The first big shakeup in the projected College Football Playoff picture has Texas sliding out of the top spot, and Georgia is the team stepping into the No. 1 seed.
That switch comes after a wild weekend that saw several AP teams take losses and forced a fresh reset in the bracket projection midway through the 2026 season. Texas, which had been No. 1 in the AP poll, dropped after the Red River Shootout and saw its margin for error shrink fast once Oklahoma delivered the late blow.
Georgia’s case was already building before Saturday, and the Bulldogs backed it up with a hard-fought win at Alabama. They had been projected as the No. 1 seed for a couple of weeks, and the Alabama result only strengthened the argument that they’ve been the most complete team in college football from the start.
Ohio State stays right there near the top after handling Maryland 45-16. The Buckeyes continue to check the right boxes, with Jeremiah Smith stacking touchdowns and a defense that travels. The next major test comes at Indiana, and that matchup should tell us plenty about how high Ohio State’s ceiling really is.
Miami is still unbeaten and sitting first nationally in scoring and point differential after five straight double-digit wins. Mario Cristobal’s team hasn’t given anyone much to grab onto, and the November meeting with Notre Dame already has the feel of a potential playoff eliminator. For now, though, the Hurricanes are cruising.
Notre Dame moved up again after beating Stanford 58-7, a result that pushed the Irish to their highest ranking in nearly two years. The schedule has been kind so far, but the offense is clicking and the defense keeps creating chances. The trip to BYU this weekend is the first real measuring stick.
Alabama did not fall out of the mix despite the loss to Georgia. Under Kalen DeBoer, the Crimson Tide still look dangerous, and they were in front at halftime before Georgia took control. The talent is still elite, and a bounce-back showing at Tennessee could send Alabama right back into first-round-bye territory.
Indiana is also making noise at 6-0. Curt Cignetti’s group kept finding answers, including a gutsy comeback at Nebraska after trailing late.
The defense could stand to be a little more physical, but the Hoosiers keep doing just enough on offense when it counts. Ohio State coming to town is their biggest stage yet.
Texas Tech remains unbeaten as well, moving up by playing steady, efficient football while climbing the Big 12 ladder. The Red Raiders haven’t been especially explosive on offense, but they’ve looked like a team built to hang around the playoff race into November if the wins keep coming.
Texas is still in the conversation, but the picture changed dramatically after Arch Manning’s two interceptions helped set up Oklahoma’s eventual game-winning points. The Longhorns already had quality wins over Ohio State and Tennessee, but after losing the top ranking, their margin for error is much smaller. The response against Florida this week matters a lot.
Ole Miss is hanging around the upper half of a loaded SEC at 4-1. Pete Golding’s team can score in bunches, and it has already shown it can go toe-to-toe with better league opponents. Another strong stretch could be enough to keep the Rebels inside the bracket picture.
Utah is still unbeaten and continues to grade out as one of the most efficient teams in the country on both sides of the ball. The Utes have cleared every early test and look well suited for the Big 12 grind. If they finish clean, they’ll be a difficult team to sort out in the playoff race.
UCLA turned in one of the weekend’s biggest surprises with a 17-15 road win over Oregon, even after losing starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava to injury. Backup Ty Dieffenbach stepped in and helped the Bruins protect the unbeaten start, and the reward was a nine-spot jump into the top 12. The upcoming slate has several winnable games that will help show whether this is a true breakthrough or just a one-week spike.
Boise State also remains in the conversation as the clearest Group of Six path into the field. The Broncos have won five straight since an opening loss at Oregon and have done it with a physical, opportunistic style. A mid-November date with Oregon State could end up defining their season, but for now they project as the Pac-12 representative.
In Other News...
Miami Defense Gets Timely Boost Before FSU With Bigger Questions Ahead
Mario Cristobal gave Miami a welcome update on the Joe Rose show, confirming that defensive players Xavier Lucas, Marquise Lightfoot, Ezekiel Marcelin Jr. and Damari Brown are set to return for the Hurricanes. The timing matters, too, with Florida State on deck and the defense in need of bodies after dealing with a run of injury issues that thinned out the rotation before the bye week.
The encouraging news for Miami is that several players who were hurt before the break are trending in the right direction, while depth options have already been asked to handle more than their share. Still, Max Buchanan and Ja'Boree Antoine remain sidelined, so the Hurricanes are not fully out of the woods yet as Cristobal and his staff keep sorting out who is ready now and what the defense will look like once the bigger pieces start coming back. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Faces One Big O-Line Concern Before Florida State
Miami is getting some welcome defensive reinforcements back for its rivalry matchup with Florida State, a timely boost as the Hurricanes move deeper into the week. Ezekiel Marcelin Jr., Marquise Lightfoot, Xavier Lucas and Damari Brown have all returned, giving the defense a healthier look heading into one of the seasons biggest games.
The concern comes on the other side of the ball, where starting right guard Max Buchanan had surgery for a left knee injury and is expected to miss some time. Miami has not offered a return timeline, and the staff is now sorting through options to see who can settle in at his spot on the offensive line before the Seminoles arrive. [Read more 🡒]
Miamis Notre Dame Showdown Just Started Feeling A Lot More Real
Both Miami and Notre Dame kept rolling through Week 6, and the path toward a November meeting suddenly looks a lot more believable. Notre Dame moved to 6-0 with a win over Stanford, while Miami sat idle on its bye at 5-0, leaving both unbeaten as the season creeps toward the stretch run. Even before the matchup becomes official, there is already plenty of reason to pay attention, from key player performances to the kind of injury updates that can shape how these teams look when the calendar turns.
The Irish have also built a pretty imposing habit along the way, winning 16 straight games by double digits, which only raises the stakes if this showdown comes together. Miami, meanwhile, has been about as complete as any team in the country, leading nationally in rushing defense and total offense. With both programs handling business and their upcoming schedules still leaving the door open, the potential November clash is starting to feel less like a maybe and more like something worth circling now. [Read more 🡒]