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College Football Team Talent Rankings vs. SP+, 2026

College Football Charts
Data updatedOct 30, 2026

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Talent vs. results

SP+ rank (up) against Talent rank (247) (across). 138 teams.

Up and right are always better: metrics where lower is better (like ranks or points allowed) run in reverse. Dashed lines are the averages of the teams shown; the solid line is the diagonal, where the two are equal. The gray band is a normal miss: everything within 15 spots of the line. Teams inside the band are doing about what the line expects; teams outside it are the real over- and underperformers. Tap or click a team to open it in Head to head.

What this shows

Is a team getting the most out of its roster? Each team is placed by its talent rank (247Sports composite, out of 138) and its SP+ rank. On the diagonal, a team plays exactly as well as its talent ranks. Teams at the very top of the talent rankings have little room to climb, so for them the test is staying inside the gray band, not rising above it.

There is a strong relationship here (r = +0.74; r runs from −1 to +1, and positive means the two go together): teams better on Talent rank (247) tend to be better on SP+ rank. Talent rank (247) accounts for about 55% of the differences in SP+ rank across the 138 teams shown.

61 of 138 teams (44%) land inside the gray band, within 15 spots of the diagonal: they're doing about what you'd expect. 37 are clearly above it and 40 clearly below; those are the real over- and underperformers.

Outplaying their talent rank: North Dakota State (90 spots higher), New Mexico (76 spots higher), James Madison (72 spots higher). Underplaying their talent rank: California (68 spots higher), Stanford (62 spots higher), Colorado (55 spots higher).

SEC: 0 clearly above the diagonal, 9 inside the gray band, 7 clearly below (on average, voters have them 14 spots lower than SP+). Voters like LSU most (5 spots higher than SP+) and Arkansas least (35 spots lower).

Big 12: 7 clearly above the diagonal, 6 inside the gray band, 3 clearly below (on average, voters have them 11 spots higher than SP+). Voters like Utah most (48 spots higher than SP+) and Colorado least (55 spots lower).

Where the data comes from. SP+ rank: SP+ by Bill Connelly (CFB Update), last pulled Oct 27, 2026. Talent rank (247): 247Sports, preseason.

Outplaying their talent rank

  1. North Dakota State +90 spots
  2. New Mexico +76 spots
  3. James Madison +72 spots
  4. Army +70 spots
  5. Air Force +64 spots
  6. Navy +58 spots

Underplaying their talent rank

  1. California −68 spots
  2. Stanford −62 spots
  3. Colorado −55 spots
  4. Syracuse −52 spots
  5. Rutgers −47 spots
  6. NC State −42 spots

About the stats on this chart

Where does the talent rank data come from?

From 247Sports, preseason.

Where does the SP+ rank data come from?

From SP+ by Bill Connelly (CFB Update), last pulled Oct 27, 2026.