2026 College football thread

coolstanley · January 20, 2026 2:05PM

Ohio State looks to have a tough schedule in 2026

Away: Texas, USC, Iowa, Indiana, Nebraska

Home: Oregon, Michigan

perkdog · January 20, 2026 2:12PM

This didn't take long lol

Looking forward to the banter this thread will bring

Maywood · January 20, 2026 3:45PM

I’m sure that once the team schedules are carved in stone we’ll hear the resurgent SOS argument again. I

coolstanley · January 20, 2026 7:42PM

@Maywood said:
I’m sure that once the team schedules are carved in stone we’ll hear the resurgent SOS argument again. I

Yes. Those southern voters are having a hard time facing reality, that their conference is not best anymore.. My have times changed.

coolstanley · January 20, 2026 8:11PM

I would like to take this time and thank everyone who contributed in the 2025 thread....even you bullsitter

All Star contributors (in no order)

BGR
Maywood
Perkdog
Galaxy27
basebal21
Tabe

bgr · January 20, 2026 8:31PM

@Maywood said:
I’m sure that once the team schedules are carved in stone we’ll hear the resurgent SOS argument again. I

Oddly enough NOW is when both SOS and SOR achieve maximum accuracy for 2025.

Basebal21 · January 20, 2026 9:06PM

Its way to early for anything next year. You have transfers, lawsuits against some of the transfers, some players trying to get an extra year, commits arent really committed until they set foot on campus, guys can change their mind for the NFL etc.

coolstanley · January 20, 2026 10:02PM

@Basebal21 said:
Its way to early for anything next year. You have transfers, lawsuits against some of the transfers, some players trying to get an extra year, commits arent really committed until they set foot on campus, guys can change their mind for the NFL etc.

The spring games will be here before you know it.

Also, National signing day is only two weeks away.

Basebal21 · January 20, 2026 10:39PM

@coolstanley said:

@Basebal21 said:
Its way to early for anything next year. You have transfers, lawsuits against some of the transfers, some players trying to get an extra year, commits arent really committed until they set foot on campus, guys can change their mind for the NFL etc.

The spring games will be here before you know it.

Also, National signing day is only two weeks away.

The spring games are months away and signing day isnt definitive until theyre on campus in the fall

Not to mention theres still a lot of coaching jobs open both in college and the NFL

A lot is going to change

Maywood · January 21, 2026 7:27AM

Please don’t start with the knowitallism so early. Nobody has said anything about anything yet.

Basebal21 · January 21, 2026 5:33PM

@Maywood said:
Please don’t start with the knowitallism so early. Nobody has said anything about anything yet.

Yet OSUs schedule has already been posted in the OP post but sure no one has said anything yet. We havent even gotten to the spring game or NFL draft

galaxy27 · January 21, 2026 5:39PM

sweet fancy moses you guys are back at it in a new thread a day after the season ended

MsMorrisine · January 21, 2026 5:42PM

@Basebal21 said:

@coolstanley said:

@Basebal21 said:
Its way to early for anything next year. You have transfers, lawsuits against some of the transfers, some players trying to get an extra year, commits arent really committed until they set foot on campus, guys can change their mind for the NFL etc.

The spring games will be here before you know it.

Also, National signing day is only two weeks away.

The spring games are months away and signing day isnt definitive until theyre on campus in the fall

Not to mention theres still a lot of coaching jobs open both in college and the NFL

A lot is going to change

Duke's Mensah can enter portal, can't sign until injunction ruling
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47683265/duke-qb-mensah-enter-portal-sign-judge-rules

perkdog · January 21, 2026 5:55PM

@galaxy27 said:
sweet fancy moses you guys are back at it in a new thread a day after the season ended

😂😂😂😂

Basebal21 · January 21, 2026 5:58PM

@MsMorrisine said:

@Basebal21 said:

@coolstanley said:

@Basebal21 said:
Its way to early for anything next year. You have transfers, lawsuits against some of the transfers, some players trying to get an extra year, commits arent really committed until they set foot on campus, guys can change their mind for the NFL etc.

The spring games will be here before you know it.

Also, National signing day is only two weeks away.

The spring games are months away and signing day isnt definitive until theyre on campus in the fall

Not to mention theres still a lot of coaching jobs open both in college and the NFL

A lot is going to change

Duke's Mensah can enter portal, can't sign until injunction ruling
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47683265/duke-qb-mensah-enter-portal-sign-judge-rules

Also the Ole Miss QB is currently in an eligibility battle too whether or not he can come back thats waiting on the courts. Theres a lot going on that needs to be sorted out before we see final rosters and coaching staffs.

That Duke situation is a little weird. Hes going to be disgruntled if he has to stay. Players have generally won these cases the last couple years. Coaches leave all the time, unless he took all the money upfront if he was only paid for what hes already done hes probably going to win

coolstanley · January 21, 2026 9:07PM

Paul Finebum finally admits the BIG TEN is the best conference.

