Who will win the College Football Playoff? Three experts fill out their 2026 brackets

Key Points:

• Bruce Feldman predicts a strong Big Ten presence in the 2026 College Football Playoff, with Notre Dame winning the national championship over Oregon, finishing the season undefeated at 15-0.
• Ralph Russo emphasizes the unpredictability of the 12-team playoff field due to new automatic bids and selection rules, forecasting upsets including three-loss teams making the playoff and Texas winning the championship over Oregon.
• Stewart Mandel favors the Big Ten's continued dominance with Indiana potentially repeating as national champions, but also highlights Notre Dame and Miami as top contenders capable of challenging the Big Ten's streak.
• Key matchups include Notre Dame vs. Ohio State in the quarterfinals, Oregon vs. Miami in the semifinals, and a predicted championship game between Indiana and Notre Dame or Texas.
• The analysis notes significant changes in playoff structure, team dynamics, and coaching impact, with particular attention to emerging quarterbacks, defensive improvements, and the influence of new conference automatic bids.