College Football Rankings: New No. 1 Team As CFB Chaos And Upsets Reign Supreme

I’m taking Georgia. You can pick anybody else. And I’ll take that challenge. Right now, in this here Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show of a college football season, the Bulldogs look like the team no one wants to play.

Means the best team in the sport is in Athens, Georgia — again.

I’m not just saying this because Notre Dame and Miami ripped body shots at each other Saturday in a game the Fighting Irish were fortunate to win. I’m saying it because Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs careered through Ole Miss, leaving nothing in Oxford, Mississippi, but a disquieting confidence that Georgia really is just that good.

Yes, it lost to Auburn. But that’s just it. It lost to Auburn. The Tigers didn’t beat them.

Looking at the two remaining undefeated teams in the sport, 9-0 UCLA still hasn’t beaten anyone other than the Windows 11 version of Oregon — the same one that stomped out Ohio State on Saturday at the Shoe. 

And then 9-0 Utah looks like a Big 12 version of Ole Miss. Is a Big 12 version of Ole Miss good enough to beat Georgia? Not to me, no. Especially not when you consider Georgia's wins against Ole Miss and Alabama are better than Utah’s wins against Houston and BYU.

And with that, let's get into my latest top-25 rankings after a chaotic Week 10 that we knew would heavily jumble this order.

Week 10 game: 17-9 win vs. Texas A&M
Week 11 game: At Arkansas

I would consider this a stronger win for the Gamecocks if Ampersand U actually lived halfway up to expectations, but alas. With quarterback LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina could be a three-loss team in the College Football Playoff. However, that's asking for an injured quarterback to hold the offense together for three more weeks. Not an easy task.

Stat to know: South Carolina won its fourth straight SEC game for just the third time in the last 15 seasons. 

Odds to make CFP: +800 (23rd)
Odds to win national title: +14000 (T-19th)

Week 10 game: 51-28 win vs. Virginia Tech
Week 11 game: vs. Wake Forest

Quarterback Kevin Jennings and the Mustangs looked like a top-25 team for the first time in weeks. Not only did they put up 51 in a win against a quality opponent (a team over .500) but Jennings also threw for 350 yards. SMU's defense was relentless in its pursuit of Virginia Tech quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer and sacked him four times.

Stat to know: Quarterback Kevin Jennings ranks third in FBS among qualified passers (minimum 150 attempts) with a 180.8 passer rating, while averaging 9.77 yards per attempt.

Odds to make CFP: +1300 (27th)
Odds to win national title: +35000 (25th)

Week 10 game: 28-20 loss vs. Utah
Week 11 game: vs. Baylor

The Cougars' chances of making the CFP were all but decimated by their archenemy. A three-loss BYU team does not make the postseason tournament without a Big 12 championship. And it was all about their quarterback play. Bear Bachmeier threw four interceptions in the game after throwing just four all year, and that matters more than him tying his career record with a 75-yard touchdown pass.

Stat to know: Quarterback Bear Bachmeier is just the third BYU quarterback since 2000 to throw four or more interceptions in a game. Two came in the red zone, bringing his season total to three red zone interceptions, tied for the most in FBS.

Odds to make CFP: +285 (18th)
Odds to win national title: +12000 (18th)

Week 10 game: 31-3 win vs. Nevada
Week 11 game: vs. UNLV

UCLA beat Nevada by 27 last week. New Mexico beat Nevada by 28. Lobos coach Jason Eck will be a Power Four head coach next season. He’s done too good of a job to remain in the Group of Six. Now the only question is, can New Mexico earn the only automatic qualifying spot for a G6 team in the 12-team College Football Playoff this season? It sure looks the part, but Boise State could keep the competition steep.

Stat to know: New Mexico leads the FBS in scoring defense, allowing just 10.9 points per game.

Odds to make CFP: +160 (13th)
Odds to win national title: +60000 (28th)

Week 10 game: 77-0 win vs. Merrimack
Week 11 game: vs. SMU

The Demon Deacons padded their resume with an FCS opponent that they paid to travel from Massachusetts to take an ass-whooping. Good for you, Wake Forest. Love — hate, actually, really hate — keeping the SEC Cupcake November tradition alive.

