play2:21Was opting out of the NFL draft the right decision for Dante Moore?Josh Pate joins “Get Up” to discuss whether Dante Moore made the right move in staying another year at Oregon.
Was opting out of the NFL draft the right decision for Dante Moore?Josh Pate joins “Get Up” to discuss whether Dante Moore made the right move in staying another year at Oregon.
Josh Pate joins “Get Up” to discuss whether Dante Moore made the right move in staying another year at Oregon.
Mark SchlabachJan 19, 2026, 11:18 PM ETCloseSenior college football writer Author of seven books on college football Graduate of the University of GeorgiaFollow on X
Top-ranked Indiana’s remarkable dream season ended with the Hoosiers defeating No. 10 Miami 27-21 in Monday night’s CFP National Championship presented by AT&T at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The Hoosiers, who became the first FBS program to lose 700 games and had 100-to-1 odds to win a national title at the start of the season, are the first team to go 16-0 in a season in the modern era.
Not surprisingly, the Hoosiers are No. 1 in the first edition of the 2026 Way-Too-Early Top 25. Coach Curt Cignetti and his staff will have to replace many of their best players, but they’ve proven they can evaluate, develop and coach better than most.
The top five is full of familiar names: Indiana is followed by No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Notre Dame, No. 4 Georgia and No. 5 Oregon.
Key additions: QB Josh Hoover (TCU), WR Nick Marsh (Michigan State), RB Turbo Richard (Boston College), DL Tobi Osunsanmi (Kansas State), S Preston Zachman (Wisconsin), CB A.J. Harris (Penn State), G Joe Brunner (Wisconsin)
Key starters expected to leave: WR DeAndre Moore Jr., S Michael Taaffe, LB Anthony Hill Jr., DE Trey Moore, CB Malik Muhammad, CB Jaylon Guilbeau, RB Quintrevion Wisner
Key starters expected to leave: RB Jeremiyah Love, RB Jadarian Price, WR Malachi Fields, TE Eli Raridon, OT Aamil Wagner, S Jalen Stroman
Key starters expected to leave: WR Zachariah Branch, OT Monroe Freeling, LB CJ Allen, DT Christen Miller, CB Daylen Everette
Key starters expected to leave: WR Malik Benson, OT Isaiah World, G Emmanuel Pregnon, TE Kenyon Sadiq, LB Bryce Boettcher, S Dillon Thieneman
Key additions: QB Dylan Raiola (Nebraska), OT Michael Bennett (Yale), S Koi Perich (Minnesota), WR Iverson Hooks (UAB), S Carl Williams IV (Baylor)
Was opting out of the NFL draft the right decision for Dante Moore?
Key additions: S Earl Little Jr. (Florida State), DL James Smith (Alabama), DE Qua Russaw (Alabama), S Terry Moore (Duke), TE Hunter Welcing (Northwestern), WR Devin McCuin (UTSA), DT John Walker (UCF), LB Christian Alliegro (Wisconsin), K Connor Hawkins (Baylor)
Key starters expected to leave: DE David Bailey, NT Lee Hunter, DE Romello Height, LB Jacob Rodriguez, LB Bryce Ramirez, QB Behren Morton
Key additions: QB Brendan Sorsby (Cincinnati), WR Donte Lee Jr. (Liberty), WR Kenny Johnson (Pitt), WR Malcolm Simmons (Auburn), DL Mateen Ibirogba (Wake Forest), DE Trey White (San Diego State), DE Adam Trick (Miami, Ohio), LB Austin Romaine (Kansas State)
Key starters expected to leave: QB Carson Beck, OT Francis Mauigoa, C James Brockermeyer, WR CJ Daniels, WR Keelan Marion, DE Rueben Bain Jr., DE Akheem Mesidor, LB Mohamed Toure, LB Wesley Bissainthe, S Jakobe Thomas
Key additions: DL Jarquez Carter (Ohio State), WR Cam Vaughn (West Virginia), WR Vandrevius Jacobs (South Carolina), S Omar Thornton (Boston College)
Key starters expected to leave: WR De’Zhaun Stribling, WR Harrison Wallace III, G Patrick Kutas, TE Dae’Quan Wright, OT Jayden Williams, DT Zxavian Harris, FS Wydett Williams Jr., LB TJ Dottery, G Devin Harper, DE Princewill Umanmielen
Key starters expected to leave: DE R Mason Thomas, DT Gracen Halten, DE Marvin Jones Jr., DL Damonic Williams, LB Kendal Daniels, DB Robert Spears-Jennings, LB Sammy Omosigho
Key starters expected to leave: QB Garrett Nussmeier, WR Barion Brown, WR Zavion Thomas, S A.J. Haulcy, DE Jack Pyburn, LB Harold Perkins Jr., CB Mansoor Delane, WR Aaron Anderson
Key additions: RB L.J. Phillips (South Dakota), WR Tony Diaz (Texas-Rio Grande Valley), WR Evan James (Furman), G Trent Wilson (James Madison), DE Kahmari Brown (Elon), DE Lance Ingold (Northern Illinois)
Key starters expected to leave: G Logan Parr, WR Jordan Hudson, WR Romello Brinson, RB T.J. Harden, RB Chris Johnson Jr., DL Jeffrey M’ba, S Isaiah Nwokobia, S Ahmaad Moses, DE Isaiah Smith, DE Cameron Robertson
Key additions: DE Marques White (UMass), S Jimmy Wyrick (UTSA), WR Jalen Hale (Alabama), RB Kendrick Raphael (Cal), TE Randy Pittman Jr. (Florida State), DE Ira Singleton (USF), Yannick Smith (East Carolina)
Key additions: DE John Henry Daley (Utah), CB Smith Snowden (Utah), DL Jonah Lea’ea (Utah), TE JJ Buchanan (Utah), S Chris Bracy (Memphis), LB Max Alford (BYU), RB Taylor Tatum (Oklahoma), WR Salesi Moa (Utah), WR Jaime Ffrench Jr. (Texas)
Key starters expected to leave: RB Kaytron Allen, RB Nicholas Singleton, QB Drew Allar, DT Zane Durant, DE Dani Dennis-Sutton, S Zakee Wheatley, LB Amare Campbell, G Olaivavega Ioane, CB A.J. Harris
