Top preseason contenders for an undefeated 2026 season include Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia, Texas, Notre Dame, and Indiana, with Texas Tech also drawing attention in the Big 12 due to a relatively favorable schedule. Ohio State and Oregon enter as consensus leaders with elite returning talent and depth at key positions like quarterback, while Notre Dame benefits from schedule flexibility as an independent. Indiana faces the challenge of repeating success after its 2025 national title run. Undefeated campaigns remain rare given the expanded playoff era, grueling conference slates, transfer portal volatility, and injury risks across a 12- to 15-game season. Recent roster evaluations and early rankings highlight how even top programs project at least one loss in most simulations.