2026 College Football: A Comprehensive Look at Returning Snaps for All 138 FBS Teams

College football returning snap percentages 2026: Production back from last season for every team

A complete look at the percentage of returning snaps on offense and defense, with position group breakdowns for all 138 FBS teams entering the 2026 season

By Cody Nagel

May 3, 2026 at 1:04 pm ET • 9 min read

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Returning starters remain one of the most commonly cited benchmarks of offseason expectations as college football's preview magazine season approaches. We published our own returning starters breakdown for all 138 FBS teams  in late March, offering a snapshot of which programs bring back the most first-team experience from the 2025 season. While that metric still provides a useful baseline for roster continuity, it doesn't capture the role of depth and high-usage contributors outside the starting 11 on offense and defense.

Returning snaps helps fill in that gap.

It measures what percentage of on-field usage a team retained from one season to the next, capturing both starters and rotational players and offering a more complete picture of continuity.

This approach is similar in concept to Bill Connelly's returning production metric , though it is not position-group-weighted and does not account for incoming transfers. Instead, it provides a straightforward look at how much of last season's workload returns from each team's 2025 roster. Transfer additions and overall roster experience will be examined more closely later this offseason.

Using data from TruMedia, our analysis tracks the percentage of returning snaps on offense and defense, with breakdowns by position group and where those numbers rank among the 138 FBS teams. Offensive breakdowns include quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end and offensive line, while defensive splits cover the defensive line, linebacker and defensive back groups.

Teams that return most of their offensive line tend to rate well in overall returning snaps, given the position group's high volume of consistent snap participation. A similar effect often shows up in the secondary on defense, where snap distribution is typically more concentrated than along the defensive line.

Notre Dame tops the list, returning 66% of its total offensive and defensive snaps from the 2025 season. Five of the six teams with the best FanDuel Sportsbook odds to win this year's national title rank among the top 15 nationally in returning overall snap percentage. The one exception is reigning national champion Indiana , which ranks No. 63 after replacing a significant portion of its roster, returning just 34% of its offensive snaps and 48% of its defensive snaps.

Here is a look at the returning snap percentage for every FBS team entering the 2026 season.

Overall returning snaps percentages

Team Total Snaps Off. Snaps (Rank) Def. Snaps (Rank)

1. Notre Dame

66%

57% (17)

73% (2)

2. Maryland

65%

59% (14)

70% (3)

3. BYU

63%

60% (11)

65% (4)

4. Virginia Tech

62%

64% (4)

60% (9)

5. Georgia

61%

58% (16)

65% (5)

6. Stanford

59%

55% (22)

64% (7)

7. New Mexico

58%

61% (10)

56% (18)

8. Delaware

57%

59% (13)

54% (19)

9. Air Force

57%

41% (63)

75% (1)

10. USC

56%

58% (15)

53% (24)

11. Ohio State

56%

67% (2)

43% (56)

12. Nebraska 56% 54% (23) 57% (13) 13. Oklahoma 55% 54% (24) 57% (14)

14. Minnesota

54%

56% (19)

52% (27)

15. Texas

54%

50% (37)

58% (11)

16. Oregon

54%

48% (44)

60% (10)

17. Army

54%

72% (1)

34% (93)

18. Tennessee

53%

61% (9)

45% (53)

19. Eastern Michigan

53%

41% (61)

64% (6)

20. Navy

53%

49% (39)

56% (16)

21. Texas Tech

52%

55% (20)

49% (42)

22. Boise State

52%

54% (25)

50% (39)

23. Florida Atlantic

52%

46% (49)

57% (12)

24. Washington

52%

56% (18)

47% (48)

25. Fresno State

51%

53% (28)

50% (37)

26. North Dakota State

51%

49% (43)

51% (21)

27. Pittsburgh

51%

51% (33)

51% (35)

28. Florida

51%

38% (73)

63% (8)

29. Michigan

51%

62% (7)

40% (68)

30. Houston

50%

50% (35)

51% (34)

31. Temple

50%

65% (3)

36% (81)

32. Northwestern

50%

46% (50)

54% (22)

33. South Carolina

49%

48% (45)

50% (36)

34. Miami (Ohio)

49%

50% (36)

49% (46)

35. Clemson

49%

49% (41)

49% (45)

36. Arkansas State

49%

61% (8)

35% (84)

37. Louisiana

48%

59% (12)

38% (76)

38. Louisiana Tech

48%

52% (29)

44% (54)

39. Tulsa

48%

45% (52)

51% (33)

40. Texas State

46%

53% (26)

40% (70)

41. SMU

46%

51% (32)

43% (57)

42. San Diego State

46%

63% (6)

31% (108)

43. Miami

46%

36% (79)

57% (15)

