Ovi's Week 10 College Football Top 25: Major Adjustments Before the Committee's First Rankings
Ovi's Week 10 College Football Top 25: Major Adjustments Before the Committee's First Rankings
By Ovi Muniz | All 4 Downs | The Real Talk Playbook
November 1, 2026
The Committee Is Coming, and My Rankings Have Changed!
College football fans, we have reached one of the most important moments of the season. This Tuesday, November 3, the College Football Playoff Selection Committee will release its first Top 25 rankings of the 2026 season.
After another weekend of college football, I had to make some serious adjustments to my rankings. Some teams proved they belong near the top, others raised more questions than answers, and a few programs are receiving more respect from me than they might receive from the national media.
My Week 10 Top 25 is not simply about wins and losses. It is about performance, competition, consistency, and whether a team has demonstrated that it deserves to compete for a national championship.
These rankings represent my prediction of how the College Football Playoff Committee should evaluate the teams heading into Tuesday.
My Predicted College Football Playoff Top 25
Rank Team Record
1 Miami (FL) 8-0
2 Georgia 7-1
3 Utah 8-0
4 Kentucky 7-1
5 Notre Dame 7-1
6 Texas 6-2
7 Indiana 8-1
8 Ole Miss 6-2
9 LSU 6-2
10 Wake Forest 7-1
11 UCLA 8-0
12 Texas Tech 7-1
13 Ohio State 6-2
14 Iowa 6-2
15 Tennessee 6-2
16 Alabama 6-2
17 Boise State 7-1
18 Missouri 6-2
19 Houston 6-2
20 USC 7-2
21 BYU 7-1
22 Liberty 7-1
23 SMU 6-2
24 UTSA 7-1
25 Arizona 6-2
Miami Takes the No. 1 Spot, but Georgia Is Right Behind
Miami remains undefeated at 8-0, and I have the Hurricanes sitting at No. 1.
However, Miami's 38-35 victory over North Carolina raises some questions. Winning is important, but allowing an opponent to stay within striking distance is something the committee must examine.
Meanwhile, Georgia continues to demonstrate why it belongs in the national championship conversation. The Bulldogs defeated Florida 27-8, delivering another convincing performance against an SEC opponent.
Georgia may have one loss, but that does not automatically make the Bulldogs inferior to an undefeated team.
My philosophy is simple: An undefeated record deserves respect, but the quality of competition and how a team performs must also matter.
Miami holds the top spot for now, but Georgia is close enough to challenge for No. 1.
Utah and Kentucky Complete My Top Four
Utah continues to impress me. At 8-0, the Utes have earned the No. 3 position after defeating Cincinnati 49-25.
Utah is not just surviving games. The Utes are demonstrating the ability to control opponents and put points on the scoreboard.
Kentucky is my No. 4 team at 7-1.
Some fans may question putting Kentucky ahead of more recognizable programs, but rankings should not be determined by tradition or national popularity.
I believe Kentucky deserves serious consideration based on its overall body of work.
The committee must evaluate what teams are accomplishing this season, not what their programs accomplished ten years ago.
Texas Makes a Major Statement
One of my biggest adjustments involves Texas.
Previously, I questioned whether Texas belonged among the Top 25 teams. The Longhorns needed to demonstrate that they could win convincingly instead of simply escaping with victories.
I specifically challenged Texas to defeat Mississippi State by at least 21 points.
Well, Texas responded.
Texas defeated Mississippi State 31-3, a 28-point victory.
That is exactly the kind of performance I wanted to see.
As a result, Texas moves all the way to No. 6 in my rankings.
Some people may question placing a two-loss team this high. However, I am willing to reward improvement, quality performances, and a team's ability to respond to criticism.
Texas still has work to do, but the Longhorns have earned their place back in my championship discussion.
Ohio State Falls to No. 13: Reputation Cannot Save You
Perhaps my most controversial adjustment involves Ohio State.
The Buckeyes entered the weekend ranked No. 2 in the AP Poll but suffered a 30-18 loss to USC.
That loss changes everything.
Ohio State is now 6-2, and I have dropped the Buckeyes to No. 13.
I have questioned whether Ohio State's offense could maintain the level of performance expected from a national championship contender, especially with changes at quarterback.
The loss to USC only increases those concerns.
I cannot keep Ohio State near the top simply because it is Ohio State.
The name on the helmet does not win football games. The players on the field do.
Ohio State has enough talent to recover, but the Buckeyes must prove they belong among the elite teams again.
Indiana Wins, but Is It Really Elite?
Indiana moves into my No. 7 position with an 8-1 record.
The Hoosiers defeated Minnesota 23-16, but the victory was far from convincing.
