Eight 2026 College Football Teams Split Opinion as Ole Miss, Clemson Land in Poll
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 24
Eight 2026 College Football Teams Split Opinion as Ole Miss, Clemson Land in Poll
3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 24
Summary
Eight teams were flagged as college football’s most polarizing entering 2026, with opinions ranging from bowl-miss concerns to outside College Football Playoff buzz.
Ole Miss and Clemson sit closest to the spotlight: the No. 10 Rebels return key talent after a semifinal run but face first-year full-time coach Pete Golding, while No. 23 Clemson must answer for a 7-6 season and three straight years with at least four losses.
Coaching change drives much of the uncertainty elsewhere. UCLA, Florida, Utah and Oklahoma State all enter with new head coaches, from Bob Chesney’s 3-9 UCLA rebuild to Eric Morris taking over a Cowboys team that went 1-11.
Cal and South Carolina round out the list on quarterback-led upside, with Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele fueling hopes for Cal’s first nine-win season since 2008 and LaNorris Sellers central to a Gamecocks rebound from 4-8.
The common thread is preseason ambiguity: roster continuity, transfer hauls, staff overhauls and program reputation are shaping sharply different expectations before any 2026 games are played.