Preseason hype is officially here, which means somebody is going to be ranked way too high.
Every year, a few teams enter the season riding their brand name, offseason additions or last year’s record—only for reality to hit once the games start. Heading into 2026, these five teams stand out as some of the biggest candidates to disappoint.
Alabama
Alabama might still have the logo, talent and expectations, but the Crimson Tide lost a ton where it matters most: the trenches. Several key offensive and defensive linemen departed for the NFL Draft, leaving major questions on both sides of the ball.
Alabama will reload with talent because it always does, but replacing NFL-caliber linemen isn’t automatic. If the Tide can’t control the line of scrimmage like usual, this could be a much more vulnerable team than the preseason hype suggests.
Texas A&M
How much should we really trust what Texas A&M accomplished last season?
The Aggies benefited from a favorable schedule and weren’t consistently forced to prove themselves against elite competition. Now expectations are much higher, and simply beating up on mediocre teams won’t be enough.
Until A&M proves it can consistently win against the SEC’s best, I’m not buying them as a legitimate national championship contender.
Clemson
At some point, Clemson’s reputation has to stop carrying so much weight.
The Tigers were once one of the two or three most feared programs in college football, but the last four or five seasons have been well below the standard Dabo Swinney created. Clemson can still win plenty of games, especially in the ACC, but this isn’t the Clemson of 2015-20 anymore.
Until the Tigers prove otherwise, ranking them like an elite national contender feels more based on the past than the present.
Tennessee
Tennessee always seems dangerous until a ranked opponent shows up.
The Volunteers have enough talent and offensive firepower to generate hype, but the biggest question remains whether they can consistently beat good teams. Too often, Tennessee looks great against weaker opponents before struggling when the competition improves.
If the Vols want to be taken seriously as a playoff threat, they have to start winning the games that actually define their season.
Penn State
Penn State might be the most interesting team on this list.
Matt Campbell arriving with several of his former Iowa State players gives the Nittany Lions a new identity and plenty of reasons for optimism. Campbell built Iowa State into a respected program, but Penn State isn’t asking him to simply be competitive.
The expectation is to compete for Big Ten championships and national titles.
Can Campbell and his Iowa State core immediately beat programs like Oregon and Ohio State at the highest level? Maybe—but until we see it, Penn State’s preseason hype deserves some skepticism.
These teams could absolutely prove everyone wrong. But entering 2026, each has enough questions to make their preseason expectations feel a little too high.
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