The days to kickoff of the 2026 college football season are dwindling.

And our lengthy preview of the year ahead rolls on.

Today we are looking at the 26 most important people in college football for the 2026 season. Some are players, others are coaches, a few are executives. But all of them will have a big role to play in the sport for this year, and even beyond.

The names are not ranked, and this is a purely subjective list. However, if these names were ranked, we have a good idea who would be at No. 1.

Without further ado, here are the 26 most important people in college football in 2026.

Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State

Since arriving on campus, Jeremiah Smith has looked the part of the next great Ohio State wide receiver prospect, and the production backs up that case. After catching 76 passes for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns as a true freshman in 2024, Smith caught 87 balls for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns last year, despite seeing coverage rotated in his direction whenever possible.

What will he do in what is likely his final college football season?

Dominate, in all likelihood.

After missing out on the College Football Playoff last year, you can bet that Marcus Freeman and the Notre Dame coaching staff will lean into the “revenge” factor this season.

In fact, the “Leave No Doubt” tour is coming to a college football stadium near you next season.

But if the Fighting Irish are truly going to “leave no doubt” for the Selection Committee, they are going to need a big step forward from sophomore quarterback CJ Carr. With Jadarian Price and Jeremiyah Love now in the NFL, the Notre Dame passing game will be a focus, and how much Carr develops this year is going to determine how much doubt Notre Dame leaves this season.

2025 was Arch Manning’s first season as the starter at Texas. The year began with the Longhorns ranked atop the Top 25, but a 14-7 loss at Ohio State in the season opener saw the Longhorns get off to a slow start.

But by the end of the season, Manning was showing the promise that he brought to Austin as one of the most anticipated signings in recent memory, and a win over Texas A&M in the regular season finale knocked the Aggies from the top of the SEC standings, and out of the conference title game.

While it was not enough to get Texas into the College Football Playoff, it was enough to give the Longhorns some momentum heading into 2026. Now with a full season under his belt — and a new running mate in transfer WR Cam Coleman to throw to — this could be the year Manning brings Texas fully back.

Dante Moore surprised the football world when he announced his return to Oregon for the 2026 season, passing up a chance to be perhaps the second player drafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. But his return to Eugene was something of a theme for head coach Dan Lanning, as the Ducks return 15 starters from last season, including five seniors along the defensive front.

But if the Ducks are going to make a deep College Football Playoff run, it starts with Moore.

Kyle Whittingham, Head Coach, Michigan

Kyle Whittingham steps into the top spot in Ann Arbor, as the Wolverines look to move past the Sherrone Moore saga.

The former Utah coach inherits a young, but talented, roster, led by sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood. But with four starters returning on the offensive line, and some potential immediate contributors in the recruiting class including five-star WR Savion Hiter, the rebound could be quick.

Kalen DeBoer, Head Coach, Alabama

Kalen DeBoer’s resume since arriving in Tuscaloosa is a solid one by most standards. 20 wins in two seasons, three bowl games including a win in the College Football Playoff a year ago, and a spot in the conference championship game last year, part of an 11-win season.

But standards are different at Alabama.

DeBoer enters his third season with the Crimson Tide with the seat starting to get warm underneath him. Two years without a SEC title is an eternity at Alabama, and the clock is ticking. DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb face a critical decision in the weeks ahead, between Austin Mack and five-star Keelon Russell at the quarterback spot.

If they get that right, the seat under DeBoer should cool.

Jayden Maiava put up impressive numbers for USC a season ago, throwing for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns while posting an NCAA Passing Efficiency mark of 157.80, good for 14th in the nation.

He’s back and will be a focal point for Lincoln Riley’s offense, as the Trojans hope to make the College Football Playoff for the first time in school history.

He’ll be helped by the fact that USC returns the entire starting offensive line from a season ago, and he will have Tanook Hines to target in the passing game. While Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane are in the NFL, Riley signed a pair of four-star receivers for Maiava, Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and Boobie Feaster.

