CFB Power Rankings

Projected

Team Def · FBS · 2026 projection · season-sim wins + SP+ strength + CFP odds

Team Overall Team Off Team Def QB RB WR TE EDGE DL LB DB K

Season2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021

Team Power · FBS

2026

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#▼	Team	Conf · Range	Proj W	Net	Off	Def	CFP%	Natty%
Tier · Elite
1	Ohio State	Big Ten · 8–11W	9.5	30.0	37.5	7.7	83.2	17.5
2	Indiana	Big Ten · 8–11W	9.6	29.4	37.8	9.9	89.0	27.6
3	Texas Tech	Big 12 · 9–12W	10.2	25.2	36.9	12.3	92.1	15.8
4	Oklahoma	SEC · 6–10W	7.9	18.1	29.9	12.9	15.8	0.3
5	Oregon	Big Ten · 8–11W	9.6	25.8	38.6	13.5	79.3	8.9
6	Iowa	Big Ten · 6–10W	8.3	19.7	32.1	14.2	25.1	0.6
7	Miami	ACC · 8–11W	9.7	17.8	31.3	14.3	75.1	3.2
8	Georgia	SEC · 8–11W	9.9	24.1	37.0	14.8	81.8	6.6
9	Washington	Big Ten · 6–9W	7.6	18.4	34.5	15.3	11.1	0.2
10	Missouri	SEC · 4–8W	6.3	11.9	28.7	15.4	1.5	0.0
Tier · Strong
11	Alabama	SEC · 5–9W	7.5	12.0	29.4	16.1	8.6	0.0
12	LSU	SEC · 5–9W	6.5	7.3	22.8	16.1	1.0	0.0
13	Notre Dame	FBS Independents · 9–12W	10.5	24.1	39.7	16.3	93.1	8.8
14	Texas A&M	SEC · 7–11W	8.8	20.6	37.9	16.4	41.5	1.1
15	Michigan	Big Ten · 6–9W	7.5	12.4	30.9	17.0	4.1	0.0
16	Auburn	SEC · 5–8W	6.5	8.6	25.3	17.4	1.0	0.0
17	Utah	Big 12 · 8–11W	9.6	22.2	39.7	17.5	70.8	3.5
18	Texas	SEC · 6–9W	7.5	16.2	32.9	17.9	9.2	0.1
19	Virginia	ACC · 7–10W	8.4	10.8	28.5	18.1	14.3	0.1
20	Ole Miss	SEC · 7–10W	8.6	23.5	39.9	18.3	47.2	3.4
21	Toledo	Mid-American · 7–11W	9.1	5.7	25.5	18.5	26.2	0.0
22	Penn State	Big Ten · 7–11W	9.1	15.1	32.1	18.8	41.9	0.9
23	BYU	Big 12 · 6–10W	8.2	15.9	33.9	18.8	19.1	0.1
24	Clemson	ACC · 6–10W	8.0	6.9	24.9	18.9	6.8	0.0
25	SMU	ACC · 7–10W	8.6	13.4	34.2	19.5	22.4	0.1
Tier · Average
26	Arizona	Big 12 · 6–9W	7.5	11.9	32.9	19.5	4.8	0.1
27	Iowa State	Big 12 · 5–9W	6.6	6.9	25.1	19.5	1.1	0.0
28	San Diego State	Pac-12 · 5–9W	7.1	6.7	24.4	19.6	2.4	0.0
29	Louisville	ACC · 6–10W	7.6	12.2	31.4	19.8	8.9	0.0
30	Northwestern	Big Ten · 4–8W	5.8	5.8	24.4	20.0	0.0	0.0
31	South Carolina	SEC · 4–8W	6.1	5.9	24.6	20.2	0.1	0.0
32	Washington State	Pac-12 · 4–8W	6.3	3.0	23.8	20.5	0.2	0.0