He also said Indiana is the best story in college football history. WOW

Maywood · January 22, 2026 5:32AM

There is little doubt about a power shift in College Football among conferences as the NIL Money and Transfer Portal have spread out talent. That much is an undeniable truth. What is peculiar to me is why it appears to have affected the SEC more than other conferences. The point will come when the pendulum either swings back or settles in the middle.

To Indiana, they remind me of the Michigan team that won the Natty two years ago, an older team who will lose a lot of players. The question will be did Cignetti invest too much in the one season and will he be able to recruit and sign some talent to fill the void being lost. Not much has been said about what talent Indiana has left.

perkdog · January 22, 2026 7:23AM

@Maywood said:
There is little doubt about a power shift in College Football among conferences as the NIL Money and Transfer Portal have spread out talent. That much is an undeniable truth. What is peculiar to me is why it appears to have affected the SEC more than other conferences. The point will come when the pendulum either swings back or settles in the middle.

To Indiana, they remind me of the Michigan team that won the Natty two years ago, an older team who will lose a lot of players. The question will be did Cignetti invest too much in the one season and will he be able to recruit and sign some talent to fill the void being lost. Not much has been said about what talent Indiana has left.

Cignetti did well with James Madison and they are not on the same level as Indiana regarding a place to want to play I wouldn't think.

I think his name will bring in a lot of upper tier talent, remember just Google him "He wins"

Maywood · January 22, 2026 9:58AM

When Cignetti was at JM he wasn't competing for the same players against the teams he is now competing with. It is really comparing apples and oranges. Also, until this season he was sort of an "unknown quantity" to everyone. Certainly he had a good reputation but in a way the game has played out for him, he put everything into this one class of student athletes. Now we will see what his recruiting strength is like and whether he can assemble a team that can compete and reach the same level while everyone is watching.

It will be interesting to see how Indiana plays out and how successful Cignetti can be now that he has a target on his back. Also, players will be drawn to his program so he might surprise us. I'm just not ready to elevate him into the upper echelon of NCAA College Football coaches yet, although he has worked hard and the accomplishments are noteworthy. Anything that draws attention to the sport I really enjoy and the Conference I follow is good.

perkdog · January 22, 2026 10:16AM

@Maywood said:
When Cignetti was at JM he wasn't competing for the same players against the teams he is now competing with. It is really comparing apples and oranges. Also, until this season he was sort of an "unknown quantity" to everyone. Certainly he had a good reputation but in a way the game has played out for him, he put everything into this one class of student athletes. Now we will see what his recruiting strength is like and whether he can assemble a team that can compete and reach the same level while everyone is watching.

It will be interesting to see how Indiana plays out and how successful Cignetti can be now that he has a target on his back. Also, players will be drawn to his program so he might surprise us. I'm just not ready to elevate him into the upper echelon of NCAA College Football coaches yet, although he has worked hard and the accomplishments are noteworthy. Anything that draws attention to the sport I really enjoy and the Conference I follow is good.

Valid and fair point but again winning breeds popularity

Maywood · January 22, 2026 12:44PM

That Natty will certainly make recruiting easier!!

coolstanley · January 22, 2026 5:55PM

Cignetti is a huge star now. Elite players will want to go there now at Indiana.

Bullsitter · January 23, 2026 1:50AM

They have some catching up to do.
.

Maywood · January 23, 2026 5:40AM

Well, Alabama has done it again. Game was probably scheduled a few years ago, but honestly now, they need to move away from the cupcake games late in the season because it just has a bad look when you're in the hunt for a Natty every season. Everyone knows these are charity games to help the other school's athletic program, everyone knows all the schools do it but just do it at the start of season. Scheduling a "tune-up" game before the Iron Bowl is just silly.

Chattanooga vs. Alabama in Tuscaloosa, November 21st: Roll 'Tide.

Bullsitter · January 23, 2026 5:53AM

Says the OSU fan that plays Ball State and Kent State before and after the Texas game......

Bullsitter · January 23, 2026 6:25AM

If OSU hadn't scheduled Ball State and opened at Texas that would be 3 games in a row that OSU lost....
Good move to avoid that.

Maywood · January 23, 2026 7:24AM

@Bullsitter, I know you’re reading comprehension is good, almost as good as your response to the yank on the chain!!

I clearly said ALL the schools do it and I don’t condone scheduling the cupcakes. Use the Grambling visit to Columbus last season, the money they received for that covered the athletic department budget for the year. That’s what this Chattanooga game does. Alabama in effect pays for their 2026 athletics. THAT is good thing, should be done and applauded.

The problem is the “when” it’s done. That’s a bad look.

BTW, check the Texas Longhorns before/after the Ohio State game. They play powerhouse teams Texas State and UTSA!! 😂😂😂 Not much different than Ball State and Kent State. Like I said, they ALL do it.

