The College Football Playoff conversation keeps circling the usual powers, but 2026 could finally open the door for a few programs still chasing their first invite. Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Georgia and Oklahoma have all spent plenty of time in the mix. The next wave, though, might come from a different tier entirely.
USC is the biggest name on that list, and the Trojans enter 2026 with a clear route to changing their CFP story. Ranked No. 14, they sit behind Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon in the Big Ten pecking order, which means the path is steep but not closed.
The catch is that USC gets all three on the schedule: Oregon and Ohio State come to Los Angeles, while Indiana awaits on the road. If Jayden Maiava can land one of those upsets, a 10-2 finish is very much on the table.
BYU is another team that has already come close enough to taste it. The Cougars went 12-1 in the regular season a year ago before the Big 12 title game went sideways in a 34-7 loss that ended the idea of the league landing a second team.
Now ranked No. 15 in the coaches poll, BYU has two real ways in: beat Texas Tech, whom it does not play in the regular season, or make itself undeniable as the Big 12’s next-best team. The October 17 game against Notre Dame could swing that entire conversation, and Bear Bachmeier could end up being the one who puts BYU over the top.
Utah belongs in that same Big 12 discussion. The Utes are No. 21 in the preseason and come off an 11-2 season in which their only losses were to Texas Tech and BYU.
Tech is off the schedule this time, so the November 7 home meeting with BYU looms as the key chance to shape Utah’s playoff case. Devon Dampier returns at quarterback, and with an offense that scored 41.3 points per game last season, Utah has the kind of profile that could matter even if it doesn’t win the league outright.
Iowa looks like the Big Ten’s sneaky candidate. The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 22 and always bring a defense that can drag teams into the mud, but the offense has been the barrier.
Still, last season’s 9-4 finish was a lot closer to something bigger than it looked, with four losses by a combined 15 points and defeats against Indiana and Oregon among them. A little more offense against those two teams and Iowa might have already been in the CFP picture.
Tim Lester has helped the scoring jump from 15.4 points per game in 2023 to 27.7 and 29.3 over the last two seasons, and a surprisingly efficient quarterback could be the final piece.
Missouri may be the SEC’s best shot at a first-time playoff breakthrough. The Tigers opened 5-0 last season before settling at 8-5, and the preseason No. 25 team faces a brutal league slate that could either bury its hopes or create them.
Austin Simmons will have to survive Texas A&M, a road trip to Ole Miss in October, and home dates with Texas and Oklahoma in November, with Georgia in between. That’s five punishing games, but with three of them at home, Missouri could still make a serious push if it manages 3-2 or even 4-1 through that stretch.
In Other News...
Xavier Nwankpa Just Added More Buzz To His Chiefs Push
Xavier Nwankpas path to the NFL has already taken an interesting turn. After going undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft, the former Hawkeye signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent and quickly made himself a name to watch during summer practices. With the Chiefs dealing with departures in the secondary and not a lot of proven depth behind the established pieces, every rep has mattered, and Nwankpa has been in the middle of that competition.
He has also been showing up in the areas that can separate a fringe roster hopeful from someone who sticks, including special teams work. There has been enough positive buzz around his camp performance to keep his name in the conversation, and a notable legal hit in practice only added to the attention. For Iowa fans tracking former players in the league, this is the kind of start that suggests Nwankpa is at least making the Chiefs think hard before they trim the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Still Needs One Receiver To Change Its Passing Game
Iowas receiver room is still a work in progress as the Hawkeyes head toward 2026, and the names in it suggest both promise and uncertainty. Tony Diaz, DJ Vonnahme, Reece Vander Zee, Evan James, Dayton Howard and Jarriett Buie all give the staff options, but the group still needs one player to separate from the pack and give the passing game a different look.
Vander Zee has flashed real ability when healthy, even if injuries have kept him from building much momentum, while James and Howard bring different kinds of experience and skill sets into the mix. The question for Iowa is whether one of those returners can become the veteran presence the offense has been missing, because until that happens, the Hawkeyes are still asking a lot from a receiver room that has yet to prove it can change the passing game on its own. [Read more 🡒]
Kade Pieper Just Raised The Stakes For Iowas 2026 Line
Kade Piepers move from right guard to center already made him one of the most important pieces on Iowas 2026 offensive line, and now he has a national spotlight to match it. The fourth-year lineman was named to On3s preseason first-team All-America team for next season, making him the only Hawkeye to land preseason All-America recognition from the outlet.
For Iowa, the timing matters as much as the honor. Pieper is being counted on to anchor a line in transition, and the praise from On3 reflects the combination of strength, athleticism and technique that has put him in position to take on a bigger role. With the move to center, the expectations around him are only growing, and so is the sense that the Hawkeyes have one of the more intriguing line storylines to watch heading into 2026. [Read more 🡒]