The Athletic Publishes 100-Point 2026 College Football Guide as Week 1 Opens
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 3
The Athletic Publishes 100-Point 2026 College Football Guide as Week 1 Opens
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 3
Summary
The Athletic’s season kickoff guide says the 2026 campaign is already underway after 8 FBS games in Week 0, with Week 1 stretching across 5 days from Thursday through Monday.
138 FBS teams enter a season reshaped by rules and money: players now get 5 years to play 5 seasons, the transfer window is down to 10 days, and schools are pushing athlete pay far beyond the $21 million revenue-sharing cap through NIL.
Roster spending has surged into unprecedented territory, with Wisconsin above $25 million, several powers near $50 million, quarterbacks commonly earning $1 million to $4 million, and jersey-patch deals bringing Notre Dame up to $20 million annually.
The guide also flags structural changes across the sport, including a still-12-team CFP with revised auto-bid rules, the revived Pac-12, 2 new FBS members, and all Power 4 leagues now on 9-game conference schedules.
On the field, Indiana opens as defending champion but only No. 6 in preseason polls, while Ohio State, Oregon, Notre Dame, Texas, Georgia and Miami form the top tier heading toward a Jan. 25 title game in Las Vegas.