College Football 26 features 134 Division One Schools, making it challenging to choose which program to use. With that in mind, here are the top 25 teams, offenses, and defenses.
Compared to Madden 26 and other sports franchises, ratings in EA Sports College Football fluctuate significantly more. Every season, teams lose their best players when they declare for the NFL Draft, making recruiting new talent that much more crucial for top programs.
However, elite schools usually have no issue attracting five-star recruits, as they have more resources. That’s reflected in the top 25 overall rankings, which include many of the usual suspects.
Top 25 Overall Teams in College Football 26
EA did not reveal the criteria used to rank the top 25 schools in College Football 26. In saying that, it’s safe to assume that the devs considered the current roster and incoming recruiting class.
Alabama, coming in at number one, is a surprise since the Crimson Tide did not make the College Football Playoff last season. However, 247 Sports ranked the 2025 Alabama recruiting class as the third-best in the country, boasting three five-star recruits and 16 four-star recruits.
And it makes sense that Texas took the top spot, as Arch Manning will be one of the best quarterbacks in the country, and the Longhorns have five five-star recruits.
| Ranking | School | Overall |
| 1 | Alabama | 89 |
| 2 | Texas | 88 |
| 3 | Ohio State | 88 |
| 4 | Penn State | 88 |
| 5 | Notre Dame | 88 |
| 6 | Georgia | 88 |
| 7 | Clemson | 88 |
| 8 | Texas A&M | 88 |
| 9 | Oregon | 86 |
| 10 | LSU | 86 |
| 11 | Miami | 86 |
| 12 | Florida | 86 |
| 13 | Texas Tech | 86 |
| 14 | Arizona State | 85 |
| 15 | Michigan | 85 |
| 16 | Ole Miss | 85 |
| 17 | Oklahoma | 85 |
| 18 | Indiana | 85 |
| 19 | SMU | 84 |
| 20 | Tennessee | 84 |
| 21 | Missouri | 84 |
| 22 | Auburn | 84 |
| 23 | Duke | 84 |
| 24 | South Carolina | 82 |
| 25 | Illinois | 82 |
Top 25 College Football 26 Offenses
As previously mentioned, star quarterback Arch Manning helps give Texas the top spot for best offense in College Football 26. Meanwhile, Ohio State is still tied for the best overall, despite losing Emeka Egbuka, Quinshon Judkins, TreVeyon Henderson, and two offensive linemen to the NFL. Jeremiah Smith is one of the best receivers in college football, and plenty of other talent remains.
And even without star running back Cam Skattebo, who got drafted by the New York Giants, Arizona State is poised to be one of the best offenses.
| Ranking | School | Overall |
| 1 | Texas | 91 |
| 2 | Penn State | 91 |
| 3 | Ohio State | 91 |
| 4 | Arizona State | 91 |
| 5 | Clemson | 89 |
| 6 | LSU | 89 |
| 7 | Alabama | 89 |
| 8 | Notre Dame | 89 |
| 9 | Florida | 89 |
| 10 | Miami | 89 |
| 11 | Indiana | 89 |
| 12 | Texas A&M | 89 |
| 13 | Georgia | 87 |
| 14 | Oklahoma | 87 |
| 15 | SMU | 87 |
| 16 | BYU | 87 |
| 17 | Baylor | 87 |
| 18 | Texas Tech | 87 |
| 19 | Oregon | 85 |
| 20 | Ole Miss | 85 |
| 21 | USC | 85 |
| 22 | Boise State | 85 |
| 23 | Iowa State | 85 |
| 24 | Nebraska | 85 |
| 25 | South Carolina | 85 |
Top 25 College Football 26 Defenses
Ohio State may only be the fifth-ranked defense, but the Buckeyes arguably have the best defensive player in college football with safety Caleb Downs. In 2025, Texas had the third-best overall defense based on yards allowed per game, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Longhorns are ranked so high.
And although Clemson sits lower on the list, the Tigers have two monsters on the defensive line in Peter Woods and T.J. Parker, who are both projected to be top-five picks in the 2026 NFL draft.
| Ranking | School | Overall |
| 1 | Alabama | 96 |
| 2 | Texas | 94 |
| 3 | Penn State | 94 |
| 4 | Georgia | 92 |
| 5 | Ohio State | 92 |
| 6 | Michigan | 92 |
| 7 | Oregon | 92 |
| 8 | LSU | 92 |
| 9 | Texas Tech | 92 |
| 10 | Clemson | 90 |
| 11 | Notre Dame | 90 |
| 12 | Texas A&M | 90 |
| 13 | Tennessee | 88 |
| 14 | Indiana | 88 |
| 15 | Miami | 88 |
| 16 | Duke | 88 |
| 17 | Oklahoma | 88 |
| 18 | Illinois | 86 |
| 19 | Kansas State | 86 |
| 20 | Ole Miss | 86 |
| 21 | Pittsburgh | 86 |
| 22 | South Carolina | 84 |
| 23 | Arizona State | 84 |
| 24 | Iowa | 84 |
| 25 | Florida | 84 |
Which school are you most excited to use? Let us know on the Insider Gaming Forums.
For more on College Football 26, check out which platforms the game is on and the top 25 toughest places to play.
