Aug 27, 2026 · 2h 28m
College football’s preseason picks collide with a broken system
The Locker Room - 2026 College Football Season Predictions With Josh Pate, Will Compton & Taylor Lewan
The predictions matter because conference races, playoff access, eligibility disputes, and betting assumptions all face a season built for volatility.
- 1The hosts see Oregon, Notre Dame, Miami, LSU, and Georgia as central figures in a crowded playoff race.
- 2They debate whether roster strength, quarterback uncertainty, and coaching can overcome chaotic schedules across the major conferences.
- 3Their win-total bets turn preseason confidence into measurable risks, with LSU and Tennessee drawing optimism while Texas A&M and Vanderbilt face skepticism.
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The hosts reveal their Final Four and national championship selections, with Oregon and Notre Dame taking opposing title positions.
The brief
Taylor Lewan, Will Compton, and Josh Pate return with conference forecasts, win totals, playoff fields, and championship picks they expect the season to challenge.
Their central argument is less about one favorite than about a sport unsettled by eligibility rulings, conference penalties, legal gray areas, and shifting moral expectations.
The conference debates reward different theories: LSU and Tennessee attract optimism, Miami leads the ACC case, and Ohio State, Oregon, and Penn State anchor the Big Ten discussion.
The betting board makes the forecasts concrete, pairing overs and unders with confidence levels, moneyline choices, a Ford leaderboard, and possible punishments for bad calls.
The final playoff projections put Notre Dame, Miami, Oregon, Texas, LSU, and Georgia in the mix, with Oregon and Notre Dame emerging as rival national-title picks.