Week 10 brings the first real checkpoint of the 2026 college football season, and the College Football Playoff rankings are about to take center stage. The AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll have kept fans busy every week, but Tuesday night’s reveal is the one that matters most.
The timing comes after a chaotic stretch that has already scrambled the national picture. Seven AP Top 25 teams lost this past week, and Ohio State’s second defeat of the season landed in a USC win in Los Angeles, giving Lincoln Riley a major statement victory. With that kind of turbulence, the committee’s first rankings figure to draw plenty of attention.
There is also more upheaval waiting just ahead. Miami and Notre Dame meet next week, Utah and BYU are set for the Holy War, and Alabama and LSU will also face off.
But for now, the focus is on what the committee is expected to do when the rankings are unveiled Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
At the top, Miami is projected to claim the No. 1 spot at 8-0, with Georgia right behind at No. 2 after opening 7-1. Notre Dame comes in at No. 3 with a 7-1 record, while UCLA is slotted fourth at 8-0. Indiana rounds out the top five at 8-1.
The next tier features Utah at No. 6 after improving to 8-0, followed by Kentucky at No. 7 with a 7-1 mark. Alabama is projected at No. 8, Texas at No. 9, and BYU at No. 10, each sitting in strong position entering the week.
Ohio State checks in at No. 11 after falling to 6-2, with Wake Forest just behind at No. 12.
Ole Miss is projected at No. 13, Texas Tech at No. 14, and Tennessee at No.
- LSU lands at No.
16, USC at No. 17, and Houston at No. 18.
Boise State is slotted No. 19, Missouri No.
20, Iowa No. 21, Arizona No.
22, Northwestern No. 23, Duke No. 24, and New Mexico closes out the projected rankings at No.
Projected College Football Playoff rankings entering Week 10: 1.
Miami, 8-0 2.
Georgia, 7-1 3.
Notre Dame, 7-1 4.
UCLA, 8-0 5.
Indiana, 8-1 6.
Utah, 8-0 7.
Kentucky, 7-1 8.
Alabama, 6-2 9.
Texas, 6-2 10.
BYU, 7-1 11.
Ohio State, 6-2 12.
Wake Forest, 7-1 13.
Ole Miss, 6-2 14.
Texas Tech, 7-1 15.
Tennessee, 6-2 16.
LSU, 6-2 17.
USC, 7-2 18.
Houston, 6-2 19.
Boise State, 7-1 20.
Missouri, 6-2 21.
Iowa, 6-2 22.
Arizona, 6-2 23.
Northwestern, 6-2 24.
Duke, 6-2 25.
New Mexico, 7-1
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Notre Dame was one of the clearest examples of that gap, sitting in a position that sent a message about how the committee is weighing resumes rather than reputation. Hunter Yurachek said the process is tough in a season with so much competition, and the broader board reflected that tension, with 10 SEC teams included and Indiana coming out as the highest-ranked Big Ten team despite some surprising factors. [Read more 🡒]
Ahmmon Richards Just Exposed Where Miami Can Hurt Notre Dame
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Richards also pointed to specific plays and individual matchups worth watching, which is exactly the kind of early scouting report Miami fans will want to hear before a big test. For a Hurricanes team looking for any edge it can find, the value is in those little tells and tendencies, and Richards made it clear there are places where Notre Dame can be attacked if Miami reads the game correctly. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Needs Damon Wilson II To Reignite Its Pass Rush Vs Notre Dame
Damon Wilson II arrived from Missouri with the kind of early-season burst that made him look like a difference-maker on Miamis defensive front, but the last few games have been a quieter stretch. Even so, the Hurricanes have still found ways to get after the quarterback, with Marquise Lightfoot helping keep the sack production moving while the front seven has otherwise leaned on its strength against the run.
Against Notre Dame, Miami could use Wilson to rediscover the pressure that made him such an intriguing addition in the first place. The Hurricanes have been vulnerable through the air, even as theyve stood out nationally against the run, so getting more disruption off the edge would go a long way toward balancing out a defense that has been sturdy in one area and stretched in another. [Read more 🡒]