Preseason consensus positions Ohio State, Texas, Notre Dame, Oregon, and Georgia as the primary contenders for the top four College Football Playoff seeds, which are awarded to the highest-ranked conference champions. Ohio State and Oregon anchor the Big Ten, while Texas and Georgia compete in the loaded SEC; Notre Dame’s independent schedule offers flexibility in the rankings. ESPN’s FPI and other July-August evaluations highlight these programs’ returning talent, coaching stability, and strength of schedule as decisive factors heading into September kickoffs. Early conference title races and nonconference results will shape implied probabilities, with any injuries or upsets in the first month capable of shifting the field before the final CFP rankings.