Welcome to recruiting’s busiest month: What’s ahead for big visits and potential flips
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Eli Lederman
College football coaching staffs are off the trail. Top recruits are flocking to campuses across the country. At long last, official visit season is here.
The busiest stretch of the annual recruiting calendar has commenced with elite prospects traversing the country for official visits from now to the start of the quiet period June 22. As things stand, 146 of the prospects ranked inside the 2026 ESPN 300 are already committed. That number will skyrocket over the summer months as top programs race to fill out their recruiting classes and rising high school seniors settle on their college homes.
USC, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State and Clemson entered June with the top five classes in ESPN’s latest team recruiting rankings for the class of 2026. Here’s a primer on the state of play across the class as the latest recruiting cycle begins in earnest this month:
Jump to a tier:
Spring recap | Five-star outlook | QB dominoes
ESPN 300 news | Flip watch | Big visit weekends
What has gone down this spring?
The four months since national signing day closed the door on the 2025 class have delivered plenty of fireworks in the 2026 cycle.
Miami offensive tackle commit Jackson Cantwell (No. 3 overall) and Georgia quarterback pledge Jared Curtis (No. 5) stand among the five five-star prospects who have committed since March 1, leaving only 10 five-star recruits on the board. The 2026 quarterback market has similarly narrowed this spring following the pledges of Curtis, Brady Smigiel (No. 44 — Michigan), Peyton Falzone (No. 235 — Penn State), Kayd Coffman (No. 237 — Michigan State) and Derek Zammit (No. 243 — Washington).
No program holds more ESPN 300 commits than USC with 13, headlined by five-star pledges Elbert Hill (No. 15 overall) and Keenyi Pepe (No. 17). Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Clemson, Texas A&M, Arizona State, LSU and Georgia have charted some of the strongest starts in the latest cycle. Beyond the blue bloods, Kansas, Syracuse, Illinois and Louisville are recruiting at an impressive clip six months out from the early signing period in December.
Five-star outlook
As of Monday, 11 of ESPN’s 21 five-star prospects in the 2026 cycle are committed. What’s next for the remaining 10? Things are about to heat up for the nation’s most coveted recruits.
DT Lamar Brown, No. 1 in the 2026 ESPN 300: The two-way lineman from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, told ESPN he’s now being recruited exclusively as a defensive lineman. Brown took an official visit with Miami over the weekend, and he’ll head to finalists Texas (Friday), Texas A&M (June 13) and LSU (June 20) ahead of his July 10 commitment date after swapping a trip to Florida State for this weekend’s visit with the Longhorns.
ESPN’s top overall prospect attends high school on the LSU campus, and the Tigers are clear leaders in Brown’s process, but plenty can change this month.
“It’d be hard for me to leave Louisiana,” he said. “But it may not be the best option for me. That’s why I’m looking at other teams and relationships with other coaches.”
RB Derrek Cooper, No. 7 in the 2026 ESPN 300: The nation’s No. 1 running back prospect opened his slate of official visits at Miami and will get to Alabama (Friday), Georgia (June 13), Florida State (June 15), Penn State (June 17) and Ohio State (June 20) over the next month.
Cooper, who held a short-lived commitment to Georgia last summer, remains high on the Bulldogs as well as Ohio State. Another prominent contender for the versatile rusher from Hollywood, Florida, is Miami, which is pushing hard to add Cooper alongside offensive tackle pledge Jackson Cantwell as the program’s second five-star cornerstone for 2026.
DE JaReylan McCoy, No. 9 in the 2026 ESPN 300: McCoy’s recruitment appeared wrapped up when he committed to LSU on Jan. 2. But the pass rusher from Tupelo, Mississippi, decommitted from the Tigers a month later.
Though Auburn, Ole Miss and Texas A&M have lingered in McCoy’s process this spring, sources told ESPN that the nation’s No. 2 defensive end is down to three schools: Florida, LSU and Texas. McCoy is taking official visits with all three programs — starting with Florida this past weekend ahead of trips to Texas (June 13) and LSU (June 20) — before announcing his commitment July 1.
OT Immanuel Iheanacho, No. 12 in the 2026 ESPN 300: The nation’s top uncommitted offensive tackle is down to Auburn, LSU, Oregon and Penn State and plans to announce his pledge in early August. Iheanacho opened his series of spring official visits with LSU then will be at Auburn (Friday), Penn State (June 13) and Oregon (June 20).
After Oregon missed out on Cantwell and five-star quarterback Jared Curtis last month, sources told ESPN that the Ducks entered June as the leader in Iheanacho’s process. His three other finalists will all get their chance to sway the 6-foot-7, 350-pound lineman this month, with LSU seen as the most serious contender to challenge Oregon for Iheanacho’s commitment.
OLB Tyler Atkinson, No. 13 in the 2026 ESPN 300: ESPN’s top linebacker opened his official visit slate with a trip to Clemson over the weekend. Atkinson does not yet have any other official trips on the calendar, but Auburn, Georgia, Ohio State and Oregon stand among the prominent powers expected to land visits in the coming weeks and months.
Georgia might enter the summer with a slight edge for the productive in-state linebacker from Loganville. However, Atkinson’s recruitment remains wide open as of now.
ATH Brandon Arrington, No. 14 in the 2026 ESPN 300: Projected to play cornerback at the next level, Arrington will have taken official visits with Penn State, Washington, Texas A&M, Alabama and USC by the time he wraps his trip to Oregon on June 20.
