Intro
Below is a list of the most popular formations in every offensive playbook in College Football 26. “Popular” means formations with the most amount of plays for each playbook. Most playbooks have at least one formation with 24 or more plays. Some playbooks might have just one popular formation, others might have several.
This list is useful for several reasons:
- Mini schemes are usually based around one formation, so use this list to find the best mini scheme for each playbook.
- Popular formations tend to be the base of the scheme. Most playbooks in this game are quite large with well over 400 plays so knowing where to start makes things less intimidating.
- Your favorite formation might be listed so you can tell which playbooks prioritize it the most.
- With one or more formation listed for each playbook, you have hundreds of scheme ideas to pick from.
- The more plays a formation has, the higher chance all main concepts for that playbook are in it.
As you can see, this massive list can help in so many ways to have fun on offense. The list is organized by scheme type (Air Raid, Pistol, Veer and Shoot, etc.) according to EA and myself. I moved a few around that felt out of place. Each playbook will have a number beside it which is the amount of plays for the formations listed.
Also, the list is huge so make sure you use the the search function to find what you need.
For those asking about defensive playbooks? I was going to add them but qickly noticed that Nickel 3-3 Over is the most popular formation with over 30 plays, and it’s not close.
Air Raid
- Air Raid – 33
- Ace
- Baylor – 27
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Clemson – 27
- Gun Split Slot Offset
- Colorado State – 24
- Gun Doubles Y-Off
- Florida Atlantic – 24
- Gun Doubles Offset Wk
- Gun Doubles Y Off Wk
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Louisiana Tech – 24
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Miami OH – 24
- Gun Y Off Trips
- Middle Tennessee – 24
- Gun Spread Offset
- North Texas – 27
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Oklahoma – 24
- Gun Doubles
- Gun Y Off Trips
- Gun Spread
- Purdue – 24
- Gun Split Offset
- Gun Y Off Trips
- Gun Y Off Trips Wk
- Gun Trey Open
- Sam Houston – 27
- Gun Spread
- TCU – 27
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- USC – 27
- Gun Split Slot Offset
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- UTEP – 24
- Gun Normal Y Off
- Gun Normal Y Off Wk
- Gun Normal Y Off Close
- Gun Wing Trips
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
- Wake Forest – 24
- Gun Spread
- Western Kentucky – 27
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
Multiple
- Alabama – 27
- Gun Normal Y Off
- Appalachian State – 21
- Gun Y Trio Offset Wk
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Gun Trips Y Slot Wk
- Arizona – 21
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Singleback Wing
- Singleback Wing Slot
- Arizona State – 21
- Gun Doubles Y Off Wk
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
- Singleback Bunch Ace
- Arkansas – 24
- Gun Wing Trips
- Boston College – 24
- Gun Doubles Flex
- Gun Normal Y Off
- Bowling Green – 21
- Gun Doubles HB Wk
- Gun Trips Offset
- Pistol Spread
- California – 27
- Singleback Wing Slot
- Georgia – 24
- Gun Normal Y Off
- Gun Bunch
- Georgia State – 24
- Gun Doubles
- Gun Normal Y Off Wk
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
- Illinois – 24
- Gun Spread HB Wk
- Louisville – 21
- Gun Y Off Trips
- Michigan – 27
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Minnesota – 24
- Gun Doubles Offset
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
- Gun Trips TE Y Slot
- Singleback Bunch X Nasty
- Multiple – 21
- Gun Y Off Trio Wk
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Gun Trips
- Nebraska – 24
- Gun Spread Y-Flex
- Gun Spread HB Wk
- Pistol Weak Slot Open
- North Carolina – 24
- Singleback Doubles
- Northern Illinois – 21
- Gun Normal Y Off Wk
- Gun Y Off Trips
- Wisconsin – 24
- Gun Doubles
- Wyoming – 21
