AUGUST 25, 2026

AP projects Oregon to win 2026 College Football Playoff, with Notre Dame and Ohio State among top seeds

The Associated Press has published an early prediction for the 2026 College Football Playoff, projecting Oregon to defeat Texas 24-20 in the championship game in Las Vegas on January 25, 2027. The 12-team playoff field kicks off with four campus games on December 18, 2026. Notre Dame is projected as the No. 1 seed, followed by Ohio State, Miami, and Texas.

The Associated Press released a preseason projection for the 2026 College Football Playoff, forecasting Notre Dame as the top seed with quarterback C.J. Carr and cornerback Leonard Moore returning, alongside Ohio State at No. 2 despite losing 11 players to the NFL draft. Miami, led by transfer quarterback Darian Mensah who threw for nearly 4,000 yards at Duke in 2025, is projected third.

Texas is slotted fourth, with much of the attention centered on quarterback Arch Manning. The AP described the No. 4 seed as likely coming down to an SEC title game between the Longhorns and Georgia, noting both programs have faced expectations they have not fully met in recent seasons.

Seeds 5 through 8 in the projection include Oregon, Indiana, Texas Tech, and Georgia. Oregon, projected to start at No. 2 in the preseason AP poll, faces a critical November 7 game at Ohio State. Indiana's Curt Cignetti is projected to return to the playoff, while Texas Tech's outlook is described as contingent on whether quarterback Will Hammond is ready following a gambling incident involving Brandon Sorsby.