They’re the groups you are not taking note of on the schedule.
Both they do not have the massive title, or they struggled final 12 months and are forgotten, or they’re those everybody appears previous with Ohio State or Alabama or Notre Dame arising. They’re the shock groups of 2026, and this is our annual name on who they’re going to be.
How did we do final 12 months? Not nice in comparison with 2024, after we nailed it chilly at an all-time nuclear degree with Indiana as our No. 1, together with an Arizona State workforce that received the Large 12 and went to the Faculty Soccer Playoff.
Final 12 months our No. 1 was Rutgers (nope), then Southern Miss (kind of, 7-6), Mississippi State (no, however it was aggressive), Cincinnati (yeah, over the primary half, very no over the second), and Wake Forest (increase – 9-4).
Contents
26 for ’26, No. 7: Faculty Soccer Groups That Will Shock
26: Winningest Packages But To Make the CFP
25: ACC Key Questions
24: Large 12 Key Questions
23: Large Ten Key Questions
22: High 2027 NFL Draft Prospects
21: SEC Key Questions
20: What’s Subsequent in Realignment?
19. Rating all 30 New Head Coaches
18. Who Has the Best Schedules?
17. Who Has the Hardest Schedules?
16. Who Would possibly Be the Subsequent Indiana?
15. Group of Six Groups with Finest CFP Shot
14. 5 Groups Due For a Letdown
13. 5 Packages Beneath the Most Stress
12. 26 Daring Predictions
11. 5 Groups We’re Disrespecting
10. 5 Hottest Head Teaching Prospects
9. Greatest Video games of the Season
8. Coaches On Scorching Seat
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5. East Carolina
How good was East Carolina final 12 months? Nice. This system has been stable over the previous few years, closing with a robust efficiency in a 23-17 win over Pitt within the Army Bowl.
Why will or not it’s a shock workforce? As a result of nobody was taking note of the Pirates final 12 months. They received eight video games in 2024 and had been deep within the hunt for the American title in 2025, closing 6-1.
Real looking projection: East Carolina was critically within the combine for a Faculty Soccer Playoff spot final 12 months, and there is no purpose why it could actually’t be within the American championship hunt once more. There is not any Navy, North Texas, Tulane, or UTSA on a schedule that is constructed for an additional nine-win run.
– East Carolina 2026 Staff Preview
4. South Carolina
How good was South Carolina final 12 months? Blah. Anticipated to be a significant participant coming off a robust 2024, the Gamecocks could not get the offense going, went 4-8, and did not beat a workforce that completed with a successful file.
Why will or not it’s a shock workforce? Final season by no means received going. The flat offense shall be much better, beginning with getting star quarterback LaNorris Sellers again. No, this won’t be a Faculty Soccer Playoff workforce, however it has the look to be way more just like the 2024 model.
Real looking projection: South Carolina will get again to successful not less than eight video games. It will beat Kent State and Towson to get off to a sizzling begin, after which comes a pleasant stretch with three SEC video games within the subsequent 4 towards groups that completed with a shedding file. It will not be straightforward, however anticipate the Gamecocks to win the video games that final 12 months’s model did not.
– South Carolina 2026 Staff Preview
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3. Kansas State
How good was Kansas State final 12 months? Not dangerous, however it misplaced its mojo immediately in a late collapse towards Iowa State in Eire. There have been some good moments, however it grew to become a grind to get to 6 wins, helped by taking part in Kansas, Oklahoma State, and Colorado within the again stretch.
Why will or not it’s a shock workforce? The 2025 Wildcats misplaced to Utah by 4, Baylor by one, Arizona by six, Military by three, and Iowa State by three. All they want is slightly spark and a few optimistic momentum, and that 6-6 run of final 12 months might shortly flip into 9-3.
Real looking projection: Collin Klein needs to be that spark. Kansas State returns sufficient expertise to be robust, the switch portal helped, and the schedule is a dream with no Texas Tech, BYU, or Utah.
– Kansas State 2026 Staff Preview
2. UCLA
How good was UCLA final 12 months? It was an entertaining failure. UCLA went 3-9, however it all however ended the James Franklin period at Penn State with a wild win. It was enjoyable for some time, after which the street video games at Indiana, Ohio State, and USC occurred, together with a blowout towards Washington.
Why will or not it’s a shock workforce? In comes Bob Chesney. A terrific coach who is aware of easy methods to win, he took James Madison to the Faculty Soccer Playoff, introduced in a slew of stars from that workforce to associate with an excellent base of Large Ten abilities, and …
Real looking projection: Do I actually consider in my very own hoo-ha or not? Ever because the Chesney rent, I have been preaching loud and lengthy that UCLA was doing the sensible factor by copying what Indiana did by hiring former JMU head man Curt Cignetti.
Purdue, at Maryland, Wisconsin, Michigan State – 4 of the primary 5 Large Ten video games are towards groups that did not go bowling. There is a date with Nevada, a winnable dwelling recreation towards San Diego State, and a 50/50 recreation towards Cal to open issues up.
– UCLA 2026 Staff Preview
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1. Florida
How good was Florida final 12 months? It was higher than the 4-8 file. Ok to take out Texas and push Georgia in a improbable battle, it failed to indicate up offensively in too many blowout losses. The Gators went 0-7 when scoring 20 factors or fewer.
Why will or not it’s a shock workforce? The basics are robust. This wants extra of a tweak than an overhaul, and that is the place new head coach Jon Sumrall is available in. He did an excellent job within the switch portal, has introduced the brand new coach vitality, and … there is no Alabama, LSU, Tennessee, or Texas A&M on the schedule.
Real looking projection: Florida hasn’t received eight common season video games since 2020. Sumrall has by no means received fewer than eight in a daily season in his first 4 years as a head coach.
No, the workforce is not fairly there but to be a darkish horse contender to get into the Faculty Soccer Playoff, however it’ll begin sizzling, finish sizzling, and be heat sufficient within the center to counsel that this system is heading in the right direction.
– Florida 2026 Staff Preview
