‘Fear Arch Manning’ 👀 USC a CFP sleeper, can Indiana repeat as National Champions, Notre Dame | FTF
FOX Sports CFB analyst RJ Young joins First Things First to discuss his 138 CFB rankings, along with Indiana’s odds of repeating as National Champions. He then breaks down what is stopping Notre Dame from winning it all, along with the Big Ten’s new rule regarding players returning to CFB from the NFL. RJ then explains why Arch Manning will live up to the hype, along with how the 2026 season will be the most competitive year in CFB history. He also unveils his dark horse National Championship Winner. (00:00) Intro
(00:26) RJ’s 138 CFB Rankings
(01:29) Indiana Going Back-to-Back?
(02:34) Notre Dame’s Limitations
(03:50) Big Ten’s New Rule
(06:40) Will Arch Live Up to Hype?
(08:00) Most Competitive CFB Season Ever?
(10:44) Dark Horse National Championship Winner
With college football beginning in earnest this Saturday, many fans are anxiously awaiting to see how the chips will fall in a wide open season in 2026.
Sure, on paper, there is a clear delineation between the teams who have everything to win a national championship and the rest of the field, but as they always say, “paper never played a football game.”
With that in mind, I wanted to take a look at some of my favorite sleeper teams from each Power 4 conference.
PREDICTING EACH POWER 4 CONFERENCE CHAMPION AHEAD OF THE 2026 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON
I already discussed who I think is going to win each conference, but what about the teams no one sees coming that could upset the established order.
These aren’t necessarily teams that I would put money on to win their respective conferences, but they are certainly could if things break the right way.
Let’s take a look at some power conference teams who are flying under the radar this season.
ACC – Virginia Tech Hokies
Virginia Tech defensive lineman Ben Bell (33) tackles Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney (10) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Blacksburg, Virginia. (AP Photo/Robert Simmons)
I wrote an entire article about how shocked I was to see the Hokies not in the preseason top-25, and I was even more shocked to see they were projected to finish 8th in the ACC.
I understand it hasn’t exactly been a bed of roses for Virginia Tech since legendary coach Frank Beamer retired, but the Hokies — at least to my eye — have everything they need to finish in the upper echelon of the ACC this season.
For starters, landing head coach James Franklin was an absolute coup.
RANKING THE TEN BEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHES IN THE COUNTRY AHEAD OF THE 2026 SEASON
I know I haven’t been the most vocal defender of Franklin, but I still think he’s a hell of a coach who will benefit from a change of scenery and a slightly less competitive conference.
The Hokies also rank top-five in the country in returning production and will feature Franklin’s handpicked signal caller Ethan Grunkemeyer under center.
Grunkemeyer was forced into action after Penn State starter Drew Allar was lost for the season midway through 2025, and that experience will be invaluable for Virginia Tech this season.
A soft start to their schedule could provide the perfect “ramp up” into the meat of their slate in late October, and I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see the Hokies push teams like SMU and Louisville for that silver medal spot in the ACC this year.
Big 12 – Houston Cougars
Houston Cougars running back Stacy Sneed (21) runs with the ball as Rice Owls cornerback Khary Crump (12) attempts to make a tackle during the first quarter at Rice Stadium on Sept. 6, 2025. (Troy Taormina/Imagn Images)
Everyone knows about Texas Tech and the stockpile of talent they have out in Lubbock, but I’m keeping my eye on another team on the opposite end of the Lone Star State to make some noise in the Big 12.
I’m surprised I haven’t heard more about the Cougars during the preseason hype sessions, considering they won 10 games and finished in the top-25 last season, but perhaps this is right where they want to be.
Houston has all the ingredients to challenge the Red Raiders for the conference crown, including a great coach in Willie Fritz, an ascending defense, and one of the most experienced rosters in the Big 12 heading into 2026.
A massive early-season showdown looms between the Cougars and the Red Raiders in September, and if Houston is able to keep that game close or even win it, it could be the statement they need to let everyone know they are for real.
Other than the aforementioned date with Texas Tech, Houston avoids many of the other heavy hitters in the Big 12, including BYU and both Arizona schools, so another 10-win season could be in the books in H-Town.
Big Ten – Washington Huskies
Demond Williams Jr. of the Washington Huskies passes against the Oregon Ducks during the first half at Husky Stadium on Nov. 29, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
I think the world of Washington head coach Jedd Fisch, and even wanted him to replace Billy Napier at Florida before Jon Sumrall was hired, so it’s no surprise I believe he and the Huskies could achieve big things this year.
Looking at Fisch’s trajectory, both at Arizona and now at Washington, will give fans a glimpse into what they could expect from the Huskies in 2026.
THREE TEAMS RANKED OUTSIDE THE TOP-12 OF THE COACHES POLL WHO WILL MAKE THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF
The Wildcats went from one win to five wins to 10 wins in three seasons under Fisch, and the current Washington head coach had win totals of six and nine in his first two seasons in Seattle, respectively.
With dynamic quarterback Demond Williams Jr. returning as well as a roster that ranks in the top-15 nationally in returning production, Fisch has all the pieces in place to make a legitimate run at a Big Ten title or, at the very least, put together a remarkable season in the Pacific Northwest.
Washington avoids Michigan and Ohio State this year and will play Penn State and Indiana at home.
A forgivable schedule could help the Huskies outperform their preseason expectations and have a lot of critics eating crow by season’s end.
SEC – Mississippi State Bulldogs
Mississippi State Bulldogs mascot Bully performs before the game against the Mississippi Rebels at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field on Nov. 28, 2025. (Petre Thomas/Imagn Images)
As far as SEC sleepers go, I’ve seen plenty of love for programs like South Carolina, Auburn, and even Kentucky, but for my money, I believe the Mississippi State Bulldogs will shock plenty of fans and media pundits alike in 2026.
Jeff Lebby enters his third season as the head coach in Starkville, and many will view his 2025 season as a failure upon first glance.
The losing record will cause many to believe the rebuild is behind schedule, but a closer look shows that the Bulldogs were a few bad bounces and missteps away from an eight-win season.
Mississippi State took both Texas and Tennessee — two top-25 teams — to overtime, and were a terrible interception in field goal range away from beating Florida in The Swamp.
The Bulldogs are a sneaky talented team, shockingly ranking in the top-20 of the 247Sports Team Talent Composite, as Lebby has done a remarkable job upgrading the personnel at Mississippi State.
Sophomore quarterback Kamario Taylor was a highly-touted player coming out of high school and will unlock Lebby’s offense with his combination of plus athleticism and uncanny arm talent.
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I’m not picking the Bulldogs to win the SEC outright, but don’t be surprised if the Cowbell Clangers are spoiling a ton of talented teams’ chance at winning the league this season.
