After watching some videos and doing some test here is my list and with some help from Chat GPT some light reading.
Your input is greatly appreciated as I want this to be a dynasty we can all get behind.
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SEC REBUILDS (CFB26)1. Auburn (
Best SEC Rebuild)• Realism: ★★★★★
• Difficulty: Moderate–Hard
• CFB26 Snapshot: The Tigers have elite facilities, NIL backing, and a loaded 2025 recruiting class — but they’re buried in the toughest neighborhood in college football: Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and now Texas.
• Storyline: “The Sleeping Giant” — Bring Auburn back to the national elite, restore the Iron Bowl, and finally stabilize the chaos.
• Recruiting: Rich Alabama and Georgia pipelines; huge fan support.
• Playstyle Fit: Balanced Spread with athletic QB (think RPO-heavy).
• Goal: CFP berth by Year 3; national title contender by Year 4–5.
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2. Missouri
• Realism: ★★★★☆
• Difficulty: Moderate
• CFB26 Snapshot: Mizzou has turned the corner under Eli Drinkwitz with a top-10 roster and offensive firepower (Cook, Burden, Horn). But can they stay elite when Burden leaves and Georgia reloads?
• Storyline: “Sustaining Success” — turn a hot streak into a decade-long powerhouse.
• Recruiting: St. Louis, Texas, and Midwest are all fertile grounds.
• Playstyle Fit: Air Raid or vertical passing offense.
• Goal: Consistent 10-win seasons and top-10 recruiting classes.
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3. Arkansas
• Realism: ★★★★☆
• Difficulty: Hard
• CFB26 Snapshot: Sam Pittman’s tough-nosed teams have struggled to break through in the new-look SEC with Texas and OU joining.
• Storyline: “Old School Grit vs. New SEC” — make Arkansas relevant again in a super-league.
• Recruiting: Access to Texas and the South, but overshadowed by bigger brands.
• Playstyle Fit: Power run, physical defense — or modernize with tempo spread.
• Goal: 9–10 wins by Year 3; playoff dark horse by Year 4–5.
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4. Mississippi State
• Realism: ★★★☆☆
• Difficulty: Very Hard
• CFB26 Snapshot: New staff, new era, minimal expectations — a true underdog build in the SEC.
• Storyline: “From Underdog to Contender” — build a tough-nosed identity in a shark tank.
• Recruiting: Thin pipeline; portal will be your lifeline.
• Playstyle Fit: Either reinvent the Air Raid or go run-heavy to win ugly.
• Goal: Bowl team by Year 2; 8+ wins by Year 4.
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BIG TEN REBUILDS (CFB26)(Includes new additions: Oregon, Washington, USC, UCLA, plus Kansas and Wisconsin in this setup)
1. Nebraska (
Best Big Ten Rebuild)• Realism: ★★★★★
• Difficulty: Moderate
• CFB26 Snapshot: Matt Rhule has Nebraska trending upward again — great defense, improving QB play, and incredible fanbase backing.
• Storyline: “Restore the Empire” — bring back the glory of Tom Osborne-era Nebraska.
• Recruiting: Elite facilities; heavy Midwest and Texas pipelines.
• Playstyle Fit: Physical run game with RPO/dual-threat QB modern twist.
• Goal: Win Big Ten West (or new division pod) by Year 3; CFP by Year 4.
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2. Wisconsin
• Realism: ★★★★★
• Difficulty: Moderate
• CFB26 Snapshot: Luke Fickell’s Badgers are in transition — Air Raid elements mixing with old-school Wisconsin identity.
• Storyline: “Modernizing Tradition” — can you evolve Wisconsin’s style to survive the new Big Ten super-conference?
• Recruiting: Midwest stronghold; huge fan base, great development system.
• Playstyle Fit: Balanced offense (Air Raid + power run hybrid).
• Goal: Contend for Big Ten title by Year 3; playoff berth realistic by Year 4.
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3. Kansas
• Realism: ★★★★☆
• Difficulty: Moderate–Hard
• CFB26 Snapshot: Lance Leipold’s Jayhawks are fun, efficient, and improving. Moving to the Big Ten adds prestige — and challenge.
