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...
Notre Dame Just Delivered The Statement Fans Have Been Waiting For
Notre Dame finally got the kind of win that can change the conversation around a season, knocking off No. 1 Miami 31-24 in a game that carried extra meaning as the program honored Lou Holtzs legacy. The Irish had the sort of balance that travels in November and beyond, with CJ Carr delivering a steady passing performance and Boubacar Traore making his presence felt on defense, even as penalties continued to create some unnecessary stress.
For a team trying to strengthen its College Football Playoff case, this was the kind of result that lands with both the committee and the fan base. It also came with an emotional layer that went beyond standings and rankings, given the tribute to Holtz after his recent passing, making the win feel like more than just another upset and leaving Notre Dame with a bigger stage to build on from here. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Suddenly Has Real Momentum On Multiple Fronts
Notre Dame is piling up good news in a hurry, and it is coming from more than one corner of the athletic department. The mens hockey team just left Penn State with a road sweep, following a 5-4 overtime win with a 4-2 finish, while the football program kept its own run going with a 31-24 victory over Miami. In that game, safety Luke Talich made his presence felt with a critical interception, another reminder that the Irish have been getting impact plays when they need them most.
The momentum did not stop there. Linebacker recruit Julian Bruno also committed to Notre Dames football program, adding another piece to a class that the staff is trying to keep moving forward. Miami coach Mario Cristobal took issue with an officiating call in the loss, but the result still stood, and for Notre Dame the bigger picture is hard to miss right now: wins on the ice, wins on the field, and recruiting news that fits the same upbeat stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Wake Forests Playoff Path Just Got A Whole Lot More Real
Notre Dames win over Miami in Week 10 gave the Irish another important boost in the College Football Playoff race, and the ripple effects around the country only helped their case. Georgias dominant showing against Ole Miss and Alabamas win over LSU both reinforced the top of the rankings, while other teams ahead of Wake Forest took losses that reshaped the pecking order.
For Notre Dame, the bigger picture matters as much as the result on the field. Every time teams clustered above the Irish stumble, the path gets a little clearer, and this weekend delivered exactly that kind of help. The rankings are still far from settled, but with the Irish strengthening their resume and the teams around them taking hits, the playoff conversation is starting to tilt in their direction. [Read more 🡒]