College Football Rankings: Getting Real With the Top 25 With a New No. 1

We always believe that college football rankings should be fluid. Things change. Some teams start to figure things out, while others are just playing because they have to. Quarterbacks get hurt, coaches get fired, and what happened two months ago isn’t necessarily relevant now. Yes, we always respect the results – the head-to-head meetings are always taken into account – but by this point, that’s for the high-rent district of the top ten, or so.And, by this point, we think we know who’s good (there are plenty of strong teams out there), who’s not (the Group of Six teams in an NIL/transfer era), and everything in between.With a new No. 1 team, here are the 25 best teams in college football … for now. (This will almost certainly get blown up next week after a whole slew of massive showdowns.)2026 College Football Rankings: The 25 Best Teams in Week 10Oct 31, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks linebacker Jerry Mixon (6) warms up before a game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images25. USC TrojansRecord: (7-2) Last Week Rank: 37 Week 9: USC 30, Ohio State 18Up Next: at IndianaUSC went from the season being over and Lincoln Riley being fired to looking fantastic against Ohio State and now looking like they could possibly pull off something else special at Indiana in two weeks. Beating Washington now looks better, too.24. Oregon DucksRecord: (5-3) Last Week Rank: 27 Week 9: Oregon 34, Northwestern 26Up Next: at Ohio StateYeah, yeah, yeah, the Ducks should be behind Oklahoma State, but the Cowboys just lost again. The loss to Illinois doesn’t help, but the Ducks beat USC in Los Angeles, handed Boise State its only loss so far, and came up with a wonderful gut-check win over Northwestern. The team hasn’t quit.23. Houston CougarsRecord: (6-2) Last Week Rank: 30 Week 9: OPEN DATE Up Next: CincinnatiWe’re giving credit where others don’t – you shouldn’t be punished for losing to elite teams. The Cougars lost on a missed two-point conversion at Texas Tech, and had the ball and were driving in a loss to a Utah team that just doornailed Cincinnati. Don’t be stunned if a month from now we’re arguing for a 10-2 Houston to find a spot in the CFP.22. Wisconsin BadgersRecord: (5-3) Last Week Rank: 19 Week 9: Iowa 30, Wisconsin 0 Up Next: RutgersSo this is a badly flawed team offensively. This is still the team that rolled the USC squad that just beat Ohio State. The three losses to Notre Dame, UCLA, and Iowa were all to teams that might be in the College Football Playoff.21. Wake Forest Demon DeaconsRecord: (7-1) Last Week Rank: 23 Week 9: Wake Forest 51, Virginia 7 Up Next: MerrimackWhat do you do when you have blowhards – like us – whining about your schedule? You go out there and beat Stanford, NC State, Cal, and Virginia by a combined score of 187-31. The Demon Deacons are going to be 8-1 going into SMU.20. Florida GatorsRecord: (5-3) Last Week Rank: 18 Week 9: Georgia 27, Florida 8 Up Next: OklahomaThose wins over Ole Miss, Texas, and Auburn buy you one more week of love and respect, Florida. Don’t lose to Oklahoma, or we’re going to have to ask you to leave.19. Arizona WildcatsRecord: (6-2) Last Week Rank: 15 Week 9: Texas Tech 34, Arizona 26 Up Next: TCUAw, Arizona, you had them. The Wildcats played well against Texas Tech, but buckled late. The 34-7 win over Cincinnati helps get them into the top 20, but all respect for the two losses being at BYU and Texas Tech – no shame there.18. Texas Tech Red RaidersRecord: (7-2) Last Week Rank: 29 Week 9: Texas Tech 34, Arizona 26 Up Next: West VirginiaThat was a wonderful win over Arizona that’s going to get lost in the national discussion. The Red Raiders bounced back from the ugly loss to Cincinnati and looked the part of the defending Big 12 champion.17. Missouri TigersRecord: (6-2) Last Week Rank: 16 Week 9: Missouri 34, Arkansas 10 Up Next: TexasMizzou looked and played against Arkansas like a rested team that needed those two weeks off. Texas, at Georgia, Kentucky. If Missouri wants to be a player, it’s about to get its shot.16. Iowa HawkeyesRecord: (6-2) Last Week Rank: 24 Week 9: Iowa 30, Wisconsin 0 Up Next: at NorthwesternHow the Floyd did you lose to Minnesota with no offense whatsoever, Iowa? That performance against a frothing Wisconsin defense this week was fantastic. Beat Northwestern, go to the College Football Playoff (maybe).15. Ohio State BuckeyesRecord: (6-2) Last Week Rank: 1 Week 9: USC 30, Ohio State 18 Up Next: OregonIt’s not about Julian Sayin being hurt, although that doesn’t help. This defense isn’t close to being national title-good, and the running game isn’t strong enough to carry the load. USC hurdling over the Buckeyes might have signaled the end of the season if the team doesn’t play up to its talent level.14. Indiana HoosiersRecord: (8-1) Last Week Rank: 3 Week 9: Indiana 23, Minnesota 16 OT Up Next: OPEN DATEEnough. “Find