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The Volunteers held Alabama scoreless after halftime, then spent 9:32 on the drive that put the game away.
Analysis
The Buckeyes converted both fourth-down attempts in a 19–15 win. Indiana’s last try ended at the Ohio State 27.
Original reporting, with its original publication date. Past-week previews and preseason features are retained here.
The preseason view of the programs, people and decisions shaping the season.
Deep Dive · Alabama
The Crimson Tide return a potentially elite secondary and two dangerous receivers. Their season depends on whether an open quarterback race and a rebuilt offensive line can become dependable before the schedule accelerates.
Deep Dive · Georgia
The Bulldogs bring back a proven fifth-year quarterback and another championship-caliber collection of talent. Their season depends on how quickly the receivers, offensive line and pass rush become dependable around him.
Deep Dive · Notre Dame
Carr’s first full season established the most important position on the roster. The Irish must now replace two first-round running backs, integrate a gifted transfer class and settle the line before opening at Lambeau Field.
Deep Dive · Georgia Tech
Brent Key’s program is coming off its best season in nine years. With a new quarterback, two new coordinators and 19 transfers, the Yellow Jackets now have to prove their identity can outlast the players who established it.
Conference Preview
Georgia and Texas have the clearest championship cases, but Ole Miss, Texas A&M, LSU, Alabama and Oklahoma give the league almost no soft landing spots.
Conference Preview
The Big Ten has produced three different national champions in three seasons. Its 2026 race begins with three different kinds of pressure at the top.
Conference Preview
The defending champion has the clearest claim to the top spot, but quarterback uncertainty in Lubbock and experienced cores at BYU, Utah and Houston keep the Big 12 race open.
Conference Preview
Darian Mensah gives Miami the league’s most accomplished quarterback. Kevin Jennings, Clemson’s star power and Jeff Brohm’s offense keep the race open.
Analysis
Jeremiah Smith demands extra attention. Indiana has two receivers capable of punishing the same treatment. Saturday’s top-five showdown starts with the choices facing both secondaries.
Analysis
Tennessee’s quarterback decision matters. DeSean Bishop’s ability to keep that quarterback out of obvious passing downs may matter even more against Alabama.
Analysis
The Irish have a new rushing headline and an efficient quarterback. BYU’s chance in Provo starts with forcing both to earn their yards—and giving Bear Bachmeier room to answer.
Analysis
Both offenses have stalled in Big Ten play. The difference in Ann Arbor could be Penn State’s protection, Michigan’s rushing defense and one receiver capable of breaking the game open.
Analysis
Jamal Roberts gives Missouri a way to dictate the afternoon. Ole Miss has the passing targets to answer quickly—but first its defense has to get off the field.
Analysis
Ohio State–Indiana at noon. Alabama–Tennessee and Penn State–Michigan in the afternoon. Notre Dame–BYU after dark. The matchups, players and early model view for October 17.
Analysis
A last-second kick in Dallas, a defensive finish in Tuscaloosa and a freshman’s 97-yard touchdown defined Saturday. Our Premium model finished 33–23 ATS.
Analysis
Georgia’s third-down offense meets Alabama’s third-down defense. The harder question is who turns the next first down into seven points.
Analysis
USC can sustain drives, Iowa can keep the score down, and Michigan State has a vulnerable secondary to test. Each path has a catch.
Analysis
Smith has the production and the signature moment. Russell and Stockton get a head-to-head stage, while Josh Hoover faces a road test worth watching from the opening window.
Analysis
Oklahoma needs protection for John Mateer, but every extra blocker removes a receiver from an offense that needs easier completions.
Analysis
Roberts broke Florida open. Austin Simmons had already shown why crowding the running game is an expensive answer.
Analysis
A through–Week 5 check on the ten largest preseason win-total gaps, four guide opinions and ten projected conference champions.
Analysis
Miami took apart Clemson. Missouri brought Florida back to earth. Northwestern opened its new stadium by running straight through Penn State. And Jeremiah Smith left Iowa with an Ohio State record.
Analysis
Iowa needs to limit Smith’s explosive catches and give Hank Brown manageable downs. Saturday Index projects a 29–20 Ohio State win at Kinnick.
Analysis
Florida’s ground game just overwhelmed Ole Miss. Missouri can change Saturday by putting Aaron Philo behind the chains—and keeping Austin Simmons protected.
Analysis
Darian Mensah has 14 touchdown passes without an interception. Clemson’s answer starts with Gideon Davidson, manageable downs and a defense that has recovered from its opener.
Analysis
Jayden Maiava has 14 touchdown passes in five games. Washington has six interceptions in four—and an offense that needs to sustain drives on its first road trip.
Analysis
Florida runs for 302 yards, LSU holds Texas A&M under 200, and our eight published selections finish 5–3. The scores, the details and our first CFBD weekly scorecard.
Analysis
Ole Miss survived LSU's comeback, Alabama turned an early deficit into 50 points, Louisville ran through SMU and two ranked teams fell to unranked opponents.
Analysis
Houston and Texas Tech open Big 12 play Friday. Saturday brings Lane Kiffin back to Oxford, Florida State to Tuscaloosa and two more tests for unbeaten teams.
Analysis
Houston has run for 616 yards in two games. Texas Tech has held seven straight opponents below 100 rushing yards. Their Friday Big 12 opener tests both.
Analysis
Lane Kiffin returns to Oxford with Sam Leavitt listed as questionable. LSU’s rushing attack and Ole Miss’s protection are central to the matchup.