Stat to know: Quarterback Steele Pizzella threw for 432 yards in the first half against Merrimack, the third-most first-half passing yards in FBS since 2000. Only Jordan Love (448 for Utah State vs. New Mexico in 2018) and Stephen Calvert (441 for Liberty vs. UMass in 2019) had more.

Odds to make CFP: -110 (T-10th)
Odds to win national title: +7000 (T-14th)

Week 10 game: 64-38 win vs. Colorado State
Week 11 game: vs. Oregon State

The Broncos did damage even without star quarterback Maddux Madsen. Boise State backup quarterback Max Cutforth hit 16 of 19 passes for 317 yards for four touchdowns in the win.

Stat to know: Running back Dylan Riley totaled 280 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns, rushing for 192 yards on 19 carries and adding 88 receiving yards on two catches. His 280 scrimmage yards are tied with Jay Ajayi (2014) for the second-most by a Boise State player in a game since at least 2000, trailing only Alexander Mattison’s 286 in 2017.

Odds to make CFP: -140 (ninth)
Odds to win national title: +30000 (T-23rd)

Week 10 game: 31-13 loss vs. Alabama
Week 11 game: vs. Texas

The Tigers' loss to Alabama doesn’t knock them out of the College Football Playoff, but it does leave them without room for error. A fourth loss for this program has it squarely in position to play in the Citrus Bowl.

Stat to know: Coach Lane Kiffin is now 0-6 against Alabama as a head coach across three schools: Tennessee (0-1 in 2009), Ole Miss (0-4 from 2020 to 2023) and LSU (0-1 in 2026). His teams have been outscored 202-126, averaging 21 points scored and 33.7 points allowed for an average margin of defeat of 12.7 points. 

Odds to make CFP: +172 (14th)
Odds to win national title: +2200 (seventh)

Week 10 game: 24-10 win vs. Northwestern
Week 11 game: vs. Purdue

The Hawkeyes’ loss to Ohio State came when the Buckeyes still had Julian Sayin at quarterback. Their win against Northwestern came without Aidan Chiles at quarterback for the Wildcats. They’re right where they need to be to make a run at the CFP for the first time in school history.

Stat to know: Iowa held Northwestern to 10 points, marking the sixth time in nine games this season the Hawkeyes have allowed 14 or fewer points.

Odds to make CFP: +205 (15th)
Odds to win national title: +15000 (21st)

Week 10 game: 42-7 loss vs. Georgia
Week 11 game: vs. Oklahoma

Giving up 228 yards in the first quarter ... yikes. That’s the most an Ole Miss defense has given up in the opening period in eight years. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss played his worst game ever in a Rebels jersey, completing 18 of 34 passes for 170 yards, one interception and no touchdowns.

Stat to know: Ole Miss’ 35-point loss to Georgia was its largest home loss while ranked in the AP top 15, surpassing a 30-14 loss to Southern Miss in 1970.

Odds to make CFP: -110 (T-10th)
Odds to win national title: +3000 (ninth)

Week 10 game: 41-28 loss vs. Oregon
Week 11 game: vs. Northwestern

The Buckeyes gave up 38 consecutive points to an opponent for the first time since 1999 (Wisconsin). And the defense wasn’t the worst unit on the field for Ryan Day’s Buckeyes. That was still the offense — one that misses injured quarterback Julian Sayin something awful.

Stat to know: Ohio State has lost back-to-back games by double digits for the first time since 2004, when it suffered consecutive losses to Wisconsin and Iowa.

Odds to make CFP: +550 (22nd)
Odds to win national title: +7000 (T-14th)

Week 10 game: 41-28 win vs. Ohio State
Week 11 game: vs. Michigan

The Ducks dropped 38 straight (and largely unanswered) points on Ohio State’s head. No, this team does not look like one that can win the national title. However, given what it showed in this win, there is a path for it to return to the CFP this year. That’s a feat that seemed improbable four weeks ago.

Stat to know: Oregon's 38-0 scoring run was the Ducks' largest streak against Ohio State at home since 1999.

Odds to make CFP: +290 (19th)
Odds to win national title: +5500 (12th)

Week 10 game: 34-20 loss vs. Texas
Week 11 game: vs. Georgia

Despite its loss to Texas, Mizzou moves up because the game wasn't as bad as the scoreboard says, and both Ohio State and Ole Miss took devastating losses on Saturday.