If Maiava improves on those numbers a year ago, the CFP could be a landing spot for the Trojans.

Matt Campbell, Head Coach, Penn State

After years of speculation, Matt Campbell finally left Ames for a new job.

But instead of a leap to the NFL, Campbell took over at Penn State, following the dismissal of James Franklin.

Campbell brought a host of former Cyclones with him to Beaver Stadium, starting with quarterback Rocco Becht. Becht is the most experienced quarterback in all of the FBS, with 39 career starts under his belt. He is also one of 24 transfers from Iowa State, so Campbell has some familiar faces to rely on in his first year in charge.

A favorable schedule helps — Penn State avoids Ohio State this year and their toughest game might be a home date with USC — but if Campbell gets this roster to gel quickly, the Nittany Lions could surprise in the Big Ten.

Darian Mensah helped Duke to a surprising win in the ACC Championship Game, despite the Blue Devils losing five games during the regular season. But ultimately it was Miami who secured a bid in the College Football Playoff, making a run to the title game.

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em, or something.

After a whirlwind process that included a lawsuit filed by Duke against the quarterback alleging breach of contract, Mensah announced his decision to enter the transfer portal hours before the deadline. The lawsuit was ultimately settled a week after filing, and Mensah committed to Miami where he hopes to lead the Hurricanes back to the College Football Playoff.

If you are wondering, Duke visits Miami on November 14.

Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss

Trinidad Chambliss became a household name a year ago, as the former Division II transfer took over Lane Kiffin’s offense at Ole Miss and led the Rebels to a spot in the College Football Playoff, and a stunning comeback win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

In the wake of a protracted eligibility fight, Chambliss is back in Oxford for another run, and he will have Doak Walker Award finalist Kewan Lacy next to him in the backfield. While Ole Miss did lose more than just Kiffin to Baton Rouge, such as pass rusher Princewill Umanmielen on the defensive side of the ball, Chambliss gives the Rebels a chance in every game this season.

Including September 19th’s date with LSU, when Kiffin returns to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Fresh off a dream season, the Indiana Hoosiers are looking to reach the top of the college football pile in 2026.

They’ll need a big year from transfer quarterback Josh Hoover to do that.

Hoover arrives from TCU tasked with replacing Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback who led Indiana to the title a season ago, and went on to be the first player selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. The talent is there, and Hoover will have weapons around him, but the mandate is clear: Cut down on the turnovers. During the last two seasons at TCU Hoover threw a combined 24 interceptions, including 13 a season ago. He has to cut those down if the Hoosiers are going to make another run in the Big Ten.

Greg Sankey, SEC Commissioner

One of my favorite parts of the summer is when you walk through the local grocery store and see the football preview magazines in the checkout stands.

It is a reminder that fall is right around the corner.

Yet, imagine my surprise when one of the cover stories on the Athlon College Football Preview magazine read “What’s wrong with the SEC?” It is a question I had not pondered in some time, but the article from Dennis Dodd highlighted how the conference was shut out of the title game for three straight seasons, for the first time since 2001.

That might be why you heard some impressive lobbying from SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey during the conference’s media days in July, highlighting the SEC’s move to a nine-game conference schedule. “Now we, and I, recognize that a nine-game Southeastern Conference football schedule, coupled with our expectation that we maintain a high-quality non-conference opponent, creates one of the most — in fact, I’m going to scratch what I wrote — it creates, without question, the most demanding sets of football schedules in all of college football,” said the Commissioner in July.

However, he also did not shy away from another topic: The potential that the SEC might just break away and go on its own.

“They’re real,” Sankey said. “People have talked about that. They’ve opined about the frustrations that bring them to the point of saying we should look at something significantly different. I do not believe that is a leverage point. I think that’s just honest communication.”

Still, he did his best to tamp that speculation down.

