Week 5 didn’t just shake up the College Football Playoff picture - it blew a few holes in it.
ESPN’s latest round of CFP predictions shows just how much movement is still out there as the 2026 season approaches its midpoint. Florida, which was a unanimous pick last week, has almost completely fallen out of the conversation.
Jon Sumrall’s team now appears on only one ballot. Missouri, the team that beat up the Gators, also cracked the list with one projection.
That shuffle still leaves the SEC as the dominant force in these updated predictions, with seven teams showing up across the various ballots: Texas, Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Ole Miss, Florida and Missouri.
The top of the board remains crowded with the same heavy hitters, though the order changes depending on the voter. Texas and Georgia are the big anchors, Miami is sitting comfortably in the mix, and Notre Dame, Alabama, Indiana and Ohio State continue to pop up across multiple projections. BYU, Utah, Oregon, UCLA, Pitt, Texas Tech, North Dakota State, Florida, Missouri and Oklahoma State round out the rest of the field in different combinations.
Here’s how ESPN’s panel sorted it out this week:
Andrea Adelson had Texas at No. 1, followed by Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, Alabama, Indiana, Ohio State, BYU, Utah, LSU, Ole Miss and Boise State.
Kyle Bonagura went with Georgia first, then Notre Dame, Indiana, Miami, Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, BYU, Utah, LSU, UCLA and Boise State.
Bill Connelly placed Texas atop his bracket, with Alabama, Notre Dame, Georgia, Miami, Utah, Indiana, UCLA, Pitt, BYU, Texas Tech and North Dakota State behind it.
David Hale’s list opened with Georgia, Miami, Texas, Alabama and Notre Dame, then Ohio State, Indiana, LSU, BYU, Ole Miss, Florida and Boise State.
Eli Lederman ranked Georgia first, followed by Notre Dame, Indiana, Miami, Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, Utah, Oregon, Ole Miss, BYU and Boise State.
Max Olson started with Texas, then Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, Alabama, Notre Dame, Indiana, BYU, Oregon, LSU, UCLA and Boise State.
Adam Rittenberg had Georgia at No. 1, with Texas, Miami, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Alabama, Indiana, Utah, LSU, Oregon, BYU and Boise State completing his 12.
Alex Scarborough chose Texas first, then Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, Indiana, Ohio State, Alabama, Ole Miss, Oregon, LSU, Texas Tech and Boise State.
Mark Schlabach’s ballot featured Texas, Georgia, Miami, Notre Dame, Alabama, Ohio State, Indiana, BYU, Oregon, Ole Miss, LSU and Boise State.
Jake Trotter’s projection was the most notable for the newcomers, putting Missouri at No. 9 and Oklahoma State at No. 10. His full list was Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Indiana, Notre Dame, Miami, BYU, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Oregon and Boise State.
Paolo Uggetti rounded things out with Georgia, Texas, Ohio State, Alabama, Miami, Notre Dame, Indiana, BYU, Oregon, Ole Miss, UCLA and Boise State.
In Other News...
Georgia Alabama Suddenly Faces One Massive SEC Decision
The buildup to Saturdays Alabama-Georgia matchup has quickly been complicated by Tropical Storm Isaias, which has strengthened and is now forecast to become a strong Category 2 hurricane as it approaches the northern Gulf Coast. With the storm bringing the threat of strong winds, heavy rain and even tornado risks to parts of Alabama, the logistics around one of the SECs biggest games of the week have suddenly become part of the conversation.
The storms exact landfall point is still uncertain, but the forecast is serious enough that the conference could be forced to weigh whether the game needs to be postponed or moved. For now, no official announcement has been reported, leaving both programs and their fans waiting on the next update as the weather picture continues to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Alabama Just Got A Storm Threat Fans Can't Ignore
Saturdays showdown between Georgia and Alabama already had enough weight attached to it, and now the forecast is adding another layer. A tropical system is expected to bring very wet weather to the game, though there are still no plans to push it back for now. That leaves the matchup in the same uneasy spot plenty of big SEC games have found before, where the football is scheduled to go on even as the conditions start to look less than ideal.
Georgia has lived through weather-affected battles with Alabama before, so this is not exactly a new kind of backdrop for the Bulldogs. Elijah Griffin and Peyton Woodring both framed it as part of the games physical reality, especially when the elements turn the night into more of a grind. The postponement question is still hanging out there, though, and it is one of those calls that could end up depending on local emergency management decisions rather than anything inside the stadium. [Read more 🡒]
Kirby Smart Faces His Biggest Early Georgia Test Yet
Kirby Smart is heading into one of the early measuring sticks of Georgias season, and this one comes with familiar stakes. The Bulldogs travel to face Alabama in an SEC showdown between unbeaten, ranked teams, with Georgia trying to break a long drought in Tuscaloosa and prove its offense can travel as well as it has played at home. Gunner Stockton has helped give Georgia a high-scoring look, while the matchup also carries the kind of national weight that tends to follow these two programs whenever they meet.
Alabama brings its own challenge with quarterback Keelon Russell leading the way, and both coaching staffs have already acknowledged the respect and difficulty built into the game. For Georgia, it is more than another conference trip, because a win would say plenty about where Smarts team stands this early in the season. For Alabama, it is another chance to protect a home field that has been a hurdle for the Bulldogs for far too long, which is why this one feels like an early-season test with a little extra edge. [Read more 🡒]