Graphic by the Author and Google AI
The only teams consistently showing they want it all in 2026 are Miami and UCLA
1. Miami (7-0) (Last Week #1) (Ranked #1 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Pitt hasn’t been the same since losing their starting quarterback against Virginia Tech, but Miami rocked them. The Hurricanes won, 52-23, behind another huge game from Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney. Mensah’s 387 yards and four touchdown passes are why he’s a Heisman frontrunner. Toney was elite again with 16 catches for 194 yards and three touchdowns. Miami’s high-powered offense will be on the road next week at North Carolina.
2. Utah (7-0) (Last Week #4) (Ranked #6 and #5 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Utah is the Big 12’s last unbeaten team and one of only three remaining in the nation. Beating 6-2 Houston was a quality win at home in Salt Lake City. The Utes now have another tough game on Halloween in Cincinnati, Ohio, against a UC team fresh off an upset of Texas Tech. Utah will need to keep their focus on the Bearcats, or they could repeat the mistake that their rivals in Provo committed in Orlando after a big home night win.
3. UCLA (7-0) (Last Week #5) (#7 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Bruins ran over Michigan State at home in the Rose Bowl. UCLA’s 245 yards and three touchdowns on the ground had them defeat MSU 28-10. Bob Chesney has guided UCLA to their first 7-0 start to a season since 2005. With Nevada, Minnesota, Illinois, and UM left before the finale against USC, UCLA is very likely to be 11-0 heading into the Battle of Los Angeles to end the regular season.
4. Ohio State (6-1) (Last Week #7) (Ranked #2 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Ohio State had the week off to lick their wounds and find an answer for their injured quarterback. Whoever the Bucks’ quarterback is, he’ll get his first start next week at USC.
5. BYU (6-1) (Last Week #2) (Ranked #8 and #9 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
BYU didn’t handle being the hunted instead of the hunter well at all. Their defense had their worst performance since they went 5-7 in their first year in the Big 12 in 2023. Despite the big win over Notre Dame, BYU now needs to win the Big 12 Championship to make the College Football Playoff. The conference’s hopes of being a multi-bid league went down with BYU and Texas Tech today. BYU will try to rebound and has no margin of error anymore when they host ASU on Halloween.
6. Notre Dame (6-1) (Last Week #8) (Ranked #5 and #6 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Notre Dame had their bye week and will be back in action at home on Halloween. They’ll play a familiar old foe in Navy.
7. Indiana (7-1) (Last Week #9) (Ranked #4 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Hoosiers’ offense was ugly in Ann Arbor; luckily, their defense was pretty great. Granted, UM isn’t an offensive juggernaut, but when you hold an opponent to six points, sack their quarterback four times, get 10 tackles for a loss, and force two turnovers, you’re doing something right on defense, regardless of who your opponent is. IU will take their first win at UM since 1967 any way they can get it. Indiana will be back home in Bloomington against a resilient Minnesota team.
8. Northwestern (6-1) (Last Week #12) (#20 and #18 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
This is what’s different about this Northwestern team. When they play someone they should defeat, they’re doing so soundly. That doesn’t usually happen in the Wildcats’ history. That’s why they got my attention when they mauled Colorado early this year and why them smashing Rutgers says something about how they’re playing. Five touchdowns from Aiden Chiles gets Northwestern bowl-eligible. Next, they have a big road game on the West Coast to play at Oregon.
9. Wake Forest (6-1) (Last Week #13) (#14 and #15 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Demon Deacons had their bye this week. They’ll be at home against Virginia this coming week as they look to stay at the top of the ACC standings.
10. SMU (6-1) (Last Week #15) (Ranked #19 and #16 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Mustangs crushed Cal, 59-20. SMU did it on the ground, too. Star quarterback Kevin Jennings played well, but the rushing attack had over 250 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. SMU stays near the front of the pack in the chase for an ACC Championship, and keeps any at-large playoff bids alive as well. After this 39-point home victory, SMU will go on the road to play at Syracuse.
11. Arizona (6-1) (Last Week #16) (Ranked #22 and #21 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Wildcats are an under-the-radar good team. It’s okay to have doubts about them, especially since they have a chance to erase some of them this Saturday in Lubbock. If senior quarterback Noah Fifita can lead Arizona to an upset of Texas Tech on the road, the college football world outside of the Big 12 will have to take notice of the Wildcats.
12. Georgia (6-1) (Last Week #18) (Ranked #3 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Dawgs have this week off and will be poised to bounce back against Florida on Halloween.
13. Kentucky (7-1) (Last Week #20) (Ranked #9 and #8 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
I’m still not quite sold on Kentucky, but I’m getting there every week just like the Wildcats are. I know they wish they had that Alabama game back right now. Wildly enough, even with that defeat, they’re sitting alone in first place in the SEC. Even with the SEC still being treated like they were during the Saban Era, that’s nothing to discount. UK has Halloween off before a November slate that looks tough, but manageable. At Tennessee, at home against Florida, at Missouri, and at home against Louisville. If they go 3-1 in that stretch, they’ll have a solid case for an at-large playoff bid.
