The Chemistry Index

2026 season · early version: continuity + climate · how programs talk is coming

How well every program fits together, on the same 0-99 scale as our other ratings: 62 is typical, 20-50 is a warning sign, single digits are a collapse. Arrows compare each program with its own normal since 2016. See a team's full chemistry →

Rk	Team	Chem	vs norm	Trend	Strongest	Weakest	Index	Cont.	Climate
1	Notre Dame FBS Independents	80	▲ +14	▲ +2	Defense 90	Staff 72	96 #1	91	74
2	Georgia SEC	79	▲ +12	▼ -3	Staff 99	QB & receivers 56	94 #2	95	78
3	Wake Forest ACC	79	▲ +16	▲ +3	Defense 99	QB & receivers 37	75 #30	79	71
4	Boise State Pac-12	77	▲ +14	0	QB & receivers 83	Defense 49	75 #29	81	72
5	Alabama SEC	74	+3	▲ +4	Defense 91	QB & coordinator 55	93 #3	67	78
6	Houston Big 12	74	▲ +21	+1	QB & receivers 93	Offensive line 72	79 #18	93	53
7	San José State Mountain West	73	▲ +24	+1	Staff 99	Staff 99	53 #113	62	50
8	Nebraska Big Ten	72	▲ +6	▲ +2	Roster core 86	Staff 55	80 #13	74	79
9	Indiana Big Ten	72	▲ +12	+1	Offensive line 99	QB & coordinator 55	87 #8	84	70
10	Liberty Conference USA	72	▲ +14	▲ +3	Offensive line 93	QB & coordinator 55	68 #59	73	67
11	New Mexico Mountain West	72	▲ +31	▲ +3	Defense 87	QB & receivers 44	70 #45	71	46
12	BYU Big 12	71	▲ +13	-1	Staff 87	Offensive line 50	80 #12	79	67
13	Miami ACC	71	▲ +15	+1	Staff 78	Offensive line 40	93 #4	67	70
14	Pittsburgh ACC	70	▲ +11	▲ +3	Offensive line 94	QB & receivers 18	74 #35	77	57
15	Florida Atlantic American Athletic	69	▲ +18	+1	QB & receivers 93	Defense 56	60 #85	78	52
16	Mississippi State SEC	69	▲ +12	▲ +4	QB & receivers 72	Defense 56	76 #26	64	61
17	Army American Athletic	69	▲ +6	+1	QB & receivers 99	Defense 69	59 #90	96	56
18	Fresno State Pac-12	68	▲ +18	0	Defense 84	Staff 50	63 #76	67	58
19	Texas Tech Big 12	68	▲ +5	+1	Roster core 86	Staff 58	80 #11	80	78
20	Arizona Big 12	68	▲ +12	▲ +2	Offensive line 83	QB & receivers 30	75 #27	73	63
21	Texas SEC	67	▲ +5	+1	QB & coordinator 93	QB & receivers 74	87 #6	92	73
22	Tennessee SEC	67	▲ +12	▲ +5	Roster core 80	QB & receivers 18	78 #19	63	66
23	Purdue Big Ten	67	▲ +10	0	QB & coordinator 80	Offensive line 47	68 #58	69	56
24	Ole Miss SEC	66	▲ +4	▲ +2	Offensive line 84	Staff 52	80 #14	69	72
25	South Alabama Sun Belt	66	▲ +9	▼ -2	Offensive line 73	Roster core 43	55 #105	59	70
26	Utah Big 12	66	0	-1	Defense 67	Offensive line 27	85 #9	50	71
27	Missouri SEC	66	▲ +7	+1	Offensive line 80	Defense 38	79 #15	54	51
28	Cincinnati Big 12	66	▲ +6	▲ +2	Offensive line 85	Roster core 54	64 #73	64	65
29	Oklahoma State Big 12	66	+1	▲ +3	QB & receivers 70	Offensive line 32	71 #44	50	62
30	UTSA American Athletic	66	▲ +13	-1	QB & receivers 89	Offensive line 32	64 #70	66	68
31	Louisiana Sun Belt	66	▲ +10	0	QB & receivers 84	Defense 52	58 #94	82	54
32	Western Michigan Mid-American	65	▲ +10	-1	QB & receivers 87	Defense 37	60 #82	83	52
33	Duke ACC	65	▲ +6	0	Staff 76	QB & receivers 49	69 #49	63	61
34	Virginia Tech ACC	65	+2	+1	Roster core 86	QB & coordinator 55	72 #42	77	50
35	Northwestern Big Ten	65	0	-1	Roster core 70	Offensive line 46	75 #31	63	60
36	USC Big Ten	65	▲ +5	▲ +2	QB & coordinator 80	Staff 65	77 #22	84	63
