College Football Week 10: Miami, Georgia Face Big Tests

College Football‘s top-ranked teams face a defining test in Week 10, with several national championship contenders heading into difficult matchups after an unusually chaotic start to the 2026 season. Miami, Georgia, Utah, Alabama, Kentucky and Texas all have important games ahead, while Notre Dame, BYU, LSU and Missouri will be looking to strengthen their playoff credentials.

The pressure at the top has been building for weeks. Indiana, last season’s national champion, has already suffered a home defeat and struggled to put away unranked opponents. Ohio State has two losses and could be without its starting quarterback for the remainder of the season. Texas took over the No. 1 position after beating the Buckeyes but then lost consecutive games to unranked teams.

Georgia also experienced the pressure of holding the top ranking, losing at home to unranked Auburn. Miami inherited the No. 1 spot but has already faced two uncomfortable tests, including an overtime game against florida State and a narrow escape against North Carolina.

Week 10 Could Bring More Changes at the Top

The instability is unusual compared with previous seasons. From 2014 through 2025, teams ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the AP poll recorded an 88.8% regular-season winning percentage. Last season, the top two teams combined to lose only twice.

This year, with four regular-season weeks still remaining, the top two positions have already experienced six losses. The constant changes have made the national championship race difficult to predict and raised questions about which teams can maintain consistency when the pressure increases.

Week 10 could provide another round of surprises or finally give the leading contenders an opportunity to establish themselves. Miami travels to Notre Dame, Georgia visits Ole Miss, Utah hosts BYU, and Alabama faces LSU. Kentucky and Texas also have important conference matchups.

Miami Faces Notre Dame in a High-Stakes Rivalry

The biggest spotlight will be on No. 1 Miami’s trip to South Bend to face Notre Dame. The rivalry has a long history in college football, including the famous “Catholics vs. Convicts” era, but this year’s meeting carries additional tension following last season’s playoff controversy.

Miami defeated Notre Dame in the season opener a year ago. However, the Irish spent much of November ranked ahead of the Hurricanes and appeared to be in a strong position for a playoff berth. The selection committee ultimately moved Miami above Notre Dame in its final rankings, even though neither team played a game during that period.

The decision triggered an emotional reaction from Notre Dame. The Irish declined a bowl invitation, unfollowed ACC commissioner Jim Phillips on Instagram and publicly expressed frustration with the selection process.

Notre Dame spent much of the offseason building anticipation for a chance at revenge. However, the committee’s first rankings of the current season added another layer of frustration by placing the Irish at No. 11.

That position has attracted criticism because Notre Dame is ranked No. 1 in ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) and No. 4 in the AP poll. A defeat against Miami could seriously damage the Irish’s playoff hopes, making the matchup particularly important for quarterback CJ Carr and the rest of the team.

Miami also has plenty to prove. Its strongest victory has come against Wake Forest, while its defence struggled last week against North Carolina. Tar Heels quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. threw effectively against the Hurricanes’ secondary, exposing weaknesses in a unit already dealing with several injuries in the defensive backfield.

Head coach Mario Cristobal acknowledged after the game that his team still had significant work to do. The question now is whether Miami can improve its defensive performance quickly enough to handle Notre Dame’s challenge.

Georgia Travels to Ole Miss for a Difficult Rematch

No. 2 Georgia faces another major test on the road against Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi. The matchup is a rematch of last season’s Sugar Bowl and gives the Bulldogs an opportunity to strengthen their position near the top of the rankings.

Georgia’s defence will need to find a way to contain Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss. The Rebels are coming off an impressive victory over Auburn, although their season has been inconsistent, with strong performances followed by frustrating defeats.

Georgia has also shown offensive limitations in recent weeks. The Bulldogs have scored fewer than 28 points in three consecutive games, their longest such stretch since 2019.

