The College Football Playoff selection committee released its first 2026 rankings on Wednesday, November 4, ranking the Miami Hurricanes No. 1, Georgia Bulldogs No. 2 and Utah Utes No. 3.
Miami enters at 8-0 with the nation’s top-ranked offense per SP+, but its defense ranks 23rd in SP+ and allows a QBR that ranks 120th nationally. The Hurricanes have surrendered 31 points per game and 6.6 yards per play over their past three contests — against offenses averaging a 44.0 SP+ offensive ranking. Injured corner OJ Frederique Jr. has contributed to the secondary’s struggles.
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Georgia is 7-1 and holds the top SP+ ranking overall, with the nation’s second-best defense. Yet the Bulldogs have fumbled 14 times this season — tied for 126th nationally — including eight in their past three games. They have also muffed four punts. Their interception rate (1.8%) ranks 41st, but turnover volatility remains acute.
Utah is also 8-0 and ranks ninth in SP+, seventh on offense and 21st on defense. The Utes rank 10th in offensive success rate but allow explosive plays at a high rate: 6.5% of opponents’ plays gain at least 20 yards (80th nationally), and 19.1% of opponents’ completions gain at least 20 yards (115th). Colorado recorded nine gains of 15-plus yards in the second half of its Week 7 matchup with Utah.
All three teams face ranked opponents in upcoming weeks: Miami travels to Notre Dame in Week 10; Georgia hosts Ole Miss in Week 10; and Utah hosts BYU in Week 10. Each team remains in strong position for a CFP berth, but the statistical profiles suggest specific, measurable areas where opponents could exploit vulnerabilities in high-stakes games.
Photo: BullDawg2021 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
More: NCAAF · Miami Hurricanes · Georgia Bulldogs · Utah Utes