Analysis
Ousmane Kromah's rushing start travels to Tuscaloosa after Alabama's defense overturned a halftime deficit at Kentucky.
Analysis
Kevin Jennings brings unbeaten SMU to Louisville, where Lincoln Kienholz has already produced explosive touchdowns and a close game against Ole Miss.
Analysis
Michigan State followed five field goals against Toledo with five touchdowns against Eastern Michigan. Can that improvement hold up against Notre Dame?
Breaking
Bruce Warwick takes over as interim athletic director while FSU searches for a permanent replacement. The Seminoles head to Tuscaloosa at 1–1.
Rankings
Texas changed the national race with its comeback against Ohio State. Sunday's power ratings show where the poll and model still disagree—and where the model deserves another look.
Breaking
Texas scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, and Hollywood Smothers' touchdown with 25 seconds left completed the comeback.
Analysis
The Cowboys outgained Oregon 554–281 and answered the Ducks' fourth-quarter lead with a 75-yard touchdown drive.
Analysis
Julian Sayin and Arch Manning return with deeper supporting casts. Ohio State’s rebuilt defense may decide the rematch.
Rankings
Texas Tech is 10 spots higher in the power ratings. BYU is 10 spots lower. Michigan remains inside one Top 25 and disappears from the other.
Analysis
Kevin Jennings brings No. 19 SMU to Tallahassee for Florida State’s first ranked test.
Analysis
Notre Dame–Wisconsin and the four matchups behind a 37–13 projection.
Analysis
Chambliss, Kienholz and the four matchups behind an Ole Miss 35–19 projection.
Analysis
Michigan escaped Western Michigan after replay restored one second. LSU opened the Lane Kiffin era by outgaining Clemson 644–145.
Analysis
Carolina found a defense it can trust, Virginia revealed a run-first identity and Memphis discovered a pass rush capable of closing—six Week 0 lessons that carry into Week 1.
Analysis
Pribula ran for 110 yards and threw two touchdown passes as Virginia controlled the line of scrimmage, protected the ball and held CJ Bailey to 84 passing yards.
Analysis
Thurman gave Billy Edwards Jr. a game-changing target, while North Carolina kept TCU scoreless for the final 49 minutes of a 15–10 win.
Analysis
Gunner Stockton is proven and careful with the ball. Georgia now wants more explosive throws to arrive on time and inside the original play.
Features
Ole Miss retained its star quarterback, its 1,500-yard back and four starting linemen. Pete Golding still has to preserve an elite offense after Lane Kiffin.
Analysis
Dante Moore returns after a 3,565-yard season for the preseason No. 2 team. Oregon must replace three starters on the offensive line.
Analysis
CJ Carr gives Notre Dame continuity at quarterback. Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are gone, changing every part of the offense around him.
Transfers
Darian Mensah led the ACC with 3,973 passing yards and 34 touchdowns. At Miami, that production turns potential into an immediate demand.
Analysis
Alabama chose Keelon Russell at quarterback. Michael Carroll is the only returning starter on a line that will determine how much Ryan Grubb can ask of him.
Analysis
Faizon Brandon beat George MacIntyre for Tennessee’s quarterback job. Josh Heupel now must prepare a true freshman for an unforgiving SEC schedule.
Analysis
Clemson opens in Baton Rouge after narrowly missing the preseason AP Top 25. Its defensive front gives it a chance while the quarterback decision remains open.
Features
Josh Hoover brings 9,629 career passing yards to the defending champion. Indiana needs his experience without asking him to imitate Fernando Mendoza.
Analysis
The defending Big 12 champion opens at No. 12 nationally. Texas Tech’s attempt to repeat depends on resolving an unusual quarterback situation.
Analysis
Ohio State returns Julian Sayin, Jeremiah Smith and Bo Jackson. Its rebuilt defense must be ready before road games at Texas and Indiana.
Schedules
From the Horseshoe to the Cotton Bowl, these are the regular-season games with the strongest mix of national stakes, matchup quality, star power and atmosphere.
Analysis
USC, SMU, Michigan, Clemson and Utah each have enough quarterback play, schedule leverage or defensive strength to break into the CFP.
Transfers
Miami and Indiana needed quarterbacks. Texas needed an outside target. LSU, Oregon and Ohio State needed answers in premium position rooms. These six moves matter because of the jobs they fill.
Features
A complete first team selected through 2025 production, positional value, expected 2026 role and current evidence.
Features
Texas, Miami and Ohio State lead a market where six rosters carry reported values above $40 million.
Analysis
Auburn, Texas and Tennessee entered 2025 with top-10 spending expectations and finished short of their own standards. Texas Tech was the 12-2 Big 12 champion counterexample.
Recruiting
Two have visible paths at left tackle. Two are in live quarterback competitions. The rest have clear openings in rotations that need exactly what they do best.
Breaking
A late-summer court ruling reopened the door for a limited group of veterans. Here are the previous schools and 2025 production behind the names to know.
Rankings
The first media poll and Saturday Index agree on most of the national contenders. Texas Tech, BYU, Indiana and LSU reveal where the preseason arguments begin.
Rankings
Quarterbacks define most championship ceilings, but the complete list also reveals where a receiver, runner, tight end or defensive leader matters more.
Rankings
The Buckeyes lead a poll dominated by the SEC and Big Ten, while the defending champion Hoosiers drew 14 first-place votes and finished only sixth.
