{
  "id": 5053249,
  "title": "College football season predictions: Picks for CFP, Heisman, biggest surprises",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/college-football-season-predictions-picks-for-cfp-heisman-biggest",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-02T09:11:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/college-football-season-predictions-picks-091117211.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The 2026 college football season is set to commence following a lengthy offseason of transfers, coaching changes, and departures from the NFL. The starting favorites are uncertain as six teams received multiple first-place votes in the preseason USLBM Coaches Poll, including defending champion Indiana. Questions about the Heisman Trophy winner, the biggest surprises and disappointments remain open.\n\nExpert opinions on the 2026 College Football Playoff, national championship, and potential surprises vary. Some believe Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Georgia have the best chances of winning the championship. Notable predictions include Dante Moore over CJ Carr for the Heisman Trophy, with Jayden Maiava and Arch Manning also considered strong contenders. Ohio State's game against USC on Halloween Day is seen as a potential \"game of the year,\" while the biggest surprise team predicted is Virginia Tech, thanks to their soft schedule and cleaner alignment within the school.",
  "summary": "How will the 2026 college football season play out? Our experts weigh in on their predictions for the CFP, Heisman, biggest surprises and more.",
  "key_points": [
    "Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Georgia favored for 2026 CFP championship",
    "Dante Moore predicted over CJ Carr for Heisman Trophy",
    "Virginia Tech named biggest surprise team due to soft schedule"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}