The first College Football Playoff rankings of the 2026 season will be released Tuesday night by the CFP Selection Committee, which includes new members Jeff Tedford and Gus Malzahn. CBS Sports has projected the initial top 25, placing undefeated Miami (8-0) at No. 1 ahead of Georgia (7-1), Utah (8-0), and Kentucky (7-1).
The predicted top five also includes BYU (7-1) at No. 5, followed by UCLA (8-0), Indiana (8-1), Notre Dame (7-1), Texas (6-2), and Alabama (6-2). Notable entries include Ohio State (6-2) at No. 11 despite quarterback Julian Sayin's injury, and Boise State (7-1) as the highest-ranked Group of Six team at No. 23.
Projected First-Round Matchups
Based on the predicted rankings, the first-round games on Dec. 18-19 would feature No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 BYU, No. 11 Ohio State at No. 6 UCLA, No. 10 Texas at No. 7 Indiana, and No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Notre Dame. Quarterfinal matchups are slated for Dec. 30 and Jan. 1 at Glendale, Atlanta, Arlington, and Pasadena.