Next time before you want to slam me try to look past the end of you nose, you might get educated. 😜

Darin · January 23, 2026 7:26AM

Oh good, I’m hoping some of the discussion here will center around which football conference is the best. Or have I set my expectations way too high? 🤔

Bullsitter · January 23, 2026 8:27AM

@Darin said:
Oh good, I’m hoping some of the discussion here will center around which football conference is the best. Or have I set my expectations way too high? 🤔

.
The floor is yours, whatcha got?

Maywood · January 23, 2026 8:35AM

Does anyone know when the schedules will be finalized and posted??

Bullsitter · January 23, 2026 8:56AM

@Maywood said:
Does anyone know when the schedules will be finalized and posted??

.
Yes.

Maywood · January 23, 2026 3:12PM

Apologies to that base bal guy, but their actually is something to talk about already in College Football.

CFP to stay at 12 Teams after the SEC and Big 10 couldn't agree on a different format. Here's what they wanted:
SEC --- 16 teams, with an emphasis on at-large bids — Why not?? At large bids have helped pack the bracket with SEC teams in the past.
Big 10 --- 24 teams with multiple automatic qualifiers from each conference. Just ridiculous, too many teams, although the automatic qualifiers would probably be the top teams in each of the Power 5 Conferences.

Presumably the SEC plan maintains a Conference Championship while the Big 10 plan probably eliminates the need for it.

The "Maywood Plan" maintains the 12 team bracket with the Top 2 teams in each of the Power 5 Conferences included plus 2 other teams from outside of those conferences. No more BS of the SEC and Big 10 having 3-4-5 teams in such a small field. I think Miami helped justify such thinking with their run this season. Such a format also places a premium on winning games and it eliminates the "Poll Bias" and all the "SOS BS" that we endured this season. Winning matters. The last thing, and I figure people might think I'm a jerk for saying as much, but tell the Independents to join a Conference or live with not playing for a Natty.

Basebal21 · January 23, 2026 5:00PM

The cupcake game argument is so incredibly stupid. Theres no difference between playing it at the start of the year or later in the year. Its smarter to save one before or after a big game but a cupcake game is a cupcake game.

Even if you only let the power 4, yes it is only 4 not 5, then you still get cupcake games against Purdue and UCLA and Michigan State and so on.

It is truly sad you refuse to type my user name,, reminds me of elementary school

Maywood · January 23, 2026 5:42PM

Pickin’ on the Big 10 just never gets old with you. What a troll. Please leave.

Basebal21 · January 23, 2026 7:10PM

Then tell the bottom of the conference to not be terrible

galaxy27 · January 23, 2026 7:20PM

@Darin said:

Oh good, I’m hoping some of the discussion here will center around which football conference is the best. Or have I set my expectations way too high? 🤔

i propose we pull the Big 10's pants down, pull the SEC's pants down, measure, have an awards ceremony, then never speak of those conferences again until the 2027 college football thread is created an hour after the 2026 season ends

too high?

bgr · January 23, 2026 8:45PM

I’m with stupid.

coolstanley · January 23, 2026 9:19PM

@Bullsitter said:
They have some catching up to do.
.

32 is about 40 spots higher than years past lol.

coolstanley · January 23, 2026 9:24PM

@Bullsitter said:
If OSU hadn't scheduled Ball State and opened at Texas that would be 3 games in a row that OSU lost....
Good move to avoid that.

4 SEC teams have played Ball State since 2015. Why single out Ohio State?

Basebal21 · January 23, 2026 11:43PM

@coolstanley said:

@Bullsitter said:
If OSU hadn't scheduled Ball State and opened at Texas that would be 3 games in a row that OSU lost....
Good move to avoid that.

4 SEC teams have played Ball State since 2015. Why single out Ohio State?

No one is singling them out. Its been stated multiple times that every one dose it, but you and Maywood have a problem if any other conference or team does it

Maywood · January 24, 2026 4:59AM

base bal, you have a reading comprehension problem and everytime you need to make a negative point about College Football the target is always the Big 10. Your bias is blinding.

When you start to be a little too elective about what you post it might be worth reading. Till then you remain a knowitall troll who is nothing but a distraction.

The only thing you’ve said that’s worthwhile is correcting me about the Power 5, I keep forgetting there is no more PAC 12. You are right, it’s the Power 4.

Basebal21 · January 24, 2026 2:43PM

Once again acting like a child doing that nonsense with my screen name instead of acting like an adult

If you dont want to talk college football dont post in college football threads. You resort to personal attacks a lot instead of intelligent responses.

So go ahead tell me why Alabama having their one cupcake game before Aurbun is so much worse that OSU have two cupcake games in the first month to juice their ranking. And yes playing Grambling who would lose to multiple HS teams was the most egregious example last year and those teams I named were objectivity bad in every way

The reason why OSU gets pointed out is because you two try and make fun of other teams and then get upset when its pointed out your team does the same thing.

Not to mention the B!G is the reason theres not a 16 team playoff which is the right number because they wanted 24 which is absurd

2026 College football thread

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