37	Ohio State Big Ten	65	-3	0	QB & receivers 80	QB & coordinator 55	92 #5	71	72
38	Jacksonville State Conference USA	65	▲ +21	▲ +2	QB & receivers 80	Staff 46	56 #101	63	80
39	Florida State ACC	64	▲ +4	▲ +3	QB & receivers 75	QB & coordinator 55	72 #39	64	73
40	Minnesota Big Ten	64	▼ -4	-1	Staff 94	Offensive line 70	65 #63	89	76
41	UCF Big 12	64	▲ +7	0	Roster core 74	Offensive line 37	69 #52	63	75
42	SMU ACC	64	0	▼ -2	Offensive line 88	Defense 46	72 #41	74	62
43	UNLV Mountain West	64	▲ +20	▼ -2	QB & receivers 70	Offensive line 44	60 #83	56	55
44	App State Sun Belt	63	+3	▲ +7	QB & receivers 67	Roster core 32	53 #116	48	77
45	Florida SEC	63	+3	▲ +6	QB & coordinator 80	Staff 28	77 #23	68	69
46	North Carolina ACC	63	-2	0	QB & receivers 64	Defense 43	68 #57	51	58
47	UCLA Big Ten	63	▲ +8	▲ +2	Roster core 64	Staff 26	79 #16	53	45
48	Eastern Michigan Mid-American	62	▲ +8	-1	Staff 88	Offensive line 55	54 #108	84	54
49	Memphis American Athletic	62	▲ +5	▲ +9	QB & receivers 70	Staff 37	68 #53	47	54
50	Iowa Big Ten	62	▼ -9	▲ +2	Staff 92	QB & receivers 18	78 #21	60	66
51	Oklahoma SEC	62	▼ -8	0	QB & coordinator 93	Offensive line 58	79 #17	91	64
52	Kansas Big 12	62	▲ +9	▲ +5	Staff 85	Offensive line 40	73 #36	63	63
53	Kansas State Big 12	62	-3	▲ +2	QB & receivers 96	Staff 29	71 #43	68	72
54	Tulsa American Athletic	62	▲ +11	-1	Defense 74	Staff 42	58 #95	56	57
55	Oregon Big Ten	61	▼ -4	0	Defense 96	QB & receivers 18	82 #10	72	87
56	Ohio Mid-American	61	0	▲ +5	Defense 63	QB & receivers 37	58 #92	48	53
57	Wisconsin Big Ten	61	-1	▲ +3	Staff 73	Offensive line 53	76 #25	58	50
58	South Carolina SEC	61	▲ +4	▼ -3	QB & receivers 91	Offensive line 6	76 #24	73	66
59	James Madison Sun Belt	61	▲ +15	▲ +15	Defense 70	Staff 25	70 #46	30	61
60	Louisiana Tech Sun Belt	61	+3	0	Offensive line 82	Defense 47	60 #87	63	51
61	TCU Big 12	60	▼ -6	▲ +5	Defense 83	Offensive line 54	69 #51	66	60
62	LSU SEC	60	+3	▲ +2	Roster core 66	Defense 47	87 #7	51	50
63	Temple American Athletic	59	▲ +10	-1	Offensive line 74	Staff 54	55 #103	64	49
64	Virginia ACC	59	▲ +9	0	Offensive line 86	Defense 27	68 #54	67	52
65	Illinois Big Ten	59	-1	+1	Staff 75	Offensive line 36	68 #56	62	77
66	Central Michigan Mid-American	59	▲ +8	0	Offensive line 76	QB & coordinator 55	52 #120	65	49
67	Bowling Green Mid-American	59	▲ +13	▲ +5	QB & receivers 74	Roster core 28	50 #129	53	60
68	Delaware Conference USA	59	▲ +8	▼ -2	Staff 86	QB & receivers 18	53 #112	70	42
69	Texas State Pac-12	58	▲ +7	▼ -2	QB & receivers 93	Defense 22	63 #77	79	66
70	North Dakota State Mountain West	58	—	▲ +3	Defense 77	Roster core 12	65 #65	64	70
71	Rice American Athletic	58	▲ +8	-1	Offensive line 65	Staff 49	53 #111	52	51
72	Air Force Mountain West	58	▲ +5	-1	Staff 96	QB & receivers 18	64 #69	67	31
73	Baylor Big 12	57	▼ -8	▼ -2	Staff 66	Defense 40	73 #38	48	55
74	Georgia Southern Sun Belt	57	▲ +4	+1	Staff 71	Roster core 52	59 #89	51	49
75	Sam Houston Conference USA	57	▲ +9	▲ +2	QB & coordinator 80	Offensive line 6	52 #123	64	78
76	Middle Tennessee Conference USA	57	-2	+1	QB & receivers 60	Roster core 45	42 #132	54	63
77	Oregon State Pac-12	56	▲ +4	▲ +10	Defense 74	Staff 22	72 #40	46	41
