B/R's 2026 College Football Playoff Bracket Projections and Predictions after Week 6

Every season, there is a moment where college football reminds us that we know nothing. Week 6 did exactly that.

Texas picked up a marquee win over Ohio State earlier in the campaign, but a struggling Oklahoma squad downed its preeminent rival. Florida started hot, but a reeling South Carolina team controlled the game. Oregon seemed it would contend for a national title, but an upstart UCLA program ended that thought.

The projected bracket is a reflection of B/R's Top 25 dropped into the organization of the official CFP format.

Oregon did not have starting QB Dante Moore available, sure. But there is very little excusing a loss to UCLA. Dylan Raiola thrived when replacing Moore against USC but trudged to a horrid 6-of-19 mark, mustering just 43 yards with two interceptions. UCLA is 5-0. Oregon, on the other hand, is a potentially disastrous 3-2 and clearly at risk of missing the College Football Playoff.

Oklahoma 27, Texas 24 South Carolina 38, Florida 19

Thought you knew where the SEC was headed? Maybe not! Texas collapsed in the Red River rivalry as Arch Manning threw two late, costly interceptions. Florida, meanwhile, gave up scoring drives on five straight possessions in a ghastly loss to South Carolina. The conference is a wide-open race for second place...

...because the front-runner is officially UGA. Not only are the Dawgs the last unbeaten in the conference, they are already 4-0 in SEC play. Granted, that record is balanced with a tough remaining slate. Georgia has to play Auburn, Florida, at Ole Miss, Missouri and at South Carolina down the stretch. But the road to the SEC Championship Game now runs through Athens.

1. Georgia 2. Miami 3. Notre Dame 4. Indiana 5. Alabama 6. Ohio State 7. BYU 8. Texas 9. Utah 10. Texas Tech 11. Ole Miss 12. Missouri 13. Mississippi State 14. UCLA 15. USC 16. Kentucky 17. Oklahoma State 18. Iowa 19. Houston 20. Tennessee 21. Wake Forest 22. Arizona 23. Nebraska 24. James Madison 25. Boise State

Seeding is a reflection of how B/R's Top 25 would shape the bracket.

Power 4 Champions and Top Group of 6 Team

Last season, Curt Cignetti led Indiana to its first-ever national championship. As you may recall, he'd taken over the Big Ten program after tallying a 52-9 record in five seasons at James Madison.

The school then turned to Bob Chesney, who posted a 21-6 mark in two seasons while guiding the Dukes to the CFP last year. He accepted a job at UCLA, at which Chesney has orchestrated a fantastic initial surge. Saturday's win at Oregon vaulted the Bruins to an impressive 5-0 start.

But don't you worry, JMU is doing just fine.

Chesney's departure led to the arrival of Billy Napier, the former Louisiana and Florida coach. So far, the Dukes are 6-0 under his leadership and just leapt Boise State for the Group of Six's CFP slot in B/R's projection.

No matter what happens in the next two months, one thing is clear: It would be wise to believe in JMU's coaching tree.

Florida at Texas Mississippi State at LSU Ohio State at Indiana

Kicking off a loaded weekend is a jam-packed noon slate. The first two matchups are SEC contests in which the teams are fighting for their conference lives. Texas and Mississippi State each have a league loss, while Florida and LSU have two. In the Midwest, meanwhile, OSU and Indiana are battling for Big Ten supremacy and front-runner status in the conference.

Alabama at Tennessee Missouri at Ole Miss

Back to the SEC, where two more Top 25 clashes await in the middle portion of the slate. All four programs have one loss on their résumé, so these results will provide some notable separation in the league standings.

Notre Dame at BYU Oklahoma State at Houston Wisconsin at UCLA

Another team will tumble from the ranks of the unbeaten when Notre Dame travels to BYU. Oklahoma State is perfect in early Big 12 action, but a trip to Houston will be challenging. Rounding out the prime-time schedule is a clash between the other two programs with unblemished Big Ten records.