The Inside Zone

The Inside Zone

Fortuna Files: Welcome to the 2026 college football season

Our annual CFP picks, three bold predictions and more!

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Matt Fortuna
Sep 03, 2026
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Will Marcus Freeman’s team finish the season No. 1? (Photo: Getty)

Week 1 is here, and that means it’s time to make some predictions, both bold and not-so-bold.

The College Football Playoff bracket? That could be bold, depending on the teams you pick.

Was taking Penn State to beat Alabama in the national title game last year bold?

Honestly, not really.

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But it was a horrible prediction, and is worth remembering as we embark on another season of predictions here.

Let’s start with my Playoff bracket, which I unveiled this week on The Podcast of Northern Aggression:

Yeah, I have Notre Dame winning it all. So, too, do Bill Landis and Doug Lesmerises, my co-hosts on the podcast. As does Pete Sampson, my co-host on The Independent podcast.

Fade accordingly.

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