We are two and a half months away from the 2026 college football season beginning. From now until the end of August, we will be pressed with projecting forward and developing a deeper understanding of what the college football landscape could look like. It promises to be an extremely entertaining several months of football.

With help from A to Z Sports college football analysts Rob Gregson and Tyler Forness, we put together our biggest hot takes heading into the 2026 season. That ranged from Notre Dame’s national title hopes, a Heisman Trophy favorite, and a couple of contenders who could miss the College Football Playoffs. Let’s get weird.

Notre Dame wins their first National Title since 1988

Is this a Homer take? Some will say that, but this might be Notre Dame’s most talented roster in decades. They have the recipe to make another deep playoff run, including a returning starter at quarterback in CJ Carr, a deep and talented offensive line, and an elite defense led by Leonard Moore. Head coach Marcus Freeman goes into next season with a Fighting Irish squad that many believe could win a national championship. After being close two years ago and having a frustrating ending to 2025, this feels like a team that should be very hungry. The team has an easy regular season schedule, so they should be set up to make a postseason run. It’ll all come down to roster health when it matters most. – Ryan Roberts, A to Z Sports Notre Dame

Brendan Sorsby is a Heisman Trophy finalist

With the recent legal news surrounding Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby, it appears that he is going to play for the Red Raiders in 2026. While there is a lot of negative swirling around him right now, he is still an extremely talented football player. Texas Tech has several athletic wide receivers, and it is playing a Big 12-friendly schedule, which should buoy his numbers if he plays a full season. There may be some pushback, but I do believe Sorsby puts together a massive 2026 season. Enough so that I won’t be shocked if he is in New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony, which will also bring some controversy. – Ryan Roberts, A to Z Sports Notre Dame

Texas A&M doesn’t make the College Football Playoff

Let’s be honest here. This is a good team that head coach Mike Elko has, and there are some star players. The one thing they needed to do that would have had them make a run in last year’s College Football Playoff was to improve at quarterback. Marcel Reed still being the unquestioned starting quarterback is a brutal one by the Aggies, who could have had just about anyone they wanted in the transfer portal. Reed’s inconsistencies and turnover prowess will cost them. – Tyler Forness, A to Z Sports Florida

Indiana misses the College Football Playoff

Indiana may have the best coach in the sport with Curt Cignetti, and they looked well-positioned in the Big Ten for years to come. But a talent drain is headed to Bloomington. We’ll get to the loss at quarterback in a second, but critical players like Pat Coogan, Aiden Fisher, D’Angelo Ponds, and Kaelon Black are gone. The wide receiver position looks promising with the return of Charlie Becker and portal addition Nick Marsh, but that duo has big shoes to fill with Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. both headed to the NFL.

But the real problem for Indiana could be the quarterback position. Perhaps the Hoosiers catch lightning in a bottle twice, and Josh Hoover is Fernando Mendoza 2.0. But unlike Mendoza, Hoover enters Indiana with a major turnover problem. In his final year at CAL and during his Heisman-winning season at IU, Mendoza threw 12 total interceptions. Hoover threw 13 in 2025 alone. Decision-making was one of Mendoza’s best traits, and through 4 years of college, it’s been one of Hoover’s worst. Maybe that changes, but between those concerns and the obvious loss of talent, I could see Indiana going from perfection to purgatory. – Rob Gregson, A to Z Sports Alabama