College football chaos hit the bracket again in Week 10, and the playoff picture is getting a fresh shakeup. Notre Dame’s win over Miami forced a hard reset near the top of the 12-team field, while several conference races and at-large cases tightened in the process.
Georgia still sits in line for the No. 1 seed in this projection. The Bulldogs have been viewed all season as the most complete team in the country, and their convincing win over a strong Ole Miss team only reinforced that case.
Utah’s unbeaten run has them positioned as the projected Big 12 champion. The Utes knocked off rival BYU, picked up a second win over a ranked opponent, and now have a clear path to the conference title game.
Miami’s loss to Notre Dame changes the ACC conversation. Without a win over the Fighting Irish to lean on, the Hurricanes could take a hit in strength of record compared with undefeated Utah.
Indiana remains the projected Big Ten champion even after losing the head-to-head meeting with Ohio State. The injury to Julian Sayin in that game may have opened the door for the Hoosiers to get back into the Big Ten title race.
In the at-large mix, Alabama strengthened its grip with a convincing road win at ranked LSU. The committee is high on the Crimson Tide, and they remain second in the SEC behind Georgia.
Notre Dame’s victory in Miami put the Fighting Irish on the right side of the bubble. They still have to avoid a trap game against Boston College before finishing with SMU.
Texas also took a useful step with a road win at ranked Missouri, and Arch Manning did it without turning the ball over. The Longhorns now have four wins against ranked opponents, and they can add another major one at LSU this weekend.
UCLA stayed unbeaten by winning at Minnesota, and the Bruins are now within range of the Big Ten championship picture even with a backup quarterback.
Tennessee made a strong statement by beating up on one-loss Kentucky. The Vols were a little buried in the first rankings despite their 16-point win over Alabama, but that result, along with the dominant showing against the Wildcats, their run game, and their defense, all help their case.
Kentucky, meanwhile, has used up its cushion. With two losses now, the Wildcats can’t afford many more mistakes if they want to stay ahead of other at-large contenders.
BYU’s path is more complicated after the loss to Utah. The Cougars now need Texas Tech to lose again, either at Oklahoma State or at Baylor, to reach the Big 12 title game and set up a rematch with Utah. Their win over Notre Dame looks much better now, though.
In the Group of Six race, Boise State kept itself in the conversation with a 64-point rout of Colorado State despite not having a starting quarterback. The Broncos still need to beat Oregon State and stay unbeaten, though, because New Mexico is pushing hard in the Mountain West.
In Other News...
Miami Duke Just Became Bigger Than A Typical ACC Game
After dropping its season opener to Notre Dame, Miami is heading into a Duke matchup that suddenly carries far more weight than a standard ACC date on the calendar. Mario Cristobal framed it as playoff football, and the label fits the moment, with the Hurricanes needing to treat every snap like it could shape the rest of their season.
Duke brings enough on both sides of the ball to make this a real test, not just a stepping stone, and Miami knows the margin for error is thin. A win would keep the Hurricanes in position for the ACC Championship Game, though they would still need help from other conference results to get there. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Just Lost A Recruit Mario Cristobal Could Not Afford To Miss
Mark Matthews had been one of the most important offensive line targets on Miamis board, the kind of local prospect Mario Cristobal and his staff could not afford to let slip away. The top-rated offensive tackle in the 2027 class had been committed to Texas A&M, but he changed course and picked Georgia instead, leaving the Hurricanes to regroup as they continue trying to strengthen a position group that remains a clear need.
For Miami, the miss stings not just because Matthews is from close to home, but because he fit the profile of the kind of lineman Cristobal has made a priority. With the 2027 cycle taking shape, the Hurricanes may have to turn more of their attention toward the 2028 class to keep building depth up front, especially if they want to avoid another round of chasing elite tackles after the top names are already spoken for. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Has A Rare ACC Chance But One Problem Could Ruin It
The expanded College Football Playoff has changed the calculus across the sport, and for Miami it has created a rare opening in the ACC race. Since joining the league in 2004, the Hurricanes have never won an ACC championship, but this season they are in position to reach what could be the conference title games final edition, with a perfect conference mark and a path that still runs through Duke and a little help elsewhere.
Miamis place in the standings is strong, but the on-field issues have not disappeared. The Hurricanes still have to clean up the run game, hold up better in pass protection and keep the quarterback from taking too much pressure if they want the rest of the schedule to matter. In a year when the league structure is shifting around them, those are the kinds of flaws that can turn a promising opening into a missed opportunity. [Read more 🡒]