Picking the best college football team in each state ahead of the 2026 season
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- Indiana claims the Hoosier State over Notre Dame, with the defending national champions reloading via the transfer portal and adding two edge-rushers back for a fifth season, while the Fighting Irish counter with Heisman favorite C.J. Carr at quarterback
- Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss for LSU, bringing transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt with him and retaining defensive coordinator Blake Baker as the Tigers face immediate College Football Playoff expectations
- Miami is the runaway Florida pick after last season's national championship game appearance, while Florida retools under first-year coach Jon Sumrall and Florida State fans brace for upheaval
- Harvard earned the Massachusetts nod after Boston College and UMass combined for just two wins last season, though the Crimson must replace QB Jaden Craig, who transferred to TCU
- Montana State sits atop Montana as reigning FCS champions after beating Illinois State in overtime in the title game and hammering in-state rival Montana in the national semifinals
- Boise State moves to the new-look Pac-12 after winning its seventh Mountain West Conference championship, with quarterback Maddux Madsen and running back Dylan Riley returning
- Arizona edged Arizona State in a coin-flip decision, with the Wildcats' settled quarterback situation (Noah Fifita) and last year's Territorial Cup win breaking the tie
Why it matters: State-by-state rankings preview the shifting power dynamics of college football ahead of 2026, with Indiana surpassing Notre Dame, Lane Kiffin's blockbuster swap from Ole Miss to LSU, and Miami converting last season's championship game appearance into title hopes. The exercise spotlights which traditional powers — from Alabama to Michigan to Florida State — are suddenly vulnerable in their own backyards.
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