Friday, June 26, 2026

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College Football

ACC College Football Playoff picture for 2026: Best bets, serious contenders and dark horses

Darian Mensah, Isaac Brown and Sammy Brown

The ACC champion is now contractually guaranteed a College Football Playoff berth, which raises the stakes on a conference race that already had plenty of intrigue. Andy Staples breaks down who's built to win it.

As expected, Miami and SMU sit atop the pecking order. The Hurricanes retooled after losing three first-rounders from last year's national title game team, adding the quarterback and receiver who helped Duke win the ACC in 2025. The Mustangs have been knocking on the door since joining the league, and entering year three with the same starting quarterback gives SMU a familiarity factor as it navigates a favorable schedule.

Clemson lands among the serious contenders despite going 7-6 last season with a roster loaded with draft picks. The talent is still there. Whether Dabo Swinney can get more out of it is the defining question hanging over the program heading into 2026.

There's a longer list of serious contenders beyond Clemson, plus a dark horse or two worth knowing about before the season kicks off. Staples has the full preview.

BREAKDOWN FROM ANDY STAPLES →

College Football

Big 12 College Football Playoff picture for 2026: Best bets, serious contenders and dark horses

Conner Weigman, Bear Bachmeier, and Will Hammond

Brett McMurphy breaks down the Big 12 CFP landscape now that the conference champion is guaranteed a playoff berth, and one team has a clearer path than anyone else.
Texas Tech is the runaway best bet, with the easiest schedule in college football and a roster built to cruise through the Big 12. BYU is the most credible challenger and the one team with a realistic shot at an at-large berth, with a massive home date against Notre Dame that could shape the playoff picture.
Who cracks the serious contenders tier, and which dark horses have a legitimate path to the bracket? McMurphy has the full breakdown.

READ MORE FROM BRETT MCMURPHY →

Where things stand with the next wave of 2027 decisions: Leaders, leans and predictions

With most five-stars already off the board, the focus shifts to the next wave of blue-chip prospects whose decisions could shake up the battle for the No. 1 recruiting class.
Ohio State is trending for four-star DL Karlos May, with Georgia as the primary competition and Auburn still in the mix.
Elsewhere, several powerhouse programs are closing in on commitments across the board, and there's a prediction riding on Miami landing a four-star WR and Georgia pulling away in a key race.

INTEL FROM STEVE WILTFONG →

College Football

Wasserman: What took so long? Ohio State’s decision to honor Jim Tressel in the Ring of Honor isn’t complicated

Jim Tressel is finally getting his name on Ohio State's Ring of Honor, 16 years after his tenure ended. Ari Wasserman argues the decision shouldn't have been as complicated as it was.

NBA Draft

2027 NBA Mock Draft: Way-too-early projections for next year's class

With the 2026 NBA Draft in the books, attention is already shifting to 2027. On3 has a way-too-early look at the top prospects to know before next draft season gets underway.