The offensive struggles have increased scrutiny of coordinator Mike Bobo. Georgia supporters will be hoping the offence can rediscover its rhythm against a dangerous Ole Miss team before the regular season enters its final weeks.

Utah and BYU Meet in a Crucial Big 12 Clash

No. 3 Utah hosts No. 9 BYU in one of the most important games of the week. The rivalry matchup in Salt Lake City begins at 10 a.m. local time, an early start for two fanbases whose religious traditions mean many supporters avoid coffee.

The stakes are considerably bigger than the unusual kickoff time. Utah’s playoff résumé has been questioned because its strongest result is an unattractive home victory over Houston, while several other wins have done little to strengthen its national reputation.

BYU has a significant victory over Notre Dame but has struggled in its most recent games. The Cougars lost 39-31 to UCF before escaping with a 27-20 win over Arizona State.

The matchup also comes amid continuing criticism of Big 12 officiating, which has repeatedly become a talking point during BYU games. Both teams will be looking for a convincing performance that strengthens their conference and playoff position.

Alabama Takes on LSU as Playoff Pressure Increases

No. 5 Alabama faces No. 14 LSU in another important SEC contest. The committee’s decision to place the Crimson Tide fifth has attracted attention, with critics questioning how much credit the team has received in the initial rankings.

LSU, led by head coach Lane Kiffin, has an opportunity to produce a result that could significantly improve its playoff hopes. A home defeat would leave the Tigers facing a difficult path, while another loss for Alabama could also cause the Tide to slide down the rankings.

The matchup carries additional interest because of the personalities involved. Kiffin’s presence has created plenty of attention around LSU, while the committee’s treatment of the two SEC teams has become another talking point in the conference.

Kentucky Looks to Strengthen Its Playoff Résumé

No. 6 Kentucky has emerged as one of the SEC’s biggest surprises this season and gets another opportunity to improve its résumé. Despite having a strong strength-of-record profile, the Wildcats were placed behind Georgia and Alabama in the committee’s initial rankings.

Alabama’s convincing second-half performance in its victory over Kentucky offers some explanation for the difference in their positions. However, Kentucky can make a major statement by winning on the road against a team that has already defeated the Crimson Tide.

A victory would give the Wildcats another valuable result and strengthen their argument in the race for a playoff place. It would also add another unexpected twist to an SEC season already full of changing fortunes.

Texas and Missouri Set for Another SEC Test

No. 7 Texas travels to face No. 16 Missouri in a matchup between two teams with two losses. The game provides Texas quarterback Arch Manning with another opportunity to respond to criticism and help his team move closer to the playoff conversation.

Manning has faced intense scrutiny during the season, but his ability to produce decisive moments has kept the Longhorns competitive. A strong performance against Missouri could help change the narrative surrounding Texas, while another defeat would make its path to the playoff considerably harder.

Other Major Games to Watch in Week 10

Oregon at Ohio State

Oregon and Ohio State were the preseason No. 1 and No. 2 teams, respectively, but their meeting in Columbus has lost some of its original championship-showdown appeal. Both teams have experienced disappointing results and are dealing with quarterback problems.

Ohio State blew a significant lead against Texas, narrowly escaped Indiana, lost its starting quarterback and then suffered a two-score defeat against USC. Oregon has also struggled, nearly losing to Boise State before defeats against Oklahoma State, Illinois and UCLA damaged its season.

Both teams have five combined losses, and their playoff hopes are increasingly fragile. A defeat could effectively end either team’s championship ambitions, while a victory would offer an opportunity to rebuild confidence and improve its standing.

One of the central storylines will be Dylan Raiola. After being benched following a difficult performance against UCLA, the quarterback has improved over the past three games. He threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s victory over Northwestern.

Ohio State, meanwhile, will need to rely heavily on its running game. Bo Jackson recorded a season-high 121 rushing yards in the loss to USC, giving the Buckeyes a potential offensive route against Oregon.

