The College Football Playoff Selection Committee is set to release its first rankings of the 2026 season on Tuesday night, establishing a baseline for the playoff race. With new committee members and updated metrics, the initial rankings are difficult to predict, but a projected top 25 has emerged.
Predicted Top 25
1. Miami (8-0) – Best win: Wake Forest. The Hurricanes hold the top spot unless they lose, with a win over Notre Dame this weekend solidifying their position.
2. Georgia (7-1) – Best win: Alabama. The Bulldogs are considered the best team in the SEC and would earn a first-round bye with a conference title.
3. Utah (8-0) – Best win: Houston. The Utes lead the Big 12 and could secure a bye with a win over BYU.
4. Kentucky (7-1) – Best win: LSU. The Wildcats boast a strong resume with a 2-1 record against top-25 opponents, the nation's No. 2 strength of record, and No. 4 strength of schedule.
5. BYU (7-1) – Best win: Notre Dame. The Cougars have the best win among the top five but also the worst loss (to UCF).
6. UCLA (8-0) – Best win: Oregon. The undefeated Bruins face scrutiny over a weak schedule but are poised to finish 11-1 or 12-0.
7. Indiana (8-1) – Best win: Northwestern. The Hoosiers have a weaker resume and have not passed the 'eye test' recently.
8. Notre Dame (7-1) – Best win: Wisconsin. The Fighting Irish have no top-25 wins and face a perilous playoff path if they lose to Miami.
9. Texas (6-2) – Best win: Ohio State. The Longhorns hold a head-to-head edge over the Buckeyes with wins over Ohio State and Ole Miss.
10. Alabama (6-2) – Best win: Kentucky. The Crimson Tide's win over Kentucky has aged well, but losses to Georgia and Tennessee leave little margin for error.
Teams 11-25 include Ohio State (6-2), Ole Miss (6-2), Tennessee (6-2), Texas Tech (7-1), USC (7-2), Wake Forest (7-1), LSU (6-2), Missouri (6-2), Houston (6-2), South Carolina (5-3), Florida (5-3), Iowa (6-2), Boise State (7-1), Oregon (5-3), and Northwestern (6-2). Boise State is projected as the highest-rated Group of Six school, earning an automatic bid.
Predicted Bracket
First-round games (Dec. 18-19 at higher seeds): No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 BYU; No. 11 Ohio State at No. 6 UCLA; No. 10 Texas at No. 7 Indiana; No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Notre Dame.
Quarterfinals (Dec. 30 in Glendale, Ariz., Jan. 1 in Atlanta, Arlington, Texas, and Pasadena, Calif.): No. 1 Miami vs. winner of Notre Dame/Alabama; No. 2 Georgia vs. winner of Indiana/Texas; No. 3 Utah vs. winner of UCLA/Ohio State; No. 4 Kentucky vs. winner of BYU/Boise State.