78	Miami (OH) Mid-American	56	▲ +10	▼ -2	Staff 91	QB & receivers 30	53 #110	72	42
79	West Virginia Big 12	56	-3	▲ +3	QB & receivers 68	Defense 48	63 #75	61	66
80	Louisville ACC	56	-1	0	Staff 82	Offensive line 50	75 #28	67	50
81	Kennesaw State Conference USA	56	▲ +5	0	Offensive line 59	Defense 50	53 #115	54	68
82	Florida International Conference USA	56	▲ +6	+1	Staff 57	Defense 12	58 #97	48	58
83	Nevada Mountain West	56	▲ +5	▲ +2	Offensive line 67	Staff 48	56 #100	50	52
84	Navy American Athletic	56	▼ -7	▼ -3	Offensive line 83	QB & receivers 37	61 #79	65	58
85	Georgia State Sun Belt	55	+2	▼ -4	QB & coordinator 80	Offensive line 32	60 #86	52	62
86	New Mexico State Conference USA	55	+1	-1	Defense 85	QB & receivers 41	52 #118	71	37
87	Arkansas State Sun Belt	55	-1	▲ +6	Offensive line 85	Defense 51	56 #102	70	42
88	Maryland Big Ten	54	▲ +4	+1	Offensive line 88	QB & coordinator 55	64 #74	80	55
89	Wyoming Mountain West	54	▼ -6	▲ +6	Offensive line 68	Roster core 50	52 #121	54	64
90	UAB American Athletic	54	▲ +6	+1	Defense 73	Roster core 28	53 #114	52	35
91	Ball State Mid-American	54	▲ +4	▲ +6	Offensive line 78	Roster core 54	41 #133	66	41
92	Michigan Big Ten	54	▼ -13	-1	Offensive line 75	Staff 41	74 #34	68	87
93	Washington Big Ten	53	▼ -10	+1	QB & receivers 83	Offensive line 70	69 #50	80	69
94	NC State ACC	52	▼ -14	0	Staff 85	Defense 10	64 #71	74	76
95	Utah State Pac-12	52	▲ +5	-1	Staff 79	QB & coordinator 55	59 #88	73	48
96	Tulane American Athletic	52	▼ -10	+1	QB & receivers 59	Offensive line 40	57 #98	45	65
97	Auburn SEC	52	▼ -10	-1	QB & coordinator 99	Offensive line 22	75 #32	76	70
98	Arkansas SEC	52	-1	▲ +13	QB & receivers 70	Defense 33	65 #66	39	64
99	Michigan State Big Ten	52	▼ -10	0	Defense 75	Staff 33	68 #55	44	51
100	Marshall Sun Belt	52	+1	+1	QB & receivers 89	Staff 44	52 #119	82	45
101	Massachusetts Mid-American	52	+1	-1	Defense 66	QB & receivers 18	52 #124	29	59
102	Clemson ACC	51	▼ -24	-1	Staff 74	Defense 47	70 #47	59	83
103	Arizona State Big 12	51	-3	▼ -2	Staff 69	Offensive line 6	67 #61	47	54
104	Boston College ACC	50	▼ -4	+1	QB & coordinator 55	Defense 16	60 #81	44	65
105	North Texas American Athletic	50	-3	▲ +3	QB & receivers 72	Roster core 32	67 #62	39	58
106	Penn State Big Ten	49	▼ -19	▲ +2	QB & coordinator 93	Roster core 66	74 #33	80	76
107	Coastal Carolina Sun Belt	49	-3	0	QB & coordinator 80	Defense 16	52 #117	55	58
108	Western Kentucky Conference USA	49	▼ -5	▲ +2	Staff 68	Defense 6	52 #122	51	67
109	Kent State Mid-American	48	+1	0	QB & receivers 83	Staff 51	39 #135	73	49
110	Buffalo Mid-American	48	▼ -4	0	QB & coordinator 55	Offensive line 22	51 #126	40	55
111	Kentucky SEC	48	▼ -18	▲ +13	Roster core 58	Staff 10	73 #37	6	52
112	Northern Illinois Mountain West	48	▼ -4	▼ -11	QB & coordinator 55	Roster core 26	41 #134	35	67
113	Troy Sun Belt	48	-2	0	Staff 58	Defense 29	58 #96	39	38
114	Southern Miss Sun Belt	47	▲ +5	-1	Offensive line 68	Roster core 26	51 #127	43	55
115	Georgia Tech ACC	46	▼ -13	▲ +4	QB & receivers 56	Offensive line 32	65 #67	47	60
116	Iowa State Big 12	46	▼ -23	-1	QB & coordinator 55	Defense 21	70 #48	18	77