Virginia Tech at SMU

Virginia Tech visits SMU in a matchup between two unranked ACC teams with 6-2 records. The game is particularly important for the Mustangs, who still have a chance to reach the ACC Championship Game if they win their remaining contests.

SMU will face No. 16 Wake Forest next week, making this a critical stretch. Its recent defeat against Syracuse was especially frustrating after another late-game collapse. The Mustangs have been tied or ahead in the fourth quarter in eight of their past nine losses.

Michigan State at Michigan

Michigan hosts Michigan State in a rivalry game that could produce another close finish. The Wolverines are either 5-3 or 4-4, depending on how the final seconds of a regulation football game are counted, and most of their contests have been decided by a touchdown or less.

Their only comfortable victory came against UTEP, which Michigan defeated 52-17. Last week, the Wolverines beat Rutgers 28-21. Michigan State has also struggled to produce consistent offence, suggesting another tight contest could be ahead.

Under-the-Radar Games Worth Watching

Duke at NC State

Duke running back Nate Sheppard has become one of the most productive players in college football. He is the only player in the past 20 years to record at least 900 rushing yards, 300 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns during his first eight games of a season.

Sheppard delivered another impressive performance against Boston College last week, producing 129 yards of offence and scoring five rushing touchdowns. He has also become the only power-conference player since Wisconsin’s Montee Ball in 2011 to record at least 14 rushing touchdowns, four receiving touchdowns and one passing touchdown in a season.

Penn State at Washington

Penn State and Washington entered the season ranked No. 18 and No. 17, respectively, but both have struggled against Power 4 opposition. They have a combined 3-7 record against those opponents, with two of the victories coming against Purdue.

Washington has won both games since Elijah Brown took over at quarterback. The team’s offensive production has remained similar to its performances under Demond Williams Jr., but the change has still produced positive results.

Clemson at Syracuse

Clemson finally found some offensive rhythm against Florida State last week, but the Tigers now face a Syracuse team that has improved after a difficult 2-4 start.

The Orange have benefited from the return of quarterback Steve Angeli and the emergence of freshman receiver Calvin Russell III. Russell has recorded 17 catches, two touchdowns and a game-winning two-point conversion over the past three weeks.

Syracuse has also defeated North Carolina and SMU in consecutive games after taking Louisville close earlier in the season. The Orange have played seven FBS opponents, with six of those games decided by a touchdown or less.

Week 10 Upset Alerts

UCLA at Minnesota

UCLA enters the week unbeaten at 8-0 but was ranked only eighth in the committee’s initial top 25. The main concern is the quality of its schedule. The Bruins’ two most notable results are a narrow victory over Oregon in the Ducks’ first game after Dante Moore’s injury and a 17-7 win against Wisconsin.

UCLA has also struggled to produce passing touchdowns. Its seven passing scores are the fewest by an unbeaten 8-0 power-conference team since Notre Dame in 2012. The trip to Minnesota will test whether the Bruins can maintain their unbeaten record against a more challenging opponent.

Florida vs. Oklahoma

Oklahoma enters its matchup against Florida after a disappointing defeat to South Carolina. Head coach Brent Venables responded by firing offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, hoping the change would help the Sooners improve their scoring production.

Venables considered different options for the offensive role before turning to Jason Witten. The decision has added another unusual chapter to Oklahoma’s difficult season, and the game against Florida will offer an early indication of whether the change can make a difference.

UTSA at FAU

UTSA remains outside the committee’s top 25 but has a No. 22 strength-of-record ranking. That position could put the team within reach of the playoff conversation if it continues winning and receives help from other contenders.

The trip to Florida Atlantic will not be easy. FAU is unbeaten at home with a 4-0 record, while quarterback Caden Veltkamp ranks fifth nationally with 23 touchdown passes and fourth with 2,536 passing yards.

Heisman Trophy Watch: Five Players Building Their Cases

With just over a month remaining before the 2026 Heisman Trophy is awarded, several players have separated themselves through impressive performances and consistent production.

