Previewing the 2026 college football season with haikus for every team

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For the fifth straight year
A college football preview
In form of haiku

Air Force

Won't miss bowl again
Skeptical about defense
Offense must score lots

Akron

In mix for a bowl
You can call their plays week two
Good secondary

Alabama

Can they run the ball?
Need Keelon to take the reins
On playoff bubble

Appalachian State

Hard times at App State
Will continue this season
I hate to see it

Arizona

Fifita's tenth year
Not in first tier of Big Twelve
Solid second tier

Arizona State

A reset season
Big Twelve middle of the pack
Need to win tossups

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Arkansas

Head coach: no aura?
Brought all of Memphis with him
So maybe that helps

Arkansas State

Butch Jones is still here
Important QB battle
That decides season

Army

Returning QB
One of nation's best o-lines
Take: Conference Champs

Auburn

Mister Freeze is gone
Golesh has his quarterback
Close games every week

Ball State

Beefy portal haul
They are better on paper
Record won't show it

Baylor

Aranda hot seat
He will not survive this time
Out by November

Boise State

You know the drill here
Will contend for the playoff
And win conference

Boston College

Offense will improve
Defense will not, however
Another tough year

Bowling Green

Had moments last year
Might still be a year away
They could surprise, though

Buffalo

Tough secondary
New faces are everywhere
Crystal ball: cloudy

BYU

True playoff hopefuls
And when they beat Notre Dame
Turn to playoff lock

Cal

JKS is nice
Can supporting cast step up?
I say, "No, not yet"

Central Michigan

MAC Title hopeful?
We'll learn a lot in week one
Keep them on radar

Charlotte

Worst team in country?
You can make the argument
Looks like two-win year

Cincinnati

Strength: Offensive line
Main weakness: Scott Satterfield
Bottom line: He's fired

Clemson

Brought back Chad Morris
Can't believe Dabo did that
Same problems this year

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Coastal Carolina

Finally, Beck gone
Beard brought his whole damn roster
Could see them surprise

Colorado

Make or break for Prime
Expect offense to score big
Need a few upsets

Colorado State

Mora has my trust
I think he wins right away
Third place in Pac Twelve

Delaware

Quarterback is set
Wideouts are the question mark
You know what? Eight wins

Duke

Losing Mensah hurts
This is still a good roster
That takes a step back

East Carolina

Hard to match last year
Potential five and one start
Eight and four sounds right

Eastern Michigan

My MAC sleeper team
This is the year they bounce back
I like this defense

Florida Atlantic

They might make some noise
Strong offense can win them games
A nice transfer haul

Florida International

Offense is all new
That makes them a mystery
Lots of tossup games

Florida

New coach loves to talk
Please be quiet for a sec
He's a winner, though

Florida State

No turnaround here
Norvell out in October
Hot Seat Rankings gold

Fresno State

Led by the defense
Ceiling depends on QB
I'll say eight and four

Georgia

Wanted: More big plays
Elite defense once again
They are playoff locks

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Georgia Southern

Seven seasons back
Max Johnson was a freshman
He is still playing

Georgia State

I won't lie to you
Things look bleak for Georgia State
Two and ten, at best

Georgia Tech

Season goes like this:
Young team stumbles for a bit
Improves by the end

Hawai'i

Ten wins on table?
They have pieces to do it
Depth is a question

Houston

A playoff sleeper
Strong on both sides of the ball
I'm buying their stock

Illinois

Bret has them solid
If the defense can improve
Then they can win nine

Indiana

Went sixteen and oh
How the hell do you top that?
Will have to Google

Iowa

Same thing as always
Punt, defense, field position
Dumb loss, miss playoff

Iowa State

Brand new team in Ames
Rogers' resume is legit
Might take a few years

Jacksonville State

First game: Fargodome
Matchup nightmare in Johnson
Can win conference

James Madison

G-6 Billy BACK
Small school portal additions
Schedule made for wins

Kansas

Just get to a bowl
Will be in the mix for it
Nothing more than that

Kansas State

Colin is back home
No top dogs on their schedule
How will Johnson play?

Kennesaw State

Ten wins from nowhere
Repeating that? A tall task
Six wins, plus a bowl

Kent State

First, survive non-con
Second, Produce more big plays
Third, maybe make bowl

Kentucky

It's all on Will Stein
Kentucky fans have mad faith
Bookmark for later

Liberty

How is Chadwell's health?
Explosive rushing attack
They could win ten games

Louisiana

Didn't hit portal
Head coach believes in his guys
One of them is Lunch

Louisiana-Monroe

I'll go out on limb
They hit on their portal haul
And make a bowl game

Louisiana Tech

First year in Sun Belt
Schedule brings down their record
They will be pesky

Louisville

So close last season
Top one-two running back punch
QB concerns me

LSU

Lane in Baton Rouge
Portal talent off the charts
High expectations

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Marshall

They've got their QB
Three and one start is likely
Need defense to rise

Maryland

The four and eight boys
At least they have a QB
Four and eight again

Memphis

Huff has track record
For immediate results
Will be the same here

Miami (FL)

Must replace pass rush
Mensah - quarterback upgrade
U is back for real

Miami (OH)

The MAC favorite
Lots of close games on the way
New age Tresselball

Michigan