Overview
- Media projections coalesce around Ohio State at No. 1 and Indiana at No. 2, with unbeaten Texas A&M viewed alongside them near the top.
- Georgia Tech’s first loss at NC State, Vanderbilt’s setback at Texas, and Miami’s overtime defeat at SMU reshuffled the bubble and cut the list of major unbeatens to four.
- Texas reentered playoff discussions after beating Vanderbilt behind Arch Manning’s 328 passing yards, though a closing slate that includes Georgia and Texas A&M will define its path.
- ESPN and CBS projections commonly slot Ohio State, Indiana, and Texas A&M in the field, and identify Memphis as the likely Group-of-Five representative in the initial rankings.
- Poll movement is expected with the AP and Coaches rankings, as the AP signals a steady top five and potential rises for Texas Tech, Virginia, Oklahoma, and Texas while Miami’s hopes fade.