Until the College Football Playoff committee comes together and determines the 12-team playoff, the voices covering college football will shape the sport's rankings. FOX Sports' RJ Young and Joel Klatt took their individual stances on those rankings before the season kicks off in RJ Young's ultimate 138 and Joel Klatt's preseason top 25. Among the many differences, Young and Klatt were split on Notre Dame, Michigan and defending champion Indiana.
Young and Klatt's rankings also diverge from the Associated Press' official top 25, with all three having a different No. 1 overall team and 2025 semifinalist Ole Miss earning some respect. Here's a look at the comparison between the top-10 teams according to Young, Klatt and the AP.
Yes, head coach Lincoln Riley is great. Yes, quarterback Jayden Maiava is good. But Gary Patterson is one of the best defensive play-callers the sport has ever seen, and he’s running the defense at USC in 2026.
That alone is enough for me to believe the Trojans can make a real run at a CFP appearance. – RJ Young Offensive coordinator Holmon Wiggins and quarterback Marcel Reed must take a major leap if A&M is going to chase its first conference title of any kind since 1998. Reed is one of just two returning SEC quarterbacks to throw for 3,000 yards and rush for at least 550. – RJ Young LSU made Lane Kiffin one of the highest-paid coaches in the sport and the highest-paid ever without a championship on his résumé. They also gave him the resources to bring in former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt, Colorado offensive tackle Jordan Seaton and Ole Miss defensive end Princewill Umanmielen.
For a program that hasn’t won a national title since 2009, LSU fully looks built to change that. – RJ Young Along with Darian Mensah, running back Mark Fletcher and wideout Malachi Toney could give the Canes the best QB-RB-WR trio not just in the ACC, but in the entire country. – RJ Young Coach Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish won't face anything resembling a ranked opponent until Oct. 17 against BYU, and they shouldn't lose before then — if they lose at all. – RJ Young Former Arizona State RB Raleek Brown and former NC State RB Hollywood Smothers enter the fold, as well as former Auburn WR Cam Coleman. They should help the most bankable player in the sport, Arch Manning, propel the Longhorns to what they hope will be their first national title appearance since 2009. – RJ Young Provided Oregon runs the ball and plays defense the way it did a year ago — and it should — there's no reason the Ducks can't win the first national championship in program history. – RJ Young The SEC still belongs to Georgia.
The Bulldogs have lost just once at home since 2019, but they still haven't won a CFP game after earning a first-round bye in the 12-team era. That's why so much of this season centers on returning quarterback Gunner Stockton. – RJ Young Ohio State hasn't completed the triple crown since 2014, but the pieces are in place to make it happen. That doesn't mean the road will be easy.
The Buckeyes must replace 11 NFL Draft picks, including three first-round selections, while also breaking in a new offensive coordinator. – RJ Young Lost in the shuffle of quarterbacks — a third new starter in as many years — and the rather exhausting list of talent and veteran leadership that departed Bloomington are a few important facts: 1. Curt Cignetti is still the head coach. 2.
The best record in the sport over the last two seasons (27-2) belongs to Indiana. 3. The Hoosiers are the reigning national champions and the first team since 1894 to finish 16-0. – RJ Young I probably have Michigan ranked higher than most, and I think the Wolverines are the second-biggest wild card in college football this season.
But for a long time I said, "death, taxes and Utah football." Well, I should really say: "death, taxes and Kyle Whittingham." I believe in Whittingham's structure and fundamental traits to make Michigan a great football team. – Joel Klatt This is a team that plays great defense under Brent Venables. That was one of the best defenses in college football, but the offense was woefully short of that standard due to the Sooners' inability to run the football. If I'm an OU fan, I'm wondering if we can finally marry an elite defensive unit with an offense that can be at least OK. – Joel Klatt This is the biggest wild card in the country.
LSU could climb into the top three. It could also fall out of the top 25. I think the Lane Kiffin experience will work, but who knows? – Joel Klatt Texas has things it needs to fix, and we can't assume that everything will be fixed until we see it.
The biggest area the Longhorns needed to fix was the offensive line and running the football. Going back to his time at Washington, Steve Sarkisian's best teams are effective at running the football… The entire question for me about Texas is not about Manning, and if your question is about Manning, you don't know what you're looking at. – Joel Klatt Georgia's still the class of the SEC. The roster is great.
