Preseason projections for the 2026 College Football Playoff heavily favor Ohio State, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Oregon or Texas as the leading candidates for the top four seeds, which go to the highest-ranked conference champions and earn first-round byes. Ohio State enters as the consensus frontrunner after a strong 2025 campaign and roster continuity under Ryan Day, while Notre Dame benefits from motivation after controversially missing the prior playoff. Georgia maintains SEC dominance expectations, and Big Ten depth plus ACC or Big 12 contenders like Miami or Indiana add variability. Key upcoming factors include early-season results, quarterback play, and strength-of-schedule tests that could shift the committee's view before conference title games.