Aug 24, 2026 · 35 min
Klatt projects a playoff field built around Big Ten power
Joel Klatt’s 2026 College Football Playoff Bracket Prediction & National Champion Pick
The forecast tests whether the Big Ten can sustain its recent dominance while leaving room for an unconventional at-large selection.
- 1Joel Klatt projects conference champions and a College Football Playoff field led by Ohio State and other major contenders.
- 2The bracket debate turns on the final at-large berth, including whether a 9-3 team could receive an invitation.
- 3Klatt picks a national champion and identifies the teams most capable of disrupting the Big Ten’s recent control.
Don't miss
Klatt’s debate over the final at-large berth, including whether a 9-3 team could make the playoff, supplies the episode’s sharpest selection question.
The brief
Joel Klatt opens his 2026 forecast by addressing concerns about neutral-site games, then builds toward conference champions and a projected playoff field.
The field includes contenders such as Ohio State, Texas, Notre Dame, Indiana, and Boise State, with the final at-large berth creating the central selection dilemma.
Klatt’s first-round walkthrough begins with Boise State against Ohio State, using that matchup to explain his projected outcomes across the opening games.
The bracket ultimately leads to a national champion pick and a broader question: which teams can challenge the Big Ten’s recent postseason dominance?
Weekly email
State of the Pod, every Monday
The week's most-discussed names and stories from podcasts, with the moments behind them. Free, five minutes, unsubscribe in one click.