10 biggest storylines entering the 2026 college football season
How will Lane Kiffin do in his first season at LSU? Will the Big Ten continue its dominant run with another title? What's the future of the CFP? Here's what you need to know for the season ahead.
As the 2026 college football season kicks off, several major storylines dominate the landscape. The biggest battle remains the clash between the Big Ten and SEC, with the former having a slight edge thanks to recent national championships. The Big Ten's dominance is evident, as all three of their championship-winning teams in the last three years are still in the league. Meanwhile, the SEC boasts impressive depth, with seven teams finishing with two or fewer conference losses last season.
A significant change to the College Football Playoff format comes this year, with a 12-team field. Previously, the top five conference champions secured spots, but that rule has been removed. Now, all four power conference champions are guaranteed a spot, while the fifth position goes to the highest-ranked Group of Six team. Additionally, Notre Dame has been given a guaranteed spot if it finishes in the top 12 of the final CFP rankings, a change that could have benefited them last season.
The coaching carousel continues its active pace as several new faces take the helm in 2026, including former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin at LSU. Ole Miss, under Kiffin's guidance, enters the 2026 season with similar national title odds and a higher preseason ranking in the AP Top 25. Despite the active coaching landscape, it seems unlikely that the coaching carousel will pick up momentum much in the upcoming season.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