33	Minnesota	Big Ten · 4–8W	5.6	1.5	23.8	20.8	0.0	0.0
34	Wake Forest	ACC · 4–8W	5.8	5.0	25.9	20.9	0.1	0.0
35	Wisconsin	Big Ten · 3–7W	5.4	-4.6	17.2	20.9	0.0	0.0
36	USC	Big Ten · 7–10W	8.6	16.8	38.8	21.0	25.6	0.2
37	Fresno State	Pac-12 · 4–8W	6.2	1.3	22.5	21.1	0.1	0.0
38	Florida State	ACC · 5–9W	7.1	7.1	29.2	21.2	1.9	0.0
39	Vanderbilt	SEC · 6–10W	8.3	20.3	39.9	21.4	26.3	0.7
40	James Madison	Sun Belt · 7–11W	8.9	9.4	32.0	21.4	34.8	0.1
41	Illinois	Big Ten · 6–9W	7.5	12.9	33.3	21.7	5.2	0.0
42	Western Michigan	Mid-American · 5–9W	7.4	-1.6	21.5	21.8	0.9	0.0
43	Florida	SEC · 3–7W	5.0	0.7	21.7	22.6	0.1	0.0
44	Arizona State	Big 12 · 4–8W	6.1	2.0	26.4	22.7	0.3	0.0
45	Nebraska	Big Ten · 4–7W	5.7	4.0	26.6	22.7	0.1	0.0
46	Houston	Big 12 · 6–9W	7.6	7.4	31.5	23.0	2.6	0.0
47	Pittsburgh	ACC · 5–9W	7.4	7.3	30.5	23.5	3.5	0.0
48	Old Dominion	Sun Belt · 5–9W	7.5	3.0	28.7	23.7	4.6	0.0
49	Kentucky	SEC · 3–6W	4.4	-0.9	22.8	23.7	0.0	0.0
50	TCU	Big 12 · 5–9W	6.7	5.3	29.9	23.9	0.8	0.0
51	East Carolina	American Athletic · 6–10W	7.7	5.0	29.6	24.0	5.9	0.0
52	UCF	Big 12 · 3–7W	5.4	-4.2	20.2	24.0	0.0	0.0
53	Army	American Athletic · 5–9W	7.2	0.8	24.7	24.1	1.1	0.0
54	Miami (OH)	Mid-American · 6–9W	7.5	-3.4	19.3	24.2	0.7	0.0
55	Maryland	Big Ten · 3–7W	5.0	0.5	24.3	24.7	0.0	0.0
56	Wyoming	Mountain West · 3–7W	4.8	-14.0	12.6	24.7	0.0	0.0
57	Georgia Tech	ACC · 5–9W	7.3	8.9	32.1	24.9	3.0	0.0
58	Kansas State	Big 12 · 6–10W	7.5	7.0	31.3	25.0	2.6	0.0
59	North Carolina	ACC · 2–5W	3.5	-9.6	14.2	25.0	0.0	0.0
60	Boise State	Pac-12 · 4–8W	6.4	3.1	29.1	25.1	0.2	0.0
61	Ohio	Mid-American · 5–9W	6.7	-7.0	20.2	25.2	0.2	0.0
62	South Florida	American Athletic · 7–11W	9.1	8.6	34.7	25.3	30.9	0.1
63	Tennessee	SEC · 6–10W	8.0	14.9	39.2	25.4	13.7	0.1
64	NC State	ACC · 5–9W	7.4	4.8	31.4	25.5	1.9	0.0
65	Central Michigan	Mid-American · 4–8W	6.2	-8.8	17.6	25.7	0.0	0.0
Tier · Below Avg
66	New Mexico	Mountain West · 6–9W	7.6	0.9	25.4	26.1	1.5	0.0
67	Cincinnati	Big 12 · 3–7W	5.1	1.6	27.3	26.4	0.0	0.0
68	Louisiana Tech	Sun Belt · 5–8W	6.5	-1.7	25.2	27.0	0.3	0.0
69	Hawai'i	Mountain West · 6–10W	7.9	1.2	26.8	27.3	3.3	0.0
70	Buffalo	Mid-American · 5–8W	6.5	-7.5	18.2	27.4	0.0	0.0