Oregon, Texas A&M and USC have been the consistent leaders in Arrington’s recruitment over the past year. Washington has entered the mix as a late-arriving contender. All six schools will continue to be involved in the chase for Arrington’s pledge up to his July 5 commitment date.
DE Richard Wesley, No. 18 in the 2026 ESPN 300: Wesley’s May 10 commitment to Oregon lasted all of 17 days. Upon pulling his pledge from the Ducks last week, Wesley’s recruitment remains open as the coveted 2027 reclass works through an accelerated process.
The circumstances of Wesley’s surprise pledge and subsequent decommitment from Oregon hasn’t soured his relationship with the program. He’ll return for an official visit with the Ducks on Friday before trips to Texas (June 20) and Ohio State (Aug. 30). Tennessee and Texas A&M are among others working to land an official visit date with Wesley.
TE Kaiden Prothro, No. 19 in the 2026 ESPN 300: The lanky 6-7, 210-pound receiving tight end from Bowdon, Georgia, opened an all-SEC run of official visits at Georgia over the weekend. Alabama (Friday), Auburn (June 10), Florida (June 13) and Texas (June 20) are next in line as the recruitment of the highly rated tight end prospect gains steam.
Georgia, with family ties and a history of developing tight ends, appears the most likely destination for Prothro while Auburn and Florida are two other programs pushing especially hard in his recruitment this spring.
OT Felix Ojo, No. 20 in the 2026 ESPN 300: A promising offensive line recruit, Ojo will end up taking a whopping eight official visits between April 18 and June 20. He already has made stops at Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Colorado, Florida and Ohio State this spring and will travel to Michigan (June 7), Texas (June 13) and Oklahoma (June 20) over the next month.
Ojo tells ESPN that Ohio State, Texas and Texas Tech have been the most aggressive programs in his recruitment this spring. He’s aiming to commit before the start of his senior season, so the relationships Ojo builds over the next month of visits will be central to his process.
DE Jake Kreul, No. 21 in the 2026 ESPN 300: A disruptive pass rusher from Florida’s IMG Academy, Kreul will visit Florida (June 7), Texas (June 13) and Oklahoma (June 20) this month following previous officials to Colorado and Ohio State this spring.
No program has worked harder to assert itself in Kreul’s recruitment than Oklahoma. Per ESPN sources, the Sooners view the 6-foot-3, 235-pound defender as a priority target in 2026. Among the top challengers for Kreul’s pledge, expect Texas and Ohio State to be heavily involved this summer.
Landing spots for the top uncommitted quarterbacks
The month began with only four of the 18 passers ranked inside the 2026 ESPN 300 uncommitted with nearly a dozen top programs still searching for a 2026 QB pledge. How might things unfold for the quarterback market’s top recruits over the next three months?
QB Ryder Lyons, No. 49 in the 2026 ESPN 300: ESPN’s fifth-ranked pocket passer has courted interest from BYU, Michigan, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Oregon and USC this spring. Three of those programs — BYU, Oregon and USC — will get Lyons on campus over the next month.
BYU has made some surprise splashes on the recruiting trail this spring, and USC is working to get the in-state quarterback to join his brother, Walker, with the Trojans. But ahead of official visits on each of the next three weekends, it’s Oregon that looks most likely to land Lyons, who will enroll in 2027 following an LDS mission after his high school graduation.
QB Landon Duckworth, No. 104 in the 2025 ESPN 300: Auburn, Florida State, Ole Miss and South Carolina are all-in on the nation’s top dual-threat quarterback. While all four programs will host Duckworth for officials this spring, sources tell ESPN that Ole Miss and South Carolina have established themselves as clear leaders in his process this spring.
Coach Lane Kiffin and the Rebels have worked harder than any other school in Duckworth’s recruitment, selling the mobile passer on his fit in the Ole Miss offense and the program’s record of development at the position. South Carolina, which previously held Duckworth’s pledge from August 2023 to June 2024, continues to maintain a strong presence in his process, as well. Visits with both programs in the coming weeks will be pivotal for Duckworth.
QB Oscar Rios, No, 192 in the 2026 ESPN 300: The former Purdue pledge holds a list of seven finalists — Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, Oklahoma State, UCLA, Utah and Virginia Tech — ahead of visits to Utah, UCLA, Arizona and Colorado this month following earlier trips to Kentucky, Oklahoma State and Virginia Tech.
Kentucky remains a leader among the schools Rios has already visited. Plenty can change across the string of visits in front of him in the coming weeks ahead of a June 25 commitment date, days after Rios closes his run of officials with a visit to Colorado.
QB Bowe Bentley, No. 261 in the 2025 ESPN 300: The dual-threat quarterback from Celina, Texas, is down to LSU and Oklahoma. Bentley spent this past weekend with the Tigers and will make his latest trip to the Sooners this coming weekend, part of a swing of back-to-back officials that could help decide one of the most intriguing quarterback recruitments in the cycle.
Sources within both programs feel confident about their chances with Bentley, who is likely to make a decision not long after wrapping up his pair of official visits early this month.
Elite skill position recruits and top defenders
Past the five-star firepower, there’s plenty more available talent in the upper crust of the 2026 class.
Four of the nation’s top five running backs remain uncommitted this month, led by No. 1 Derrek Cooper. No. 2 rusher Savion Hiter (No. 27 overall) will take officials with Ohio State, Georgia, Michigan and Tennessee prior to the quiet period. Ezavier Crowell, a reclass from the 2027 cycle, is set to commit on June 26 after ESPN’s No. 30 prospect visits Georgia, Texas, Auburn, Florida State and Alabama. Baylor, Florida and Houston are all on the list for four-star rusher Davian Groce (No. 35), whose recruitment remains “wide open,” per ESPN sources.
