Football Whisperer's Preseason Top 25

THE CONTENDERS

1.      Texas

The Talk: Are the Longhorns the most balanced team in the land?

The Whisper: The offense will set the pace in Austin, but the Will Muschamp-led defense featuring defensive end Collin Simmons and a ball-hawking secondary is where the real fireworks will happen!

Last Word: Anything less than a national title will be a disappointment.

2.      Ohio State

The Talk: Are the coordinators the true stars of this Buckeye show?

The Whisper: The world sees Sayin and Smith, but the Ohio State superpower rests in a coaching staff that has seen and done it all … in the NFL! Their ability to build game plans that bend opponent’s minds and schemes that break their wills is the real Buckeye secret sauce.

Last Word: Looking to regain Big Ten supremacy and possibly, more.

3.      Georgia

The Talk: Can the Bulldogs complete the SEC hat trick?

The Whisper: Kirby Smart has his best defense yet in Athens. Couple those bruisers with an offense led by Gunner Stockton, and the deepest running back room in the nation and you have a problem. Don’t look now but the boys in red and black are setting the table for another national title run.

The Last Word: They have become the flagship program in the SEC.

4.      Notre Dame

The Talk: Do Carr and Freeman have enough to complete the mission?

The Whisper: Running backs Jeremyah Love and Jadarian Price work on Sundays … which means Saturdays in South Bend won’t be about running … they’ll be about the most dangerous vertical game in the land featuring Carr, Greathouse, Gilbert, and Jordan!

Last Word: They’ve got playoffs written all over them.

ONLY ONE BIG PLAY AWAY

5.      Miami

The Talk: Was last year a prelude to things to come?

The Whisper: With Mark Fletcher and Malachi Toney returning, coupled with the addition of Duke quarterback transfer Darian Mensah, the offense is set. The season hinges on whether the Canes can fill the leadership void on defense now that Bane and Mesidor no longer reside in South Florida.

Last Word: It’s safe to say the U is finally back.

6.      Indiana

The Talk: Can Cignetti and the Hoosiers rinse and repeat?

The Whisper: And just like that, Indiana has become a preferred transfer destination with Josh Hoover (TCU, a former IU commit coming out of high school) and Nick Marsh (Michigan State) now calling Bloomington home. Opening the door to transfers is one thing, how soon and how well they mesh is where the fate of the Hoosier season will live or die.

Last Word: Primed and ready for another run at the Big Ten and Natty.

7.      Texas Tech

The Word: Does Texas Tech have enough to rule the Big XII?

The Whisper: The Red Raiders, a team known for their offense, has the best secondary in the nation. In a conference where 400-yard passing games are the norm, having three of the top defensive backs on the scene gives the Red Raiders a leg up on their competition.

Last Word: Everything rests on their ability to find a quarterback.

8.      Oregon

The Talk: Can the Ducks please get out of the mirror?

The Whisper: Toughness and physicality have been the only things separating the Ducks from the promised land, but with that mean, nasty defensive returning intact, the O will be tough enough and physical enough to go toe-to-toe with the best of them.

Last Word: This could be the year they put it all together … including their outfits.

9.      LSU

The Talk: Can Lane Kiffin bring the swagger back to Death Valley?

The Whisperer: The new head ball coach is the best offensive play caller in the sport and with an offense full of new faces in new spaces, Kiffin must tap into every creative wrinkle he owns if he is to return the Bayou Bengals to premier status.

Last Word: There’s too much talent to count them out.

10.  Ole Miss

The Talk: Can Trinidad Chambliss make the magic happen again?

The Whisper: Ole Miss snuck up on teams last year, winning on big, splashy plays in shootouts and barnburners. Now that the word is out, this year’s team will need to win fist fights while proving they belong on the same porch as college football’s big dogs.

Last Word: Out to prove last year wasn’t a fluke.

11.  Oklahoma

The Talk: Did the hate for Texas just reach an all-time high?

The Whisper: College football is all about rivalries and there’s more bitter than The Red River Rivalry, pitting Texas against OU. With Texas receiver Parker Livingstone, a favorite target for Manning last year being unceremoniously jettisoned and landing in Norman, this rivalry just became even more bitter.

Last Word: If the offense catches up with the defense, the Sooners could be Booming.

ON ANY GIVEN … SATURDAY

12.  Texas A&M

The Talk: Are the Aggies ready to become a true SEC power?

The Whisper: Talent isn’t the issue in College Station as the Aggies have an abundance at every position on both sides of the ball. The Aggies don’t need better players; they need consistent plays from their best players, including quarterback Marcell Reed.

Last Word: The season is a marathon, not a sprint.

13.  BYU

The Talk: Can the Cougars bring a Big XII title back to Provo?

