Georgia takes CFP's top spot, Notre Dame jumps six slots to No. 5

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  Andrea AdelsonNov 10, 2026, 09:45 PM ET

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  • ACC reporter.
  • Joined ESPN.com in 2010.
  • Graduate of the University of Florida.

Georgia moved into the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff selection committee rankings announced Tuesday, while undefeated UCLA jumped four spots to No. 4.

After Notre Dame beat previous No. 1 Miami 31-24 this past weekend, the top 10 has a decidedly different look in the updated rankings. It comes as no surprise that the Bulldogs (8-1) moved up one spot to take over as the top-ranked team. Undefeated Utah is No. 2, while Alabama (7-2) moved up two spots to No. 3.

Notre Dame (8-1) moved up six spots from No. 11 to No. 5 -- a strong indication the Irish are in much better shape to make the 12-team CFP field should they win out over Boston College, SMU and Syracuse. The Fighting Irish are guaranteed a spot in the CFP if they finish in the top 12 in the final rankings.

Texas (7-2) is now No. 6 while the Hurricanes (8-1) dropped six spots to No. 7 following their loss, placing the top team from the ACC behind multiple two-loss SEC teams. Tennessee (7-2) jumped up five spots to No. 8 while Indiana (8-1) fell five spots to No. 9 despite having an open date. BYU (7-2), which lost to Utah 28-20 last Saturday, moved down just one spot to No. 10.

No. 11 Kentucky (7-2), which lost to Tennessee 34-6, and No. 12 Texas Tech (8-1) round out the top 12.

Since five conference champions are guaranteed to make the 12-team field, No. 24 Boise State, a Group of 6 team, would replace Texas Tech as the 12th seed.

Georgia, Utah, Alabama and UCLA would receive first-round byes as the top four teams if the initial rankings were used for the 12-team bracket.

The first-round games would be Boise State at Notre Dame, Kentucky at Texas, BYU at Miami, and Indiana at Tennessee.

Wake Forest (8-1) -- the No. 2 team in the ACC -- remains outside the top 12, though the Demon Deacons moved up three spots to No. 13. Houston is ranked No. 14, followed by Iowa, Oregon (up seven spots), South Carolina, USC and No. 20 Ohio State (6-3). The Buckeyes saw their CFP chances take a massive hit after losing 41-28 to Oregon this past weekend, dropping eight spots from No. 12.

LSU, Missouri, Arizona, Boise State and Oklahoma State round out the Top 25.

Nine SEC teams made the Top 25, a week after a record 10 were ranked -- Florida dropped out this week after a loss to Oklahoma. The Big 12 and Big Ten are tied with six ranked teams each, while the ACC only has two ranked teams. Despite its first loss of the season, Miami should still be in good shape to make the CFP field.

The Hurricanes will be favored to win their final three games against Duke, Virginia Tech and Boston College, and would also be the favorite in the ACC championship game. The committee clearly rewarded Alabama again, this time for its road win at LSU, 31-13.

Notre Dame also benefitted from its win over the Hurricanes after complaints about its strength of schedule. That win clearly was enough for the committee to place the Irish from outside the Top 10 into the Top 5.

The CFP selection committee's final rankings will be announced Dec. 6.

The four first-round games will be played at the home campus of the higher-seeded teams on Dec. 18 and 19. The four quarterfinal games will be staged at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Dec. 30 and Jan. 1.

The two semifinal games will take place at the Capital One Orange Bowl and Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. 14 and 15.

The CFP National Championship is scheduled for Jan. 25 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.