LSU and Texas A&M stand as the top contenders for four-star wide receiver Ethan Feaster (No. 23 overall) ahead of his July 4 commitment date. Elsewhere in the wide receiver class, sources tell ESPN that Florida, Florida State and LSU are setting the pace for Calvin Russell (No. 26), while Alabama continues to lead the chase for in-state pass catcher Cederian Morgan (No. 47).
On defense, Alabama and Oregon hold a slight edge with four-star safety Jett Washington (No. 22 overall) as the nation’s top safety preps for officials with both schools along with Ohio State and USC. The Crimson Tide are also leading the charge for outside linebacker Xavier Griffin (No. 28), the former USC commit who will visit Florida State, Georgia, Texas after a trip to Ohio State over the weekend.
Four-star safety Jireh Edwards (No. 29) has set his commitment date for July 5 and already visited Auburn and Maryland in recent weeks. Edwards told ESPN that he’s heading into upcoming trips to Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M and Oregon with “an open mind.” Sources tell ESPN that defensive end Anthony Jones (No. 25) and outside linebacker D.Q. Forkpa (No. 40) are two of the top defenders on the board this spring for Miami and coach Mario Cristobal.
Flip watch
DE Zion Elee, No. 2 in the 2026 ESPN 300, Maryland commit
Elee was slated for a series of summer officials across the Big Ten and SEC before he closed his recruitment and cancelled those trips in February. That’s why his official visit to Auburn last month raised eyebrows, even while Elee asserts he’s still locked in with the Terps.
“I have a bunch of former teammates there so I just wanted to check it out,” he told ESPN. “I wasn’t thinking anything of it. I’m still firm with Maryland. I just wanted to take pictures.”
The historic local class Maryland dreamed of building around Elee — think Iheanacho, Edwards et al — doesn’t appear likely. And with blue bloods still pursuing Elee this spring, his recruitment will remain one to watch from now to signing day. As things stand, Elee is committed to the Terps with plans to return to Maryland for his only scheduled official visit of the month on June 20.
WR Tristen Keys, No. 10 in the 2026 ESPN 300, LSU commit
Keys has been the top-ranked member of the Tigers’ 2026 class since March 19, but the LSU pledge hasn’t kept ESPN’s No. 2 wide receiver from taking other visits. After spring trips to Auburn, Miami, Ole Miss and Texas A&M, Keys was back at Miami for an official over the weekend.
Following his Hurricanes visit, sources tell ESPN that Keys will get to Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee and Texas A&M for officials this month before his June 20 trip to LSU. As Keys keeps his recruitment, coach Brian Kelly’s ability to hang onto five-star talent will be tested again this cycle.
QB Keisean Henderson, No. 16 in the 2026 ESPN 300, Houston commit
Programs across the Big Ten and ACC spent the spring chipping away at Henderson’s Houston commitment. Florida State finally broke through this month, landing a June 9 official visit from the mobile, 6-foot-3 passer.
Henderson has held firm on his pledge to the Cougars while maintaining dialogue with multiple programs this spring. While sources tell ESPN that there has been no change in his commitment status or plans with Houston, Henderson’s visit to Florida State marks new territory in his recruitment.
QB Jaden O’Neal, No. 122 in the 2026 ESPN 300, Oklahoma commit
Despite 11 months spent in the Sooners’ 2026 class and an offseason transfer from California to Oklahoma’s Mustang High School, O’Neal could soon be on the move.
The departure of Sooners offensive coordinator Seth Littrell last fall unsettled O’Neal’s camp, and sources tell ESPN that the program’s full-throttle pursuit of Bowe Bentley under new offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle has damaged the trust between O’Neal and Oklahoma. O’Neal visited Arizona over the weekend, and his upcoming official trip to Florida State looms especially large with Bentley nearing a decision and quarterback dominoes getting ready to fall this month.
Biggest visits
Alabama (June 6-8): The Crimson Tide’s first recruiting class under coach Kalen DeBoer got rolling in June last year. Alabama could go a long way toward turbocharging its 2026 class this weekend with four top-30 recruits on campus between five-star skill talents Derrek Cooper (No. 7 overall) and Kaiden Prothro (No. 19) and four-star defenders Xavier Griffin (No. 28) and Jireh Edwards (No. 29).
Auburn (June 13-15): The Tigers will have a big name on campus this weekend when five-star offensive tackle Immanuel Iheanacho (No. 12 overall) takes his official trip to Auburn. But the weekend of June 13 will give coach Hugh Freeze and his staff a shot at multiple elite targets, including running back Ezavier Crowell (No. 30), safety Bralan Womack (No. 31) and wide receiver Cederian Morgan (No. 47).
Florida (June 13-15): While the Gators will have elite prospects on campus all month, Florida has a chance to build momentum with several top targets two weekends from now. Prothro and No. 4 running back Davian Groce (No. 35 overall) headline a talented group of visitors that could also include top-40 linebacker Izayia Williams — who flipped from Florida to Ole Miss last month — and defensive tackle Kendall Guervil (No. 253), a priority in-state recruit.
Florida State (June 9-15): It’s not exactly a weekend, but the Seminoles will embark on a defining stretch of quarterback visits in the middle of the month. It’ll start with a visit from five-star passer Keisean Henderson (No. 16 overall) before top dual-threat passer Landon Duckworth (No. 104) on June 13 and Oklahoma pledge Jaden O’Neal (No. 112) on June 15 also make visits.