Kirby Smart is a great coach. You can't kill Georgia, either, because quarterback Gunnar Stockton is a gamer who is tough as nails and absolutely tough as nails. – Joel Klatt Candidly, this might be too low. Curt Cignetti was the best head coach in the country last year, and he kept his coordinators.
I know the Hoosiers lost a lot and don't have Fernando Mendoza. However, Josh Hoover is the best of the three quarterbacks Cignetti has had at Indiana based on what they were at their previous school. – Joel Klatt Former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah, wide receiver Malachi Toney and running back Mark Fletcher are a talented group to complement that. Miami still has to clean up some of the blunders it had in close losses last year, but it's heading in the right direction. – Joel Klatt This team is coming into this season about the opposite of what it was a year ago.
Ohio State will have one of the best offenses in the country, with quarterback Julian Sayin, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (the best player in college football) and several other starters on that unit returning. So, the question is if the Buckeyes can replace the defensive stars that were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. – Joel Klatt I love Notre Dame, and this team is angry. Notre Dame has 15 returning starters, and I love that.
That's the MO for success in college football these days. – Joel Klatt Oregon is the clear frontrunner, and I don't know why there isn't more of a consensus that the Ducks aren't the No. 1 team in the nation. Every team in the country has a question on their roster, except for Oregon.
The only question is if Oregon can eventually get over the hump. – Joel Klatt RJ: unranked Klatt: No. 9 The Sooners could have a breakout year because Brent Venables will have the defense firing on all cylinders and John Mateer's ceiling was unrealized as he played through injury in 2025. A healthy Mateer could push himself into the conversation with Dante Moore, Arch Manning and the other elite college quarterbacks, and boost Oklahoma up the standings.
RJ: unranked Klatt: unranked Young and Klatt seem to think it was Lane Kiffin more than Trinidad Chambliss, but the AP disagrees. Pete Golding did pick up where Kiffin left off, leading the Rebels to wins over Tulane and Georgia, but it will be clear quickly Golding can continue to match Kiffin's success when Ole Miss faces LSU on Sept. 19.
RJ: No. 9 Klatt: unranked The Aggies were dominant on their way to an 11-1 regular season, but that stopped when the games started to matter more. If quarterback Marcel Reed takes another step, that's a scary proposition for SEC opponents.
RJ: No. 4 Klatt: No. 7 It seems it might be forgotten that the Hurricanes were the team to face Indiana in the 2025 national championship — and gave the dominant Hoosiers a run for their money, nonetheless.
Miami replenished the quarterback position for the third year running with Duke transfer Darian Mensah. Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. and wide receiver Malachi Toney make for one of the most dynamic sets of weapons. RJ: No.
1 Klatt: No. 6 The Associated Press' rankings sided with Klatt in doubting the defending national champions. Coach Curt Cignetti relishes being the underdog, and somehow even after winning the CFP in 2025, the Hoosiers find themselves in that position again.
TCU transfer Josh Hoover's development will largely determine if the skepticism is warranted or not. RJ: No. 5 Klatt: No.
7 Texas could be ranked close to its floor if quarterback Arch Manning is who we thinks he is. The Longhorns have a chance to jump to the top of these rankings early in the season with a matchup against No. 1 Ohio State on Sept.
12. RJ: No. 6 Klatt: No.
2 With Notre Dame starting the season inside the top 5, they shouldn't fall out of it. The Fighting Irish have only three top 25 teams on their schedule as they seek to return to the CFP after missing out in 2025. RJ: No.
3 Klatt: No. 6 Can Georgia return to being great instead of consistently solid? Quarterback Gunner Stockton brings an undisputed floor, but Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs need to find X-factors throughout the roster to rediscover that national championship ceiling.
RJ: No. 4 Klatt: No. 1 Is this the year Dan Lanning and the Ducks get over the hump?
Retaining quarterback Dante Moore is a good first step. He gets wideout Evan Stewart back from injury, and Dakorien Moore with another year of development. Sophomore Brandon Finney Jr. and Minnesota transfer Koi Perich make this Ducks' secondary one of the strongest groups in the nation.
RJ: No. 2 Klatt: No. 3 The Buckeyes continue to sport electric perimeter talent with wideouts Jeremiah Smith and Chris Henry Jr.
The rise of Kenyatta Jackson Jr. could give the Buckeyes defense a similar pop.
