Press Release
Bad news propels Michigan to the No. 1 Spot in 2026 College Sports Social Pulse™ Preseason Rankings
Arch Manning, Curt Cignetti headline preseason player and coach rankings
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Michigan will open the 2026 college football season as the No. 1 team in the College Sports Social Pulse™, the University of South Carolina’s ranking of the teams, players and coaches commanding the greatest influence across the national social-media conversation.
The Wolverines’ top ranking is not necessarily a good thing.
“People have been talking about Michigan this summer, but the focus of the conversation is on the scandal surrounding former coach Sherrone Moore and the firing of Warde Manuel as athletic director,” said Clay Owen, professor of practice in in the University of South Carolina’s College of Information and Communications.
The rest of the top five is filled with blue blood teams already in the conversation for the college football playoffs, including Texas, Ohio State and Georgia. Last year’s national champs, Indiana, land at a solid No. 4, after being absent from the rankings most of last season.
Top 10 Teams – 2026 Preseason
Rank | Team | Sports Social Pulse Index |
|---|---|---|
1. | Michigan | 92.02 |
2. | Texas | 90.91 |
3. | Ohio State | 62.83 |
4. | Indiana | 60.37 |
5. | Georgia | 59.00 |
6. | Alabama | 57.33 |
7. | Oklahoma | 55.95 |
8. | Notre Dame | 54.42 |
9. | Oregon | 50.15 |
10. | Tennessee | 49.06 |
Texas stands out as one of the most engagement-driven teams in the preseason rankings, while Alabama is fueled primarily by conversation volume. Oklahoma receives a significant boost from positive sentiment, illustrating the different paths programs can take to national social influence.
Manning Leads Player Rankings
The start of 2026 is looking a lot like last season with social media dominated by Texas quarterback Arch Manning. Manning opens the season at No. 1 in the player rankings, followed by Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.
Manning simply attracts attention. When Barstool Sports posted a simple 13-second clip asking “Is 2026 Arch Manning’s year?” it racked up more than 212,000 views, nearly 18,000 likes and 605 saves. No highlights, no analysis — just the question. That’s the Manning effect in action.
One new face making a strong showing - Texas wide receiver Cam Coleman – starting this year at No. 3 in the Pulse rankings.
Rank | Player | Team | Sports Social Pulse Index |
|---|---|---|---|
1. | Arch Manning | Texas | 74.52 |
2. | Jeremiah Smith | Ohio State | 71.68 |
3. | Cam Coleman | Texas | 71.49 |
4. | Dante Moore | Oregon | 68.27 |
5. | Malachi Toney | Miami | 66.15 |
6. | Kewan Lacey | Ole Miss | 64.89 |
7. | John Mateer | Oklahoma | 56.44 |
8. | Julian Sayin | Ohio State | 54.98 |
9. | Bryum Brown | Auburn | 48.44 |
10. | Darian Mensah | Miami | 48.38 |
Cignetti Dominates Coach Conversation
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti is the No. 1 coach in the preseason College Sports Social Pulse, as fans continue to talk – and admire – the coach’s 27-2 record over the last two seasons.
Cignetti leads all coaches in both measures, posting a Pulse score far higher than any other coach in the ranking.
Top 10 Coaches – 2026 Preseason
Rank | Coach | Team | Sports Social Pulse Index |
|---|---|---|---|
1. | Curt Cignetti | Indiana | 100 |
2. | Lane Kiffin | LSU | 56.10 |
3. | Brent Venables | Oklahoma | 50.96 |
4. | Pat Fitzgerald | Michigan State | 49.01 |
5. | Matt Rhule | Nebraska | 48.64 |
6. | Dan Lanning | Oregon | 46.47 |
7. | Matt Campbell | Penn State | 46.00 |
8. | Will Stein | Kentucky | 45.06 |
9. | John Sumrall | Florida | 44.28 |
10. | Josh Heupel | Tennessee | 44.16 |
How the Pulse Works
The College Sports Social Pulse measures three dimensions of influence within the national social-media conversation:
Breadth: Mentions measure how widely a team, player or coach is being discussed.
Depth: Earned engagement measures how strongly audiences respond to that conversation.
Direction: Net sentiment measures whether the conversation is primarily positive or negative.
The preseason rankings are based on social-media activity from June 1 – Aug. 17.
About the College Sports Social Pulse™
Developed by the University of South Carolina’s Social Media Insights Lab, the College Sports Social Pulse™ transforms social-media conversation into insight about the teams, athletes and coaches shaping the culture and business of college sports.
The Pulse tracks the national conversation across major social platforms and uses advanced analytics to identify who is generating attention, engagement and emotional response — regardless of what happens on the scoreboard.