Miami Tops First 2026 CFP Rankings with SEC Teams Filling Top Seven

Miami holds the No. 1 spot in the first College Football Playoff rankings for the 2026 season.

The Hurricanes are one of only three undefeated teams remaining in the sport. They finished ahead of Georgia at No. 2 and Utah at No. 3. Indiana from the Big Ten sits at No. 4. These four teams are positioned to receive first round byes in the tournament bracket.

The committee moved several Southeastern Conference teams higher than their AP Top 25 standing. Alabama appears at No. 5 despite having two losses. Kentucky is listed at No. 6 and Texas at No. 7. All three schools rank well above their AP positions. In total, four SEC teams occupy the top seven spots, a sharp contrast to the single SEC team in the AP poll.

The bottom of the projected field remains a point of debate. Notre Dame is the No. 11 seed and the final team in the 12 team field. Ohio State is the first team excluded at No. 12. Boise State, ranked No. 25, takes the automatic bid reserved for the top Group of Six champion. Under this scenario, Alabama, Kentucky, Texas, and No. 8 UCLA would host first round games.

Notre Dame faces a difficult path to secure its spot. The Fighting Irish have a loss to BYU and play No. 1 Miami this weekend. A loss would make them likely to miss the postseason, particularly since their remaining strong opponents, SMU and Wisconsin, both lost last weekend. This mirrors last year when Notre Dame went 10-2 and was the first team left out.

The SEC currently has five teams inside the projected 12 team field. Tennessee sits at No. 13 and LSU at No. 14. The playoff will remain a 12 team format for at least one more season, though a 24 team projection by Yahoo Sports shows the SEC placing nine teams in an expanded field.

The top of the rankings is stable with Miami, Georgia, and Utah all undefeated. The SEC maintains a heavy presence as the regular season enters its final month.