The old BCS formula would have college football looking a little different this week, and the first simulated standings of the 2026 season make that plain.
BCSKnowHow’s latest run has Georgia on top at .9858, with Notre Dame close behind at .9425. Those two are in their own lane for now, while the rest of the sport stacks up in smaller clusters underneath them.
Georgia’s spot is backed by a road win over Alabama that pushed the Bulldogs to No. 1 in both the AP Top 25 and this simulated BCS ranking. It was Georgia’s first win in that venue since 2007, and it also knocked Texas out of the top spot after the Longhorns lost to Oklahoma, 27-24, in the Red River Rivalry.
The Bulldogs picked up 66 of 70 first-place votes in the AP poll and are 6-0. Under the old BCS system, that kind of profile matters on both fronts: human perception and computer evaluation.
Notre Dame has stayed right on Georgia’s trail after a 58-7 rout of Stanford. The Irish are also 6-0 and hold No. 2 in the AP poll.
Behind those two, Miami, Indiana, and Ohio State form the next band of teams. Miami is 5-0, Indiana is 6-0, and Ohio State is 5-1. Indiana kept its unbeaten start alive with a narrow win at Nebraska, and that was enough to keep the Hoosiers moving up.
Alabama and Texas come next at Nos. 6 and 7, even after their losses. That’s the old BCS at work, still giving weight to the quality of a team’s competition and what it had already built before the stumble.
BYU, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Utah, and UCLA fill out the top 12. UCLA’s upset of Oregon sent the Bruins up nine spots in the AP poll to No. 12, and the computer side of the BCS picture liked them too.
Then the drop-off hits hard. Missouri is next at .4668, with Iowa, Tennessee, and the teams behind them trailing further back.
It’s all a reminder that this is nostalgia more than reality. The College Football Playoff now relies on a 12-team selection committee, not the old mix of polls and computer formulas. But this snapshot still shows the same thing the rankings have all season: Georgia and Notre Dame are separating themselves from everybody else.
In Other News...
Georgia Tech Exposed A Duke Problem Right Before Rivalry Week
Georgia Techs 28-25 win over Duke did more than tighten the standings heading into rivalry week. It also pushed Manny Diaz into a broader conversation about where his team stands after two years with the Victory Bell and what needs to improve before the Blue Devils can turn the page to North Carolina. Diaz framed the loss as part of a larger correction process, while also acknowledging that the roster has been dealing with some notable absences.
Those injury issues have made the timing less than ideal. Duke has been without placekicker Cosme Salas and linebacker Elliott Schaper, two key pieces who would have mattered in a one-score game like the one in Atlanta, and Diazs comments made clear the team is still sorting through how to cover those gaps. With North Carolina next on the schedule and its strengths already on the mind, Duke is carrying more than just the disappointment of the Georgia Tech result into rivalry week. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Brings Real Momentum Into A Road Test That Could Matter
Georgia Tech heads into its ACC trip to Virginia Tech with a little more belief in its formula than it had a few weeks ago. The offense has settled in over the past three games, and the Jackets have paired that with a tougher run defense, giving the team a more complete look as it prepares for a road game that could tell us plenty about where this season is going.
Trelain Maddox and Jordan Allen have been among the recent standouts, but Georgia Tech will likely need more than just a few familiar names to keep the momentum going. Virginia Tech brings a ground-heavy challenge, and for the Jackets to leave with a win, this is the kind of matchup where depth and discipline can matter just as much as the headline plays. [Read more 🡒]
Georgia Tech Suddenly Faces A Major Void In Its Defense
Georgia Techs defense took a significant hit with the loss of Kyle Efford, whose presence in the middle of the unit had become one of the most reliable parts of the program. A three-time team tackles leader and an All-ACC performer, Efford brought both production and steadiness to Brent Keys defense, and his absence creates an immediate challenge for a linebacker group that had leaned on him in a major way.
Effords football playing days are over because of injuries he has battled for years, but he is not leaving the program. He will stay on as a player-coach and captain for the 2026 season, a role that keeps his leadership in the building even as Georgia Tech reworks its linebacker rotation. For a defense looking to replace that kind of voice and consistency, his continued presence softens the blow, even if the on-field void remains a major one. [Read more 🡒]