14. Texas Tech (6-1) (Last Week #3) (Ranked #13 and #14 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The 37-24 loss at Cincinnati wasn’t even as close as the final score would indicate. The Bearcats’ defense shut down Texas Tech, forcing four field goals and allowing only a single touchdown. That didn’t come until there was less than two minutes to go. Tech gave up 255 yards on the ground to UC, too. They’ll have the tall task of trying to bounce back next week at Arizona. Fortunately, the Wildcats will have to come to Lubbock.
15. Boise State (6-1) (Last Week #21) (Ranked #20 and #22 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Boise got another Pac-12 win, this time on the road at Washington State. Star running back Dylan Riley had 13 carries for 128 yards and two touchdowns for the Broncos. They beat Washington State, 31-10. Boise is now in the driver’s seat for the Group of Six playoff berth, even with Oregon losing again today. The Broncos host Texas State next week in Boise.
16. James Madison (7-1) (Last Week #6) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Despite the overtime loss to Appalachian State, James Madison still has a good shot at the Group of Six playoff berth. It helps that Boise State is also 6-1, and that JMU’s win over Liberty is aging well. If Liberty wins the Conference USA crown, and James Madison wins out, there will be a conversation about who makes the playoff, and JMU will be in the middle of it.
17. Liberty (6-1) (Last Week #21) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Liberty got their sixth straight win this week when they stomped Kennesaw State in Georgia, 34-6. They are the class of Conference USA right now and are working on a special season. Liberty won’t make the College Football Playoff this year, but winning games this season could help them make it in another. They’re back home this week when they host FIU.
18. New Mexico (6-1) (Last Week #25) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Jason Eck and New Mexico took sole possession of first place in the Mountain West with a gritty home win over North Dakota State. The Lobos defeated the 6-2 Bison, 21-16, in Albuquerque. New Mexico is fueled by an elite defense that’s allowing only 11.3 points per game this season. They’ll have to go on the road to San Jose State this week to play the last Californian team in the Mountain West. They’ll play the Spartans on Halloween.
19. UTSA (7-1) (Unranked Last Week) (Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
The Roadrunners are one of five contenders in the Group of Six for that playoff berth. They have a bye this week after their 42-19 demolition of Tulane. They’ll resume play on Thursday, November 5th, when they play in Boca Raton against Florida Atlantic.
20. Tennessee (6-2) (Last Week #17) (Ranked #16 and #17 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
It’s been much like 2022 for Tennessee. After a big home victory over Alabama, they have an equally large road loss at South Carolina. Tennessee has a bye on Halloween before resuming play in a big game against rival Kentucky in Knoxville on November 7th. The Vols are now in win-or-go-home territory for the rest of the season as far as their College Football Playoff hopes are concerned.
21. Houston (6-2) (Last Week #14) (Ranked #18 and #19 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Houston once again stumbled down the stretch when playing a top-notch opponent. Their similar losses on the road to Texas Tech and Utah show that they’re not quite as high up in the Big 12 as they could and maybe even should be. They’ll have a week off to lick their wounds and recover before a game against Cincinnati.
22. Oklahoma State (5-2) (Unranked Last Week) (Ranked #24 and Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Oklahoma State is very much like Houston. A pretty good Big 12 team, but one that hasn’t been able to get to the front of the pack in the race for the conference. Still, with their favorable remaining schedule, their basement should be 9-3 when the regular season is over. That would be a pretty good start for Eric Morris in his first year in Stillwater.
23. Wisconsin (5-2) (Unranked Last Week) (Ranked #25 and Unranked in the AP and Coaches Polls)
It’s still unclear what to make of Wisconsin, but if applying the SEC logic of ESPN, they’re a great team in a conference that’s just beating itself up too much. This is clearly the best season they’ve had under Luke Fickell, and beating USC at home was a big step in the right direction. This week they have a big road trip to Iowa with both teams 5-2 and needing a win to keep any Big Ten title and playoff hopes alive.
24. USC (6-2) (Last Week #19) (Unranked and #25 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
USC is holding on by a thread and is now in a win-or-go-home mode for the rest of the season. They looked rough against Wisconsin and now have to bounce back at home with Ohio State in L.A. on Halloween. A loss would crush any remaining playoff hopes and maybe make the Trojans join the coaching carousel.
25. Alabama (6-2) (Unranked Last Week) (#10 in the AP and Coaches Polls)
Bama needed that one, and needed it bad. A third straight loss likely would have ended any championship hopes that are already hanging on for dear life. Like SC, they have to win every remaining game to make it to the College Football Playoff. They have Halloween off before their toughest remaining test at LSU on November 7th.
On the Radar: Alabama, LSU, Iowa, Cincinnati, USC, Air Force, Ole Miss,
Playoff Projection