2026 outlook: The greatest turnaround in college football history culminated with Indiana winning its first national championship Monday night. Now, the Hoosiers will have to replace Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner, and several key players coach Curt Cignetti brought with him from James Madison. The Hoosiers signed 53 transfers over the past two seasons, and they’re bringing in at least a dozen more this year. Hoover, who started 31 games for the Horned Frogs, could be elite if he cuts down on turnovers. Richard was an important addition with Hemby and Kaelon Black moving on. IU has a handful of other starters, including receiver Omar Cooper Jr., cornerback D’Angelo Ponds and left tackle Carter Smith, who might depart for the NFL. The Hoosiers are losing a lot, but it seems foolish to doubt Cignetti at this point.
2026 outlook: After missing the CFP, the Longhorns are going all-in for 2026, which might be quarterback Arch Manning’s final college season. After a slow start, Manning had a solid campaign in his first season as a starter, throwing for 3,163 yards with 26 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. The Longhorns added Coleman, the No. 1 receiver in the portal, to start opposite Ryan Wingo. Texas ranked 90th in the FBS in rushing in 2025, averaging 137.8 yards per game. The Longhorns have to become more physical on offense, which starts up front, and getting star tackle Trevor Goosby back will help. Brown and Smothers were upgrades in the backfield. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian fired defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and brought in former UT coach-in-waiting Will Muschamp, who was instrumental in helping Georgia win back-to-back CFP national titles in 2021 and 2022.
2026 outlook: The Bulldogs were the second-youngest team in the SEC in 2025, but coach Kirby Smart still managed to win the program’s second straight SEC title and reached the CFP again. Georgia is going to need young receivers such as Talyn Taylor and CJ Wiley to produce with Branch, Noah Thomas, Colbie Young and Dillon Bell leaving. The offensive line should be very good again, even with Freeling entering the NFL draft. Getting tailback Nate Frazier to re-sign was important. The Bulldogs needed to revamp their secondary, especially at safety, and they did that by adding Barnes, Riddle, Williams and cornerback Braylon Conley (USC). The Bulldogs will play only four games outside the state of Georgia in 2026: at Arkansas, Alabama, Ole Miss and South Carolina.
2026 outlook: For all the good Dan Lanning has done in four seasons as Oregon’s coach — and there has been plenty with a 48-8 record — it still seems like the Ducks are trying to get over the hump in the CFP. The Ducks got a major boost for doing that in 2026 when quarterback Dante Moore, considered a potential No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, decided to return for another season. Lanning will have two new coordinators after Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi left to become the head coach at Kentucky and Cal, respectively. Lanning promoted Drew Mehringer to offensive coordinator and Chris Hampton to defensive coordinator. The Ducks should be solid on defense after All-Big Ten selections A’Mauri Washington, Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti decided to return, along with defensive tackle Bear Alexander. Newcomer Perich was one of the best safeties in the FBS as a true freshman last season.
2026 outlook: After Texas Tech’s No. 1-ranked transfer portal class helped it win its first outright conference title since 1955, the Red Raiders went back into the portal to reload, which figures to happen every season as long as there’s natural gas and oil in the Lonestar State. Sorsby was the biggest pickup, after Tech’s offense flopped in a 23-0 loss to Oregon in the CFP Quarterfinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl. Running backs Cameron Dickey and J’Koby Williams are returning, and the Red Raiders grabbed a trio of speedy receivers out of the portal. The losses on defense are enormous, starting with Bailey, Hunter and Height up front. Ibirogba was ESPN’s No. 1-rated interior defensive linemen, and White and Trick were highly ranked on the edge. The Red Raiders will be counting on Romaine to fill in for the irreplaceable Rodriguez.
2026 outlook: After reaching the CFP National Championship, the Hurricanes are losing many of their best players. It seemed like they’d take a step back in 2026, but then Duke quarterback Darian Mensah went into the transfer portal at the 11th hour. He threw for 3,973 yards with 34 touchdowns and 6 interceptions as a sophomore. He would be a Heisman Trophy favorite running coordinator Shannon Dawson’s offense if he ends up in Miami. Getting tailback Mark Fletcher Jr. to return, along with star receiver Malachi Toney, will help. The losses on the defensive line are significant, with Bain and Mesidor both projected as potential first-round picks in the NFL draft. Toure, Bissainthe and Thomas were the team’s leading tacklers going into Monday night’s game.