List of 100 games defines college football in 2026

An article billed as "100 games that explain college football in 2026" opens a list built around themes including legends, tactical innovations, postseason drama, upsets, TV's influence and conference realignment. The piece notes the sport is entering a 158th season featuring players on seven-figure contracts, coaches earning eight figures, and a 12-team playoff alongside more than 40 bowl games.

The first section, "Legends," runs through historic individual performances. It cites Jim Thorpe's 173 rushing yards and four field goals for Carlisle in an 18-15 upset of Harvard in 1911, and Red Grange's four-touchdown first quarter for Illinois against Michigan in 1924, the same day Notre Dame's "Four Horsemen" beat Army 13-7.

Other entries include Army's 32-13 rout of Navy in 1945 behind Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis, and a scoreless Notre Dame-Army tie in 1946 between unbeaten teams. The list also notes Archie Griffin's 160-yard game against UCLA in 1975, Herschel Walker's freshman debut run against Tennessee in 1980, and Nebraska's 62-24 win over Florida in a national title game that gave Tom Osborne back-to-back championships.