The post-Week 10 College Football Playoff picture is starting to harden, and ESPN’s latest round of bracket predictions says plenty about where the sport’s power sits right now.
The biggest takeaway: the SEC is still very much in the mix, but the group of ESPN writers is not exactly split on which teams belong. Eleven of ESPN’s 12 experts projected four SEC teams into the field.
Kyle Bonagura was the only one to stop at three. And across the board, there was agreement on the SEC trio that made the cut in every bracket: Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee.
Everyone except Bonagura also included Texas.
One team that was in the initial CFP rankings got left out entirely this time. Nobody had Kentucky in the latest projections.
The rest of the bracket showed a fairly steady top tier, with Georgia, Utah, UCLA and Notre Dame showing up near the top of nearly every field. Miami and Indiana were also common selections, while Boise State appeared in every bracket. Wake Forest, Texas Tech and BYU also surfaced in multiple projections.
Here’s how ESPN’s experts filled out their playoff fields:
Andrea Adelson had Georgia, Utah, UCLA and Notre Dame as her top four, followed by Miami, Indiana, Wake Forest, Alabama, Tennessee, Texas, Texas Tech and Boise State.
Kyle Bonagura’s bracket opened with Utah, UCLA, Georgia and Indiana, then Notre Dame, Miami, BYU, Alabama, Wake Forest, Tennessee, Texas Tech and Boise State.
Bill Connelly went with Utah, UCLA, Georgia and Notre Dame in the top four, then Indiana, Miami, Alabama, Texas Tech, Texas, Tennessee, Wake Forest and Boise State.
David Hale slotted Georgia, Utah, UCLA and Notre Dame first, then Miami, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, Wake Forest, Texas Tech and Boise State.
Eli Lederman’s field featured Georgia, Utah, UCLA and Notre Dame at the top, followed by Miami, Tennessee, Indiana, Alabama, Wake Forest, BYU, Texas and Boise State.
Max Olson had Georgia, Notre Dame, Utah and Miami in his top four, then Indiana, Alabama, Texas, UCLA, Texas Tech, Wake Forest, Tennessee and Boise State.
Adam Rittenberg picked Georgia, Utah, UCLA and Notre Dame first, then Miami, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, Wake Forest, Indiana, BYU and Boise State.
Alex Scarborough’s bracket included Georgia, Utah, UCLA and Notre Dame in the top four, followed by Indiana, Miami, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, Wake Forest, Texas Tech and Boise State.
Mark Schlabach had Georgia, Utah, UCLA and Notre Dame leading the way, then Miami, Texas, Tennessee, Alabama, Indiana, Wake Forest, Texas Tech and Boise State.
Jake Trotter’s projection started with Georgia, Utah, UCLA and Notre Dame, then Miami, Alabama, Indiana, Texas, Tennessee, Wake Forest, Texas Tech and Boise State.
Paolo Uggetti rounded things out with Georgia, Utah, UCLA and Notre Dame, followed by Miami, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Texas, Wake Forest, BYU and Boise State.
In Other News...
Josh Heupels DaSaahn Brame Update Gives Vols Fans Some Relief
DaSaahn Brames exit against Kentucky briefly added another uneasy moment to Tennessees night, especially after the tight end went down following the controversial incomplete-pass ruling in the end zone. Anytime a player leaves with a head injury, the immediate concern is bigger than the result on the field, and for the Volunteers it was another reminder of how quickly a game can turn.
Josh Heupel eased some of that worry after the game, saying Brame is doing well and is expected to be in good condition for the upcoming matchup with Texas A&M. Tennessee still has to get through the first availability report, which comes Wednesday night, but for now the update gives Vols fans a little relief heading into a game week that already has plenty of attention on it. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee's Defense Just Sent Texas A&M A Brutal Message
Tennessees defense kept rolling in a 34-6 win over Kentucky, and Arion Carter was at the center of it with 13 tackles, four for loss and two sacks. The Volunteers smothered the Wildcats from start to finish, forcing three turnovers and shutting down fourth-down chances as the game tilted decisively in Tennessees favor.
That kind of performance lands with extra force this week because Texas A&M is next on the schedule, and the Aggies are already in a precarious spot after a loss to South Carolina. They need to win two of their final three games to become bowl eligible, and now they have to do it against a Tennessee defense that just spent an afternoon sending a very clear message. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Won Again But The Vols Still Have A Bigger Problem
Tennessee got back on track with a 70-47 win over Radford, and the closing stretch looked a lot like the kind of separation Rick Barnes wants to see early in the season. The Vols finished the night with a late 16-0 run, Terrence Hill Jr. led the way with 18 points, and Barnes kept things moving with a nine-man rotation as Tennessee picked up its second win of the 2026-27 season.
Still, the box score also showed why this group has more to sort out than just the result. Juke Harris had a rough night offensively, finishing with six points on 1-for-9 shooting, and the broader question for Tennessee is how quickly its scoring options settle into reliable roles. Hill logged the most minutes, which only adds to the sense that Barnes is still searching for the right balance as the schedule starts to tighten. [Read more 🡒]