College Football Playoff Projections: Ohio State, Texas A&M Lead Post-Week 10 Forecast

Updated projections for the 2025-2026 College Football Playoff released today, October 27, show Ohio State and Texas A&M as the top two teams poised to compete for the national championship.

The projected playoff bracket features Ohio State as the No. 1 seed, followed by Texas A&M, Indiana, and Alabama. Quarterfinal matchups include the Sugar Bowl between Texas A&M and Miami, the Cotton Bowl featuring Indiana versus Ole Miss, the Rose Bowl pitting Ohio State against Oregon, and the Orange Bowl with Alabama facing Georgia. The Fiesta Bowl and Peach Bowl will determine the final two teams for the National Championship game, scheduled for January 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Memphis has emerged as the latest Group of Five representative in the projections, earning a No. 12 seed and a first-round matchup against No. 5 Georgia. Several bowl games were also forecasted, including the LA Bowl between Arizona and Boise State on December 13, and the Citrus Bowl on December 31, where Texas will play Michigan. These projections are significant as they influence bowl eligibility and potential revenue for participating universities; you can learn more about NCAA Bowl Season on the official NCAA website.

Notable non-playoff bowl projections include Vanderbilt and Tennessee among the top SEC teams, despite challenging road games remaining on their schedules. The projections cover 82 teams and span bowl games from December 13 through January 2, 2026. Further updates will be released as the season progresses and teams’ performances evolve; for more information on college football rankings, visit ESPN’s College Football Rankings.

Officials stated that these are preliminary projections and subject to change based on upcoming game results and team performance.