Miami claimed the No. 1 spot in the initial College Football Playoff rankings for the 2026 season, leading a trio of undefeated teams that also includes No. 2 Georgia and No. 3 Utah. Those three programs, along with Big Ten representative No. 4 Indiana, earned the four first-round byes in the 12-team playoff format.
The Southeastern Conference received a significant boost relative to the AP Top 25, placing four teams inside the top seven. Alabama sits at No. 5 despite two losses, three spots higher than its AP ranking. Kentucky follows at No. 6 and Texas at No. 7, both also well ahead of their AP positions. UCLA rounds out the top eight at No. 8.
The projected first-round host sites are Alabama, Kentucky, Texas, and UCLA. The opening round would feature a Texas–Ole Miss rematch and Alabama hosting the Group of Six champion, currently projected as No. 25 Boise State.
Notre Dame enters as the final team in the field at the 11-seed, while Ohio State sits just outside at No. 12. The Fighting Irish face a critical test against No. 1 Miami this weekend; a loss would likely eliminate them from playoff contention.
Five SEC teams appear in the projected 12-team bracket, with Tennessee at No. 13 and LSU at No. 14 ensuring the conference remains heavily represented. A separate 24-team expansion mock suggests the SEC could place nine teams in an enlarged playoff.
