Bill Connelly's 2026 FBS college football conference previews

Bill Connelly’s 2026 FBS conference previews position multiple leagues for another busy season after a surprising 2025 run, with the Indiana Hoosiers winning the national title under second-year coach Curt Cignetti and Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza. The article also references a College Football Playoff in its second year with a 12-team format, plus SEC, ACC, and Group of 5 outcomes, including Georgia’s SEC title, Ole Miss reaching a run after a coaching change, and James Madison and Tulane advancing to the CFP. Connelly previews all FBS conferences, profiling contenders and projected storylines. For the SEC, he questions whether the conference can sustain national-title momentum despite three straight seasons without a championship game appearance. In the Big Ten, he suggests Oregon may be the most likely beneficiary, while Ohio State begins the season first in SP+.