playHeather DinichOct 18, 2026, 02:08 AM ETMultiple AuthorsOpen Extended ReactionsThere’s only one undefeated team left in the entire Big Ten and SEC combined.UCLA, the team that won three total games last season, is 6-0 with a new home in the top 10 — for now. With the way this season is going, just give it a minute. Five of the top seven teams in the Associated Press Poll lost on Saturday, shaking up the playoff picture and unveiling yet another new No. 1. It was the most losses by AP Top 7 teams on a single day in the poll’s history, which stretches back to 1936.From start to finish on Saturday, Week 7 went down to the wire, with Texas and Alabama both adding a second loss to their résumés, Georgia losing at home to Auburn, and Notre Dame coming up short in its first real test of the season at BYU.With only two Saturdays remaining until the College Football Playoff selection committee reveals its first ranking of the season on Nov. 3, the playoff picture remains muddled with no clear-cut No. 1 team asserting itself above the pack.So who’s earned the top spot at the midpoint of the season?Based on historical knowledge and an understanding of the criteria and protocol, here’s a look at what the selection committee might do if the rankings were today.Jump to: Ranking | BracketProjecting the top 121.
Miami Hurricanes (6-0)Why they could be here: Georgia lost. Notre Dame lost. And the undefeated Canes eked out a double overtime home win against rival Florida State in a too-close-for-comfort game against a now four-loss team. While Miami lacks a true statement win, it does have three road wins, including two against ACC teams above .500 (Wake Forest and Clemson).
The Sept. 18 win at Wake Forest will get more credit in the committee meeting room than it does the average college football fan, as the Demon Deacons have won four straight and are on a path to see Miami again in the ACC title game. Miami’s undefeated record and statistical dominance continue to outweigh its average schedule strength, with Saturday’s narrow win being the lone time this season the Canes didn’t win by at least 13 points.Why they could be lower: Ohio State’s win at Indiana on Saturday is better than any win Miami has on its résumé.Need to know: Even if Miami loses at Notre Dame on Nov. 7, it would still be a CFP team, but where it gets tricky is if the Canes lose that game and don’t win the ACC title. The ACC champion is guaranteed a spot, but would a two-loss runner-up that lost its only two games against ranked opponents finish in the top 12?Toughest remaining game: Nov. 7 at Notre Dame. It will be the second straight road game for Miami after traveling to North Carolina on Halloween, and it will likely be the Canes’ last and only ranked opponent they face during the regular season.2.
Ohio State Buckeyes (6-1)Why they could be here: With Saturday’s win at Indiana, the Buckeyes have two top-25 road wins against Big Ten opponents and have won five straight since their Week 2 loss at Texas. With Texas losing to Florida and earning its second loss, the committee would no longer use the Longhorns’ head-to-head win over Ohio State as a tiebreaker because their records are no longer comparable. Ohio State is ahead of Miami because their best win is on the road against the defending national champs, while the Canes’ best win is at No. 21 Wake Forest. The Buckeyes are behind Georgia and Notre Dame because they’re both undefeated and also have at least one statement win.Why they could be lower: Ohio State was fortunate that wide-open Indiana receiver Nick Marsh landed out of bounds on what would have been the game-winning touchdown with about a minute left in the game.
It was a gritty win for Ohio State, but partly because the Buckeyes made it difficult for themselves. Quarterback Julian Sayin threw two interceptions for the second straight week. Ohio State’s collapse against now two-loss Texas also looks worse in retrospect. Miami has been more impressive on film — and is undefeated — but against a weaker schedule.Need to know: The selection committee considers injuries to key players, and Sayin will be out “several weeks” with an injury he suffered in the win against Indiana, coach Ryan Day said after the game.
Ohio State has a bye week before traveling to USC on Halloween. With Sayin sidelined, the Buckeyes turned to true freshman Luke Fahey in the fourth quarter, and he threw two incomplete passes but the defense helped preserve the precarious 19-15 lead. While the committee members will understand the situation, they will also watch to see if Ohio State looks like a playoff contender with Fahey in the lineup.Toughest remaining game: Oct. 31 at USC. It’s about 2,000 miles away from Columbus, Ohio, and the Trojans are a talented one-loss team that could flip the script in the Big Ten with a win — right before the first CFP ranking is revealed.3.
BYU Cougars (6-0)Why they could be here: The Cougars earned a statement win against Notre Dame, giving them the best win of any team currently ranked in the top five. It also helped BYU that Georgia lost to Auburn and Alabama and Texas both have two losses. The committee also tends to single out talent, too, and BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier continues to be a game-changer as a dual threat. He ran for two touchdowns, caught another, threw for a touchdown, and had 224 passing yards with one interception.Why they could be higher: Some committee members could favor BYU’s unblemished record over Ohio State’s road win at Indiana and simply deem the Cougars a better team.
There could also be questions in the room about Ohio State’s quarterback situation without injured starter Julian Sayin. While the committee isn’t supposed to look ahead, it got a small sample size of freshman Luke Fahey, who seemed understandably overwhelmed by the moment.Need to know: This week the Big 12 is represented with three teams in the top 12, boosting the league’s chances of getting multiple teams into the CFP. BYU doesn’t play Texas Tech during the regular season, but travels to Utah on Nov. 7. The ideal scenario for the Big 12 to get multiple teams in is to have its runner-up finish with one loss.
It’s not inconceivable given that BYU, Utah and Texas Tech are all undefeated, but that scenario means the winner of BYU-Utah will still have that margin for error.Toughest remaining game: Nov. 7 at Utah. It will be BYU’s first road game against a ranked opponent, and it’s a rivalry game that has both Big 12 and CFP implications.4. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-1)Why they could be here: It was a close loss on the road against a ranked opponent — which isn’t doomsday in the committee meeting room, but Notre Dame doesn’t have much on its résumé to help overcome it. The Irish are helped by the fact that BYU would be considered a good loss in the room — better than Georgia losing at home to unranked Auburn, or even Indiana losing at home to Ohio State, and certainly better than Ole Miss getting hammered by Florida.
It also helped Notre Dame that Alabama and Texas both have two losses.Why they could be lower: Notre Dame has two wins against Power 4 opponents above .500 — Wisconsin and at North Carolina. The Irish defense, which has been one of the nation’s best, allowed BYU’s Bachmeier to complete 72% of his passes in the first half when they fell behind by 11 points.Need to know: Notre Dame is guaranteed a spot in the CFP this year if it finishes in the top 12 on Selection Day, but it’s not guaranteed a spot in the top 12, which means beating Miami in November and avoiding a second loss is critical to its own mantra of “leave no doubt.” If Notre Dame also loses to Miami, it will have lost the two biggest games on its schedule without a conference title opportunity to make up for it. That would open the door for debate in the committee meeting room.Toughest remaining game: Nov. 7 vs. Miami.
ESPN’s FPI gives Notre Dame at least a 50% chance to win each of its remainin
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