Curt Cignetti Turned Indiana Into a National Champion in Two Seasons And College Football Is Still Reeling

Alright, listen up, Emerald City! You thought you knew the college football landscape? Think again! CBS Sports just dropped their 2026 Power Four coach rankings, and let me tell you, it’s a wild, wild ride. We’re talking a complete reshuffle, new power players emerging, and some elite names trying to hold their ground. Some coaches are consistent, some are gone, but five names right now are about to shape college football. You ready for this shake-up?

The New Bosses on the Sidelines

Let's get right to the most insane story on this list. Can you even believe what Curt Cignetti did? He surged to No. 3 overall, which is massive, but CBS Sports actually called him the top position overall coach for his incredible, rapid turnaround. The man took Indiana and made them national champions within two seasons! That’s what I’m talking about! He delivered landmark wins over Oregon and Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship. We're talking road wins, playoff dominance, and dominant postseason victories against Alabama, Oregon, and Miami. The guy was ranked 21st last year and jumped up 20 spots! Analysts are crediting his system, discipline, and seriously aggressive game planning. It’s pure control and resilience!

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Then you've got Dan Lanning at Oregon. This dude is a certified winner, leading the Ducks for four seasons with an insane 48-8 overall record and a 32-4 conference mark across two leagues. He snagged the Big Ten title in his first season and led Oregon to multiple playoff wins, including their first since the inaugural CFP era against Florida State. Yeah, they missed the conference title game last year, but Lanning is still chasing that national title breakthrough. Analysts have him at No. 5 overall, and everyone sees him as a future national champion contender. And don't sleep on Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame. Despite the controversy ending their season, voters kept him high. He took Brian Kelly’s program and molded it into a national title contender, showing stronger performances and a killer identity on both sides of the ball. He was 6th last year, hit a high of 4th, and stayed steady. That’s consistency!

The Elite Fighting to Stay on Top

Now, let's talk about the guys who are usually undisputed at the top. Kirby Smart, he's still elite at Georgia, right? Two national championships, titles expected every season. He's still sitting near the top, even collecting four first-place votes. But listen, even for Smart, the season ended poorly. They claimed the SEC crown, but couldn't secure a playoff win. No playoff win since the 2022 College Football title has to sting. He actually dropped a spot to No. 1, which just shows how competitive this game is getting!

And then there’s Ryan Day at Ohio State. He led them to a 12-2 season in 2025, 9-0 in conference, and stayed among the nation’s elite. He finally cleared Michigan, which is huge! But then they lost to eventual champion Indiana in the title game, ending on a two-game losing streak. Day got zero first-place votes and dropped a spot to No. 2. Nobody on the panel ranked him below third, so he's still undeniably one of the best, but the pressure is definitely on when you’re not taking home that national title.

So, what's next? This isn't just a list, folks. These rankings set the stage for next season! With guys like Cignetti making history and the established kings facing new challenges, the upcoming college football season is going to be absolutely wild. Get ready to watch these power players battle it out!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.