start choosing elsewhere. The Hoosiers are also still waiting on a major decision at receiver, and how that unfolds will say plenty about whether this class can still land a headline addition after missing on a linebacker it badly wanted. [Read more 🡒]