What is Notre Dame’s mindset after missing out on CFP? (2:19)Heather Dinich reports on how Notre Dame is feeling heading into the 2026 season after missing out on the College Football Playoff. (2:19)
As spring football continues, teams are able to better assess what they expect to rely on and where they need to improve by the time the season begins this fall. Unlike recent seasons, there is no spring transfer portal to make roster adjustments that might address any shortcomings.
We asked our college football reporters where the teams in our updated Way-Too-Early Top 25 stand at this point, with some springs games already played and others right around the corner.
Strength: Offensive triplets. Last year, quarterback Julian Sayin was a Heisman finalist in his first season as the starter. Running back Bo Jackson rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a true freshman. And wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, well, he remains the most complete receiver in college football.
Weakness: Offensive line. The Buckeyes return four starters on the offensive line, including second-team All-Big Ten selections Austin Siereveld and Luke Montgomery. But this was a group that got pushed around by Indiana in the Big Ten championship game and by Miami in the playoff — both defeats. For Ohio State to win the national championship, this group has to be better when it matters most. — Jake Trotter
Strength: Defensive front. The easy answer would be quarterback play with Dante Moore forgoing the NFL draft and returning to Eugene, but the Ducks’ defensive front might actually be an even bigger strength heading into the 2026 season. Linemen A’Mauri Washington, Bear Alexander, Matayo Uiagalelei and Teitum Tuioti all decided to come back for one more season, giving Oregon one of the best, if not the best, defensive fronts in the sport.
Strength: Defensive experience. Nine of the top tacklers from 2025 return, including safety Adon Shuler (53 tackles) and cornerback Leonard Moore (31). The Irish also have a veteran secondary and an elite group of linebackers. DT Francis Brewu (Pittsburgh) and DL Keon Keeley (Alabama) were important transfer portal additions on the defensive line. With some key veterans recovering from injuries, this unit should be one of the best in the country this fall.
Strength: Defensive line. New defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will turn these rushers loose, and Colin Simmons already led the SEC in sacks with 12 last year. Lance Jackson, one of the nation’s top recruits last year, will step up alongside him, along with senior Brad Spence. The DTs got a boost with Arkansas transfer Ian Geffrard (6-foot-6, 370 pounds).
Weakness: Offensive line. The offensive line was a work in progress last season, but moving some pieces around helped them settle in. This year could be similar. Two starters, Cole Hutson and DJ Campbell, graduated and five other O-linemen left via the transfer portal. Wake Forest transfer Melvin Siani and Western Kentucky guard Laurence Seymore are expected to start. — Dave Wilson
Strength: Offensive line. A year ago, Indiana complemented holdover linemen with several smart portal moves to elevate the overall group. The Hoosiers still have tackle Carter Smith, the 2025 Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year, while center Bray Lynch and guard Drew Evans enter their third seasons as starters. IU also added Wisconsin’s Joe Brunner, who started the past two seasons at guard.
Weakness: Cornerback. Coach Curt Cignetti has done a masterful job filling roster gaps at IU, but the team undoubtedly will miss D’Angelo Ponds, a two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and first-team All-American who sizzled during the team’s national title run. Jamari Sharpe (of the national title-winning interception) and others return, but Ponds leaves a significant coverage void in the back end. — Adam Rittenberg
Strength: Running back. Miami returns its top four running backs from its national championship run, starting with senior Mark Fletcher Jr., who turned down the NFL for one more year with the Hurricanes. Fletcher helped power Miami’s playoff run, using his blend of speed and power to not only bulldoze over defenders but outrun them. Of his 1,192 yards, 507 came in CFP games. Just as important was getting backups CharMar Brown, Girard Pringle Jr. and Jordan Lyle to return.
Strength: Running back. Cameron Dickey and J’Koby Williams each enjoyed spectacular sophomore seasons with the Red Raiders, producing a combined 2,882 all-purpose yards and 25 touchdowns in 2025. If touted former USC transfer Quinten Joyner can return to form after missing last season with a torn ACL, Tech should have one of the most dynamic running back trios in college football.
Strength: Receivers. The Aggies lose KC Concepcion, a likely first-round NFL draft pick, but are deeper this year, adding the 6-4 Isaiah Horton from Alabama alongside last year’s breakout star Mario Craver. Ashton Bethel-Roman and Terry Bussey are both expected to take big leaps and a freshman class led by Aaron Gregory has impressed in spring.