Georgia (June 6-8): The Bulldogs will host a series of heavy hitters this weekend with running back Savion Hiter (No. 27 overall), cornerback Chauncey Kennon (No. 48) and offensive tackle Ekene Ogboko (No. 50) set to visit. Georgia gets Cooper, another top running back target, on campus starting June 13.
Michigan (June 13-15): Coach Sherrone Moore and the Wolverines will welcome eight top-150 prospects on June 13. Hiter, No. 3 athlete Salesi Moa (No. 34 overall) and outside linebacker D.Q. Forkpa (No. 40) lead the group of blue-chip visitors. Top-75 offensive tackles John Turntine III (No. 43) and Leo Delaney (No. 75) mark another pair of key visitors.
Notre Dame (June 20-22): The Fighting Irish will host roughly a dozen commits from June 13 to 15 but could continue to bolster the nation’s second-ranked class a week later. Notre Dame will look to leave a lasting impression on Ogboko, ESPN’s No. 8 offensive tackle, four-star defensive tackle Elijah Golden (No. 84 overall) and athlete Joey O’Brien (No. 102) on the final weekend before the summer quiet period.
Oregon (June 20-22): Coach Dan Lanning will get his top 2026 commit — five-star tight end Kendre’ Harrison — on campus on the final official visit weekend of June with a chance to make a mark with a number of other key Oregon targets. Iheanacho and Edwards are set to visit on June 20 alongside five-star athlete Brandon Arrington (No. 14 overall), outside linebacker Talanoa Ili (No. 53), cornerback Khary Adams (No. 68) and athlete Jalen Lott (No. 108).
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Kyle Bonagura
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Kyle Bonagura
ESPN Staff Writer
- Covers college football.
- Joined ESPN in 2014.
- Attended Washington State University.
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Mark Schlabach
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Mark Schlabach
ESPN Senior Writer
- Senior college football writer
- Author of seven books on college football
- Graduate of the University of Georgia
The 2025 college football season is nearly here, and while we all look forward to 16 weeks of excitement, upsets and general mayhem, there will be even more where that came from once we hit the postseason.
The highlight of that, of course, is the 12-team College Football Playoff, now in its second year. As in last season’s inaugural CFP, the five highest-ranked conference champions, plus the next seven highest-ranked teams, will make the field. Unlike last year, the four highest-ranked teams (not necessarily conference champions) will be awarded first-round byes. The other eight teams will meet in first-round games at the campus sites of seeds Nos. 5 through 8.
From there, the quarterfinals and semifinals will be played in what had been the New Year’s Six bowls, with this season’s national championship game scheduled for Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
All of that is just the tip of the iceberg, though. Apart from the playoff is the 35-game slate of bowl games, beginning with the Cricket Celebration Bowl on Dec. 13.
We’re here for all of it.
Although no games have yet been played, ESPN bowl gurus Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach are nonetheless projecting every postseason matchup, including their breakdowns of how the playoff will play out, just to whet your appetite for the fun ahead.
And we’ll be back every week of the season until the actual matchups are set.
Jump to a section:
Playoff picks | Quarterfinals
Semis, title game | Bowl season
College Football Playoff
First-round games (at campus sites)
Friday, Dec. 19/Saturday, Dec. 20
Times and networks TBD.
Bonagura: No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Georgia
Schlabach: No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Ohio State
Bonagura: No. 11 Miami at No. 6 Notre Dame
Schlabach: No. 11 Arizona State at No. 6 Alabama
Bonagura: No. 10 Arizona State at No. 7 Alabama
Schlabach: No. 10 LSU at No. 7 Notre Dame
Bonagura: No. 9 LSU at No. 8 Oregon
Schlabach: No. 9 Miami at No. 8 Oregon
First-round breakdown
Bonagura: There shouldn’t be any major surprises here, just as there shouldn’t be any confidence from anyone talking about what to expect in college football come December while we’re still in August. Here in the era of free agency, it has become even harder to have a good sense of what most teams will truly look like, and anyone who says otherwise is just faking it.
The old formula — last season’s success + returning starters (QB?) = projection — isn’t as reliable as it used to be. That said, the usual suspects have the money to remain at the top of the sport and that matters more than ever.
Schlabach: It’s a crapshoot when you’re picking the 12 best teams in mid-August, but I gave it my best shot. I went with Texas, Clemson, Penn State and Georgia as my top four seeds, even though the Longhorns and Bulldogs will be breaking in new starting quarterbacks (although Arch Manning and Gunner Stockton did get some playing time last year). Both teams had to replace a plethora of star players who were selected in the NFL draft, but few programs have recruited as well as Georgia and Texas in recent seasons. Honestly, I could see one of three teams –Texas, Georgia or Alabama — winning the SEC, and I think many people might be sleeping on the Crimson Tide after they lost four games in Kalen DeBoer’s first season as coach. It was never going to be easy for anyone to replace Nick Saban, and I still believe DeBoer is one of the best coaches in the sport.
I love what Clemson is bringing back on the defensive line, and I think Cade Klubnik is going to be a star. Penn State brings back many of its best players from a team that just missed reaching the CFP National Championship game last season. If Drew Allar takes the next step, the Nittany Lions might be the class of the Big Ten.