The Tigers had a chance to tie the game late, but quarterback Austin Simmons threw an interception that put the game out of reach. The loss likely means they are out of the hunt for their first invitation to the College Football Playoff and will once again be searching for offseason answers about how to break through. (Might I suggest the expansion of the 12-team CFP to 24 teams?)

Stat to know: Quarterback Austin Simmons’ 72-yard touchdown pass to receiver Naeshaun Montgomery was the longest touchdown pass of his career.

Odds to make CFP: +1200 (T-25th)
Odds to win national title: +14000 (T-19th)

Week 10 game: 31-24 win vs. Cincinnati
Week 11 game: vs. Colorado

This is a quality win for the Cougars (against a team with a record above .500). It also keeps them in the hunt for a spot in the Big 12 title game, should the teams who have beaten them — Utah and Texas Tech — stumble. If common opponents matter down the stretch, this win could prove important for Willie Fritz’s Houston squad.

Stat to know: Houston has rushed for at least 200 yards in five of its nine games this season, averaging 207.7 rushing yards per game.

Odds to make CFP: +500 (21st)
Odds to win national title: +25000 (22nd)

Week 10 game: 53-48 win vs. West Virginia
Week 11 game: vs. Oklahoma State

The Red Raiders have a path to the Big 12 championship. Yes, they sweated for their win against West Virginia. They needed to score 53 to give themselves a shot, and then Mountaineers quarterback Michael Hawkins took them home with a safety. Hawkins tripped over himself, fell down in the end zone and that action gave Texas Tech the win. That was close, but this team is still very much in it.

Stat to know: Quarterback Thomas Castellanos became just the second FBS player in the last three seasons and the 14th since 2000 to record at least 350 passing yards, at least 100 rushing yards and at least five passing touchdowns in a game, joining USF’s Byrum Brown in 2023.

Odds to make CFP: +240 (17th)
Odds to win national title: +8400 (17th)

Week 10 game: Bye
Week 11 game: vs. Indiana

Stat to know: Quarterback Jayden Maiava leads the Big Ten in passing yards (2,524) and passing touchdowns (20). Through nine games, he has completed 66.9% of his passes (198-for-296), averaging 280.4 passing yards per game and 8.53 yards per attempt. 

Odds to make CFP: +400 (20th)
Odds to win national title: +6500 (13th)

Week 10 game: 34-6 loss vs. Tennessee
Week 11 game: vs. Florida

Coach Will Stein said it himself: "Well, we’re not the Mighty Ducks." He knew that they’d won games on the margins, in overtime, and played mistake-free football to get this far. Against Tennessee, though, they made mistakes and the Volunteers just leaned on them like a bigger, stronger team might.

Stat to know: Kentucky committed three turnovers against Tennessee and was held without a touchdown for the first time this season. The Wildcats had committed just one turnover during their previous six games.

Odds to make CFP: +230 (16th)
Odds to win national title: +7400 (16th)

Week 10 game: Bye
Week 11 game: vs. USC

Stat to know: Indiana leads the Big Ten in scoring defense (12.4 points allowed per game), rushing defense (75.6 yards allowed per game) and sacks (32), while ranking third in total defense (259.2 yards allowed per game).

Odds to make CFP: -1300 (fifth)
Odds to win national title: +1050 (sixth)

Week 10 game: 31-24 loss vs. Notre Dame
Week 11 game: vs. Duke

Without star wide receiver Malachi Toney, the Hurricanes lost their first game of the season. That’s a fact Hurricanes fans might like to argue. But his absence impacted not just how Miami’s offense performed but also how the Fighting Irish defense chose to play it. With Toney, Miami might still be a national title team. Without him, this is the result.

Stat to know: Miami trailed for 54:38 in its first loss of the season Saturday, more than double the 23:08 it had trailed across its first eight games combined.

Odds to make CFP: -2000 (fourth)
Odds to win national title: +800 (fourth)

Week 10 game: 34-20 win vs. Missouri
Week 11 game: vs. LSU

The Longhorns managed a double-digit win against a top-20 team on the road without four of their best players available: Offensive lineman Trevor Goosby, edge rusher Colin Simmons, wide receiver Cam Coleman and running back Hollywood Smothers were all out. And yet, Texas portrayed itself like a top-10 team.