Weakness: Inexperience at linebacker. The Aggies have talent at linebacker, just not much experience. Three-year starter Taurean York is gone, as is Scooby Williams. Daymion Sanford returns, but will have two new starters alongside him, with Ray Coney arriving from Tulsa, where he had 128 tackles last year, and sophomore Noah Mikhail playing a bigger role. — Dave Wilson
Weakness: Offensive line. This was a weak spot a year ago, and to fix it, Lane Kiffin went into the portal — headlining the pickups with Colorado tackle Jordan Seaton. In all, LSU returns two starters and added 11 players to try to overhaul this entire unit. On the offensive line in particular, it is important to find a group that has chemistry right away but expect mixing and matching throughout the spring to find the best rotation to improve this group. — Andrea Adelson
Strength: Running game. In LJ Martin, the Cougars have a running back who is expected to be among the national leaders in rushing yards. But the ground game is more than him. QB Bear Bachmeier also proved to be a more than capable ball carrier as a true freshman and that tandem is where BYU’s offense will be built around.
Weakness: Receiver. There just isn’t much in the way of depth here. Jojo Phillips might be the team’s top receiver and he made just 24 catches over the past two seasons. Kyler Kasper also is expected to play a significant role, and in four seasons at Oregon, he made just six catches while fighting injuries. — Kyle Bonagura
Strength: Running game. The Wolverines lost starting running back Justice Haynes to Georgia Tech, but the rushing attack should remain prolific. Jordan Marshall is back after running for 932 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 6.2 yards per carry last year. Michigan added Savion Hiter, the nation’s No. 2 running back recruit. Quarterback Bryce Underwood can be electric with his legs too.
Weakness: Pass catchers. Andrew Marsh barely played until October as a true freshman last year and still led the Wolverines with 45 receptions and 651 yards. Keeping the promising Marsh in Ann Arbor was a big win for new coach Kyle Whittingham. But otherwise, the Wolverines will be relying heavily on transfers JJ Buchanan (Utah) and Jaime Ffrench Jr. (Texas) to give them much-needed production. — Jake Trotter
Strength: Continuity. Matt Campbell brought 25 transfers with him from Iowa State, which will make the transition easier, especially with veteran quarterback Rocco Becht leading the offense. Becht started all 12 games for the Cyclones last year and completed 205 of 339 passes for 2,584 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also had 116 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.
Strength: Defense. The 11 guys Kalen DeBoer puts out there to defend should have the Tide feeling confident every Saturday. The defensive backfield should be one of the best in college football. Yhonzae Pierre, the team’s leading pass rusher, is back, and despite some key losses at linebacker, new faces such as Caleb Woodson (Virginia Tech) and five-star freshman Xavier Griffin bring optimism. Unsurprisingly, there’s talent — and depth — all over.
Strength: Quarterback. There is a reason so much was made of would-be transfer drama that surrounded quarterback Demond Williams Jr.: He’s a difference-maker. Williams has a chance to be among the best quarterbacks in college football this season, which, of course, is the best possible strength any team can have.
Weakness: Punter. Last year, the Huskies had a punting problem. Oregon transfer Luke Dunne handled the duties, averaging 34.59 net yards per punt, which ranked No. 138 among the 141 FBS punters with at least 15 punts last season. The assumption is Hunter Green — a transfer from San Diego State, where he was second-team All-Mountain West last season — will win the job, but this will remain a concern until proven otherwise. — Kyle Bonagura
Strength: Quarterback. Devon Dampier’s arrival in Salt Lake City represented the return of a functioning offense for the Utes. This year, Dampier will have to prove he can do it with a new playcaller, but there is no denying the talent. Plus, electric backup Byrd Ficklin is a change-of-pace weapon that should have an even bigger role in 2026.
Weakness: Receivers. The early buzz out of spring practice is that Utah expects its receiving corps to be much deeper than usual, but until optimism translates into production, this is a spot where Utah’s prolonged lack of standout receiver play remains a concern. Braden Pegan (Utah State) and Kyri Shoels (San José State) are coming off good seasons in the Mountain West. — Kyle Bonagura
Strength: Running back. Iowa could end up having one of the nation’s best running back tandems in 2026. The Hawkeyes return Kamari Moulton, who led the team with 878 rushing yards in 2025, and add South Dakota transfer Lendon Phillips Jr., an FCS All-America selection who led the nation with 1,921 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns last season.