CFP quarterfinals
Wednesday, Dec. 31
CFP quarterfinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
7:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 1 Texas
Schlabach: No. 8 Oregon vs. No. 1 Texas
Thursday, Jan. 1
CFP quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Noon, ESPN
Bonagura: No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 4 Clemson
Schlabach: No. 10 LSU vs. No. 2 Clemson
CFP quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential
Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California)
4 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: No. 7 Alabama vs. No. 2 Penn State
Schlabach: No. 6 Alabama vs. No. 3 Penn State
CFP quarterfinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
8 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: No. 6 Notre Dame vs. No. 3 Ohio State
Schlabach: No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 4 Georgia
Quarterfinals breakdown
Bonagura: After the 12-team playoff was introduced last year, there was one thing I hammered almost every week in this space: It was ridiculous to give the top four seeds to conference champions. It was a format that punished the No. 1 seed, when one of the main purposes of a seeding system is to reward the best team. (No. 1 Oregon was “rewarded” with a quarterfinal against eventual champion Ohio State.)
The intent was understandable, but good on the powers that be who reversed course after one year and installed the commonsense straight seeding format this year. It will likely mean multiple teams from the same conference will get byes — and that’s fine. In this case, I have two teams from the Big Ten (Penn State and Ohio State), while Mark has two from the SEC (Texas and Georgia).
Schlabach: I had Ohio State, Alabama, LSU and Oregon advancing out of the first-round games. I’m not quite as sold on the Ducks as the other three programs with unproven Dante Moore taking over at quarterback and star receiver Evan Stewart sidelined with a knee injury. Oregon’s defense needs to take another step after allowing 109 points in three games against Ohio State and Penn State (although the Ducks did win two of those games). The Ducks play the Nittany Lions on the road Sept. 27 and they don’t play Ohio State, Illinois or Michigan during the regular season.
If LSU’s defense is markedly better this season, the Tigers could be an SEC title contender. They should have one of the most explosive offenses in the FBS with quarterback Garrett Nussmeier and receiver Aaron Anderson returning, plus a handful of playmakers from the transfer portal.
CFP semifinals, national championship game
Thursday, Jan. 8
CFP semifinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)
7:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 1 Texas
Schlabach: No. 4 Georgia vs. No. 1 Texas
Friday, Jan. 9
CFP semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
7:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Penn State
Schlabach: No. 3 Penn State vs. No. 2 Clemson
Monday, Jan. 19
CFP National Championship
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
7:45 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 1 Texas
Schlabach: No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 1 Texas
National championship breakdown
Bonagura: According to ESPN BET, there are nine teams with odds of between +550 and +1,500 to win the national title. It’s not a perfect science, of course, but there is a high likelihood the eventual champion will come from that group: Ohio State (+550), Texas (+550), Penn State (+650), Georgia (+800), Clemson (+900), Alabama (+1,000), Notre Dame (+1,100), Oregon (+1,400) and LSU (+1,500). If you’re looking for semifinal teams, then this group is also a good place to start.
Schlabach: I have my top four seeds advancing to the semifinals and top two playing in the CFP National Championship game. As we witnessed last year, the 12-team CFP is much more unpredictable, given the long layoffs for the top seeds and teams getting hot at the right time of the season.
The Georgia-Texas matchup in the Fiesta Bowl would be a rematch of last year’s SEC championship game, which the Bulldogs won 22-19 in overtime. The Longhorns also lost to the Bulldogs at home during the regular season in 2024, and they might have to once again figure out a way to get past them to win the SEC. Texas plays at Georgia on Nov. 15 in one of the league’s most anticipated games. A Penn State-Clemson contest in the Peach Bowl would feature two of the game’s best quarterbacks. It would also be an intriguing chess match with former Nittany Lions defensive coordinator Tom Allen joining Dabo Swinney’s staff this season.
I have Clemson and Texas meeting in the national championship game, and I’ll go with the Longhorns to win it all. That’s putting a lot on Arch Manning in his first season as a starter, and the Texas offensive line is going to have to do a better job of protecting the quarterback than it did in big contests last season.
Complete bowl season schedule
Saturday, Dec. 13
Cricket Celebration Bowl
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Noon, ABC
Bonagura: Southern vs. South Carolina State
Schlabach: Jackson State vs. South Carolina State
LA Bowl
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
9 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Colorado vs. UNLV
Schlabach: Oregon State vs. San José State
Tuesday, Dec. 16
IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
9 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Appalachian State vs. Western Kentucky
Schlabach: Eastern Michigan vs. Jacksonville State
Wednesday, Dec. 17
StaffDNA Cure Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
5 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: UConn vs. Florida Atlantic
Schlabach: Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina
68 Ventures Bowl
Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
8:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: James Madison vs. Florida International
Schlabach: Georgia Southern vs. Miami (Ohio)
Friday, Dec. 19
Myrtle Beach Bowl
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
Noon, ESPN
Bonagura: Jacksonville State vs. South Alabama
Schlabach: East Carolina vs. James Madison
Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Auburn vs. Boston College
Schlabach: Vanderbilt vs. North Carolina
Monday, Dec. 22
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
2 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Toledo vs. San José State
Schlabach: Buffalo vs. Air Force
Tuesday, Dec. 23
Boca Raton Bowl
Flagler Credit Union Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
2 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: East Carolina vs. Ohio
Schlabach: South Florida vs. Toledo
New Orleans Bowl
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Louisiana vs. Liberty
Schlabach: Louisiana vs. Western Kentucky
Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl
Frisco, Texas
9 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Georgia Southern vs. Northern Illinois
Schlabach: North Texas vs. Sam Houston State
Wednesday, Dec. 24
Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)
8 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Fresno State vs. Oregon State
Schlabach: UNLV vs. Navy
Friday, Dec. 26
GameAbove Sports Bowl
Ford Field (Detroit)
1 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Maryland vs. Miami (Ohio)
Schlabach: Michigan State vs. Ohio
Rate Bowl
Chase Field (Phoenix)
4:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Baylor vs. Iowa
Schlabach: TCU vs. Minnesota
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
8 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Cincinnati vs. Texas State
Schlabach: UTSA vs. Arkansas State
Saturday, Dec. 27
Go Bowling Military Bowl
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
11 a.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Duke vs. Army
Schlabach: Virginia Tech vs. Memphis
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium (Bronx, New York)
Noon, ABC
Bonagura: North Carolina vs. Illinois
Schlabach: Pittsburgh vs. Iowa
Wasabi Fenway Bowl
Fenway Park (Boston)
2:15 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: NC State vs. Navy
Schlabach: NC State vs. Tulane
Pop-Tarts Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ABC
Bonagura: SMU vs. Texas Tech
Schlabach: Louisville vs. Texas Tech
Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
4:30 p.m., CW Network
Bonagura: Bowling Green vs. Colorado State
Schlabach: Bowling Green vs. Fresno State
Isleta New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
5:45 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Hawai’i vs. Cal
Schlabach: Colorado State vs. Texas State
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)
7:30 p.m. ABC
Bonagura: Virginia Tech vs. Missouri
Schlabach: Georgia Tech vs. Missouri
Kinder’s Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium (Houston)
9:15 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: BYU vs. Texas A&M
Schlabach: Iowa State vs. Tennessee
Monday, Dec. 29
Birmingham Bowl
Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
2 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Arkansas vs. Tulane
Schlabach: Auburn vs. Boston College
Tuesday, Dec. 30
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
2 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Iowa State vs. Louisiana Tech
Schlabach: BYU vs. Liberty
Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Minnesota vs. Oklahoma
Schlabach: Michigan vs. Ole Miss
Valero Alamo Bowl
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Kansas State vs. Washington
Schlabach: Kansas State vs. USC
Wednesday, Dec. 31
ReliaQuest Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon, ESPN
Bonagura: Indiana vs. Ole Miss
Schlabach: Indiana vs. South Carolina
Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m., CBS
Bonagura: Virginia vs. UCLA
Schlabach: Florida State vs. Colorado
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3 p.m., ABC
Bonagura: Michigan vs. Tennessee
Schlabach: Illinois vs. Texas A&M
SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Nebraska vs. Utah
Schlabach: Nebraska vs. Utah
Friday, Jan. 2
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
1 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: TCU vs. Memphis
Schlabach: Kansas vs. Army
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
4:30 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Kansas vs. Florida
Schlabach: Baylor vs. Oklahoma
Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
8 p.m., ESPN
Bonagura: Louisville vs. South Carolina
Schlabach: Duke vs. Florida
TBD
Holiday Bowl
Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)
Time TBD, Fox
Bonagura: Georgia Tech vs. USC
Schlabach: SMU vs. Washington
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Max Olson
There’s no need to wait five months to find out the ending of this upcoming college football season. We can just ask EA Sports’ College Football 26.
We’ve simulated the 2025 season multiple times in Dynasty mode in search of answers to all the big questions. Who’s getting into the 12-team College Football Playoff? Who’s taking home the Heisman Trophy? Which programs can win it all and which ones are heading toward a coaching search?
Trying to gather as much data as possible, we simulated this season 25 times. We didn’t play any of the games, didn’t adjust rosters or ratings and didn’t alter default settings. We put our faith and trust in the game to forecast the future, and the results could be rather astounding. Here is CFB 26’s take on the season ahead.
Who gets into the College Football Playoff?
Over 25 simulations of this 2025 season, 52 different programs earned at least one College Football Playoff appearance. We love to see that chaos.
The teams that most frequently made the playoff probably won’t shock anyone: Georgia (19), Penn State (19), Miami (18), Oregon (17), Texas Tech (17) and Texas (15). Though that’s a lot of love for the Hurricanes, the game was also quite confident in Clemson (14) and Duke (14) earning CFP bids out of the ACC. Notre Dame earned an at-large spot in the CFP in 10 of the 25 seasons.
Some of the most successful programs of the College Football Playoff era had a tougher time consistently contending in these simulations. Defending national champ Ohio State appeared in 11 of the 25 brackets and reached the national championship game just three times. Alabama earned just five CFP bids and never played for a title.
The list of Power 4 teams that made multiple CFP appearances included Baylor, Auburn, Nebraska, Kansas State, Colorado, Mississippi State, Pitt, SMU and Utah. One rather stunning outcome: LSU’s loaded preseason top-10 team made it in only twice.
Every SEC program got into the CFP at least once — except Kentucky. Florida State, North Carolina, BYU, TCU, Iowa, UCLA and Wisconsin were also among the 23 Power 4 teams that made zero playoff appearances in 25 attempts.
Over all these simulations, the game generated multiple scenarios with 9-3 teams making the bracket. In fact, 50% of all at-large bids (35) went to teams with 9-3 records. In four of those seasons, a 9-3 squad — Georgia twice, Ohio State and Oregon once — won the national championship.
In four instances, the virtual committee put a 9-4 team in the bracket. During one extreme season, a CFP featured six SEC teams that included an 8-4 Auburn squad.
The Big Ten scored more CFP bids (87) than the SEC (83) over our 25 sims, put more teams in the semifinals and won more national titles. The ACC outpaced the Big 12 54-40 in CFP bids earned.
Georgia vs. Penn State title race
Fourteen programs won CFP national championships over the 25 simulations, and no one program was playing for national titles every time. But two clearly moved to the front of the pack: Georgia and Penn State.
