College football's 10 most important games remaining: Conference title, CFP races hit the home stretch

Across the Power Four ranks, November is filled with must-see matchups with playoff implications

Oct 26, 2026 at 11:05 am ET • 6 min read

They'll always remember what you do in November ... or something like that.

Approaching the season's final month and first College Football Playoff Rankings reveal a week from Tuesday, there's plenty of unsettled conference championship paths within the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12 during a consistently chaotic campaign.

Half of the most important games left for Power Four programs in the top 25 fall on the same Saturday — Nov. 7 — including three top-15 matchups within the SEC. When that weekend ends, we'll see widespread changes within the CFP Selection Committee rankings that will alter bracket projections entering the final regular-season games.

The aforementioned teams were grouped by tiers earlier this month with respect to their national championship value. And a peek at updated odds in Week 9 suggests we nailed those tiers.

1. BYU at Utah

When: Nov. 7

Why: The Holy War has rarely meant more than it does this season, featuring two top-10 teams with sizable stakes. The lone unbeaten team left in the Big 12, the Utes would all but punch their ticket into the CFP and Big 12 Championship Game with a victory. The Cougars, after the win over Notre Dame and loss at UCF, have backed themselves into a corner of an at-large reality with a loss. Even with a 10-2 finish and failure to win the conference, we believe BYU will have done enough to get in the bracket. However, the only foolproof way to convince the selection committee is to win in Salt Lake City against a fellow league titan.

2. Alabama at LSU

When: Nov. 7

Why: Prepare for SEC anarchy on Selection Sunday within various towns across the league. Baton Rouge might be one of them if Lane Kiffin's Tigers fail to beat the Crimson Tide on the road next month. As it stands, according to the Week 9 AP poll, these two titans have combined for one win this season over a currently-ranked opponent: Kentucky. LSU's resume hasn't aged well, but the Tigers get a chance to change that with Alabama, Texas and Tennessee over three weeks in November. The loser of this game, in our estimation, will be left out of the 12-team bracket.

3. Miami at Notre Dame

When: Nov. 7

Why: Tabbed as No. 2 most important game of the 2026 season back in February's way-too-early lookahead, this one still holds significant CFP implications in South Bend a few weeks from now. It's not a must-win for Miami to get a top-four seed since it's not a conference game for the unbeaten Hurricanes, but it does border on that for the Fighting Irish following their unexpected loss at BYU. In this week's CFP projection, we've slotted Notre Dame with the "last team in" designation, picking a loss to Miami, but a win over SMU that salvages a 10-2 finish.

4. Texas at LSU

When: Nov. 14

Why: Here are two of those potential at-large CFP selections from the SEC who, at the moment, have vastly different resumes despite matching 5-2 records. The Longhorns have three wins over teams currently ranked inside the top 25, while the Tigers have zero. That could change for LSU given this opportunity and a home bout with Alabama on Nov. 7 that's also included here, but it needs to be repeated that there are no quality wins yet for the Tigers. Texas could lose this game, still finish 9-3 and get in thanks to the non-conference victory over Ohio State.

5. Kentucky at Tennessee

When: Nov. 7

Why: They're all big from here on out in the SEC, but the Wildcats do have some room in case of a hiccup. Will Stein's team has won six straight games and headlines the top of the conference entering a late-season bye ahead of its trip to Neyland Stadium. This game means more for the Vols than it does Kentucky, but don't tell that to the team in blue. If Kentucky prevails on the road, all it'll have to do is finish 2-1 against Florida, Missouri and Louisville the rest of the way, and the Wildcats will make their first CFP appearance in program history.

6. Florida vs. Georgia (Atlanta) 

When: Oct. 31

Why: This often consequential rivalry and Jon Sumrall's first taste could spike a continued late-season run for the Gators. After a win at Texas earlier this month and a quality win over Ole Miss back on Sept. 26, Florida's two-loss resume would shine if it can take out the current SEC favorite. Georgia needs to protect its position in the conference championship race and avoid giving the selection committee another loss to dissect. Rivalry bragging rights always matter here, but potentially reshuffling the SEC standings and playoff pecking order gives this meeting considerably more juice than most years offer.

7. Georgia at Ole Miss

When: Nov. 7

Why: After Saturday night's loss at Texas, the Rebels could use another monster victory to pair with two other ranked wins this fall if they plan on securing a playoff spot. A loss to the Bulldogs leaves the margin for error at zero, and even then, a 9-3 resume could make things dicey during final deliberations. The upset loss to Auburn was an aberration for Georgia, at least in our belief, after Gunner Stockton turned it over three times at home. You're going to see a team that executes well down the stretch in search of another conference title and top-four seed.

8. Ohio State at USC

When: Oct. 31

Why: Ohio State's trip to USC carries the kind of weight that could reshape the Big Ten's title picture in an instant if the Buckeyes fail on the road with a freshman quarterback. For the Trojans, this is an opportunity to grab a signature win and give the selection committee a reason to take their postseason candidacy seriously entering the final month, even if Lincoln Riley's squad is out of the conference title conversation — for now. There's a chance, even with a loss to the Buckeyes next weekend, USC appears in the CFP Selection Committee's first top 25 rankings despite falling out of the latest AP Poll. USC plays Ohio State, Indiana and UCLA — the Big Ten's best — over the next five weeks. Now you can see why Saturday night's whiff at Wisconsin was so lethal.

9. USC at UCLA

When: Nov. 28

Why: Does football mean something in Los Angeles? That could easily unfold during rivalry weekend next month if the Bruins are still unbeaten when they welcome the Trojans into the Rose Bowl. Perhaps that is Lincoln Riley's last stand, too. One of three Big Ten teams in our Week 9 CFP projection, UCLA is winning with defense under first-year coach Bob Chesney and should be favored in every game from here on out given its favorable slate. Depending on USC's performances against Ohio State and Indiana soon, this one may bring significance for the Trojans as well, outside of simply beating their rival.

10. Oregon State at Boise State

When: Nov. 14

Why: Will the winner of this one take the Group of Six's playoff bid? It's possible but far from likely. New Mexico will have a say in the race after its Week 8 win over New Mexico State, and there are still conference championship games to play that may include ranked teams. The best Oregon State can finish is 11-2 overall, with the Beavers' two losses coming to Texas Tech and Houston early. Both of those teams suffered setbacks in the Big 12 over the weekend, which doesn't assist Oregon State's overall strength of schedule.