The Whisper: BYU was on the outside looking in last year, barely missing a spot in the playoffs. Offense has always been the Cougar calling card, but this year, their fearsome defense is what gets them over the hump.

Last Word: Must avoid the annual letdowns.

14.  USC

The Talk: Does USC finally have a defense to support their vaunted offense?

The Whisper: Legendary defensive coordinator Gary Patterson has joined the Trojan staff and with him on the sideline, those late game missed tackles will become late game stands, making this USC team special.

Last Word: This Lincoln Riley thing might work out after all.

THEY’LL PUT UP A FIGHT

15.  Michigan

The Talk: Can Whittingham bring out the best in Michigan?

The Whisper: The coaching staff is new, but for all the back and forth, transferring here and there that has become so much a part of college football, the Michigan roster has remained intact. That familiarity will pay major dividends as the Wolverines look to turn the page on a tumultuous stint.

Last Word: The time has come to pick up the pieces.

16.  Alabama

The Talk: Is Keelon Russell the playmaker Alabama needs to turn the … tide?

The Whisper: Mediocrity is unfamiliar territory for this program, and it does not sit well with Bama fans. They need a difference maker, someone who makes a play that turns the ... tide. If they are unable to find one, DeBoer could be rolling out of Tuscaloosa by year’s end.

Last Word: You cannot keep living off past glory.

17.  SMU

The Talk: Are the Mustangs the team to beat in the ACC?

The Whisper: The schedule gods gifted SMU a playoff gift in the form of a late season game against Notre Dame. Lashlee and his men will navigate the early parts of the season, and a big win in South Bend seals their second trip to the playoffs in three years.

Last Word: The greatest redemption story the sport has ever seen.

 UNDER THE RADAR

18.  Houston

The Talk: Is Houston primed to once again become a force?

The Whisper: There was a time way back when the Southwest Conference was alive and well, when Houston football was a power. The SWC is long gone, but don’t look now, but UH football is back and better than ever!

Last Word: The sleeping giant has finally awakened.

19.  Tennessee

The Talk: Are the Vols ready to return to take their place among the SEC elite?

The Whisper: Alabama, Auburn, and LSU all find themselves in a rebuild mode which means there’s room for Tennessee to squeeze in and make a run at the big boys and give those 101,915 fans who show up at Neyland Stadium for every home game something they can really cheer about.

Last Word: There’s a path to SEC supremacy.

20.  Penn State

The Talk: Can Matt Campbell make Happy Valley, happy again?

The Whisper: The schedule works well for Penn State as the only Big Ten powerhouse they face is USC in Happy Valley. Their final record will be misleading, but misleading or not, Penn State will be positioned to shock the world by year’s end.

Last Word: The dream schedule is just what the doctor ordered.

DON’T LET THEM HANG AROUND

21.  Kansas State

The Talk: Will the return of the prodigal son bring the bite back to the Little Apple?

The Whisper: A lot was made about Avery Johnson, the speedy K-State quarterback who arrived with extreme fanfare and lofty expectations. Johnson has shown flashes thus far, but with the return of Wildcat legend Collin Klein, I think Johnson becomes a Heisman candidate while putting the boys in purple and white in the thick of the Big XII race.

Last Word: Name the time, name the place, K-State will be there … and ready.

22.  Iowa

The Word: Is this the year the Hawkeyes close out those close games?

The Whisper: Iowa isn’t as talented as some of their Big Ten brethren, nor do they have the unlimited NIL resources. But what they do have is a bunch of good old-fashioned football players who’ll make every game interesting … including that Week 5 matchup against defending national champ Indiana.

Last Word: They win football games the old-fashioned way … they earn them.

23.  Louisville

The Word: Have the Cardinals found their next great quarterback?

The Whisper: During the 2025 offseason, Lincoln Kienholz gave Julian Sayin all he could handle in their battle to see who would be under center for Ohio State. Sayin won, Kienholz transferred to Louisville and his presence places the Cardinals squarely in ACC contention.

Last Word: The Cardinals are a sneaky good team.

24.  Boise State

The Talk: The playoff path is set for Boise … are the Broncs ready to walk it?

The Whisper: The Broncos open against Oregon, but don’t face another formidable foe the remainder of the season. I see them losing in Eugene but keeping the game close. A close loss to Oregon and that schedule means the Broncs will be sitting pretty come playoff selection time.

Last Word: The Playoff Committees nightmare come true.

25.  Washington

The Word: Is Washington the sleeper team of 2026?

The Whisper: The Huskies will build off the momentum of last year and will enter the final two weeks of the season unbeaten before squaring off against Indiana and Oregon: two games that will decide their season.

Last Word: Don’t look now, but Washington matters again.