117	UConn FBS Independents	46	▼ -7	▲ +13	Offensive line 62	Roster core 28	58 #93	25	59
118	East Carolina American Athletic	45	▼ -9	+1	Defense 60	Staff 30	61 #80	25	56
119	Akron Mid-American	45	-2	-1	Offensive line 71	QB & receivers 49	44 #131	63	31
120	Syracuse ACC	44	▼ -11	▼ -8	Roster core 56	QB & receivers 18	64 #68	47	54
121	Colorado State Pac-12	42	▼ -19	▼ -2	QB & coordinator 55	Defense 20	54 #109	19	56
122	Vanderbilt SEC	40	▼ -20	+1	Defense 88	QB & receivers 37	67 #60	71	65
123	Colorado Big 12	39	▼ -17	+1	QB & coordinator 55	Offensive line 16	65 #64	21	58
124	Old Dominion Sun Belt	38	▼ -25	+1	Staff 83	Offensive line 46	55 #104	60	74
125	Texas A&M SEC	36	▼ -28	+1	QB & receivers 87	Offensive line 47	78 #20	74	67
126	California ACC	36	▼ -18	-1	Offensive line 82	Staff 15	62 #78	19	42
127	Hawai'i Mountain West	34	▼ -12	-1	QB & coordinator 80	Offensive line 49	51 #125	68	51
128	Charlotte American Athletic	33	▼ -16	▲ +5	QB & coordinator 80	QB & receivers 18	32 #138	59	53
129	South Florida American Athletic	33	▼ -20	▼ -3	QB & receivers 56	Staff 13	64 #72	5	57
130	UL Monroe Sun Belt	32	▼ -11	0	QB & receivers 78	Defense 25	39 #136	61	38
131	Toledo Mid-American	31	▼ -34	▲ +4	QB & receivers 64	Staff 2	60 #84	2	55
132	Rutgers Big Ten	30	▼ -33	▲ +2	Staff 79	Defense 53	58 #91	67	68
133	Washington State Pac-12	26	▼ -31	▲ +13	Offensive line 75	Staff 19	57 #99	11	50
134	UTEP Mountain West	25	▼ -20	▲ +10	Defense 81	QB & receivers 18	38 #137	30	55
135	Missouri State Conference USA	25	▼ -26	0	QB & coordinator 80	Offensive line 16	47 #130	15	46
136	Stanford ACC	24	▼ -35	▼ -3	Offensive line 70	Staff 20	54 #107	50	50
137	San Diego State Pac-12	20	▼ -34	-1	QB & coordinator 80	Defense 57	55 #106	75	60
138	Sacramento State Mid-American	0	—	-1	QB & receivers 56	Defense 2	50 #128	17	56

Talent vs togetherness

The Index says how good a team is; Chem says how well it fits together. The corners tell four different stories. Hover a mark for the team.

Coaches who brought their people

share of this season's staff who worked with the head coach before

Miami100%71

Louisiana Tech100%61

Temple100%59

Miami (OH)100%56

Ball State100%54

Old Dominion100%38

Rutgers100%30

Minnesota95%64

New athletic director this season

a new AD often precedes a coaching change within two years

New MexicoRyan Berryman72

Florida AtlanticJosh McCowan69

PurdueTommy McClelland67

Virginia TechBrian White65

North CarolinaSteve Newmark63

UCLATim Harris63

OklahomaRoger Denny62

WisconsinShawn Eichorst61

LSUVerge Ausberry60

Air ForceNancy Hixson58

BaylorDoug McNamee57

Georgia SouthernChris Davis57

Sleepers

outside the Top 25, elite chemistry

None right now.

Chemistry is Scorebook's own rating. The current number blends continuity (who has played and coached together, and for how long; it counts most) with the climate around the program (administration, money, crowds). How each program talks, measured against its own normal, is being added program by program. Finances: U.S. Department of Education athletics disclosures. Athletic directors: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). How our ratings work →