Who’s in? Who wins? AP’s way too early prediction for the 2026 College Football Playoff

This year, the College Football Playoff (CFP) has taken shape, with 12 teams set to participate in the 12-team playoff. The playoff kicks off with four campus games, starting on December 18, with the title game set for January 25 in Las Vegas. The ultimate winner will join Indiana and Ohio State as champions in the third year of the 12-team playoff era.

Notre Dame, the 2024 runners-up, returns most of the team that was left off the bubble last season, despite being ranked 11th. The team will be bolstered by the return of shutdown cornerback Leonard Moore and quarterback C.J. Carr. Despite losing 11 players to the NFL, Ohio State remains a strong contender, with quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith potentially competing for the Heisman Trophy.

Duke, the 2023 runner-up, saw their star player Darian Mensah transfer to another team, and while they lost five games last season, they still made the playoffs. Texas has its sights set on the SEC title game against Georgia, who have yet to live up to the hype in recent years. Texas Tech, with new quarterback Arch Manning, is expected to perform well this season, despite some potential distractions from the Brandon Sorsby gambling scandal. Georgia, a perennial powerhouse, remains a force to be reckoned with in the SEC.