“I also think that if we just walked away from the NCAA, whether we’re frustrated or not, we’d be back in front of Congress in a conversation,” Sankey said to CBS Sports. “So, my observation to our league is that’s not a priority for us. And so, the headline that’s developed – that there’s some breakaway being considered – that’s not actually what the answer was. There are frustrations, informing the ask that there has to be a better way, and we’re trying to work to improve the system.”

Add this together, and you have one of the most important people in all of college football for perhaps not just 2026, but beyond.

Mike Bobo, Offensive Coordinator, Georgia

Georgia returns 14 starters from last year’s team, which won the SEC Championship game before losing to Ole Miss in heartbreaking fashion in the College Football Playoff. That has expectations at a very high level for Kirby Smart and company entering 2026.

If the Bulldogs are going to take a big step forward, they will need to get the best from quarterback Gunner Stockton, who showed sparks of elite play last year.

That is where Mike Bobo comes in.

John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma

John Mateer arrived in Norman after putting up strong numbers at Washington State.

But his first season with Oklahoma was marred by injuries, as he underwent surgery for a broken bone in his right hand.

Still, he helped the Sooners to a spot in the College Football Playoff, and while they lost to Alabama in the first round, expectations are higher for 2026. The defense should again be a strong unit, with the bulk of the secondary returning as well as linebacker Kip Lewis, and Mateer will have slot WR Isaiah Sategna III back as well as transfer targets Parker Livingstone from Texas and Trell Harris from Virginia Tech.

Those pieces, along with a healthy Mateer, should add up to another CFP run.

James Franklin, Head Coach, Virginia Tech

James Franklin’s run in Penn State ended, but he landed in a great spot at Virginia Tech.

While the Hokies are light years removed from their last run to an ACC title game — which came back in 2016 — the arrow is trending up with Franklin’s arrival. Franklin brought Ethan Grunkemeyer with him from Penn State, and the QB will have returning starters Ayden Greene and Takye Heath to throw to, as well as transfer Que’Sean Brown from Duke.

Perhaps the biggest move from Franklin was getting Brent Pry to return to Blacksburg to serve as the defensive coordinator, after the school fired him as head coach last September. Franklin and Pry worked together for eight years at Penn State, prior to Pry taking the head coaching job at Virginia Tech, and if they replicate the success they enjoyed on the defensive side of the ball, the Hokies will be stout on defense in 2026.

The Hokies have just one winning season over the last six years, but it feels like that could change right away under Franklin.

Marcel Reed, QB, Texas A&M

Up until Thanksgiving, Marcel Reed had Texas A&M among the top teams in the nation and was playing like a Heisman Trophy contender.

First was a loss to Texas on the Friday after Thanksgiving, where Reed played himself out of the Heisman mix by throwing two interceptions in a 27-17 loss. That defeat knocked the Aggies out of the SEC Championship Game, and demoted Texas A&M to a home game in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

A game Texas A&M lost 10-3 to Miami, where Reed was sacked seven times and again threw a pair of interceptions.

If the Aggies want to bounceback from how their 2025 campaign ended, they will need a ton more consistency from Reed in 2026.

Joey McGuire, Head Coach, Texas Tech

In an alternate universe, there is a different name listed next to the Texas Tech entry on this list.

But now that the Brendan Sorsby drama is in the rear-view mirror, it falls on Joey McGuire’s shoulders to guide the Red Raiders in their defense of last year’s Big 12 title. Picking a starting quarterback is not the only big item on McGuire’s to-do list, as Texas Tech needs to replace several key players from last year’s elite defense, including first-round pick David Bailey, second-round picks Jacob Rodriguez and Lee Hunter, and third-round pick Romello Height.

Speaking at the Big 12 Media Days in July, McGuire seemed ready for the challenge.

“Win the Big 12 Conference. There’s only been two teams in the history of this conference no matter who has been in the conference — there’s only been two teams that have won back-to-back Big 12 Championships. That’s OU and Baylor shared, I believe, their conference titles,” said McGuire when asked what the expectations are in Lubbock this year.