- Gun Wing Slot Offset
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
- Gun Y Trips Wk
- Gun Y Off Trips
Option
- Air Force – 30
- Flexbone Close
- Army – 27
- Flexbone Tight
- Navy – 27
- Flexbone Normal
- Flexbone Close
- Flexbone Tight
- Option – 30
- Flexbone Close
Pistol
- Cincinnati – 21
- Pistol Strong Slot Open
- Pistol Y Off Trips
- Gun Normal Y Off
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
- Missouri – 27
- Pistol Y Trips
- Ohio – 24
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Pistol – 21
- Pistol Wing Slot
- Pistol Y Trips
- Vanderbilt – 27
- Pistol Wing Slot
Power Spread
- Arkansas State – 21
- Gun Y Off Trio Wk
- Gun Wing Trips
- Gun Spread HB Wk
- Gun Trips
- Buffalo – 24
- Gun Doubles
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- BYU – 21
- Gun Split Slot Open
- Gun Normal Y Off Wk
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
- Gun Spread HB Wk
- Gun Trips
- Gun Trips HB Wk
- Coastal Carolina – 24
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Pistol Strong
- Florida – 24
- Gun Normal Y Off
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Florida Intrenational – 24
- Gun Y Off Trips Wk
- Georgia Tech – 24
- Gun Split Twins
- Gun Doubles HB Wk
- Gun Doubles Y Off Wk
- Gun Normal Y Off
- Iowa State – 21
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Gun Trips Y Slot Wk
- Kansas State – 21
- Gun Ace
- Gun Flex Y Off Wk
- Gun Wing Trips
- LSU – 27
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Missouri State – 24
- Gun Doubles Flex
- Gun Spread
- Gun Trips HB Wk
- Pistol Doubles
- NC State – 21
- Gun Flex Y Off Wk
- Gun Y Trips Wk
- Pistol Wing Slot
- Notre Dame – 21
- Gun Deuce
- Gun Wing Slot Wk
- Gun Normal Y Off
- Gun Y Trips Offset
- Gun Empty Trio
- Oklahoma State – 24
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
- Oregon State – 21
- Gun Wing Pair
- Gun Doubles
- Gun Normal Y Off
- Gun Spread HB Wk
- Penn State – 24
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Power Spread – 24
- Gun Deuce
- Gun Trey Open
- South Carolina – 24
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Stanford – 27
- Gun Split Slot Open
- Gun Wing Trips
- Texas A&M – 24
- Gun Doubles
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Troy – 21
- Gun Spread HB Wk
- Pistol Y Off Trips
- Tulane – 21
- Gun Normal Y Off Wk
- Gun Y Off Trips
- UTSA – 24
- Gun Normal Y Off
- Gun Normal Y Off Wk
- Gun Y Off Trips
- Washington State – 24
- Gun Wing Slot Offset
- Pistol Wing Slot
Pro Style
- Boise State – 24
- Gun Y Off Trips Wk
- Iowa – 27
- Singleback Y Trips
- Kentucky – 27
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Michigan State – 24
- Singleback Wing Tight
- Singleback Bunch Ace
- Pro Style – 18
- Gun Y Trips Wk
- Washington – 24
- Gun Y Trips Wk
Run and Shoot
- Hawaii – 30
- Pistol Trips Open
- Run and Shoot – 30
- Pistol Trips Open
- San Jose State – 24
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Gun Spread
- Gun Trips Slots Close
- Utah State – 24
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Gun Spread HB Wk
- Gun Trips Slots Close
Spread
- Akron – 24
- Gun Spread HB Wk
- Gun Spread Flex
- Auburn – 21
- Gun Spread HB Wk
- Gun Trips
- Pistol Doubles Y Off
- Ball State – 24
- Gun Spread Offset
- Charlotte – 21
- Gun Flex Y Off
- Gun Normal Y Off
- Pistol Y Off Trips
- Colorado – 27
- Gun Spread
- Delaware – 27
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Eastern Michigan – 24
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Florida State – 27
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Fresno State – 24
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Gun Doubles Y Off Wk
- Georgia Southern – 24
- Gun Doubles Offset
- Gun Normal Y Off Close
- Gun Y Off Trio Wk
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Gun Empty Base
- Houston – 24
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Indiana – 24
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
- Gun Tight Open
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Gun Trips
- Jacksonville State – 24
