Rankings Don't Block Tackles: A Look at the 2026 Preseason Hype

The lights are mostly off in field houses across the country right now. It is February. The turf is cold, the equipment rooms smell like industrial detergent, and the only noise you should hear is the clanking of iron in the weight room. This is the unglamorous part of the calendar where football teams are actually built.

But the media cycle doesn't do quiet. Josh Pate released his "Way-Too-Early" Top 25 for the 2026 season on Sunday, and while it makes for good conversation at the barber shop, coaches look at these lists differently. We don't see rankings; we see targets. And looking at Pate’s top three—Notre Dame, Texas, and defending champion Indiana—I see three very different logistical challenges heading into spring ball.

The Chip on the Shoulder

Pate has the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at No. 1. That is a heavy number to carry, especially for a team that didn't play a postseason snap last year. After finishing 10-2 and getting jumped by Miami for the final playoff spot, the Irish administration declined a bowl bid. They took their ball and went home.

From a culture standpoint, that is a risky gamble. You are essentially telling your locker room that anything less than the playoff isn't worth suiting up for. But it also means they have had a longer offseason than anyone else. While Indiana and Miami were banging bodies in January, CJ Carr and the Irish offense were healing up.

With Jeremiyah Love and his 1,372 rushing yards gone, the load shifts to Aneyas Williams. That transition is easier when you haven't taken a hit in three months. If they channeled that anger into the weight room, they might be dangerous. If they just stewed in it, they’ll be tight.

The Difficult Second Act

Curt Cignetti doing the unthinkable—going 16-0 and bringing a national title to Bloomington—was the story of 2025. But in this profession, the only thing harder than climbing the mountain is staying on the summit when the wind starts blowing.

Indiana is ranked No. 3, but this is not the same team. They are replacing a Heisman Trophy winner in Fernando Mendoza. You don't just plug-and-play that kind of leadership. According to the roster movement, they’ve brought in TCU transfer Josh Hoover to run the show.

Hoover is talented—he headlines the No. 1 transfer class—but quarterback chemistry is delicate. It is not just about throwing spirals; it is about knowing which lineman needs a pat on the back and which one needs a kick in the rear. Indiana has to install a new battery into a championship machine without stripping the gears.

The Learning Curve

Then there is Texas at No. 2. The Longhorns finished 10-3, but the most important stat is the game tape on Arch Manning. He struggled early. That is normal. The speed of the game from the sideline is different than the speed of the game from under center.

But Manning finished with 3,161 yards and a 26-7 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He figured out the timing. Now, with Ryan Wingo back and Auburn transfer Cam Coleman coming in to stretch the field, the logistics of the Texas offense open up. When a quarterback stops thinking about his feet and starts looking at the safety rotation, the playbook expands. Texas isn't hoping Manning is good anymore; they have proof of concept.

The Bottom Line

Rankings in February are like a game plan before the opening kickoff—it looks pretty until somebody misses a block. Notre Dame has the rest, Indiana has the trophy, and Texas has the talent. But right now, everyone is 0-0. The only thing that matters is who is winning the sprint drills when nobody is watching.