The top of the College Football Playoff rankings is about to get a shake-up, and Notre Dame is the reason why.
For weeks, the committee looked comfortable with the idea that Miami owned the No. 1 spot. That changed over the weekend when the Fighting Irish knocked off the top-ranked Hurricanes and forced a rethink at the very top of the board.
Miami’s loss may not send the Hurricanes tumbling as far as a typical defeat would. The committee has shown plenty of patience with quality losses, and there’s still a path for the ACC title favorites to land a first-round bye.
They could remain in the top five, and at worst the top six. Notre Dame’s win matters, though, especially because the Irish once trailed Miami by 21 points and still finished the job with a defense that shut down the late push.
That victory gives Notre Dame a much stronger case than it had a week ago. The Irish were sitting just inside the bubble because of a weak schedule, but now they can point to a top-35 slate and a win over the No. 1 team in the country.
Ohio State is another team headed for a major reset. The committee values head-to-head results, and it also takes injuries into account.
With Julian Sayin out, the preseason No. 1 Buckeyes have dropped their last two games, both losses to USC and Oregon.
Those two teams are set to rise in the rankings. Ohio State still has wins over Iowa and Indiana, both ranked, and that should keep the Buckeyes from falling too far.
Even so, the season may have slipped away.
Tennessee also looks ready to climb after the committee previously placed the Volunteers behind two-loss Alabama, despite Tennessee beating the Crimson Tide by 16 points. A 34-6 win over Kentucky should help correct that.
Kentucky, meanwhile, still has some things working in its favor despite the lopsided loss in Knoxville. The Wildcats’ strength of schedule ranks in the top five nationally, and they own wins over ranked LSU and South Carolina.
Texas made its own statement with a road win at ranked Missouri. Good Arch led the way with turnover-free football, and the Longhorns pulled out a two-touchdown victory that could push them past current No.
4 Indiana. Texas is now 4-0 against College Football Playoff ranked teams and also has a win over a common opponent with Ohio State, while Indiana’s strength of schedule looks far lighter by comparison.
In Other News...
Why Alabama Still Sits Ahead Of Tennessee Just Got Clear
The latest College Football Playoff rankings left Tennessee still chasing Alabama, even though both teams carry two losses. The Vols landed at No. 8 while the Crimson Tide stayed at No. 3, and committee chair Hunter Yurachek pointed to Alabamas stronger schedule and better collection of quality wins as the separator.
For Tennessee, the path forward is still right there on the schedule, but it is not an easy one. Matchups with Texas A&M, LSU and Vanderbilt will give the Vols chances to strengthen their case, and in a crowded playoff race, every week now feels like an audition for a higher spot. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Just Landed A Top Commit With One Huge Catch
Tennessees 2027 baseball class already has a headline name in in-state catcher Blake Lundy, a highly rated prospect by Perfect Game who gives the Volunteers another important piece in the early stages of that group. He joins a run of top commits for Tennessee, adding to the programs recent momentum on the recruiting trail and reinforcing how quickly the Vols are stacking talent for the future.
Lundys commitment, though, comes with the familiar uncertainty that shadows elite baseball recruiting. He is still eligible for the upcoming MLB Draft, and his path could still turn toward professional baseball instead of Knoxville. For Tennessee, the good news is clear: if he chooses the college route, the Volunteers will be waiting as his landing spot. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Gets One Break But Another Loss Just Got Much Tougher
Tennessee got a small bit of relief in its first injury update of the week ahead of Texas A&M, with tight end DaSaahn Brame not appearing on the availability report after leaving the previous game. But the bigger news was far more damaging for a defense already stretched thin: sack leader Tyree Weathersby is out for the season after suffering a knee injury, a significant blow to a pass rush that has leaned on him for production.
Weathersby became the eighth Tennessee player to go down with a season-ending injury this year, underscoring how much attrition the Volunteers have had to absorb as the schedule tightens. The report also listed six other players who have now been sidelined for several straight games, leaving Tennessee to keep piecing together depth at multiple spots while trying to stay competitive in a crucial stretch. [Read more 🡒]