CFP rankings after Week 9: Bracket, highlights from first top 25 reveal - USA Today

The first College Football Playoff rankings have been released.

As widely expected, Miami was tabbed as the No. 1 overall seed in the 12-team field by the CFP selection committee. Led by quarterback Darian Mensah and wide receiver Malachi Toney, the undefeated Hurricanes carry an 8-0 record into Saturday's highly anticipated showdown against Notre Dame.

The rankings behind Miami featured No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Utah, No. 4 Indiana and No. 5 Alabama, rounding out the top five as the committee unveiled its initial view of the bracket. 

USA TODAY Sports will provide live reaction from tonight's College Football Playoff rankings reveal. Join Blake Toppmeyer and John Brice for their instant analysis on the CFP's first top 25

The committee provided some insight into how it currently views two-loss Ohio State with backup quarterback Luke Fahey. The committee left the Buckeyes out of the 12-team field after Ohio State came in at No. 12 in the CFP top 25 rankings. 

The SEC had a big night, with five of its teams earning a spot in the bracket. Boise State is the current representative of the Group of 6, which the Broncos kept after coming back and holding off Texas State in Week 9. 

How will the CFP rankings look after Week 10’s results? We’ll see next Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET in between the Champions Classic doubleheader in Chicago. 

USA TODAY Sports provided live coverage and updates of the first unveiling of the CFP rankings and bracket on Nov. 3. Follow below for a recap, including a look at the bracket and what the first-round matchups would look like if the season were to end today: 

How can Alabama rank eight spots ahead of Tennessee after losing by 16? The CFP committee’s explanation only adds to the absurdity, writes USA TODAY Sports columnist Matt Hayes.

Notre Dame could be in jeopardy of missing the CFP for the second consecutive year if it loses to Miami, based on the CFP rankings. The Fighting Irish went 10-2 last season without a signature win and were the first team left out, and that stance from the CFP committee appears to be similar again in 2026 if they lose to the Hurricanes.

"The committee's impressed by their performance on both sides of the ball," Yurachek said. "They are a very good football team. But when you look at Notre Dame's schedule and the wins that they have versus the teams that are ahead of them, they don't have that signature win right now. They lost in their only top 25 matchup at BYU. Their next best win is on a neutral site against Wisconsin.

"They've got a great opportunity in front of them this weekend at home versus Miami to get that signature win that I think they need to move up in the rankings. But the committee is very impressed by them. They wouldn't be 11th if we were not."

Ohio State (CFP rankings No. 12) and Tennessee (CFP rankings No. 13) were the first two teams left out of the 12-team bracket, with the Buckeyes' omission coming as a result of Boise State, the Group of 6 representative, not being ranked in the top 12 of the CFP top 25 rankings.

The first College Football Playoff rankings will be revealed at 7 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 3. This will be the first of five ranking reveals on Tuesday nights through Dec. 1.

The official 12-team CFP field will be unveiled at noon ET on Sunday, Dec. 6 as part of the College Football Playoff's Selection Sunday show, which will come after all conference championship games on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5.

ESPN will air all of the College Football Playoff rankings reveal shows. Streaming options include the ESPN app (with a TV login) and Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to new subscribers.

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