44. Texas A&M

46%

43% (57)

50% (41)

45. Vanderbilt

46%

39% (70)

52% (28)

46. Utah State

45%

40% (65)

50% (38)

47. UTSA

45%

55% (21)

35% (83)

48. TCU

45%

39% (68)

51% (31)

49. Jacksonville State

45%

41% (64)

49% (44)

50. Liberty

45%

51% (34)

38% (74)

51. Arizona

44%

48% (46)

40% (67)

52. Western Michigan

44%

52% (30)

36% (82)

53. Ole Miss

44%

49% (42)

39% (72)

54. Syracuse

43%

36% (81)

51% (32)

55. Marshall

43%

51% (31)

35% (89)

56. Louisiana Monroe

42%

45% (54)

40% (66)

57. UCF

42%

32% (92)

53% (26)

58. Kansas

42%

31% (94)

52% (29)

59. NC State

42%

43% (56)

40% (71)

60. California

41%

47% (48)

35% (85)

61. Central Michigan

41%

63% (5)

20% (123)

62. Akron

41%

45% (53)

37% (78)

63. Indiana

41%

34% (84)

48% (47)

64. Alabama

41%

30% (96)

53% (25)

65. Wake Forest

41%

25% (111)

56% (17)

66. Missouri

41%

53% (27)

27% (115)

67. Duke

41%

35% (83)

46% (50)

68. Hawaii

40%

47% (47)

33% (98)

69. Kansas State

40%

49% (38)

33% (100)

70. Kent State

40%

49% (40)

32% (103)

71. UCLA

40%

42% (60)

38% (77)

72. Virginia

39%

39% (69)

40% (69)

73. Boston College

39%

25% (107)

54% (20)

74. Utah

39%

37% (74)

42% (59)

75. Iowa

39%

45% (51)

33% (97)

76. South Alabama

38%

42% (59)

34% (92)

77. Georgia Tech

38%

24% (114)

52% (30)

78. New Mexico State

38%

26% (103)

50% (40)

79. FIU

37%

36% (78)

38% (75)

80. Purdue

37%

33% (87)

41% (63)

81. Mississippi State

37%

33% (90)

41% (61)

82. Sam Houston

36%

32% (93)

41% (64)

83. Rutgers

36%

41% (62)

30% (110)

84. Oregon State

36%

31% (95)

41% (62)

85. Georgia Southern

35%

17% (125)

54% (23)

86. Tulane

35%

24% (117)

47% (49)

87. Illinois

35%

36% (76)

33% (96)

88. Rice

34%

36% (77)

33% (102)

89. LSU

34%

25% (104)

42% (58)

90. Missouri State

34%

33% (88)

35% (87)

91. UNLV

34%

33% (89)

35% (86)

92. Kennesaw State

34%

22% (121)

46% (51)

93. Nevada

34%

38% (71)

29% (112)

94. Cincinnati

33%

36% (82)

32% (105)

95. Georgia State

33%

40% (66)

26% (116)

96. Wisconsin

33%

37% (75)

30% (109)

97. Troy

32%

38% (72)

27% (114)

98. Florida State

32%

24% (116)

41% (60)

99. Wyoming

32%

34% (85)

29% (113)

100. Old Dominion

31%

12% (131)

49% (43)

101. Arizona State

31%

27% (98)

34% (90)

102. Arkansas

30%

40% (67)

21% (120)

103. UMass

30%

29% (97)

31% (107)

104. Bowling Green 30% 25% (108) 35% (88)

105. Middle Tennessee

30%

25% (106)

34% (91)

106. Louisville

30%

27% (102)

33% (99)

107. Baylor

30%

24% (118)

36% (80)

108. Kentucky

29%

18% (124)

41% (65)

109. Charlotte

29%

25% (110)

33% (101)

110. Ohio

29%

13% (130)

46% (52)

111. North Carolina

29%

25% (109%)

32% (104)

112. Ball State

28%

36% (80)

20% (122)

113. Sacramento State

27%

20% (122)

34% (94)

114. Coastal Carolina

27%

24% (112)

30% (111)

115. Auburn

27%

11% (133)

43% (55)

116. Northern Illinois

27%

42% (58)

12% (130)

117. Washington State

27%

44% (55)

8% (135)

118. Buffalo

27%

22% (119)

31% (106)

119. Michigan State

27%

33% (91)

20% (121)

120. East Carolina

26%

16% (126)

36% (79)

121. App State

25%

27% (99)

24% (119)

122. Colorado State

25%

16% (127)

34% (95)

123. UTEP

25%

10% (135)

39% (73)

124. Western Kentucky

23%

22% (120)

24% (118)

125. South Florida

22%

25% (105)

19% (124)

126. Penn State

22%

19% (123)

