BYU has been ranked No. 9 in the first release of the 2026 College Football Playoff rankings revealed by the CFP selection committee on Tuesday. The 7-1 Cougars have secured a top-10 rating in the initial CFP assessments for a third straight season, positioning them for a high-stakes matchup against No. 3 Utah in Salt Lake City this Saturday.
Cougars Secure Top-10 Standing
The initial rankings, released by the CFP selection committee on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, feature several prominent teams from the Big 12. While BYU sits at No. 9, their conference rival Utah holds the No. 3 spot. Other Big 12 teams included in the first release are Texas Tech at No. 15, Houston at No. 17, and Arizona at No. 22.
BYU enters the postseason conversation with a 2-0 record against teams currently featured in the CFP rankings, including victories over No. 11 Notre Dame and No. 22 Arizona. Despite these wins, the Cougars remain on the edge of the top 10 following a loss to an unranked UCF team. This ranking differs from other recent assessments, as the Cougars are currently ranked No. 7 by The Associated Press and No. 8 by the AFCA.
National Rankings Breakdown
The top of the CFP leaderboard is led by No. 1 Miami (FL) of the ACC, followed by No. 2 Georgia of the SEC and No. 3 Utah of the Big 12. The reigning national champion, Indiana, rounds out the top four at No. 5, though the Hoosiers are ranked No. 4 in this specific release. Under the current 12-team bracket format, the teams ranked No. 1 through No. 4 earn a first-round bye, regardless of whether they win their respective conference championships.
Other notable rankings in the top 25 include No. 5 Alabama (SEC), No. 6 Kentucky (SEC), No. 7 Texas (SEC), and No. 8 UCLA (Big Ten). The SEC maintains a dominant presence in the rankings with 10 teams included, followed by the Big Ten with six teams. The Big 12 has five teams in the top 25, while the ACC has two.
Playoff Bracket and Format
The NCAA notes that the 12-team College Football Playoff field will consist of automatic bids for conference champions from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC, alongside the highest-ranked team from the Group of 6 conferences (American, CUSA, MAC, Mountain West, Pac-12, or Sun Belt). Currently, the highest-ranked Group of 6 team is No. 25 Boise State, which would earn an automatic postseason bid.
In the current rankings, the first two teams positioned outside the playoff bracket are No. 12 Ohio State and No. 13 Tennessee. The selection committee's first release of the season marks the beginning of six total rankings that will determine the postseason field.
Historical CFP Presence
The BYU program has maintained a consistent presence in the CFP assessments over recent years. In 2024, the Cougars were ranked in all six CFP releases, receiving rankings of No. 9, No. 6, No. 14, No. 19, No. 18, and No. 17. Last year, the Cougars were also included in all six rankings, with placements at No. 7, No. 12, No. 11, No. 11, No. 11, and No. 12.
As the season progresses, the selection committee will continue to evaluate teams based on their performance. The current rankings highlight a highly competitive field, with the SEC holding the most representation in the top 25. The Big Ten follows with six teams, while the Big 12, ACC, and independents like Notre Dame also feature in the initial assessments.
Upcoming Matchups
Looking ahead to Week 10, several high-profile matchups are scheduled, including the highly anticipated game between No. 9 BYU and No. 3 Utah. Other notable games include No. 1 Miami (FL) against No. 11 Notre Dame and No. 2 Georgia against No. 10 Ole Miss. These matchups will be critical in determining the final seeding and bye positions for the 12-team playoff field.
Postseason Outlook
The first CFP rankings of the 2026-27 season provide a preliminary look at the postseason landscape. With the top four teams receiving first-round byes and the highest-ranked Group of 6 team projected as the No. 12 seed, the competition for the final spots in the 12-team bracket remains intense.