a way” usually means there’s a problem. Don’t let one monster field goal fool you, the special teams were awful against Minnesota, Josh Hoover is hurt, and Indiana keeps playing with fire in game after game. Even so, 8-1 is 8-1. Indiana is 8-1, and you’re not.13. Alabama Crimson TideRecord: (6-2) Last Week Rank: 13 Week 9: OPEN DATE Up Next: at LSUThe 31-20 win over Texas A&M two weeks ago wasn’t enough. Beat LSU in Baton Rouge, and we’ll buy that things are really changing. Or lose, and we’ll see the backups in a restaurant-quality New Year’s Day bowl.12. Tennessee VolunteersRecord: (6-2) Last Week Rank: 11 Week 9: OPEN DATE Up Next: KentuckyCan the Tennessee team that beat Alabama 26-10 show up when Kentucky comes into town? Considering LSU comes to Knoxville, the rest of the schedule isn’t unmanageable if the Vols get by the Cats.11. South Carolina GamecocksRecord: (5-3) Last Week Rank: 17 Week 9: South Carolina 42, Oklahoma 25 Up Next: Texas A&MIt’s been interestingly blown off that the Mississippi State and Kentucky losses were this close to going the other way. Okay, so the Tennessee win was this close to being a fail, but now with the win over Oklahoma, the Gamecocks are rolling.Oct 31, 2026; Norman, Oklahoma, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks wide receiver Mazeo Bennett Jr. (3) celebrates after the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images10. LSU TigersRecord: (6-2) Last Week Rank: 12 Week 9: OPEN DATE Up Next: AlabamaThere are two sides to this. Three, actually, with the third being that LSU might be the most dominant team in America, at least when it’s at home. The first side is the total destruction of everything in its path in the six wins. The second side is that LSU’s best win is … Auburn? Here we go: Alabama, Texas, at Tennessee, at Arkansas. 9 Ole Miss RebelsRecord: (6-2) Last Week Rank: 10 Week 9: Ole Miss 45, Auburn 15 Up Next: GeorgiaOkay, Ole Miss. You looked great against Auburn, and the 31-3 win over Missouri was impressive. This is your season – at 6-2, you have to win at home over Georgia.8. Texas LonghornsRecord: (6-2) Last Week Rank: 9 Week 9: Texas 31, Mississippi State 3 Up Next: at MissouriFor all the drama, the problems, and the ripping on parts of this program, Texas is still a solid 6-2 – Arch was terrific against Mississippi State – with wins over Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Ohio State. Even so, it has to take its game up several levels with a brutal November schedule.7. Kentucky WildcatsRecord: (7-1) Last Week Rank: 8 Week 9: OPEN DATE Up Next: at TennesseeThe Wildcats are just renting this spot – they’re not allowed to put holes in the wall – with at Tennessee, Florida, and at Missouri up next. The wins over LSU and South Carolina earned Kentucky this spot. Now it has to prove it can keep it.6. Notre Dame Fighting IrishRecord: (7-2) Last Week Rank: 6 Week 9: Notre Dame 35, Navy 13 Up Next: MiamiEhhhh, it would’ve been nice to see the Irish come out blazing after two weeks of grooving on the BYU loss. Navy was never going to beat Notre Dame, but it took too long to wake up. Okay, the Irish were probably looking ahead. We’re here now. Go beat Miami.5. BYU CougarsRecord: (7-1) Last Week Rank: 5 Week 9: BYU 27, Arizona State 20 Up Next: at UtahThe UCF loss looks totally awful now, after the Knights got rocked by Baylor this week. But BYU still beat Notre Dame, and the Arizona win continues to be impressive. Beat Utah, live in the top three next week.4. Miami HurricanesRecord: (8-0) Last Week Rank: 4 Week 9: Miami 38, North Carolina 35 Up Next: at Notre DameBeing the one team to beat Wake Forest now looks excellent, but … there’s no need to badmouth the Hurricanes, or point out just how miserable this pass defense is. Beat Notre Dame, be No. 1 in the country.3. Utah UtesRecord: (8-0) Last Week Rank: 14 Week 9: Utah 49, Cincinnati 25 Up Next: BYUThat’s it. That’s what we were waiting for. Okay, fine, we got a little spooked out by the tough fight at Colorado, but the Buffs actually aren’t that bad right now. The win over Houston was great, and blowing out the Cincinnati team that rocked Texas Tech is everything.2. UCLA BruinsRecord: (7-1) Last Week Rank: 2 Week 9: UCLA 27, Nevada 0 Up Next: at MinnesotaThe Bruins are playing smarter than everyone else. They’re not doing anything they can’t. This is a tough, rugged team that wins on the lines and with a nasty defense that’s going to be a problem in the College Football Playoff. And yes, the wins over Oregon and Wisconsin are a good start – now win at Minnesota.1. Georgia BulldogsRecord: (7-1) Last Week Rank: 7 Week 9: Georgia 27, Florida 8 Up Next: at Ole MissThe win over Florida showed off the depth, adaptability, and defensive speed to look and play like the best team in college football. Yes, Georgia lost to Auburn and struggled against Alabama, but in a season loaded with flawed teams, talent-wise, right now, this is the best of the bunch.