Illinois · Big TenLouisville, Utah, Illinois, SMU and Wisconsin Crack First-Time Champion Top 10
Bill Connelly ranked Louisville sixth, Utah seventh, Illinois eighth, SMU ninth and Wisconsin 10th among programs seeking a first recognized national title.
AUG 28, 2026
After Indiana’s 2025 national championship — the first by a first-time champion since Florida in 1996 — ESPN’s Bill Connelly ranked the 20 programs most likely to be next. Louisville came in sixth, followed by Utah, Illinois, SMU and Wisconsin.
Connelly considered historical poll finishes, recent SP+ performance, future power rankings and athletic department revenue. Eligibility was limited to programs without an AP or UPI/Coaches poll championship.
Louisville has reached at least nine wins in every season of Jeff Brohm’s three-year tenure, and seven times over the past 14 seasons. SMU has won 31 games over the past three years, a total exceeded by only eight power-conference programs in that span. The Mustangs open their 2026 road schedule at Florida State on Sept. 7 and Louisville on Sept. 19.
Utah ranks second and Wisconsin fourth among eligible programs in Connelly’s 10-year average SP+ metric. Utah begins Morgan Scalley’s tenure after Kyle Whittingham left for Michigan following 21 years that included eight double-digit-win seasons and four Top 15 finishes. Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell is 16-21 through three seasons, with the Badgers’ win total declining each year.
Illinois has won at least eight games in three of the past four seasons, including 19 combined wins in 2024 and 2025. But the Illini return only four offensive starters in 2026 and expect significant defensive turnover. Their schedule includes a Sept. 26 trip to Ohio State and an Oct. 24 home game against Oregon.