Winners and Losers of the Week 10 College Football Playoff Rankings

For the first time in the 2026 season, the College Football Playoff selection committee has unveiled its first Top 25 ranking.

As always, we offer a simple reminder: Don't get terribly hung up on the rankings. We know changes are inevitable—and a ridiculously loaded Week 10 schedule is a prime example of that reality.

Simultaneously, the poll has provided some initial insight into how the committee is valuing team records, head-to-head results, schedule strength and more.

A popular refrain is that programs should stop scheduling tough nonconference games because the committee might penalizing a team for losing. Why bother accepting the risk in that situation?.

The reward of a win, as Texas can attest is clear.

Yes, the Longhorns have a disastrous loss to struggling rival Oklahoma. They dropped a game at home to Florida, too.

In the other column, however, UT boasts victories over Ole Miss, Ohio State and Tennessee—teams that appeared 10th, 12th and 13th, respectively, in Tuesday's poll. Add in a triumph over 7-1, and these wins are propping up Texas.

The on-field product doesn't look so convincing right now. Upcoming trips to Missouri and LSU are genuine concerns for the Horns.

But if they keep winning, this résumé will be tough to match among 10-2 teams.

On the other hand, the absence of marquee wins dragged down LSU and Wake Forest in the ranking.

Ranked 14th and 16th in that specific order, these programs have quality records. LSU is 6-2, while Wake is 7-1. LSU's best victories, though, are a combination of Clemson, Texas A&M and Auburn. Fine . Wake Forest has rolled all takers for a month, but defeating Louisville is the Demon Deacons' main selling point. Meh .

Texas Tech, on the other hand, is being penalized for a relatively unimpressive on-field product. That, plus a blowout loss at Cincinnati, is enough for the committee to discount wins over ranked Houston and Arizona teams.

You might agree, you might not. That's just the reality here.

The reassuring news is simple—particularly for an LSU squad with a November gauntlet ahead. As ESPN host Rece Davis said on the show: "They'll either win their way in, or they won't."

Speaking of winning their way in, hello, Fighting Irish.

Last season, they finished with a 10-2 record but missed the College Football Playoff. The absence of a signature victory meant losses to CFP-bound Miami and Texas A&M programs could not save Marcus Freeman's team.

Feeling a little déjà vu, Notre Dame fans? You should be, because Saturday's showdown with Miami just became a do-or-die game.

Look, I think a No. 11 ranking is absurd. Despite a top victory being Wisconsin or North Carolina—not an amazing duo, sure—the Irish generally have controlled every game beyond a road setback at BYU. They're not just sneaking past teams.

The committee, nevertheless, does not agree.

And with a loss to Miami, SMU (currently 6-2) could be ND's best possible win. That will not be terribly compelling.

Notre Dame absolutely must defeat the 'Canes to stay in the race. Any final ranking below 12th, and the Irish are out—again.

Looking at the complete poll, 10 programs belong to the ol' SEC—which is certain to start touting its parity again.

South Carolina (21st) and Florida (24th) provided the league with the ever-controversial back-end boosts. Rather than ranking 7-1 UTSA or 7-1 New Mexico, the committee threw a bone to a pair of three-loss SEC teams (and Oregon).

Oh, also, Alabama is eight spots ahead of Tennessee? Even though the teams have the same record and Tennessee wrecked Bama?

"Yes, they had a loss to Tennessee," CFP Selection Committee Chair Hunter Yurachek said. "But Tennessee doesn't have the same level of quality wins."

But, hey, I can stick to my initial suggestion, roll my eyes and move on. Too many impactful games are looming to truly be upset in the first week of November.

The best reason to not get worked up? Saturday's slate is preposterous.

Early in the day, we have No. 9 BYU at No. 3 Utah and No. 7 Texas at No. 18 Missouri. The afternoon slate puts No. 5 Alabama at No. 14 LSU in the spotlight, and the evening kicks off with No. 6 Kentucky at No. 13 Tennessee before top-ranked Miami battles No. 11 Notre Dame and No. 2 Georgia plays at No. 10 Ole Miss.

The tl;dr version: Six matchups between Top 25 teams, including 11 of the CFP's 14 highest-ranked programs.

Changes are inevitable—and these changes are exciting.

The closing stretch will determine the 12 schools ultimately headed to the 2026 Playoff, and Week 10 will be remembered as a critical moment for several teams.