71	Tulane	American Athletic · 6–9W	7.6	6.3	32.4	27.6	4.5	0.0
72	Navy	American Athletic · 6–10W	7.8	6.2	33.6	27.9	7.1	0.0
73	California	ACC · 4–8W	5.7	-3.2	25.6	27.9	0.0	0.0
74	Northern Illinois	Mountain West · 3–6W	4.5	-16.7	12.0	28.1	0.0	0.0
75	Memphis	American Athletic · 6–10W	7.8	7.4	34.1	28.3	6.1	0.0
76	UConn	FBS Independents · 6–10W	7.8	5.0	31.9	28.5	2.7	0.0
77	Kansas	Big 12 · 5–9W	7.3	4.1	30.9	28.5	1.5	0.0
78	North Texas	American Athletic · 6–10W	8.1	10.8	40.1	28.6	16.9	0.1
79	Western Kentucky	Conference USA · 6–9W	7.4	1.6	28.8	28.6	0.9	0.0
80	Stanford	ACC · 2–6W	3.7	-12.7	17.5	28.6	0.0	0.0
81	Nevada	Mountain West · 3–7W	4.9	-13.4	14.2	28.7	0.0	0.0
82	Michigan State	Big Ten · 2–6W	3.8	-5.0	25.0	28.7	0.0	0.0
83	Bowling Green	Mid-American · 4–7W	5.5	-13.1	14.9	28.8	0.0	0.0
84	Troy	Sun Belt · 5–9W	6.7	-4.8	23.6	29.0	0.1	0.0
85	Mississippi State	SEC · 3–7W	5.1	4.1	31.6	29.0	0.0	0.0
86	Duke	ACC · 4–8W	5.8	3.6	31.8	29.2	0.2	0.0
87	Akron	Mid-American · 3–7W	5.0	-13.9	17.2	29.3	0.0	0.0
88	Colorado	Big 12 · 2–6W	4.3	-8.8	22.1	29.5	0.0	0.0
89	UNLV	Mountain West · 6–10W	7.6	1.3	30.8	29.8	4.4	0.0
90	Purdue	Big Ten · 2–6W	3.9	-6.6	21.4	29.9	0.0	0.0
91	UTSA	American Athletic · 6–9W	7.5	3.7	33.3	30.0	2.5	0.0
92	West Virginia	Big 12 · 3–7W	4.8	-8.1	21.5	30.0	0.0	0.0
93	Kennesaw State	Conference USA · 4–8W	6.1	-8.4	23.4	30.2	0.1	0.0
94	UCLA	Big Ten · 3–7W	4.6	-9.0	21.4	30.4	0.0	0.0
95	Rutgers	Big Ten · 4–7W	5.6	-1.9	28.7	30.7	0.0	0.0
96	Virginia Tech	ACC · 3–7W	5.1	-10.2	21.3	30.8	0.0	0.0
97	Oregon State	Pac-12 · 2–6W	4.0	-16.3	16.6	30.8	0.0	0.0
98	Utah State	Pac-12 · 3–6W	4.6	-3.1	29.5	31.2	0.0	0.0
99	Arkansas	SEC · 3–6W	4.5	2.5	33.2	31.4	0.0	0.0
100	Oklahoma State	Big 12 · 2–5W	3.2	-17.4	12.9	31.6	0.0	0.0
Tier · Poor
101	Air Force	Mountain West · 6–10W	7.9	-3.2	28.3	31.7	1.1	0.0
102	Jacksonville State	Conference USA · 5–9W	7.2	-6.7	27.2	32.4	0.3	0.0
103	Liberty	Conference USA · 5–9W	7.3	-9.5	24.1	32.8	0.2	0.0
104	Southern Miss	Sun Belt · 3–7W	5.5	-7.1	27.0	32.8	0.0	0.0
105	Colorado State	Pac-12 · 2–5W	3.5	-17.7	15.5	32.9	0.0	0.0
106	Syracuse	ACC · 2–5W	3.4	-14.3	17.6	33.0	0.0	0.0
