Michigan, LSU in the CFP? Ranking the 10 teams most likely to debut in a 12-team format

The expansion of the College Football Playoff has led to parity in the sport. After the CFP expanded to 12 teams in 2024, 20 different programs participated in the postseason tournament. Eight teams, including Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Miami (Fla.), made their first CFP appearance in the 12-team format in 2025. With these additional spots, more fans believe their school has a chance to compete for the sport’s most important trophy. So who will be the next generation of programs to make the 12-team playoff for the first time in 2026? FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt previewed the 10 teams most likely to make their first appearance in the 12-team College Football Playoff on the latest episode of “The Joel Klatt Show.” Klatt: “Iowa has eight-plus wins in the last 10 seasons. Kirk Ferentz is as consistent as anyone in this sport. … For them, though, it’s about replacing good players. The offensive linemen on the Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line were obviously a very good group. Can you replace those players up front? [transfer] portal for experienced FCS G-5 players, and I think a lot of these guys will be smart, experienced guys that will pay off. … They’ll need a win out of those three – Michigan, Ohio State, Washington. » Klatt: “I like what Jedd Fisch is building. He builds good quality programs. They got their quarterback Demond Williams back. He has four starters returning on the offensive line. I think the big key for Demond Williams will be to play better in big games. “On October 3rd, they travel to USC… They host Iowa. They host Penn State at Iowa Stadium. They have Indiana at home. And then at Oregon in their rivalry game to end the season… They’re 25-2 at Husky Stadium. [over the last four seasons]. This is one of the great teams in all of Husky Stadium. » Klatt: “Houston is coming off a 10-win season and finishing in the top 25 under Willie Fritz, and Willie Fritz is a very good football coach. They bring back their quarterback, Connor Weigman. He has an all-Big 12 receiver, Amari Thomas, on the outside. They added Makai Hughes. Remember, Makai Hughes was with Fritz in their Tulane days, and it worked for them. Makai Hughes went to Oregon. We thought he was going to be a big contribution to Dan Lanning a year ago, but it didn’t really work out. So now he’s back with Fritz this time in Houston. “I like what I see. They have a road game at Texas Tech; I don’t like it. They have this critical three-game stretch with Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Utah that’s going to be tough.” Klatt: “I like Arizona here. Brent Brennan is now in his third year in Tucson, and he brings back his first-team All-Big 12 quarterback, Noah Fifita. He enters the fourth year as the starter. … They’re keeping their defensive coordinator, so they’ll having some continuity there is Danny Gonzalez, who brings a really unique structure, which teams have a hard time preparing for “They brought some defensive help to fill the gate. They lost a lot of really good players, and especially out of the secondary, some of those guys to the draft. …Now it’s about the calendar; it’s recharged. They have an early game at BYU, which is not going to be easy, because BYU is a tough place to play. » Klatt: “It’s just about getting to the conference championship game, and who are the candidates most likely to get there? I think Utah is one of them. Morgan Scalley is not going to shake things up in Salt Lake. This guy is a Utah lifer…they’re always going to be aggressive on defense, they’re always going to be good on the offensive line. He learned from Kyle Whittingham. They’re not going anywhere. They got their quarterback back in Devon Dampier. “The schedule is shaping up well for Utah. … They have Idaho, Arkansas, Utah State, Iowa State, off the week, Kansas and Colorado. I really like their chances in a conference championship game.” Klatt: “Outside of the ACC, you have Miami and who? Who else at this point is going to be strong in the ACC? Maybe Louisville. … [Last season]they beat Miami on the road. Three of their four losses ended by three or fewer, including two in overtime. “They’re bringing in Lincoln Kienholz from Ohio State – that’s an expectation for me. He’s an older player, but not experienced. … He can rely on his star running back Isaac Brown. … They have 33 transfers coming. They hit the portal for wide receivers, including Vandy’s leading receiver from last year, Trey Richardson. They brought a tight end out of the portal, Brody Foley from Tulsa; he’s gone over 500 yards and seven touchdowns last year. They have a very good defensive back, Clev Lubin; he’s their best player on defense. “It’s about reaching the ACC championship, where you have a chance in a game to potentially win a championship and go to the playoffs. … Look at their ACC schedule. They don’t have to play in Miami. They don’t have to play Clemson. They don’t have to play Virginia or Virginia Tech. So to me, they won the ACC schedule lottery. » Klatt: “Let’s say that big question is answered yes, and Michigan has an offense to hum against, and they’re Michigan again. Well, guess what? Here’s the hard part: Their schedule is brutal this year. … They have to play Oklahoma. They have to play Iowa. They are scheduled to host Penn State. They have to host Indiana. They have to play Oregon. They have to go to Ohio State. It’s a ridiculously difficult schedule, there’s no doubt about it. “I think it’s one of those schedules that, because they’re willing to play and hang on to one of those tough non-conference games, there’s a chance Michigan will get some consideration, if not some love, at the end of the season, even at 9-3. … With this schedule, if you play Ohio State with the right to go to [the CFP]that would be a huge victory. » Klatt: “I’m optimistic about USC. They didn’t make the playoffs. And I think this is a team that could absolutely make the playoffs this year. I think Lincoln [Riley] finally has the team capable of playing the football required at the line of scrimmage. … They showed me signs. I thought the Michigan game, the Iowa game – those were tough, hard-nosed wins. “They were quietly one of the best teams in the country at home. They were 7-0. And now this year they play Oregon, Washington and Ohio State at home. Klatt: “BYU was so close a year ago. They were in that Big 12 championship game, and they failed. Now they have failed because of their attack. There was nothing they could do about it. [Texas] Technological defense. … Kelani Sitake and BYU’s two losses last year came to Texas Tech. Texas Tech was very good and BYU was 12-2. “BYU should be in the Big 12 championship game. It’s such a consistent program. They got their quarterback back. I love this program. … I love Bear Bachmeier’s heck of a player. He and LJ Martin are going to have to run this offense. They’re getting three starters back in the secondary. This should be one of the best defenses in the Big 12.” Klatt: “If they don’t make the playoffs, I’ll be very surprised. … Obviously, they were in the four-team playoff that LSU has been in – Joe Burrow’s year That’s why Lane Kiffin is there “Kiffin had 10+ wins in four of his final seasons at Ole Miss. This guy can train. …It’s absolutely a no-brainer. This team is screaming for the playoffs this year. … I think [Sam] Leavitt is a very good player. I think it will be a very good team. I think they can be better defensively. They will certainly be better in attack. And I’ll be surprised if LSU isn’t a 10-win team. »