Bill Connelly defends preseason rankings despite SMU coach Rhett Lashlee's criticism, noting their usefulness for discussion and early game focus. SP+ projections, based on prior seasons, returning production, and recruiting, remain reasonably accurate. Last year, seven of the top-15 projected teams finished within one regular-season win of their August projections. Six teams—Georgia, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, and Texas A&M—overachieved by at least 1.4 wins, largely due to strong one-score game records. Clemson and Penn State underachieved, going 2-8 in close finishes.

The final preseason SP+ rankings offer early projections for 2026. SP+ is a tempo- and opponent-adjusted efficiency measure, not a résumé ranking. It provides a predictive baseline for the season. Notable Week 0 games include TCU over North Carolina in Dublin and UNLV over Memphis. Week 1 features LSU over Clemson and Ole Miss over Louisville.

Week 2 highlights include Ohio State over Texas and Michigan over Oklahoma. The Texas-Ohio State matchup is particularly significant for CFP implications, with both teams facing tough schedules. SP+ diverges from the coaches poll on several Big 12 teams, ranking BYU, Utah, and Houston lower than conventional wisdom suggests. Ole Miss is also ranked lower in SP+ due to personnel turnover.