Miami leads the first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2026 season, with Georgia, Utah and Indiana rounding out the top four. Notre Dame sits at No. 11, while the committee’s first projected bracket includes Boise State as the only Group of Six team.

By the Numbers
  • Miami is No. 1 at 8-0; Georgia is No. 2 at 7-1.
  • Four teams would earn first-round byes: Miami, Georgia, Utah and Indiana.
  • The projected field includes five SEC teams, two each from the Big Ten and Big 12, one from the ACC, Boise State and independent Notre Dame.
Yes, But

These are the committee’s opening rankings and a projected bracket—not final playoff selections. Notre Dame is in the field in the projection despite ranking 11th, while undefeated UCLA is ranked No. 8.

State of Play
  • Boise State is projected as the No. 12 seed, facing No. 5 Alabama in the first round.
  • Notre Dame is ranked outside the top 10 but still makes the projected 12-team field.
Bottom Line

Miami has the early lead, but the first rankings are only a snapshot: the playoff picture remains open, and Notre Dame’s projected inclusion shows that ranking position alone doesn’t tell the whole story.