Welcome back to college football, which is once again bigger than ever at its top level.There were no seismic changes to the sport this offseason — no major realignment rumblings, no expanded College Football Playoff, no laws passed in Congress — and the games have finally returned. The Football Bowl Subdivision did add two new programs, growing these rankings to 138 teams. Welcome, North Dakota State and Sacramento State, and welcome back to the Pac-12, which relaunches as an eight-team football conference.I started these rankings in 2017, when the FBS was a mere 130 teams, because I enjoy all parts of college football, whether that’s Ohio State-Texas or Conference USA on a weekday. Everyone’s a fan of someone, and a poll that stops at 25 leaves out most of the sport.9.5 wins for Ohio State in 2026?Ralph D. Russo and Stewart MandelYes, this is a subjective exercise, though I do look at advanced rankings and take them into account. As the season goes on, I adjust based on whom teams have played and whom they’ve beaten. When two teams are close, their head-to-head result is the foundational pillar of their ranking (Notre Dame never jumped Miami here last year). The selection committee could take note.The rankings will change, sometimes rapidly, as results come in and preseason priors are dismissed, but it usually takes a few weeks for everyone to get enough data points to draw initial conclusions. Everything works itself out by the end of the year.Two years ago, I started Ohio State at No. 1, and the Buckeyes won it all. Last year, I had Penn State at No. 1, and the Nittany Lions finished 50th. You win some, you lose some.Week 0 is here, so let’s get into it. For just this preseason edition, I will have a comment for every team.1. Indiana: The defending national champs are disrespected by their No. 6 ranking in the preseason coaches and AP polls. Would that have happened if a different logo were on the helmet? Additions like running back Turbo Richard and receiver Nick Marsh will help new quarterback Josh Hoover. The Hoosiers remain the team to beat.2. Ohio State: The Buckeyes will be in the mix as always with so much talent, but I have some questions about a defense that lost so much and an offense that struggled in the biggest games a year ago.3. Georgia: The defense and running game should return to form. I just wonder whether the Dawgs can find the explosive plays they lacked in 2025.4. Oregon: The Ducks might have the best quarterback and defensive line in the country. Six of Dan Lanning’s eight losses as a head coach have come against teams that played for the national title. The pieces are here to get over the hump.5. Notre Dame: The Irish return the most production in the FBS and may have the best defense, but will enough playmakers emerge at running back and receiver? Another weak schedule leaves little room for error.6. Texas: Probably the highest ceiling in the country if Arch Manning, Cam Coleman and company can put it all together. But we saw last year’s floor turn out to be lower than expected.7. Miami (Fla.): The Canes might be better at quarterback and the skill positions than their CFP runner-up squad, but they lost a lot in the trenches.8. LSU: Lane Kiffin has all the talent he could ask for. Can he tie it all together in his first season in charge?9. Texas Tech: If quarterback Will Hammond is healthy, the defense and running game are more than enough for the Red Raiders to run through the Big 12.10. Oklahoma: The defense should be strong again, but can the Sooners run the ball to help quarterback John Mateer?11. BYU: Second-year quarterback Bear Bachmeier had a full offseason in the system, and the defense reloaded. The Cougars have finished just outside the CFP the last two seasons, but that could change this year.12. Ole Miss: Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy might be the best QB-RB duo in the country. Can that make up for new pieces almost everywhere else?13. Texas A&M: Quarterback Marcel Reed is back with a good group of skill-position players around him, but the Aggies had to rebuild in the trenches.14. USC: Quarterback Jayden Maiava has a new receiving corps, but my question is whether new coordinator Gary Patterson can elevate the defense against the Trojans’ tough schedule.15. Alabama: The Tide have to fix last year’s rushing issues … while breaking in a new QB.16. Michigan: The Wolverines won nine games last year amid major coaching turmoil. Can the steady hand of Kyle Whittingham get them back to the Playoff? More specifically, will enough receivers emerge to help second-year quarterback Bryce Underwood?17. SMU: Quarterback Kevin Jennings has a new group of receivers, but the Mustangs are deeper almost everywhere else than a year ago.18. Louisville: If running back Isaac Brown is healthy and transfer quarterback Lincoln Kienholz can live up to his recruiting hype, the Cardinals could get to the ACC title game.19. Houston: Willie Fritz always figures it out. The veteran coach has quarterback Conner Weigman back and talented running back Makhi Hughes (who played for him at Tulane, then left for Oregon) back in the fold.20. Tennessee: If the new quarterback can just play OK, there are enough pieces everywhere else for a big year, though I’m worried about the season-ending injuries the defense has sustained in August.21. Boise State: The Broncos return a rare load of experience for a Group of 6 team, but the schedule is daunting, including their new Pac-12 slate.22. Oklahoma State: The Cowboys, who haven’t won a Big 12 game since 2023, imported everything from a North Texas team that had last season’s No. 1 offense and nearly made the CFP. This might be the biggest postseason-to-preseason jump we’ve seen in these rankings. Will it hold up?23. Washington: Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. will have a strong offensive line in front of him, but skill players need to step up.24. Iowa: Even with turnover on defense and at quarterback, the Hawkeyes always figure it out. They are one of five teams to win at least eight games in every non-pandemic-altered season since 2015 (Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan and Georgia are the others).25. Navy: A lot of experience and speedy quarterback Braxton Woodson could lead to a Playoff berth.26. Utah: A new era with coach Morgan Scalley includes returning quarterback Devon Dampier, but it’s concerning to rely on completely new offensive and defensive lines.27. TCU: Harvard transfer quarterback Jaden Craig takes over, but success will depend on the trenches, which should be a strength, and avoiding turnovers.28. Arizona: Talented quarterback Noah Fifita is back after a nine-win season. Can the Wildcats’ new faces on the offensive line and secondary hold up against a difficult schedule?29. Penn State: New coach Matt Campbell brought over most of Iowa State’s best players, including quarterback Rocco Becht. That continuity should help make the most of a favorable draw in Big Ten play.30. Illinois: Coming off the first consecutive nine-win seasons in school history, Bret Bielema hands the reins to East Carolina transfer quarterback Katin Houser. Will new offensive and defensive lines hold up?31. Florida: New coach Jon Sumrall kept many of Florida’s top players. How will quarterback Aaron Philo and offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner handle their new surroundings after coming in from Georgia Tech? Sumrall has won three conference titles in four years as a head coach.32. South Carolina: Shane Beamer made drastic changes to fix a terrible offensive line. If it works, the top-end stars are still here to contend in quarterback LaNorris Sellers and defensive end Dylan Stewart.33. Clemson: Both sides of the ball lost a lot this spring, including nine players drafted from a 7-6 team. Who will take over at quarterback, and can the running game get anything going?34. Virginia: Coming off an ACC title game appearance, Tony Elliott has a good amount of talent at his disposal again, including quarterback Beau Pribula and running back Peyton Lewis.35. Missouri: Austin Simmons takes over at quarterback, and star running back Ahmad Hardy is working his way back to the field after being shot in the leg. The schedule does the Tigers no favors.36. Auburn: New coach Alex Golesh brought quarterback Byrum Brown and other key players from South Florida. How will Brown and the up-tempo offense handle weekly SEC competition?37. Cal: The school is taking football seriously, retaining star quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and adding a slew of productive players around him at running back and wide receiver. I’m intrigued.38. Pitt: Quarterback Mason Heintschel returns after a breakthrough debut, but he'll need some skill-position players to emerge. A favorable early schedule could lead to a strong start.