- Gun Doubles Offset
- Gun Normal Y Off Close
- Gun Y Off Trio Wk
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Gun Bunch Wide
- James Madison – 27
- Gun Doubles HB Wk
- Kansas – 27
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Kent State – 21
- Gun Doubles Offset
- Gun Y Trips Offset
- Gun Y Off Trips Wk
- Gun Spread HB Wk
- Gun Trips HB Wk
- Pistol U Off Trips
- Louisiana – 21
- Gun Y Off Trips Wk
- Gun Y Trio Wk
- Marshall – 24
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
- Maryland – 21
- Gun Doubles
- Gun Trips TE
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Gun Spread Y-Slot Wk
- Gun Trey Open Offset
- Memphis – 24
- Gun Doubles Offset
- Gun Y Off Trips
- Gun Spread HB Wk
- Miami FL – 24
- Gun Trips
- Gun Trips Y Slot Wk
- Gun Trips HB Wk
- Nevada – 27
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Gun Normal Y Off
- New Mexico – 24
- Gun Y Off Trips Wk
- Pistol Y Off Trips
- New Mexico State – 21
- Gun Doubles Offset Wk
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Gun Y Trio Offset Wk
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Gun Trips
- Pistol Y Off Trips
- Northwestern – 27
- Gun Doubles
- Ohio State – 21
- Gun Wing Slot Wk
- Gun Normal Y Off Close
- Gun Doubles HB Wk
- Gun Spread Y-Slot Wk
- Gun Trips HB Wk
- Oregon – 24
- Gun Normal Y Off Close
- Gun Doubles Y Off Wk
- Pittsburgh – 24
- Gun Doubles Y Off Wk
- Gun Wing Trips
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Gun Trips HB Wk
- Rutgers – 24
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
- Gun Y Off Trips Wk
- SMU – 27
- Gun Spread
- South Alabama – 24
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Spread – 24
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Gun Doubles Y Off Wk
- Syracuse – 24
- Gun Y Off Trips Wk
- Temple – 24
- Gun Wing Slot Offset
- Gun Doubles
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
- Texas – 24
- Gun Normal Y Off
- Toledo – 24
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Tulsa – 24
- Gun Y Off Trips Wk
- Gun Spread
- Pistol Weak Slot Open
- UAB – 21
- Gun Y Off Trips
- Gun Trips HB Wk
- UCF – 24
- Gun Doubles Offset Wk
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
- Gun Spread Y-Flex Wk
- UCLA – 24
- Gun Doubles Y Off Wk
- Gun Tight Open
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Gun Trips
- UConn – 24
- Gun Doubles HB Wk
- UL Monroe – 24
- Pistol U Off Trips
- Pistol Doubles Y Off
- UMass – 24
- Singleback Ace
- UNLV – 24
- Gun Normal Y Off
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
- Utah – 24
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Gun Y Off Trips
- Gun Y Off Trips Wk
- Virginia – 24
- Gun Wing Slot Offset
- Gun Normal Y Off
- Gun Y Trips Wk
- Gun Spread HB Wk
- Gun Trips Y Slot Wk
- Virginia Tech – 24
- Gun Normal Y Off
- Gun Wing Trips
- Gun Spread Y-Slot
- Gun Spread Y-Slot Wk
- Gun Spread Y-Flex
- West Virginia – 27
- Gun Normal Y Off Wk
- Western Michigan – 27
- Gun Wing Trips Wk
Spread Option
- Central Michigan – 24
- Pistol Strong
- Go Go – 21
- Gun Split Slot Open
- Liberty – 24
- Gun Doubles
- Pistol Strong
- Rice – 24
- Gun Wingback Wing Stack Wk
- Gun Wingback Doubles Off Wk
- Spread Option – 24
- Gun Doubles
Veer and Shoot
- Duke – 21
- Gun Wide Normal Y Off
- Gun Wide 5WR
- East Carolina – 24
- Gun Wide Slot Right
- Gun Spread Dbl Flex
- Gun Wide Trips HB Wk
- Kennesaw State – 27
- Gun Wide Slot Right
- Mississippi State – 27
- Gun Doubles Y Off
- Old Dominion – 24
- Gun Wide Y Off Trips
- Gun Wide Slot Right
- Gun Wide Trips
- Gun Wide Trips HB Wk
- Ole Miss – 24
- Gun Doubles Y Off Wk
- Gun Wide Slot Right
- Gun Spread Dbl Flex
- San Diego State – 24
- Gun Wide Slot Right
- Gun Spread
- Southern Miss – 24
- Gun Wide Y Off Trips
- Gun Wide
- Gun Wide Trips HB Wk
- Tennessee – 27
- Gun Wide Slot Right
- Texas State – 24
- Gun Wide Slot Right
- Gun Wide
- Gun Wide Trips
- Gun Wide Trips Wk
- Texas Tech – 24
- Gun Wide Slot Right
- Gun Wide
- Gun Wide Trips
- Gun Wide Trips Wk
- USF – 24
- Gun Wide Slot Right
- Veer and Shoot – 24
- Gun Wide Slot Right
