The College Football Playoff has already opened the door for new faces, and the 12-team field made that even more obvious last season. Six first-timers - Miami, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Tulane, Texas Tech, and James Madison - got in, and a few more schools look ready to push through in 2026.
Virginia Tech is one of the more intriguing candidates. James Franklin landed there after his Penn State run ended abruptly early last season, and the Hokies are bringing back about 14 starters along with a promising transfer class.
The catch is the schedule. There are major road tests ahead, and both lines of scrimmage still have real questions.
Houston also has a path. Willie Fritz guided the program to six more wins in his second season than in his first, and the offense has a real centerpiece in Conner Weigman.
He led a unit that averaged nearly 30 points per game, and he’ll have help from targets like Amare Thomas plus a transfer addition in Makhi Hughes. The challenge comes in the form of road trips to Texas Tech and Utah.
Florida may be staring at a rough record, but the talent level is still there. The Gators can bring plenty of punch in SEC play, especially at running back and wide receiver, and Jon Sumrall has some young defensive pieces to work with. The big issue is the quarterback spot, which still needs to be settled before anything else can really click.
BYU is another team with a strong foundation. Bear Bachmeier is back at quarterback, LJ Martin returns at running back, and the Cougars have 11 starters coming back overall.
They’ve finished ranked in each of the last two seasons, and their defense should be one of the Big 12’s best. With a manageable schedule, they have a real shot to make the road back to Arlington and maybe more.
Louisville belongs in the conversation too. Jeff Brohm has the Cardinals winning at a high level, with at least nine victories in each of his three seasons, and the offense brings back key pieces after averaging almost 30 points per game.
They also beat Miami a year ago. A matchup with Ole Miss in Nashville gives Louisville a chance to jump into the early playoff picture.
Then there’s USC, a program that has gone far too long without being part of the playoff race. Lincoln Riley still has work to do, and the pressure is obvious.
The defense has to take a real step forward with former TCU coach Gary Patterson running it, while Jayden Maiava returns at quarterback. The Trojans lose two key backs, but they still have enough skill-position experience to stay in the mix if the defense finally holds up.
In Other News...
USC Just Made A Massive Nike Move Fans Will Feel Everywhere
USCs relationship with Nike is not just staying intact, it is getting deeper in ways that touch everything from recruiting to the daily look and feel of the program. The Trojans and Nike Athletics have agreed to keep working together for years to come, and the latest version of the partnership brings more than apparel. USC is set to join Nikes Blue Ribbon Elite NIL program, while the school also gets new equipment outfitting, custom basketball uniform collections and retail upgrades on campus.
The most interesting part for USC fans is how wide the ripple effect could be. Several Trojans have already signed NIL deals with Nike, and the expanded partnership gives the athletic department another high-profile selling point as it tries to keep pace in a crowded recruiting market. It also signals a bigger footprint for Nike around campus, with the Bloom Football Performance Center among the places expected to feel the change first. [Read more 🡒]
USC Freshman Jaimeon Winfield Faces Pressure Few Trojans Recruits Ever Do
USC has spent the last few recruiting cycles trying to reshape its defensive front, and Jaimeon Winfield is one of the clearest signs of how serious that effort has become. The five-star defensive tackle from Texas arrived with the kind of profile that usually comes with patience, but the Trojans also brought him in expecting him to help right away, adding depth to a line that now mixes returning players with newcomers such as Michigan State transfer Alex VanSumeren and freshman Jahkeem Stewart.
For Winfield, the pressure is less about hype than about fit. USCs front has more bodies and more talent than it did a couple of years ago, and that raises the standard for every interior lineman who wants snaps early. Winfield and freshman Tomuhini Topui are both in the mix to factor into the tackle rotation in year one, and the bigger question is whether that influx of talent can turn USCs defensive front from promising to dominant before long. [Read more 🡒]
Terrell Anderson Drawing Real Buzz As USC Eyes Another Big Receiver Reload
USCs receiver room is getting another notable addition in Terrell Anderson, the North Carolina State transfer who is set to arrive for the 2026 season. On3 already has him slotted No. 9 among Big Ten transfers, and college football insider Ari Wasserman has pointed to Anderson as a player who could make a real jump once he gets into Lincoln Rileys offense.
For the Trojans, the appeal is obvious. Anderson is expected to bring a deep threat element and help after the catch at a time when the room has taken hits to the NFL, leaving USC with a clear need to reload. The intriguing part is how quickly Anderson can turn that buzz into production once he gets his chance in a bigger role. [Read more 🡒]