• Storyline: “Basketball School No More” — prove Kansas belongs on the Big Ten stage.
• Recruiting: Strong Midwest ties, but limited depth; must hit portal smartly.
• Playstyle Fit: Dynamic Spread — lean into offensive creativity.
• Goal: 8–9 wins by Year 3; upset playoff contender by Year 5.
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4. Michigan State
• Realism: ★★★★☆
• Difficulty: Moderate–Hard
• CFB26 Snapshot: Still digging out from post-Mel Tucker chaos, but solid foundation in place under new leadership.
• Storyline: “From the Ashes” — rebrand the program and build around defense again.
• Recruiting: Midwest and transfer-heavy approach.
• Playstyle Fit: Defensive identity with power or balanced offense.
• Goal: 8 wins by Year 2; legit Big Ten contender by Year 4.
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BIG 12 REBUILDS (CFB26)(Without Texas or Oklahoma — now features Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State)
1. TCU (
Best Big 12 Rebuild)• Realism: ★★★★☆
• Difficulty: Moderate
• CFB26 Snapshot: The Horned Frogs are in rebuild mode after the 2022 title run. Still a strong Texas recruiting brand, but Big 12 is deep.
• Storyline: “Prove 2022 Wasn’t a Fluke.”
• Recruiting: Dallas-Fort Worth goldmine; solid NIL support.
• Playstyle Fit: Fast-paced Spread.
• Goal: Big 12 contender again by Year 2; playoff dark horse Year 4.
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2. West Virginia
• Realism: ★★★★★
• Difficulty: Hard
• CFB26 Snapshot: One of the toughest but most rewarding rebuilds in the game — isolated location, proud fan base, blue-collar culture.
• Storyline: “Bring Back the Mountaineer Grit.”
• Recruiting: Limited regional base — must master scouting and portal.
• Playstyle Fit: Ground-and-pound with opportunistic defense.
• Goal: 8 wins by Year 3; Big 12 title run Year 4–5.
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3. Cincinnati
• Realism: ★★★☆☆
• Difficulty: Moderate–Hard
• CFB26 Snapshot: Struggling post-Fickell; program identity in flux.
• Storyline: “Reclaim the Momentum.”
• Recruiting: Solid Midwest base; use portal to restock fast.
• Playstyle Fit: Tempo offense or defensive-first rebuild.
• Goal: Compete for Big 12 title by Year 3.
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CFB26 OVERALL REBUILD RANKINGSRank Team Conference Realism Difficulty Dynasty Storyline
1. Auburn SEC ★★★★★ Moderate–Hard Blue-blood revival in the toughest division in football
2. Nebraska Big Ten ★★★★★ Moderate Reawaken a national powerhouse with a loyal fan base
3. Wisconsin Big Ten ★★★★★ Moderate Blend tradition with modern Air Raid evolution
4. West Virginia Big 12 ★★★★★ Hard Ultimate underdog with NIL and location challenges
5. TCU Big 12 ★★★★☆ Moderate Redeem the playoff run and stabilize the program
6. Missouri SEC ★★★★☆ Moderate Sustain newfound SEC success and challenge Georgia
7. Kansas Big Ten ★★★★☆ Moderate–Hard Transform a basketball school into a football force
8. Michigan State Big Ten ★★★★☆ Moderate–Hard Post-scandal rebuild back to Big Ten prominence
9. Arkansas SEC ★★★★☆ Hard Power football rebuild in SEC super-league
10. Mississippi State SEC ★★★☆☆ Very Hard The true grind — smallest SEC program vs. giants
11. Cincinnati Big 12 ★★★☆☆ Moderate-Hard
Post-Fickell reboot in a new era
Best by CategoryCategory Team Why
Most Realistic Blue-Blood Rebuild Nebraska Iconic return to glory; perfect balance of prestige and challenge
Best SEC Challenge Auburn Survive Alabama, Georgia, LSU, and Texas — and thrive
Most Rewarding Underdog West Virginia Low resources, huge heart, deep legacy
Most Strategic/Modern Build Wisconsin Scheme evolution with Fickell’s hybrid offense
Most Unique Storyline Kansas Basketball school rewriting its football legacy