“We want to do something that very few teams have been able to do, and that’s to win the Big 12 Championship again. You know, I think it’s really important. I think it’s really important that this conference gets multiple teams in the playoffs.

“I think there’s an obligation as programs in this conference that we play at a high level, and then I think it’s really important that we win in the playoffs. Until we do that as a conference, then we’re going to continue to have the same narrative that we have right now.”

Bill Belichick, Head Coach, North Carolina

Bill Belichick arrived in Chapel Hill to a cacophony of fanfare, and UNC’s opening-night game against TCU was a prime-time event with Michael Jordan in the house.

UNC’s opening-night loss was a sign of things to come, as the Tar Heels limped to a 4-8 record, finishing just 2-6 in ACC play. And the concerns over Belichick’s tenure have only grown in recent weeks, with general manager Michael Lombardi placed on paid administrative leave with allegations surfacing regarding potential NIL issues.

Can Belichick right the ship in Chapel Hill in year two, or will his UNC tenure end like his run in New England did, only without the titles?

Dabo Swinney, Head Coach, Clemson

How do you know that Dabo Swinney might be feeling the heat in Clemson?

The Tigers signed 11 incoming transfers, the most in program history.

Many of those additions are on the defensive side of the ball, as Swinney and defensive coordinator Tom Allen hope to make a good group even better in 2026. A huge question mark exists at quarterback, where Christopher Vizzina is expected to take over after backing up Cade Klubnik the past three seasons. True freshman Tait Reynolds, a three-star recruit, could be an option if Vizzina falters.

But the onus is on Swinney to rebound after a tough 2025 season that saw the Tigers finish with a 7-6 record, and a loss to Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl. Clemson is just 26-14 overall since 2023, and 15-9 in ACC play during that stretch.

Makhi Hughes, RB, Houston

The Houston Cougars have designs on winning a Big 12 title this year.

And this year, they have a running back they can lean on in the ground game.

Makhi Hughes was one of the top transfer options in the portal, due to what he showed while at Tulane. In two seasons Hughes ran for nearly 3,000 yards, but after being held in a reserve rule at Oregon last year, he arrived in Houston to help offensive coordinator Slade Nagel and quarterback Conner Weigman take this offense to the next level. If Hughes regains the form he showed at Tulane, this could be one of the best offenses in the conference, if not in the entire FBS.

Tim Polasek, Head Coach, NDSU

After years of success at the FCS level, North Dakota State is making the leap to the FBS, joining the Mountain West Conference for the 2026 season.

Yet, the expectations remain high.

While the conference did away with the traditional Media Days preseason media poll, many prognosticators believe the Bison can challenge for the MWC title in their debut season. That belief stems from a tradition of success, an offensive line that returns three starters, and high hopes for new quarterback Nathan Hayes, who steps in after playing in a limited role last year behind Cole Payton.

Leading the way is head coach Tim Polasek, who has a 26-3 record over just two years in Fargo. Just how quickly the Bison adjust to life in the FBS remains to be seen, but expect them to transition rather quickly.

Burke Magnus, President, ESPN

There is no doubt as to the role ESPN plays in college football. While some other networks own small pieces of the pie, ESPN holds the biggest share, thanks to the network’s status as the biggest rights holder to college football.

What Burke Magnus, the President of Content for the network wants, is something more.

To dominate not just the live coverage of the games on Saturdays, but the bigger college football discussion during the week. Industry insiders believe Magnus feels that college football was “under-discussed” relative to its national popularity.

The latest foray into this space from ESPN? A new college football show with Josh Pate and Bussin’ with the Boys hosts Will Compton and Taylor Lewan. The show is expected to air on Friday afternoons, from campuses across the nation.

The addition of the show comes at a fascinating time for the network, in the wake of significant layoffs across ESPN that included industry giants such as Karl Ravech.

Will it work? Magnus is betting that it will.

