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...
Notre Dame Defense Faces One Big Question Entering BYU Trip
Notre Dames defense could get a meaningful boost heading into its trip to BYU, with linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa no longer on the injury report and expected back in the mix. The Irish also have some movement in the front seven and secondary, as defensive tackle Jason Onye has been upgraded to questionable after sitting out more than five games with a left ankle injury, while cornerback Leonard Moore remains listed as questionable for the matchup.
Brauntae Johnson is still working his way back from foot surgery and is expected to return around November, leaving Notre Dame with a few moving parts as it prepares for one of the more demanding road environments on its schedule. For a defense that has already had to manage injuries at multiple levels, the key question now is how much of that depth can be restored in time for Saturday and how quickly the group can settle in once it gets there. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Fans May Need To Track The Other Carr In Michigan
The family connection is what makes this one worth a second look for Notre Dame fans, even if the immediate football stakes remain on the Michigan side. Kyle Whittingham said Bryce Underwood is still the Wolverines starting quarterback, but he also noted that Tommy Carr has earned meaningful practice work and could get into games if it helps Michigan in the moment.
Tommy Carr has barely seen the field so far, with his lone notable action coming in garbage time against UTEP. Still, the surname alone ties this story back to South Bend, where his brother CJ Carr is Notre Dames starting quarterback, and both are grandsons of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr. That makes any movement on the other sideline a small but intriguing subplot for Irish followers who will keep an eye on how Michigan handles the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dames Talent Edge Faces A Real Test In Provo
Notre Dame heads into Provo for a meeting that carries a little extra weight because it has been so long since the Irish played there, with the last trip coming in 2004. On paper, the talent profile still leans toward Notre Dame, but the deeper look at both rosters is more interesting than the recruiting rankings alone. Some of the most effective players on each side were not the highest-rated prospects coming out of high school, and some of the bigger-name recruits are not even starting.
That is why the real test will come in the matchups that decide whether raw talent translates on the field. Notre Dames wide receivers will have to deal with BYUs defensive backs, while the lines on both sides figure to shape the game in the trenches. BYU also enters without two of its top offensive players because of injury, which only raises the pressure on the Irish to make their edge count in a difficult road setting. [Read more 🡒]