2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season

On September 12, 2024, the Pac-12 announced that Mountain West Conference (MW) members Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State would join the Pac-12 in 2026.^[1][2] On September 24, 2024, the Pac-12 announced that another MW member, Utah State, would also join alongside the four aforementioned schools in 2026.^[3] Because Gonzaga, which also joins the Pac-12 in 2026, ^[4] does not have a football team, this would have brought the number of Pac-12 football programs to being one short of the number needed to preserve its status as an FBS conference.^[5] This addition came later.

On October 1, 2024, UTEP announced that it would join the Mountain West from Conference USA starting in 2026.^[6] This gave the MW seven full football-sponsoring members in the 2026 season; it had to add at least one more such member no later than 2028–29 to preserve its FBS status. The needed eighth member proved to be Hawaiʻi, which had been a football-only MW member since 2012. On October 14, Hawaii athletic director Craig Angelos confirmed outside reports that the school would upgrade to full MW membership in 2026.^[7] The MW officially announced this move the next day.^[8]

On January 7, 2025, the Mountain West added a ninth member in Mid-American Conference member Northern Illinois joining as a football-only affiliate.^[9]

In June 2025, it was reported that Texas State would announce its move to the Pac-12 on June 30, 2025, the last day before that school's exit fee from the Sun Belt Conference would have doubled from $5 million to $10 million.^[10] Texas State's arrival, announced that same day, marked the ninth full-time member for the Pac-12 and also the eighth and final football member required to preserve FBS status.^[11]

On July 15, 2025, the Sun Belt announced its addition of Louisiana Tech for all sports no later than July 1, 2027.^[12] Louisiana Tech and Conference USA are in a pending legal battle over their early departure to the Sun Belt by July 1, 2026.^[13]

February 2026 saw two conferences add football-only members—first the MW with 10-time FCS champion North Dakota State,^[14] and then the MAC with another FCS upgrader, Sacramento State.^[15]

The following playing rule changes were approved by the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee on March 19,2026:^[16]

• The targeting penalty (referring to the "carryover penalty" of missing the first half of the next game) will be altered for a one-year trial:
  • Players disqualified for their first targeting penalty of the season (regardless of which half it occurs) will be permitted to play the entire next game with no carryover penalty.
  • The second targeting penalty by the same player in the same season will incur the carryover penalty unless overturned on appeal to the National Coordinator of Officials. The appeal can include both the first and second targeting penalties.
  • The third or subsequent targeting penalty by the same player in the same season will incur a one-game suspension unless overturned on appeal to the National Coordinator of Officials.
• Adopt the Fair catch kick used by the NFL.
• Also mirroring the NFL rule, offensive pass interference will become a 10 yard penalty, previously this was a 15 yard penalty.
• On punts where jersey number exceptions are used (players not wearing 50-79), the snapper and two adjacent linemen on either side lined up in or touching the tackle box are ineligible receivers and become exceptions to the numbering rule when the snapper takes his position.
• Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalties will focus more on taunting, interference with game administration, and celebrations found demeaning to the game or opponent.

• March 5, 2026 – The University of Louisiana System filed suit against Conference USA (CUSA) on behalf of system member Louisiana Tech in the school's home of Lincoln Parish. The suit sought to allow the Bulldogs to leave CUSA for the Sun Belt Conference on the school's desired July 2026 schedule.^[17]
• April 8, 2026 – Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reported that the NCAA is considering a new athletic eligibility framework. Under the proposal, NCAA athletes would have five full years of eligibility, starting on their 19th birthday or high school graduation, whichever is sooner. No redshirting would be allowed, even for medical reasons. Existing eligibility waivers for military service, religious missions, or (for women) maternity leave, would not be affected.^[18]

• Northwestern will open the new Ryan Field on the site of the original Ryan Field, which had been the Wildcats' home from 1926 to 2023. The Wildcats' first game in the new stadium is scheduled for October 2, 2026 against Penn State.^[19]
• This is planned to be the final season for South Florida at Raymond James Stadium. The university is building a new on-campus stadium and plans to open it for the 2027 season.

The Regular season will begin on Saturday August 29 with Week 0.

Voters were divided in the first poll of the 2026 college football season.

Rankings through Week 8 reflect the AP poll. Rankings for Week 9 and beyond list College Football Playoff Rankings first and AP poll rankings second; teams that were not ranked in the top 10 of polls are noted.

This section lists unranked teams defeating AP Poll-ranked during the season.

The Top 25 from the AP and USA Today Coaches Polls

The College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee announced its final rankings on December 6, 2026.

The four Power Four conference champions plus the highest ranked Group of Six team, along with the seven highest ranked at-large teams, will be selected to compete in the College Football Playoff. This is a change from the 2025–26 season, when the five highest ranked conference champions earned an automatic bid regardless of what conference they were in.^{[citation needed]} The top four ranked teams will receive a first-round bye.

This is the first year that Notre Dame would receive an automatic bid if they were ranked in the top 12 during the final rankings.

Rankings in this section are based on CFP rankings released prior to the games (Week 13–December 1).

Note: Clicking on a link in the Conference column will open an article about that conference's championship game, where applicable.

For conference champions not part of the College Football Playoff.

Source:

The Heisman Trophy is given to the year's most outstanding player

The following players were recognized as consensus All-Americans for 2026. Unanimous selections are followed by an asterisk (*).

This is restricted to coaching changes taking place on or after May 1, 2026, and will include any changes announced after a team's last regularly scheduled game before it's bowl game. For coaching changes that occurred earlier in 2026, see 2025 NCAA Division I FBS end-of-season coaching coaches

All times Eastern. Rankings are from the AP Poll (before 11/4) and CFP Rankings (thereafter).

All times Eastern. Rankings are from the CFP Rankings.^[26]

All times Eastern. Rankings are from the CFP Rankings.^[26]

• 2026 NCAA Division I FCS football season
• 2026 NCAA Division II football season
• 2026 NCAA Division III football season
• 2026 NAIA football season
• 2026 U Sports football season