25% (117)

127. Colorado

21%

34% (86)

8% (134)

128. UAB

20%

27% (101)

13% (129)

129. San Jose State

20%

24% (115)

15% (127)

130. West Virginia

19%

27% (100)

11% (131)

131. Toledo

17%

24% (113)

10% (133)

132. James Madison

15%

12% (132)

18% (125)

133. Memphis

10%

15% (128)

6% (136)

134. Oklahoma State

10%

4% (137)

15% (128)

135. Iowa State

10%

4% (138)

16% (126)

136. Southern Miss

10%

15% (129)

5% (137)

137. North Texas

8%

5% (136)

11% (132)

138. UConn

7%

11% (134)

4% (138)

A few broader roster trends stand out when breaking down returning snaps by side of the ball. Virginia Tech is the only team in the country to rank inside the top 10 nationally in both offense and defense, returning 62% of its overall snaps. That's somewhat surprising given the Hokies welcomed James Franklin as their new coach, though retaining Brent Pry as defensive coordinator likely helped preserve continuity on that side of the ball.

At the other end of the spectrum, UConn (7%), North Texas (8%) and Southern Miss (10%) all sit among the bottom 10 nationally in both offensive and defensive percentage of returning snaps, and unsurprisingly rank at the very bottom of the overall list as well. Coaching turnover is a common thread down in the rankings -- 11 of the 14 teams with the lowest overall returning snap percentage also made a change at head coach.

Several teams show a sharp imbalance between the two sides of the ball. Central Michigan returns 63% of its offensive snaps (No. 5 nationally), but just 20% on defense (No. 123). Army has a similar split, leading the FBS with 72% of offensive snaps back while returning just 34% on defense (No. 93). On the flip side, Georgia Southern returns only 17% of its offensive snaps (No. 125) but brings back a far more stable defensive unit at 54% (No. 22).

There is also a clear overlap between returning starters and returning snap percentage.

Among the 18 FBS teams that bring back at least 12 players that started six games or more during the 2025 season (again, incoming transfers excluded), most also grade out near the top of the returning snaps rankings -- reinforcing the idea that the two metrics generally move in tandem, even if they measure continuity in different ways.

A closer look at those teams:

- USC (15 starters) -- No. 10 in percentage of returning snaps - Georgia (14) -- No. 5 - Maryland (14) -- No. 2 - New Mexico (14) -- No. 7 - Notre Dame (14) -- No. 1 - Oklahoma (14) -- No. 13 - Oregon (14) -- No. 15 - Virginia Tech (14) -- No. 4 - Boise State (13) -- No. 22 - BYU (13) -- No. 3 - Fresno State (13) -- No. 25 - Tennessee (13) -- No. 17 - Texas Tech (13) -- No. 21 - Delaware (12) -- No. 8 - Houston (12) -- No. 30 - Nebraska (12) -- No. 12 - Stanford (12) -- No. 6 - Texas (12) -- No. 14

Now, let's get into some position group breakdowns.

Offense returning snaps percentages

Team QB Snaps RB Snaps WR Snaps TE Snaps OL Snaps

1. Army

73% (46)

53% (47)

81% (6)

100% (1)

75% (7)

2. Ohio State

93% (25)

50% (52)

58% (24)

27% (74)

82% (2)

3. Temple

0% (119)

29% (87)

59% (23)

99% (6)

79% (4)

4. Virginia Tech

0% (119)

59% (35)

48% (39)

94% (9)

80% (3)

5. Central Michigan

32% (60)

39% (68)

83% (5)

28% (69)

77% (6)

6. San Diego State

94% (22)

86% (11)

91% (2)

56% (29)

38% (75)

7. Michigan

95% (18)

62% (32)

49% (36)

44% (45)

66% (16)

8. Arkansas State

<1% (117)

93% (6)

65% (15)

32% (62)

72% (9)

9. Tennessee

2% (102)

56% (39)

69% (10)

39% (51)

74% (8)

10. New Mexico

89% (35)

28% (88)

53% (29)

45% (41)

70% (14)

11. BYU

97% (16)

86% (12)

47% (42)

28% (71)

61% (26)

12. Louisiana

90% (34)

11% (111)

54% (28)

81% (13)

60% (28)

13. Delaware

99% (10)

99% (4)

34% (76)

79% (16)

54% (36)

14. Maryland

93% (24)

71% (23)

21% (107)

87% (12)

65% (17)

15. USC

95% (19)

69% (27)

25% (98)

11% (100)

79% (5)

16. Georgia

100% (1)

70% (26)

30% (89)

54% (33)

61% (25)

17. Notre Dame

88% (37)

10% (112)

4

_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/college-football-returning-snap-percentages-2026/)._