Overview
- Ohio State stayed No. 1 in the second CFP rankings, followed by Indiana, Texas A&M, Alabama and Georgia.
- Texas Tech jumped to No. 6 after a 29-7 win over previously unbeaten BYU, which fell to No. 12.
- South Florida entered at No. 24 as the highest-ranked Group of Five team and would occupy the projected No. 12 seed, with Miami at No. 15 currently the top ACC team in the mock bracket.
- SEC leaders Greg Sankey and CFP Board chair Mark Keenum reiterated opposition to automatic qualifiers, with Keenum signaling the playoff is likely to remain a 12-team format for 2026 ahead of a Dec. 1 decision window.
- Committee chair Mack Rhoads said Indiana stayed at No. 2 based on body of work and a defensive edge despite a late escape at Penn State.