The Ohio State Buckeyes are one of several programs that USA Today's Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams feel have a more realistic chance to win the 2026/2027 College Football Playoff National Championship than the mighty defending champion Indiana Hoosiers.
The Texas Longhorns, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Miami Hurricanes, LSU Tigers, and Georgia Bulldogs were all also picked by the pair in a head-to-head drafting of their top six national championship contenders.
Toppmeyer likes Ohio State's personnel, picking the Buckeyes No. 2 overall and as his first pick, saying, "The Buckeyes always produce one of the nation’s most-talented rosters. The schedule is tough, but Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith, and Bo Jackson are a good start toward a third straight playoff bid."
Adams chose Texas as his top title contender, citing the Longhorns' strong transfer portal haul and Arch Manning becoming who we all thought he was destined to be as the 2025 season progressed as supporting evidence.
Indiana might not have reloaded as strongly as needed
Until further notice, Curt Cignetti is a Fernando Mendoza merchant. While Cignetti and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan helped the Cal Golden Bears transfer realize his Heisman dreams in Bloomington, it's important to remember that IU hadn't won a single CFP game before this recent run.
Mendoza and receivers Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt are off to the NFL. In their place? TCU Horned Frogs transfer Josh Hoover under center, Tulane Green Wave transfer receiver Shazz Preston, and Michigan State Spartans transfer receiver Nick Marsh. Maybe Cignetti and Co. could strike gold again, and the coaching is just that good.
Or maybe the Hoosiers had lightning in a bottle, and the College Football world knows it's damn near impossible to witness that happen again, considering Ryan Day's all-time talented Buckeyes roster couldn't muster up a single CFP win after inarguably one of the greatest regular season runs in program history due to how dominant the defense was.
Indiana had a special 2025. That much is not up for debate. Now, the Hoosiers' fanbase will understand that patience is a virtue on the gridiron, with a stacked class of contenders coming for the crown.