The 2026 college football season is approaching, and several programs deserve far more attention than they’re getting. From an SEC powerhouse returning elite talent to a Pac-12 legacy program on the verge of a breakthrough, these three teams could make serious noise this fall.

Oklahoma

The Sooners are a team more people should be buying into heading into 2026. Oklahoma is bringing back the best defense in the SEC and one of the best in the country, led by defensive tackle David Stone, Taylor Wein, and Peyton and Eli Bowen anchoring the back end. While many might pause because of quarterback John Mateer, it’s important to recognize what he was dealing with last season. He had a bad hand injury that completely crippled his accuracy, clearly disrupted his confidence, and then impacted his decision-making.

There’s reason to feel confident that Mateer will bounce back. It’s very clear there has been a focus on bulking up, which should make him a much more dangerous runner. Additionally, let’s not forget that coach Brent Venables proved everybody wrong last year when Oklahoma won 10 games with a difficult schedule. The pieces are there for the Sooners to be a legitimate contender, and it feels like the national conversation hasn’t caught up to that reality.

USC

This is finally going to be the year Lincoln Riley takes USC to the College Football Playoff. Quite frankly, Riley can’t afford to miss the CFP. The Trojans are bringing back the most efficient quarterback in the country from 2025 in Jayden Maiava. His offensive line is one of the best in the country, led by Elijah Page. USC’s defense has been gradually improving year over year, becoming more capable of keeping up with the physicality needed to win in the Big Ten.

Riley has faced criticism for years about his inability to compete at the highest level since arriving in Los Angeles. The talent is there, the quarterback play is there, and the defense has finally caught up. If there was ever a year for USC to break through, it’s this one.

Cal

If there’s a team that comes completely out of nowhere and unexpectedly wins nine games, it’s going to be Cal. The Golden Bears brought in running back Adam Mohammad this offseason, who should boost their run game. The more exciting development, though, is quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. He played way better than any true freshman should have last season, and there’s an opportunity for him to take a massive leap in Year 2.

Cal is also shockingly experienced, ranking 10th in the country in returning snaps played from a year ago. On top of that, the Bears have that unique home-field advantage where opponents have to travel all the way from the East Coast to the Bay Area, often playing in a difficult body clock situation that typically works in Cal’s favor.

All three of these programs have the talent, the experience, and the circumstances to outperform expectations in 2026.