The latest preseason poll released by the American Football Coaches Association reveals a striking concentration of top‑ranked teams within the Power 4 conferences — ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC — with 24 of the 25 highest‑rated squads hailing from these leagues.
Ranking Landscape
Only one program outside the Power 4 breaks into the top five: Notre Dame, the independent powerhouse whose historic brand and financial muscle keep it perennially in the conversation, despite not belonging to any of the elite conferences.
Among the non‑Power 4 schools, Boise State of the Pac‑12 stands out as the highest‑ranked, earning 24 votes and sitting 36th overall, a testament to the competitive edge that smaller programs can achieve when given the right opportunities.
The College Football Playoff has introduced a safeguard for Group of 6 teams, guaranteeing an automatic berth for the highest‑ranked conference champion and, more recently, allowing the top‑ranked Group of 6 program to qualify without winning its league, a rule change that has already seen Tulane and James Madison earn playoff spots in the past two seasons.
However, the path to the playoff for these smaller programs is increasingly fraught with talent drain. Coaches like Jon Sumrall of Tulane and Bob Chesney of James Madison have watched key players such as quarterback Drew Mestemaker and running back Caleb Hawkins move to Power 4 schools, while standout athletes like Patrick Durkin and Alec Clark have followed suit after being recruited by programs like Florida.
The exodus is not limited to individual transfers; entire coaching staffs are reshaping rosters, with James Madison’s Bob Chesney moving ten players — including running back Wayne Knight and receiver Landon Ellis — to UCLA, and Tulane’s staff seeing similar losses to Arkansas, Arizona State and Oklahoma State.
In response to the growing disparity, legislators have proposed the Protect College Sports Act, which would cap player transfers to a single move without penalty and impose a mandatory sit‑out year for any subsequent transfers, aiming to preserve competitive balance while maintaining academic integrity.
Even with these measures, the financial gap remains stark. Group of 6 schools such as Tulane and James Madison are rebuilding after the departure of high‑profile coaches and players, hoping that their on‑field resilience will translate into more playoff appearances and, ultimately, a stronger voice in the future of college football.