Pete Bevacqua, AD, Notre Dame

We mentioned Notre Dame’s “Leave No Doubt” tour earlier.

That brings us to athletic director Pete Bevacqua.

Bevacqua backed the team’s decision to pass on a bowl game last year, following Notre Dame being left out of the College Football Playoff. “It was a decision that I applaud,” Bevacqua said at the time. “I think it was a hard decision; I think they knew it was going to be a hard decision. I think they knew it was going to be a decision that not everyone was going to love. But it was the right decision for this team at this moment.”

Instead, Bevacqua turned his attention to the ACC, blasting the conference for what he viewed as the ACC’s move to push for Miami over Notre Dame in the CFP. “We were mystified by the actions of the conference to attack their biggest, really, partner in football and a member of their conference in 24 of our other sports,” Bevacqua told Dan Patrick last December. “[T]hey have certainly done permanent damage to the relationship between the conference and Notre Dame.”

If that were not enough, Bevacqua has been one of the most vocal proponents of The Protect College Sports Act, a proposed piece of federal legislation working through the halls of Congress. Bevacqua testified in favor of the bill at a Senate hearing in June, arguing that the legislation would provide stability to college sports.

“If you continue to have all your resources pulled into football with escalating roster fees and not knowing where that ends,” Bevacqua said at the hearing. “I believe the inevitable outcome is there’s going to be a small handful of schools that will differentiate themselves from others and play football at a super league-level. I don’t think it’s good for college football to be a mini-NFL. That’s not the spirit of college football. That’s not what college football is about. I think it would look far more like a JV football professional league than everything that makes college football so special.”

While much of his testimony focused on football, Bevacqua also sounded the alarm about other sports, including women’s sports and “Olympic” sports.

”Even the strongest universities, the healthiest universities, if you continue to have these runaway roster fees, if you continue to have a failed House settlement with a cap that is not realistic and continued motivation to move into that gray space of third party NIL, you are absolutely going to see the continuation of the slide that you put up with cutting and de- emphasizing Olympic and women’s sports,” added the Notre Dame AD.

As college football begins with some uncertainty on the horizon, Bevacqua will be someone to watch as it all plays out.

Brennan Marion, Offensive Coordinator, Colorado

For years, Brennan Marion’s “Go-Go” offense has been the stuff of film watchers, a system that pairs dual RB formations with unbalanced lines, and features an aggressive downfield passing game.

His coaching career has seen many stops, including as the head coach at Sacramento State last year. The Hornets’ offense averaged 33.8 points per game in 2025 and ran for 262.6 yards per game, first in the FBS.

Now he is in Boulder, having been hired to run Deion Sanders’ offense in Colorado. That puts the Go-Go offense on its biggest stage to date, and if the system continues to work as it has during Marion’s previous stops, Colorado could be a sneaky team to watch this year.

Hunter Yurachek, Chair, CFP Selection Committee

After last year’s tension over the College Football Playoff selection process, all eyes are on the Committee in the year ahead.

Starting with Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek.

Yurachek stepped into the role of Committee Chair midway through the 2025 college football season, after Baylor AD Mack Rhoades stepped down from the Committee for personal reasons. That made Yurachek the face of the committee when the teams were announced, and the face of the ire directed at the Committee from Notre Dame fans.

He’s back in that role for another season, but this time things will go smoothly.

Lane Kiffin, Head Coach, LSU

While this list is not a set of rankings, if we were to put someone at No. 1, it would be Lane Kiffin.

His departure from Ole Miss became a national storyline, and that will continue throughout the entire 2026 campaign, thanks to a schedule that sees LSU not only visit Ole Miss in September but make a stop in Knoxville in November, where Kiffin spent just one year before leaving for USC.

How quickly can he make it work in Baton Rouge? What will the receptions be like in Oxford and Knoxville? Or will LSU ultimately be just another stop on his tour of the football world?

Stay tuned and find out along with us.