1. Darian Mensah – Miami Quarterback

Mensah remains at the top of the Heisman conversation after throwing for 274 yards and three touchdowns against North Carolina. Miami had only seven offensive possessions, but the quarterback made the most of his opportunities.

North Carolina frequently used double coverage against receiver Malachi Toney, forcing Mensah to look elsewhere. He responded with patience and accurate decision-making. Through eight games, he has taken 471 snaps and recorded only one turnover. He also has 25 passing touchdowns, putting him among the most productive quarterbacks in the country.

2. Jeremiah Smith – Ohio State Receiver

Ohio State’s quarterback injury created problems against USC, but Jeremiah Smith continued to deliver. He finished the game with 10 receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown, recording his third game of the season with at least 10 catches.

3. Malachi Toney – Miami Receiver

Toney caught seven passes for 75 yards and two touchdowns in Miami’s victory over North Carolina. He also produced several difficult near-catches, including a sideline attempt that was ruled incomplete after the ball shifted in his hands as he landed out of bounds.

4. CJ Carr – Notre Dame Quarterback

Carr threw for 210 yards and two touchdowns against Navy, but his performance against Miami could be much more important to his Heisman chances. His numbers against ranked Power 4 opponents have been less convincing, making the rivalry game a major opportunity to strengthen his credentials.

5. Gio Lopez – Wake Forest Quarterback

Lopez has been remarkably efficient this season, recording 24 touchdowns and only one interception through eight games. He previously produced 17 touchdowns and one interception during the opening eight games of the 2024 season at South Alabama.

That makes Lopez the only quarterback in the past 20 seasons to achieve the combination of at least 17 total touchdowns and no more than one turnover through eight games in two separate seasons.

Post-Week 9 Power Rankings

The latest power rankings offer a humorous take on the unpredictable season, placing college kickers at the top after their importance in several close contests. Utah and South Carolina also feature prominently, alongside the influence of Bill Belichick’s recent success against Miami.

• College kickers
• Utah
• Feisty South Carolina
• Bill Belichick channeling his emotions after a bad breakup into beating Miami
• Ole Miss
• Contract extensions for coaches reportedly interested in the Florida State job
• Wake Forest again
• Internal joy
• An extra hour of sleep after great Pac-12 After Dark games
• Indoor cocktail parties

Among the unranked entries are external applause, correctly spelling coaches’ names, American Conference officials’ tackling technique, healthy Big Ten quarterbacks, the AP poll and Oklahoma.

Two-Minute Drill: More Important Matchups

Nebraska at Illinois

Nebraska’s season has been defined by narrow defeats. The Huskers have lost three games by a combined 13 points, with an average deficit of just 2 minutes and 53 seconds spent trailing in those contests.

Those results could have produced a very different season. Wins over Indiana and Oregon would have put Nebraska in a much stronger position, but the team has repeatedly failed to finish close games.

The problem extends beyond this season. Since 2017, Nebraska has a 16-43 record in one-score games. Those 43 defeats are nine more than any other FBS programme over the same period.

Coaching decisions and inconsistent quarterback play have been suggested as possible reasons for the pattern, but the repeated close losses have continued across different seasons and coaching staffs. The matchup against Illinois offers another opportunity for Nebraska to change that trend.

Florida State at Boston College

Florida State’s difficult season has continued to attract attention from frustrated supporters. Last week, fans raised money to arrange a plane banner over Doak Campbell Stadium calling for head coach Mike Norvell to be fired. The message, however, misspelled Norvell’s name, providing another moment of unwanted attention for the programme.

Florida State’s recent struggles have raised questions about whether the team’s problems are a temporary downturn or part of a longer pattern. Since 2001, the Seminoles have recorded 13 seasons with at least five losses and 12 seasons with nine or more wins.

