Preseason Poll Tags 5 Teams Overrated, Led by No. 11 Alabama and No. 13 LSU

Q: With unproven quarterbacks and massive roster overhauls, which of these overhyped top-tier teams will be the first to collapse in 2026?

LSU looks like the most likely of these teams to be the first to collapse in 2026. The case is mostly about volatility layered on volatility. LSU is coming off a 7-6 season, changed coaches midstream, imported roughly 60 scholarship players, and is trying to build immediate cohesion around quarterback Sam Leavitt, who is returning from Lisfranc surgery. That is an enormous amount of turnover for any team, and LSU opens with Clemson on Sept. 5. If the Tigers lose early, the gap between preseason ranking and actual stability could become obvious faster than it would for the others. Texas has risk, but its floor appears higher. Arch Manning finished 2025 well, three offensive line starters return, and the defense still gives the Longhorns a sturdier base than most overhyped teams. Alabama’s quarterback uncertainty is real, yet its defense and secondary should keep it competitive even if the offense is uneven. Miami lost 16 starters and has major line questions, but Darian Mensah arrives with proven production and the ACC path is less punishing than the SEC. Penn State is also fragile, though Matt Campbell brings system familiarity with Rocco Becht and benefits from a manageable Big Ten schedule. LSU has the hardest mix: the deepest roster churn, a quarterback health question, a new coaching regime, and the toughest immediate test. That makes the Tigers the clearest candidate to fall out of the top tier first if preseason optimism proves misplaced.

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Aug 3

Alabama, LSU, Michigan, Penn State and Clemson were singled out as the five most overrated teams entering 2026, with each carrying a preseason ranking despite major roster or program questions.
No. 11 Alabama lost 15 starters, including 10 NFL draft picks, and faces a brutal five-game stretch against Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M and LSU that clouds its playoff path.
No. 13 LSU, now led by Lane Kiffin, is coming off a 7-6 season and leans on transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt after injury, while No. 16 Michigan faces coaching upheaval, scandal fallout and a schedule loaded with Oregon, Ohio State and Indiana.
No. 17 Penn State returns only four in-house starters under new coach Matt Campbell, and No. 23 Clemson must break in another quarterback behind a reworked line against a schedule that includes LSU, Florida State, Miami and South Carolina.
The list underscores a broader preseason-poll pattern: brand power and past reputation can outrun current roster strength, especially when coaching changes and schedule difficulty pile up.