107	Tulsa	American Athletic · 3–7W	5.1	-10.6	21.1	33.1	0.0	0.0
108	Boston College	ACC · 2–6W	3.9	-10.4	21.4	33.1	0.0	0.0
109	Temple	American Athletic · 3–7W	4.9	-5.1	27.1	33.2	0.0	0.0
110	Baylor	Big 12 · 4–8W	5.8	1.4	32.8	33.3	0.1	0.0
111	Arkansas State	Sun Belt · 4–8W	6.0	-11.8	21.4	33.5	0.0	0.0
112	Rice	American Athletic · 1–5W	3.0	-17.7	14.8	33.9	0.0	0.0
113	Louisiana	Sun Belt · 5–9W	6.8	-10.3	25.1	34.0	0.1	0.0
114	Eastern Michigan	Mid-American · 4–8W	6.1	-14.7	19.4	34.1	0.0	0.0
115	San José State	Mountain West · 3–7W	5.0	-17.0	18.9	34.4	0.0	0.0
116	Ball State	Mid-American · 3–6W	4.4	-23.1	13.3	34.4	0.0	0.0
117	Texas State	Pac-12 · 4–8W	6.1	2.3	36.6	34.6	0.0	0.0
118	Marshall	Sun Belt · 6–9W	7.5	-4.6	29.5	34.8	0.4	0.0
119	Missouri State	Conference USA · 3–7W	5.2	-10.7	25.6	34.8	0.0	0.0
120	New Mexico State	Conference USA · 3–6W	4.4	-15.6	19.6	34.9	0.0	0.0
121	Kent State	Mid-American · 2–5W	3.5	-19.4	16.9	34.9	0.0	0.0
122	App State	Sun Belt · 3–7W	5.0	-14.2	20.2	35.2	0.0	0.0
123	UL Monroe	Sun Belt · 2–5W	3.3	-21.8	15.9	35.7	0.0	0.0
124	Florida International	Conference USA · 4–8W	6.2	-12.4	24.2	35.8	0.0	0.0
125	South Alabama	Sun Belt · 4–7W	5.5	-12.7	25.4	36.0	0.0	0.0
126	Delaware	Conference USA · 3–7W	5.3	-10.9	26.2	36.2	0.0	0.0
127	UTEP	Mountain West · 2–5W	3.3	-20.5	17.2	36.3	0.0	0.0
128	Middle Tennessee	Conference USA · 3–7W	5.2	-16.0	20.4	37.0	0.0	0.0
129	Coastal Carolina	Sun Belt · 3–7W	4.8	-17.3	21.2	37.0	0.0	0.0
130	Georgia Southern	Sun Belt · 3–7W	5.2	-12.1	25.6	37.7	0.0	0.0
131	Florida Atlantic	American Athletic · 3–7W	4.8	-8.7	27.8	38.1	0.0	0.0
132	UAB	American Athletic · 2–6W	4.1	-15.8	25.5	39.8	0.0	0.0
133	Charlotte	American Athletic · 1–4W	2.7	-27.1	14.1	39.8	0.0	0.0
134	Georgia State	Sun Belt · 2–6W	4.3	-25.7	17.4	41.1	0.0	0.0
135	Sam Houston	Conference USA · 2–5W	3.5	-27.8	15.3	41.8	0.0	0.0
136	Massachusetts	Mid-American · 2–4W	3.0	-39.6	4.8	42.8	0.0	0.0
137	North Dakota State	Mountain West · 5–9W	6.9	—	—	—	0.3	0.0
138	Sacramento State	Mid-American · 4–7W	5.1	—	—	—	0.0	0.0

Projected defensive strength — SP+ defense (lower = better).