Norvell’s tenure includes a 19-game winning streak, but outside that successful stretch, Florida State has struggled against major-conference opposition. Over the past decade, the Seminoles have gone 25-53 against Power 4 and Power 5 opponents under three different head coaches, a winning percentage of .321.

The programme’s record in that period has been worse than Syracuse, Purdue and this week’s opponent, Boston College, among several other teams. The current situation has therefore prompted debate about whether Norvell is responsible for the decline or whether he briefly helped a struggling programme reach a higher level before its problems returned.

Iowa at Northwestern

Northwestern has also been left outside the committee’s initial top 25 despite a 6-2 record. The Wildcats’ two defeats came on the road against ranked teams, Indiana and Oregon, with a combined margin of only 14 points.

Iowa also has a 6-2 record but entered the rankings at No. 19 despite a heavy defeat to Ohio State and a loss against unranked Minnesota. The Hawkeyes’ résumé includes a last-second victory over then-No. 18 Michigan.

Northwestern now has a chance to strengthen its case when it hosts Iowa. The matchup will test the Wildcats’ offence against an Iowa team known for its slow, methodical style of play.

North Carolina at UConn

Bill Belichick returns to New England as his North Carolina team visits UConn. The Tar Heels nearly upset No. 1 Miami last week and can take another step towards bowl eligibility with a victory.

Texas A&M at South Carolina

Texas A&M enters the matchup against No. 21 South Carolina with a 4-4 record and little room for further mistakes. The Aggies have lost to several ranked opponents, including Kentucky, LSU, Missouri and Alabama.

Although those defeats have come against strong teams, the results have not been enough to put Texas A&M in serious playoff contention. The matchup against South Carolina is another opportunity to produce a meaningful victory and improve its position.

West Virginia at Texas Tech

Texas Tech will face a significant rushing challenge against West Virginia after showing defensive improvement in its victory over Arizona. The Red Raiders allowed only 12 rushing yards against the Wildcats, a major contrast to the 255 yards they conceded against Cincinnati the previous week.

West Virginia quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. has been particularly dangerous as a runner. He is tied for the Power 4 lead with 27 total touchdowns and 16 rushing touchdowns, making him a major threat for the Texas Tech defence.

Delaware at Kennesaw State

Delaware quarterback Nick Minicucci has made an impressive return from injury. Across his past two games, he has thrown for 639 yards and nine touchdowns, a remarkable scoring rate over a short stretch.

Kennesaw State, however, has allowed only six passing touchdowns this season. Only five FBS defences have conceded fewer, setting up an interesting test for Minicucci and the Delaware offence.

Rice at North Texas

North Texas could move to 7-2 with a victory over Rice before facing a major showdown against UTSA. The Mean Green have remained competitive despite losing a significant portion of their previous season’s production and dealing with a major roster rebuild.

When former head coach Eric Morris left for Oklahoma State, he took nearly two dozen players and several members of the coaching staff with him. North Texas began the season with only 32% of its production returning, according to ESPN’s Bill Connelly.

Despite those changes, head coach Neal Brown has kept the team in contention for the American Conference title. A win over Rice would set up an important meeting with UTSA and potentially shape the conference race.

Week 10 Could Reshape the College Football Playoff Race

From Miami’s rivalry clash with Notre Dame to Georgia’s trip to Ole Miss and the Utah-BYU showdown, Week 10 contains several games capable of changing the national rankings. Alabama, Kentucky and Texas also face opponents that could strengthen or damage their playoff hopes.

The wider picture remains unusually unpredictable. Teams that began the season among the favourites have already suffered multiple defeats, while programmes such as Kentucky, Wake Forest and UCLA have created unexpected storylines.

By the end of the weekend, the college football landscape could look dramatically different. The leading teams have an opportunity to demonstrate that they can handle the pressure, but another weekend of upsets would continue a season in which holding the No. 1 position has proved anything but comfortable.