NCAAF · 20 minutes ago

10 Most Overrated Teams in College Football Right Now

Grant White

Host · Writer

USC Trojans
It wasn't so long ago that the USC Trojans were viewed as a perennial contender. Sadly, Lincoln Riley has failed to reestablish this team as a contender.

Riley led the Trojans to an 11-win season in his first year at the helm. Since then, USC has gone 24-15 without a notable bowl berth. With that, we can't justify their 14th ranking in the preseason AP Poll.

USC didn't come close to covering the -37.5 spread in its season-opening win over San Jose State. Nor do we trust them to optimize performance in conference play.

In the end, we're anticipating another disastrous showing from Riley and the Trojans.
Auburn Tigers
At this point, the Auburn Tigers are getting by on reputation alone.

The former SEC powerhouse hasn't had more than six wins since 2019. Worse, Auburn has finished with a losing record in five straight seasons, with just two bowl games along the way.

The Tigers were rebuilt from the ground up. Of their projected offensive starters, 10 were offseason transfers. While less pronounced on defense, Auburn still has 13 transfers and eight true freshmen who will be counted on to help the Tigers emerge from their slumber.

How this team received preseason AP Poll votes is beyond me. Auburn has a lot to prove in 2026.
California Golden Bears
Tosh Lupoi has been tasked with transforming the California Golden Bears into a contender. It's been 20 years since Cal last had a winning season, and we're not optimistic about its chances in 2026.

Turnover will be a factor for the Golden Bears. Not only is Lupoi assuming his first head coaching gig, but Cal has a substantial amount of incoming players. From their transfer-laden receivers' room to their newly-formed defensive front, the Golden Bears have a lot of question marks on both sides of the football.

Scheduling will always be an issue for the West Coast-based ACC team. Considering the other changes impacting their season, the Golden Bears' outlook is guarded.
James Madison Dukes
Undoubtedly, the James Madison Dukes' 2025 season was the best campaign in program history. A 12-win season, conference championship, and CFP berth in just their fourth FBS season were entirely unexpected. The Dukes can't replicate that in 2026.

James Madison has a very winnable schedule. At the outset of the season, they don't have any games against ranked opponents, and they don't take on one Power 4 team.

Therein lies part of the dilemma. The Dukes won't have any marquee wins on their resume come December. Even with an immaculate record, it seems improbable that they do enough to replicate last season's successes.

Some are expecting the Dukes to be back in the playoff conversation. A more realistic expectation is another two-loss season and a meaningless bowl game.
Vanderbilt Commodores
The Vanderbilt Commodores needed a personality like Diego Pavia to put the program on the map. Now that he's gone, Vanderbilt is a rudderless ship bound for regression.

Prior to Pavia's arrival, the Commodores hadn't eclipsed seven wins since 2013. Moreover, their 10 wins in 2025 were more than their last two seasons combined. Now heading into 2026, we have serious reservations about their offensive ceiling and defensive fortitude.

With four ranked opponents on their relatively easy schedule, I can see the temptation in believing in the Commores. In reality, Vanderbilt will regress and won't match last season's energy.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Addition by subtraction applies in the Penn State Nittany Lions' case. James Franklin was let go, paving the way for a new era. Still, the perennial contender is undeserving of their 18th ranking, setting the stage for another underwhelming performance.

Other than James Franklin, Penn State saw a few other departures this offseason. Drew Allar headlined one of eight players drafted to the NFL, and the program lost several other premier starters. With that, Matt Campbell needs to implement his new systems with an entirely new roster.

It's possible that Penn State recaptures its former glory, but it's not probable. This team will fail to live up to expectations again in 2026.
Louisville Cardinals
Every year, the Louisville Cardinals enter the college football season with championship aspirations. But with only one ACC Championship Game over the last nine seasons, it's time to reset expectations.

Louisville isn't the football powerhouse that everyone expects it to be. They haven't finished as a ranked team since 2023, and have finished with a 4-4 conference record in three of the previous five seasons.

We do this dance every September. We expect Louisville to contend, and then it's just a matter of time before they fall flat on their collective faces. We're anticipating more of the same this season.
LSU Tigers
Lane Kiffin's reputation is carrying the LSU Tigers further than they deserve to go.

LSU enters the campaign as the 11th-ranked team in the country. Without a CFP berth since 2019 and an entirely new offense, we don't like their chances of living up to that billing.

Even if Lane Kiffin extracts maximum value from his entire roster, we still don't think they end the season as the 11th-best team in the country.
UNLV Rebels
The UNLV Rebels were close last season. They were viewed as a contender for the CFP berth until an MWC Championship Game cost them that opportunity. After a Week 0 loss to Memphis, the Rebels could be in for a disastrous campaign.

Offensive line issues plagued the Rebels in their season opener, and that could be a persistent theme throughout the 2026 campaign. UNLV gave up six sacks against Memphis, relying on a variety of transfers and new starters to protect incoming transfer Jackson Arnold. As we saw, that didn't work to the Rebels' advantage.

UNLV has 13 weeks left to salvage its season. Even on an unbeaten run, it won't be enough to get the Rebels into the College Football Playoff.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets were built for last season. The team developed several prominent starters, including Haynes King, who were expected to help the Yellow Jackets contend. Now featuring a revamped backfield, the Yellow Jackets are primed to fall on their faces.

Georgia Tech's inefficiency is captured in its season-opening box score. They gave up more yards, first downs, sacks, and turnovers to a lackluster Colorado Buffaloes squad.

The Yellow Jackets were -7 chalk, and still only put up 13 points while giving up a game-winning drive in the waning moments versus Colorado. Expect more of the same before the 2026 season comes to a close.
USC Trojans
It wasn't so long ago that the USC Trojans were viewed as a perennial contender. Sadly, Lincoln Riley has failed to reestablish this team as a contender.

Riley led the Trojans to an 11-win season in his first year at the helm. Since then, USC has gone 24-15 without a notable bowl berth. With that, we can't justify their 14th ranking in the preseason AP Poll.

USC didn't come close to covering the -37.5 spread in its season-opening win over San Jose State. Nor do we trust them to optimize performance in conference play.

In the end, we're anticipating another disastrous showing from Riley and the Trojans.
Auburn Tigers
At this point, the Auburn Tigers are getting by on reputation alone.

The former SEC powerhouse hasn't had more than six wins since 2019. Worse, Auburn has finished with a losing record in five straight seasons, with just two bowl games along the way.

The Tigers were rebuilt from the ground up. Of their projected offensive starters, 10 were offseason transfers. While less pronounced on defense, Auburn still has 13 transfers and eight true freshmen who will be counted on to help the Tigers emerge from their slumber.

How this team received preseason AP Poll votes is beyond me. Auburn has a lot to prove in 2026.

10 Most Overrated Teams in College Football Right Now

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