I have said before that Indiana knows how to find ways to win football games. That deserves recognition.
However, there is a difference between being a good football team and being an elite national championship contender.
Indiana continues to win close games, but I want to see more dominance against quality opponents.
At No. 7, Indiana remains firmly in the playoff conversation, but I am not ready to place the Hoosiers among my four best teams.
Wake Forest and UCLA Deserve National Attention
Two teams that deserve more attention are Wake Forest and UCLA.
Wake Forest delivered one of the most impressive performances of the weekend, defeating Virginia 51-7.
That kind of victory sends a message.
At 7-1, Wake Forest moves into my Top 10.
Meanwhile, UCLA remains undefeated at 8-0 after defeating Nevada 27-0.
An undefeated record cannot be ignored, and UCLA deserves credit for continuing to win.
However, I have UCLA at No. 11 because I still want to see how the Bruins perform against stronger competition.
Both programs deserve respect, but their rankings must continue to reflect the quality of their opponents.
Alabama, BYU, and the Problem With National Reputation
Alabama sits at No. 16 with a 6-2 record.
For years, Alabama has received tremendous respect because of its championship history. However, this season must be evaluated independently.
The Crimson Tide cannot automatically receive a Top 10 ranking because of past accomplishments.
BYU is another interesting case.
The Cougars are 7-1 and defeated Arizona State 27-20, but I have them at No. 21.
Earlier in the season, I questioned why BYU was receiving such high national recognition.
I still believe that criticism is justified.
BYU has a strong record, but a strong record alone does not make a team one of the best in the country.
The committee must look beyond the standings and examine the strength of the competition.
USC Makes Its Case, and Iowa Earns Respect
USC deserves credit for defeating Ohio State 30-18.
That victory is significant, especially against a team that entered the weekend ranked second nationally.
The Trojans are now 7-2 and enter my rankings at No. 20.
USC has demonstrated that it can defeat a highly regarded opponent, but consistency remains important.
Iowa also deserves recognition.
The Hawkeyes defeated Wisconsin 30-0, an impressive defensive performance that helped secure their No. 14 position.
Defense still matters in college football, and Iowa reminded everyone that controlling an opponent can be just as impressive as scoring 50 points.
The Teams Fighting for Recognition
The bottom portion of my Top 25 includes programs that should not be overlooked.
Boise State sits at No. 17 after surviving a 46-45 battle against Texas State. It was a victory, but allowing 45 points creates concerns.
Missouri enters at No. 18 after defeating Arkansas 34-10.
Houston, Liberty, SMU, UTSA, and Arizona also remain part of my rankings.
These teams may not receive the same national attention as traditional powerhouse programs, but that does not mean their accomplishments should be ignored.
I believe the College Football Playoff Committee must give every deserving program an opportunity to be evaluated fairly.
My Projected Top Four Playoff Seeds
If the committee followed my rankings and the leading four teams ultimately earned the four highest-ranked conference championship positions, my projected first-round bye teams would be:
Miami (FL)
Georgia
Utah
Kentucky
These are my four strongest teams entering Week 10, although actual playoff seeding will depend on conference championships and the committee's final rankings.
Notre Dame, Texas, Indiana, and Ole Miss would be among the teams fighting for favorable playoff positions.
There is still plenty of football left to play.
My Final Take: Tuesday Will Reveal What the Committee Really Values
The first College Football Playoff rankings will tell us a great deal about the committee's philosophy.
Will the committee reward undefeated teams simply because they have not lost?
Will it recognize teams that have faced stronger competition?
Will traditional powerhouse programs receive favorable treatment despite questionable performances?
Or will the committee evaluate every team based on what it has accomplished on the football field?
For me, the answer is straightforward.
I reward performance, not popularity. I respect undefeated records, but I will not ignore strength of schedule, quality victories, or convincing defeats.
That is why Miami is No. 1, Georgia is No. 2, Utah is No. 3, and Kentucky is No. 4.
That is why Texas climbed to No. 6 after responding to my challenge.
That is why Ohio State dropped to No. 13 after losing to USC.
And that is why Alabama and BYU are not receiving automatic Top 10 recognition.
My rankings are not designed to agree with the AP Poll or satisfy every fan base. They represent my evaluation of the teams competing for a national championship.
This Tuesday, November 3, we will find out just how closely the College Football Playoff Selection Committee agrees with Ovi's Top 25.
One thing is certain: The road to the national championship is getting more interesting every week.
The rankings are earned on the field, not handed out because of the logo on the helmet.
What do you think? Does Miami deserve No. 1? Is Georgia the better team? Did Ohio State fall too far? And should Texas really be ranked No. 6?
Join the conversation on All 4 Downs, part of The Real Talk Playbook.
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