Stat to know: Quarterback Arch Manning had at least six passing touchdowns and no interceptions in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. He's completed 75.9% of his passes in the last two games, the highest over a two-game span in his career (minimum 40 pass attempts).

Odds to make CFP: -340 (eighth)
Odds to win national title: +1000 (fifth)

Week 10 game: 31-13 win vs. LSU
Week 11 game: At Vanderbilt

The Crimson Tide took their opportunity to solidify their status as one of the top-10 teams in the sport with a double-digit win against a top-25 team on the road. With the win, the Tide keep themselves squarely in the conversation to host a home game in the College Football Playoff.

Stat to know: Alabama has now won 14 of its last 16 meetings with LSU, and Kalen DeBoer is 3-0 against the Tigers as Alabama’s head coach.

Odds to make CFP: -3000 (third)
Odds to win national title: +680 (third)

Week 10 game: 34-6 win vs. Kentucky
Week 11 game: vs. Texas A&M

Tennessee has top-10 wins against Alabama and Kentucky. Its losses are to top-25 teams, Texas and South Carolina. We’ve seen now that the team is built around its ability to run the ball, particularly with running back DeSean Bishop, and it plays outstanding defense.

Stat to know: With its win over Kentucky, Tennessee tied its second-largest win against an AP top-10 opponent in the poll era (since 1936).

Odds to make CFP: +130 (12th)
Odds to win national title: +3700 (10th)

Week 10 game: 31-24 win vs. Miami
Week 11 game: vs. Boston College

The Fighting Irish finally got their signature win, and, importantly, one that keeps them in position to host a CFP game for the second time in three years after missing out on the playoff last year. It’s almost enough for us to forget that Notre Dame's second-best win was against Wisconsin and that it lost to BYU. Almost.

Stat to know: Notre Dame’s win over No. 1 Miami marked its 10th victory over an AP No. 1 team in program history, breaking a tie with Miami (nine) for the second-most such wins in FBS history, trailing only Alabama (11).

Odds to make CFP: -4000 (second)
Odds to win national title: +400 (second)

Week 10 game: 34-20 win vs. Minnesota
Week 11 game: vs. Illinois

The Bruins are 9-0 for the first time since 1998. Bob Chesney, your thoughts? 

"Doesn’t matter. Get better."

I plan to, Coach.

UCLA looks very much like a program that could be an analogue to 2022 TCU or 2025 Indiana. Either way, who stops the Bruins from reaching the national title game this season? Ain’t met ‘em yet.

Stat to know: Quarterback Ty Dieffenbach had 303 passing yards on just eight completions against Minnesota, becoming the only FBS player since at least 1995 to throw for 300-plus yards on eight or fewer completions.

Odds to make CFP: -360 (seventh)
Odds to win national title: +4000 (11th)

Week 10 game: 28-20 win vs. BYU
Week 11 game: vs. Arizona

As I wrote in my takeaways from the game, this win is quarterback Devon Dampier’s signature game, his signature win, in a league that hasn’t featured a national finalist since 2022 TCU, on a team that has never been invited to compete in the postseason playoff to crown the national champion. 

A Heisman Trophy winner has not come out of the Big 12 since Oklahoma left the conference. But when it last did, a dual-threat quarterback (Kyler Murray) managed the breakthrough. Perhaps the CFB world needs to keep a closer eye on Dampier and his squad.

Stat to know: Utah won its 15th straight game, the longest active streak in FBS and is 9-0 for the first time since 2008.

Odds to make CFP: -700 (sixth)
Odds to win national title: +2600 (eighth)

Week 10 game: 42-7 win vs. Ole Miss
Week 11 game: vs. Missouri

Georgia didn’t sack the quarterback one time in its previous matchup with Ole Miss. It’s almost as if defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann and his unit took that personally as they put Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss on his back four times and created two turnovers in a statement win. This team, despite its one loss, is the most dangerous team in the country right now and deserving of reclaiming its No. 1 spot on my list.

Stat to know: Georgia’s win over Ole Miss marked its largest margin of victory in a true road game against an AP-ranked opponent, surpassing its 34-0 win at No. 23 Missouri in 2014.

Odds to make CFP: -9000 (first)
Odds to win national title: +245 (first)