College GameDay crew shares early predictions for 2026 national championship

The College GameDay broadcast team debuted its 2026 season coverage from Baton Rouge on September 5. During the program, the analysts provided their early predictions for the upcoming College Football Playoff National Championship. Desmond Howard selected Texas to win the title over Notre Dame, while Nick Saban also picked Texas for the final but chose Miami to win the championship. Pat McAfee predicted a matchup between Indiana and Ole Miss, projecting Indiana to win back-to-back titles. Kirk Herbstreit offered a different forecast, naming Notre Dame the winner over Indiana. Celebrity guest picker Lainey Wilson favored LSU over Miami in the championship game. The College GameDay crew will broadcast from Austin, Texas, next Saturday for the Week 2 game featuring Ohio State and Texas, followed by a visit to Oxford, Mississippi, for the LSU and Ole Miss matchup in Week 3.

• 4:32 PMYahoo Sports — College GameDay crew makes early College Football Playoff National Championship picks