2026 College Football Predictions
My model’s projected record and win total for all 138 FBS teams, plus every conference race and the 12-team Playoff, updated every week as games are played.
Pick a conference or a team below, or jump to the college football playoff bracket.
This week’s leaderboards
Playoff odds are the share of my simulated seasons in which a team makes the 12-team field. Risers and fallers are the change in expected wins since my preseason projection.
Best playoff odds
- 1
Ohio State94% - 2
Miami94% - 3
Indiana92% - 4
Notre Dame90% - 5
Utah79% - 6
UCLA74% - 7
Kentucky69% - 8
Wake Forest64% - 9
Georgia56% - 10
BYU54%
Biggest risers since the preseason
- 1
Kentucky+5.3 - 2
Wake Forest+5.1 - 3
UCLA+5.0 - 4
Georgia State+4.9 - 5
North Texas+4.0
Biggest fallers since the preseason
- 1
Old Dominion−3.8 - 2
Oregon−3.7 - 3
Hawai'i−3.6 - 4
Kennesaw State−3.6 - 5
Navy−3.2
Get Backdoor Cover Projections every Wednesday
It’s one email every Wednesday, after the model runs. You can unsubscribe any time.
Every FBS team by conference
Projected record and playoff odds for every team, best first. Tap a team for its game-by-game outlook.
Miami11-1, 94% playoff
Wake Forest10-2, 64% playoff
SMU9-3, 13% playoff
Pittsburgh8-4, <1% playoff
Virginia Tech8-4, <1% playoff
Duke7-5, <1% playoff
Louisville7-5, <1% playoff
Clemson6-6, 0% playoff
North Carolina6-6, 1% playoff
Virginia6-6, 0% playoff
NC State6-6, 0% playoff
Boston College5-7, 0% playoff
Florida State5-7, 0% playoff
Stanford5-7, 0% playoff
Syracuse5-7, 0% playoff
California4-8, 0% playoff
Georgia Tech3-9, 0% playoff
American Athletic
American Athletic standings and title odds
UTSA9-3, 19% playoff
North Texas9-3, 17% playoff
South Florida8-4, <1% playoff
Memphis8-4, <1% playoff
Army8-4, <1% playoff
Tulsa7-5, 0% playoff
Florida Atlantic6-6, <1% playoff
UAB6-6, 0% playoff
East Carolina6-6, 0% playoff
Tulane5-7, 0% playoff
Navy5-7, 0% playoff
Temple4-8, 0% playoff
Rice2-10, 0% playoff
Charlotte2-10, 0% playoff
Utah11-1, 79% playoff
BYU10-2, 54% playoff
Houston9-3, 14% playoff
Texas Tech9-3, 13% playoff
Arizona9-3, 8% playoff
Oklahoma State8-4, 6% playoff
UCF8-4, 1% playoff
Cincinnati7-5, <1% playoff
Kansas State6-6, 0% playoff
West Virginia6-6, 0% playoff
Baylor6-6, 0% playoff
Arizona State5-7, 0% playoff
TCU5-7, 0% playoff
Kansas5-7, 0% playoff
Iowa State5-7, 0% playoff
Colorado3-9, 0% playoff
Indiana10-2, 92% playoff
UCLA10-2, 74% playoff
Ohio State10-2, 94% playoff
Wisconsin9-3, 18% playoff
Northwestern8-4, 36% playoff
Nebraska8-4, 22% playoff
Iowa8-4, 7% playoff
USC8-4, 14% playoff
Oregon7-5, 6% playoff
Penn State7-5, 0% playoff
Michigan7-5, 1% playoff
Illinois6-6, <1% playoff
Minnesota6-6, <1% playoff
Washington6-6, <1% playoff
Purdue5-7, 0% playoff
Michigan State4-8, 0% playoff
Maryland3-9, 0% playoff
Rutgers3-9, 0% playoff
Conference USA
Conference USA standings and title oddsFBS Independents
Mid-American
Mid-American standings and title odds
Toledo9-3, <1% playoff
Ohio9-3, <1% playoff
Western Michigan8-4, 0% playoff
Miami (OH)7-5, 0% playoff
Buffalo7-5, 0% playoff
Massachusetts6-6, 0% playoff
Eastern Michigan5-7, 0% playoff
Central Michigan5-7, 0% playoff
Ball State5-7, 0% playoff
Kent State4-8, 0% playoff
Bowling Green3-9, 0% playoff
Sacramento State2-10, 0% playoff
Akron2-10, 0% playoff
Mountain West
Mountain West standings and title odds
Georgia10-2, 56% playoff
Alabama9-3, 44% playoff
Kentucky9-3, 69% playoff
LSU9-3, 34% playoff
Texas8-4, 51% playoff
Ole Miss8-4, 21% playoff
Florida8-4, 9% playoff
Tennessee8-4, 4% playoff
Missouri7-5, 2% playoff
Oklahoma7-5, 4% playoff
South Carolina7-5, 1% playoff
Mississippi State7-5, <1% playoff
Auburn6-6, <1% playoff
Texas A&M6-6, 0% playoff
Arkansas4-8, 0% playoff
Vanderbilt4-8, 0% playoff
James Madison10-2, 18% playoff
Louisiana Tech8-4, 1% playoff
App State8-4, 0% playoff
Louisiana8-4, 0% playoff
Georgia State7-5, 0% playoff
Arkansas State6-6, 0% playoff
Georgia Southern6-6, 0% playoff
South Alabama6-6, 0% playoff
Marshall6-6, 0% playoff
Troy5-7, 0% playoff
Southern Miss4-8, 0% playoff
Old Dominion4-8, 0% playoff
Coastal Carolina4-8, 0% playoff
UL Monroe2-10, 0% playoff
How the model is doing. 232–205–7 against the spread (53.1%), 156–131 on totals (54.4%) and 317–127 straight up (71.4%) on every game this season, graded at DraftKings’ closing line.
Backdoor Cover Picks
Most weeks I bet a handful of the games I project. Those bets are Backdoor Cover Picks, and each one comes with a recommended unit size.
My track record is on the Track Record page.