The Bulldogs reached the semifinals in 12 of their 19 playoff seasons and delivered Kirby Smart’s third national championship in five of their seven national title games. James Franklin’s squad was just as impressive with 11 semifinals, nine trips to the title game and five championships.
Who else took home the trophy? Oregon (three) and Ohio State (two) won multiple national titles, but the mix of programs that won it all once was far more compelling: Clemson, Florida, Illinois, Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and USC.
Just like in real life in 2024, earning a top-four seed and a first-round bye did not prove exceedingly beneficial in these 12-team CFP sims. Only seven top-four seeds won national championships.
Just one No. 1 seed went all the way in a simulation: Oklahoma. John Mateer and the Sooners rolled to a 12-1 season and an SEC title win over Georgia, dominated their first two playoff games and pulled off a 24-16 comeback win over Oregon in the championship.
The chaos brackets
Texas Tech has championship ambitions for 2025 and has invested a ton of money in its roster to construct a contender. In one of our simulations — let’s refer to these as Seasons A through Y, so this was Season O — the Red Raiders made Cody Campbell’s dreams come true with a 15-1 season and the program’s first national championship.
Clemson’s 13-0 season, led by Heisman Trophy winner Cade Klubnik, fell apart in the Orange Bowl with a 44-9 loss to Miami. That upset helped clear the path for the Big 12 champs to take down Indiana and Miami and advance to the title game, where they ran into … Nebraska!
The 10-2 Huskers earned a No. 6 seed, won their first-round home game against Iowa State, defeated old rival Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl and blew out Big Ten champ Penn State in the semifinals. In a showdown between Joey McGuire and his mentor Matt Rhule, the Red Raiders prevailed 35-13.
Season U also delivered an ending that would be deeply dissatisfying to SEC fans. Only three teams from the conference — SEC champ South Carolina, Texas A&M and Georgia — earned CFP bids, and all three were bounced quickly, with No. 12 seed Boise State taking down the Aggies and Gamecocks.
The resulting semifinal featured the Broncos, Penn State, Oregon and Illinois and set up a Big Ten title game rematch in the national championship. Penn State won 54-7 in Indianapolis, but Luke Altmyer and his three-loss Illini squad pulled off a stunner in the title game, a 34-31 victory for the program’s first national title since 1951.
In Season T, Florida started 2-2, with losses to South Florida and Miami, which undoubtedly put virtual Billy Napier’s job in jeopardy. The Gators then went on a 12-game win streak, with DJ Lagway putting up 4,736 total yards and 42 TDs and Jadan Baugh emerging as the nation’s leading rusher. They met 15-0 Clemson in the national title game and spoiled their perfect season with a 27-17 victory.
One more simulation that delivered a compelling finale: Season X had Miami quarterback Carson Beck leading the Hurricanes to a 16-0 season and a 47-26 rout of Georgia in a national championship home game at the Orange Bowl. How’s that for a redemptive arc?
Boise State still the G5 favorite
Even without superstar running back Ashton Jeanty, Boise State was still the clear No. 1 among the Group of 5 teams vying for a spot in the College Football Playoff. The Broncos earned CFP bids in 11 of our simulations, followed by Southern Miss and Tulane getting in four times each. We also saw Arkansas State, Jacksonville State, James Madison, Liberty, South Florida and UNLV nab the No. 12 seed in various seasons.
The G5 earned multiple College Football Playoff bids in just one of the 25 season sims, with Boise State (12-1) and Tulane (11-2) earning the No. 9 and No. 11 seeds, respectively. They nearly got three in that year, too, with Memphis finishing 13th in the final CFP rankings.
Sadly, no G5 teams pulled off a Cinderella run to a national championship. Boise State came close as a No. 12 seed in Season E, with a stunning 44-41 road win at Oregon in double overtime, followed by victories over Tennessee and Texas Tech. But the Broncos ran into an unstoppable USC team, losing 45-10 in the national title game.
Conference title scoreboard
Curious which teams the video game likes to win each conference race? Here’s the breakdown. The SEC race was arguably the most competitive, with nine programs winning the league over our 25 simulations. The biggest surprise was defending national champ Ohio State winning just one Big Ten title despite being one of the highest-rated teams in the game, and the same was true for Alabama and LSU.
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ACC: Miami (11), Clemson (6), Duke (5), Louisville (1), Pitt (1), SMU (1)
Big Ten: Oregon (10), Penn State (8), USC (3), Michigan (2), Indiana (1), Ohio State (1)
Big 12: Texas Tech (11), Arizona State (4), Baylor (2), Colorado (2), Iowa State (2), Kansas State (2), Utah (1), West Virginia (1)
SEC: Georgia (6), Texas (6), Texas A&M (4), Oklahoma (3), Florida (2), Alabama (1), LSU (1), South Carolina (1), Tennessee (1)
American: Tulane (11), Memphis (4), Navy (4), USF (4), North Texas (1), UTSA (1)
Conference USA: Liberty (7), Jacksonville State (5), Florida International (4), Sam Houston (4), Middle Tennessee (2), UTEP (2), Kennesaw State (1)
MAC: Toledo (10), Buffalo (8), Miami (Ohio) (5), Ball State (1), Western Michigan (1)
Mountain West: Boise State (15), UNLV (5), Colorado State (1), Hawaii (1), Nevada (1), San Jose State (1), Wyoming (1)
Sun Belt: Southern Miss (14), James Madison (6), Arkansas State (4), Old Dominion (1)
Who wins the Heisman?
