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After an unusually dramatic offseason in college football, kickoff is just over a month away. Soon, tailgates will fire up, campuses will fill with students and alumni, and the biggest spectacle in college sports will begin its quest for the ultimate prize. On Saturday, ESPN dropped the college football world a major surprise.
To make the season feel even closer, ESPN has officially released its College Football FPI rankings ahead of the 2026 campaign. The rankings provide the first official look at the preseason Top 25 as the race to the College Football Playoff begins in just a few weeks.
MORE: 12 most inspiring college football traditions
The top five in ESPN’s preseason Football Power Index (FPI) are Ohio State, Texas, Notre Dame, Oregon, and Georgia. Defending national champion Indiana opens the season at No. 6 in the ESPN FPI rankings.
Dec 31, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) rushes with the ball for a touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
Texas returns to the top five despite a disappointing 2025 campaign. The Longhorns have reloaded offensively, highlighted by the addition of transfer wide receiver Cam Coleman. Meanwhile, Notre Dame will look to earn a College Football Playoff berth after narrowly missing the field last season.
MORE: Kirby Smart’s SEC recognition shows why Georgia remains built to last
Is your favorite team in the initial ESPN FPI Top 25?
Dec 6, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Cash Jones (32) and Georgia Bulldogs tight end Oscar Delp (4) lift the SEC Championship trophy after the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2025 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
A full look at the ESPN FPI Top 25 rankings ahead of the 2026 college football season can be seen below.
“The Football Power Index (FPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 20,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily. FPI data from seasons prior to 2019 may not be complete.” – via ESPN.com.
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Preseason 2026 college football ESPN FPI is here
To make the season feel even closer, ESPN has officially released its College Football FPI rankings ahead of the 2026 campaign. The rankings provide the first official look at the preseason Top 25 as the race to the College Football Playoff begins in just a few weeks.
MORE: 12 most inspiring college football traditions
The top five in ESPN’s preseason Football Power Index (FPI) are Ohio State, Texas, Notre Dame, Oregon, and Georgia. Defending national champion Indiana opens the season at No. 6 in the ESPN FPI rankings.
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Dec 31, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) rushes with the ball for a touchdown against the Michigan Wolverines during the second half at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
Texas returns to the top five despite a disappointing 2025 campaign. The Longhorns have reloaded offensively, highlighted by the addition of transfer wide receiver Cam Coleman. Meanwhile, Notre Dame will look to earn a College Football Playoff berth after narrowly missing the field last season.
MORE: Kirby Smart’s SEC recognition shows why Georgia remains built to last
Is your favorite team in the initial ESPN FPI Top 25?
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Dec 6, 2025; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs running back Cash Jones (32) and Georgia Bulldogs tight end Oscar Delp (4) lift the SEC Championship trophy after the game against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the 2025 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
A full look at the ESPN FPI Top 25 rankings ahead of the 2026 college football season can be seen below.
First Official ESPN FPI Top 25 Ahead of 2026 College Football Season
- Ohio State
- Texas
- Notre Dame
- Oregon
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Miami (FL)
- Alabama
- LSU
- Texas Tech
- Texas A&M
- Oklahoma
- USC
- Ole Miss
- Michigan
- Tennessee
- Penn State
- Florida
- Clemson
- BYU
- Missouri
- Auburn
- South Carolina
- SMU
- Iowa
About the ESPN FPI
“The Football Power Index (FPI) is a measure of team strength that is meant to be the best predictor of a team’s performance going forward for the rest of the season. FPI represents how many points above or below average a team is. Projected results are based on 20,000 simulations of the rest of the season using FPI, results to date, and the remaining schedule. Ratings and projections update daily. FPI data from seasons prior to 2019 may not be complete.” – via ESPN.com.
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