6 must-watch matchups that could play key role in setting the 2026 College Football Playoff field

From early-season heavyweight clashes to conference rivalry games, the road to the College Football Playoff could come down to a handful of marquee matchups. Here are six must-watch games that could shape the playoff race in 2026:

Steve Sarkisian and Ryan Day match wits again as both teams get an early-season measuring stick game after failing to meet expectations in 2025. A Week 1 loss to the Buckeyes left the Longhorns fighting an uphill battle with little room for error throughout the rest of the season. Texas ultimately fell short of the 12-team CFP while the Buckeyes lost their last two games, the latter in the CFP quarterfinals.

Julian Sayin vs. Arch Manning will get the headlines but last year's 14-7 win by Ohio State is a reminder that the best-prepared defense may rule the day. The Buckeyes are reloading on defense — including three spots on the line — while Texas has four of its starting o-linemen back.

Both teams have stacked schedules — Texas faces the likes of Tennessee, Ole Miss, LSU and Texas A&M and Ohio State has Indiana, Oregon, USC and Michigan — so a win here helps set the tone.

One of the most intriguing games of the year, an emotionally charged revenge game on paper for Ole Miss, as Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford for the first time since his awkward departure for LSU last December. Trinidad Chambliss is a Heisman contender again for the Rebels. Will Leavitt says he couldn't be happier after transferring in for the Tigers.

Besides the obvious tension, the matchup could help shape the playoff race early. As contenders but not necessarily favorites in the SEC, Ole Miss and LSU could find themselves fighting for an at-large bid. A win here could make all the difference come playoff selection time, especially with both teams facing schedules that leave little room for error.

The SEC’s two most dominant programs over the past decade meet in Tuscaloosa, with plenty of recent history hanging over the matchup. Georgia had its 33-game home winning streak snapped by Alabama with a 24-21 defeat in 2025, but the Bulldogs later got revenge with an SEC championship game rout.

Both teams now enter the season with plenty at stake. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer faces pressure to keep the Crimson Tide in national title contention following Ty Simpson’s departure for the NFL. Kirby Smart looks to finally secure a regular-season win against Alabama. This one could have major implications beyond just SEC standings.

Indiana was untouchable in 2025, as coach Curt Cignetti and a haul of transfers — including quarterback Fernando Mendoza — put together a perfect 16-0 season and claim the Hossiers' first national title. The final four wins were a murderer's row: Ohio State, Alabama, Oregon and Miami.

It will be difficult to go through the Big Ten unscathed. A road win here would reassert the Buckeyes as a top dog in a rugged conference.

It’s safe to assume grudges are still being held in South Bend after Miami beat the Fighting Irish in the opener and then finished ahead of Notre Dame in the rankings to claim a playoff spot this past season.

Both teams enter the season with extra motivation to win it all and rosters capable of pulling it off. While Miami can return to the playoff by winning an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title, this is one of the few statement-making opportunities for the Irish, who have a relatively low strength of schedule.

Morgan Scalley's debut season as Utah coach will include an edition of the Holy War that could play a big role (again) in the Big 12 race and the playoff berths available the first week of December. There's new staff in place and new faces, too, including two replacements for NFL draft picks on the offensive line.

BYU held on to coach Kalani Sitake, has quarterback Bear Bachmeier and RB LJ Martin back, and is coming off a 12-2 season loaded with big wins and only a pair of losses to Texas Tech. The Cougars will be itching to erase that runner-up finish and crack the CFP.

Oklahoma at Michigan (Sept. 12), Houston at Texas Tech (Sept. 19), SMU at Louisville (Sept. 19), MIami at Clemson (Oct. 3), USC at Penn State (Oct. 10), Texas at Texas A&M (Nov. 27).

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