Preseason rankings always look a little shaky once the games start, and the first month of the 2026 college football season has already made that point loud and clear. Six teams that opened the year in the poll have already fallen out after four games, and six others have worked their way in from the outside. In other words, the calendar has barely turned to October and the board is already moving.
A handful of teams came into the season with real buzz, but September has chipped that away fast. The five biggest early disappointments all entered the year with expectations and have already spent them.
Michigan looked like it had a chance to build something after being ranked No. 16 in the preseason, but the Wolverines are now unranked and sitting at 3-1 after a painful loss to Iowa. Before that came a controversial one-point win over a MAC opponent with an extra second added on, a sluggish start against UTEP, and then the loss to the Hawkeyes that turned what should have been a statement Big Ten opener into a warning sign.
The offense has not finished drives against quality defenses, the late-game execution has been shaky, and the earlier close call against a lesser opponent only made the confidence around this team feel thinner. With a brutal schedule still ahead, the idea of a revived Michigan under new leadership already looks inflated.
Oklahoma came into the year at No. 10 and is now unranked at 2-2, with its SEC start already looking rough. The Sooners were beaten thoroughly by Georgia, and the turnovers only made the damage worse.
The offense has not taken the leap that was expected in Year 2 of the current regime, especially in the blocking and run game. Oklahoma’s backs rank 129th nationally in output.
Add in uneven quarterback play and a lack of explosive plays, and the Sooners still don’t have a clear identity. What once looked like a playoff-caliber roster now looks more like a team stuck in the middle of a loaded league.
Texas A&M was ranked No. 8 in the preseason and has also fallen out of the poll, with its hopes from last season now gone in a hurry. A 35-6 loss at LSU came after a home defeat to then-unranked Kentucky, and both games exposed issues on both sides of the ball.
Marcel Reed’s play against better SEC teams has become a real concern again. This season, he is completing 48 percent of his throws with 1 TD and 3 picks against SEC defenses, and Texas A&M is averaging 13.5 points in those games.
The Aggies briefly looked like a national contender under their current coach, but two early losses have made the rest of the SEC schedule feel punishing instead of promising.
USC is still ranked, but the warning lights are flashing everywhere. The Trojans were hit hard in a home loss to Oregon and backup quarterback Dylan Raiola, allowing 41 points in a game they absolutely had to have.
That came after they gave up 35 points to winless Rutgers the week before. The defense has now allowed 30 or more points in multiple straight games, and the same problem keeps showing up no matter who is coordinating it.
Three different coordinators in the Riley era still haven’t solved it. The offense can still pop, but that doesn’t hide the structural issues that have followed Lincoln Riley’s teams.
A top-20 ranking right now feels more like leftover hype than anything earned on the field.
Louisville rounds out the list after entering the season at No. 24 and dropping out of the poll. The Cardinals have been all over the map, capable of beating ranked teams one week and then losing at home to teams they should handle the next, as shown by the upset loss to Wake Forest.
Jeff Brohm’s teams have talent, but the inconsistency keeps getting in the way of any real ACC contender talk. Until Louisville shows it can take care of the expected wins with the same edge it brings to the biggest games, the early optimism is hard to buy.
In Other News...
Jim Harbaughs Michigan Staff Tree Just Got Even More Impressive
Jim Harbaughs Michigan run has already become a showcase for coaching development, and the ripple effects are still being felt well after he left Ann Arbor. One of the clearest examples is Mike Macdonald, who was Michigans defensive coordinator in 2021 before moving on to bigger NFL opportunities and eventually landing the Seahawks head coaching job, where he has already reached the Super Bowl.
The next branch of that tree only adds to the programs reputation. Jesse Minter stepped in after Macdonald, followed Harbaugh to the Chargers, and has since climbed to the top of the NFL ladder himself, earning the Baltimore Ravens head coaching job in 2026. For Michigan, it is another reminder that Harbaughs staff did not just win games, it became a pipeline to the leagues most prominent jobs. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Heads To Minnesota With One Big Concern Up Front
Michigans first road trip of the season comes with a familiar kind of worry in front of it: the injury report. The Wolverines head to Minnesota on Saturday carrying a list that includes players who are out, questionable and probable, with the biggest concern centered on the front lines and a few key defensive pieces. For a team trying to settle into the grind of Big Ten play away from home, the availability of those linemen will shape plenty about how the day looks.
There is at least one encouraging sign for Michigans offense. Running back Jordan Marshall is off the injury report for the second straight week, which suggests he should be in position to help if needed. Even so, the real story going into Minneapolis is whether Michigan can get enough stability up front to handle its first road test without the kind of attrition that can quickly change the tone of an early-season conference game. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Recruiting Buzz Is Building Around Two Crucial Future Targets
Michigans next few recruiting cycles are already drawing attention, and a couple of names are starting to stand out for the Wolverines. Among the prospects on the board are 2027 offensive tackle Mataio Fano and 2028 edge rusher Major Stokes, both of whom have connections to Michigans coaching staff that give the program a meaningful foothold as the process gets going. Fano, in particular, comes with a family relationship to coaches in Ann Arbor, which should keep Michigan in the mix as he looks at multiple schools.
The Wolverines are also working to stay in position with 2028 tight end Jack McNamara, another target who has been around campus multiple times and has built a close relationship with the staff. For a program that keeps emphasizing long-term roster building, those early ties matter, especially when the competition for elite prospects only gets more intense the farther out the calendar goes. Michigan has plenty of work ahead, but the buzz around these names suggests the staff is laying real groundwork for the classes to come. [Read more 🡒]