Clemson’s Klubnik has the best chances of taking home the Heisman Trophy this season if these simulations are to be believed. Klubnik is tied for the highest-rated QB in the game and won six Heismans over these 25-season sims. The game has a lot of love for new Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch, too. The speedy USC transfer finished as the nation’s leading receiver in six of these seasons, including a school-record 1,799 receiving yards in one sim, and won the Heisman four times.
Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and Julian Sayin, Tennessee’s Joey Aguilar and Oregon’s Makhi Hughes won Heisman Trophies in multiple seasons of our simulation. The list of one-time winners has an impressive variety: Colorado QB Kaidon Salter, Pitt QB Eli Holstein, USC QB Jayden Maiava, Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, Louisville RB Isaac Brown and even Miami WR Tony Johnson.
Texas’ Arch Manning did not win the Heisman in any of these seasons and never finished in the top five in Heisman voting, even in the season in which the Longhorns won a national title. LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier finished in the top five only once, and Penn State’s Drew Allar did so only twice.
South Florida QB Byrum Brown finished in the top five of Heisman voting in five sims. One season, his top receiver Chas Nimrod finished second for the Heisman. Miami (Ohio) veteran QB Dequan Finn also earned a second-place finish in another season.
The greatest season of all time
Ohio State phenom Jeremiah Smith was a Heisman finalist in 11 of our 25 simulations and won three times, which makes sense given he’s the highest-rated player in the video game. In several of these seasons, Smith put up ridiculous stats and set single-season program records.
In Season V, the sophomore playmaker put together the greatest season by a wide receiver in FBS history. Smith’s final stat line: 170 catches for 2,382 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns.
His quarterback, Sayin, also broke the FBS single-season passing record with 6,312 yards. Yes, they did it over 16 games. But how they did it was more dramatic than their title run in 2024. The Buckeyes went 9-3 with losses to Wisconsin, Penn State and Rutgers. They barely defeated Michigan 20-19 but still got the No. 8 seed in the CFP.
The Buckeyes had to beat Michigan again in a first-round rematch in Columbus, knocked out a 13-0 Oklahoma team in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinals, returned to the championship game and pulled off a 42-35 overtime win over Georgia for back-to-back national titles.
Stars hit the portal
The transfer portal in College Football 26 has expanded and now features thousands of players making moves every season. Huge names such as Texas’ Colin Simmons, Colorado’s Jordan Seaton, Louisville’s Isaac Brown and Minnesota’s Koi Perich, plus a bunch of big-time starting quarterbacks (Rocco Becht, Avery Johnson, Noah Fifita), consistently entered the portal at the end of the season in our 25 simulations. And on rare occasions, it got more improbable.
Texas quarterback Arch Manning hit the portal in three of our 25 simulations after coach Steve Sarkisian left for Michigan (more on that below). Manning stayed in the SEC each time, signing with Georgia in two of the seasons and landing at Alabama in one.
Florida’s Lagway entered the portal in five of our 25 sims with Alabama, Texas and USC emerging as his preferred destinations. In one season, Manning and Lagway made the bizarre decision to team up in Tuscaloosa and compete with Ty Simpson for the starting job.
Season N ended with Texas A&M going 15-1 and defeating Miami to win its first national championship since 1939. And then, for some bizarre reason, Aggies starting QB Marcel Reed entered the portal and transferred to Ole Miss. Oklahoma’s Michael Hawkins Jr. transferred in to replace him in College Station and try to lead a repeat.
Carousel craziness
The addition of real college football head coaches and coordinators makes the coaching carousel in Dynasty mode far more comical in College Football 26. In most of these 25 simulations, the game produced end-of-season coaching changes that would shake up the sport.
In 12 of the 25 seasons, Clemson’s Dabo Swinney replaced Kalen DeBoer at Alabama. It’s worth noting that the Crimson Tide earned just five CFP appearances and took home zero national titles in these simulations. Each time Swinney left, Clemson responded by hiring Shane Beamer from rival South Carolina or hiring Lane Kiffin from Ole Miss.
Michigan was another playoff-or-bust program in these simulations and moved on from Sherrone Moore at the end of 12 of 25 seasons. In 11 of those 12 scenarios, the Wolverines pulled off a stunner and hired Steve Sarkisian from Texas. The one time they didn’t get Sark, they grabbed Oregon’s Dan Lanning.
The Longhorns’ coaching searches typically focused on Kiffin but occasionally resulted in hiring Mike Norvell, Joey McGuire or Kyle Whittingham. In one simulation, they shocked the world and picked Lincoln Riley. In three other sims, Riley left USC and moved back to Norman, Oklahoma, to lead the Sooners.
If you’re rooting for an all-time crazy carousel cycle, Season U stood out. In that simulation, Alabama and Michigan had coaching vacancies after DeBoer and Moore went to the NFL. Michigan hiring Sarkisian led to Norvell at Texas, Jedd Fisch at Florida State, Kyle Whittingham at Washington and Justin Wilcox at Utah. Swinney went to Alabama, Kiffin went to Clemson and Rhett Lashlee replaced him at Ole Miss. Beamer didn’t get the Clemson job but landed at LSU. Matt Campbell filled the South Carolina opening in this scenario, and Brian Kelly landed on his feet at Auburn.
But there’s more! Oklahoma brought back Riley, Brent Venables took over rival Oklahoma State and the Trojans turned to Bret Bielema as their next head coach — right after he led the Illini to the national championship. Eastern Michigan’s Chris Creighton was the lucky coach who took over the defending national champs.
If any of these unthinkable outcomes occur in real life in 2025, just remember: You heard it here first.
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