The expansion of the College Football Playoff from four teams to 12 has given programs that had been stuck in competitive purgatory for the last quarter century the chance to reclaim some of their former glory.
For example, the Miami Hurricanes hadn’t participated in a national championship game since 2002 before reaching the title game this season. Many fans would like to claim back their perennial prowess for that achievement alone. They’re jumping the gun.
This was Miami’s first ever CFP appearance, a controversial one at that. Prior to this year there were flashes at best of the Hurricanes looking like a potential juggernaut again. The only thing to solidify their claim would be actually winning the national championship.
They aren’t the only ones with the same challenge ahead of them. Multiple programs that used to look unbeatable can’t quite command the same respect in the modern era. They need a title to silence the critics.
Texas Longhorns
College football fans constantly hear “Texas is back,” especially with appearances in the 2023 and 2024 CFPs and the advent of the Arch Manning era in Austin. While the Longhorns are no longer the mediocre power they’d become after 2009, they are still miles from what they used to be.
Texas famously won its first national championship since 1970 back in 2005 and were constantly in that Top 5 space until the post-Colt McCoy era. With Steve Sarkisian at the helm and Manning expected to hit his stride in 2026, the Longhorns are primed to truly be “back” if they can lift the CFP trophy.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Fighting Irish haven’t won a national championship since 1988 but were national finalists as recently as 2024. Head coach Marcus Freeman has his team on the precipice of returning to the championship glory of Lou Holtz, Ara Parseghian and Frank Leahy but until he’s finally lifting that trophy, there’s work yet to be done.
That may be the most achievable task of the teams listed here. Notre Dame, arguably, should’ve been included in the 2025 CFP and probably would’ve given any team in the field a true run for its money. Quarterback CJ Carr will have an opportunity to prove that to doubters in 2026, but he’ll be without Heisman Trophy finalist Jeremiyah Love in his backfield.
Penn State Nittany Lions
There likely isn’t another program out there more desperate to be “back” than Penn State. The program last won a national title in 1986 and its first opportunity to try and reach the championship game since then came in 2024 (it hasn’t claimed a potential national title from 1994).
Head coach James Franklin couldn’t win the big games when he was leading in Happy Valley and now Nittany Lions fans will have to put their trust in Matt Campbell. Until his regime can prove it’s better than Franklin’s — which requires winning a Big Ten title let alone the national title — Penn State won’t be back for quite some time.
USC Trojans
Did I say there wasn’t a team more desperate to be “back?” USC has no national championship appearances since 2004, only one conference title since 2008 and exactly zero CFP appearances. USC is a shell of its former self which won back-to-back national titles in 2003 and 2004, five conference titles from 2002-08 and made constant appearances in the Top 10 prior to 2015.
Head coach Lincoln Riley was supposed to be the program’s savior and make USC a repeat CFP contender like he was with Oklahoma prior. That hasn’t materialized and the team is struggling to manage a Big Ten travel schedule that sends it to face Midwest foes in November. Until away opponents can be handled regardless of climate, USC isn’t close to being “back.”
