BYU has claimed the top spot in the new college football rankings following an upset victory over Notre Dame, according to a report published October 19, 2026.
Led by Bear Bachmeier, the Cougars defeated the Fighting Irish 28-24 in Provo, ending Notre Dame's 16-game winning streak. The shift in the rankings comes after a chaotic weekend where four of the previous week's top six teams suffered losses.
The updated rankings feature several significant shifts. Ohio State remains at No. 2 after defeating Indiana 19-15, despite losing quarterback Julian Sayin to an arm injury during the game. Miami holds the No. 3 position after a double-overtime victory against Florida State.
Other notable changes include Georgia dropping from the top spot to No. 6 following a 27-24 home loss to Auburn on a last-second field goal. Notre Dame fell to No. 5, while Indiana moved up to No. 4. Alabama, Texas, and Utah have all fallen out of the top 10.
The bottom half of the top 10 includes Ole Miss at No. 7, Tennessee at No. 8, UCLA at No. 9, and Texas Tech at No. 10. Texas Tech makes its debut in the top 10 after a 53-25 win over Arizona State, featuring an outstanding performance by J’Koby Williams.
UCLA enters the rankings at No. 9 following a 17-7 defensive victory over Wisconsin. Tennessee, ranked at No. 8, enters the list with a 6-1 record and a significant win over Alabama.
The current rankings reflect a period of high parity in college football. While Miami remains undefeated at 6-0, Klatt noted the difficulty of ranking the team given their narrow survival against Florida State. Meanwhile, the schedule strength of various teams remains a point of discussion, with Notre Dame currently holding the 42nd ranked strength of schedule in the country.
