- Miami (FL) travels to Notre Dame: The No. 1 Hurricanes look to stay unbeaten, while the No. 11 Fighting Irish hope to avoid a second and possibly eliminating loss.
- A colossal Holy War: BYU and Utah clash in Salt Lake City in a showdown between top-10 playoff candidates.
Week 9 maintained the electricity of the 2026 college football season. USC took down No. 2 Ohio State at home, Iowa throttled Wisconsin and Indiana narrowly edged Minnesota in a wild overtime thriller. On top of that, the first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings have shed more light regarding each team's standing with the regular-season clock dwindling.
We should find out that much more about the nation's powerhouses in Week 10, a slate that's been anticipated for quite a while. With seven matchups between top-25 games on deck, here's everything you need to know.
No. 1 Miami (FL) Hurricanes at No. 11 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7:30 PM ET on NBC)
Storyline to know: The biggest regular-season game remaining
The stakes could not be higher for Miami–Notre Dame. Miami enters South Bend as the No. 1 team in the country and is one of three FBS teams with undefeated records (8-0).
While a loss won’t eliminate the Hurricanes from playoff contention, it certainly could cause them to lose the top seed. For the Fighting Irish, a loss could end their season. Notre Dame doesn’t have a single win over a ranked team and doesn’t have another top-25 opponent currently left on its schedule. At 10-2 without any quality wins, the Fighting Irish are in danger of suffering the same fate as last year when they were left out of the playoff.
Matchup to watch when Miami (FL) has the ball (Max): A couple of Heisman candidates against one of the best secondaries in the country
Miami’s offense has been the best in the country this season, leading the FBS in EPA per play and placing second in yards per play and successful play rate. While the run game has been terrific, it’s mostly been due to the Hurricanes’ passing attack led by two top Heisman Trophy candidates in quarterback Darian Mensah and wide receiver Malachi Toney. Mensah’s 144.1 passer rating easily leads all quarterbacks in the nation, while his 80.7% completion rate would be the new record if it stands. Toney’s 4.3 yards per route run is tied for the best in the country, as are his 13 touchdown catches, although he's not expected to play after suffering an ankle injury on Wednesday.
But if any secondary can contain those two, it’s Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish entered the season with our top-ranked secondary in the country and have lived up to the billing so far. Notre Dame is ninth in EPA per pass allowed. The marquee matchup in this game will be Toney against cornerback Leonard Moore, the consensus top corner in the 2027 NFL Draft and a player who’s proven capable of covering elite players in the slot, like when he held Biletnikoff Award winner Makai Lemon to two catches for 28 yards on 27 coverage snaps.
It should be noted that Notre Dame runs man coverage at a top-20 rate (31%). Toney has been the best receiver in America against man coverage, leading the Power Four with 7.64 yards per route run. Plus, Mensah has been the top quarterback against man coverage, pacing the country with 14 yards per pass and an 85.7% completion rate.
Matchup to watch when Notre Dame has the ball (Dalton): Will CJ Carr take advantage of Miami’s struggling coverage unit?
CJ Carr is undoubtedly one of the best quarterbacks in college football. He enters Week 10 with an 87.7 PFF passing grade that ranks as the 10th-best among all qualified passers. He’s thrown 18 touchdowns compared to just one interception so far this year while distributing the ball to a variety of pass-catchers, including Jordan Faison, Micah Gilbert and Jaden Greathouse.
Carr may be able to take advantage of a banged up Miami coverage unit that has struggled to contain opposing passing attacks. So far this season, the Hurricanes have recorded a 66.2 team PFF coverage grade that ranks 110th in the nation. Opposing quarterbacks have thrown 13 touchdowns compared to just four interceptions against Miami. The Hurricanes have also allowed 50 explosive passes through Week 9, which ranks 125th in the FBS. If Carr is protected well enough against Miami’s fearsome defensive line, he could be in line for a big day through the air.
Predictions
Max: Notre Dame 31, Miami (FL) 30
In a game that matches up the two most efficient offenses in the country, CJ Carr makes just enough plays on Miami’s vulnerable secondary to keep Notre Dame’s playoff hopes alive.
Dalton: Miami (FL) 34, Notre Dame 31
Miami will need another terrific offensive game to get a victory, but Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney continue their hot streak to earn a season-defining victory.
No. 9 BYU Cougars at No. 3 Utah Utes (12 PM ET on ABC)
Storyline to know: The biggest Holy War ever
Utah and BYU have met at least 97 times in a rivalry dubbed the “Holy War”, and it’s one of the fiercest in the country. But even in the rivalry’s storied history, it’s never been bigger than it’ll be on Saturday.
For the first time, both Utah and BYU are ranked in the top 10 going into the Holy War. The Utes are one of three undefeated teams remaining in college football (8-0), and a win on Saturday all but guarantees them a spot in the program’s first Big 12 Championship Game. The Cougars are still very much alive in the Big 12 and playoff race at 7-1, and a win for them would go a long way in ensuring BYU makes the first playoff in school history.
Matchup to watch when BYU has the ball (Max): Will LJ Martin return, and can he take some of the offensive load off Bear Bachmeier’s shoulders?
BYU star running back LJ Martin has missed the last four games with a lower body injury. But On3’s Pete Nakos did report that there is growing optimism that Martin could be back in time for the Holy War.
And boy, do the Cougars need him. In Martin’s absence, BYU is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry, the ninth-worst mark in the entire country. With Martin, the Cougars were 14th in the nation with 6.3 yards per carry. The entire weight of the offense has fallen onto sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier’s shoulders. Not only does he need to lead the passing attack, but Bachmeier’s 205 rushing yards since Martin went down are also 76 more than any running back for BYU.
Utah is 24th in EPA per run allowed and 19th in EPA per pass allowed. While the Utes dominated Cincinnati this past week, they still gave up 7.3 yards per carry. If Martin is out once again, the Cougars will need a Herculean performance from Bachmeier to win the Holy War, much like the one he had when BYU beat Notre Dame.
Matchup to watch when Utah has the ball (Dalton): Will BYU find enough pass rush to disrupt Devon Dampier’s rhythm?
Utes quarterback Devon Dampier is playing the best football of his career. He’s earned an elite 90.2 PFF grade that ranks seventh among all qualifiers so far. Dampier has improved as a passer with 18 big-time throws compared to just four turnover-worthy plays on the year. A big reason for that is that his offensive line boasts the 15th-lowest pressure percentage allowed in the FBS through Week 9.
BYU’s coverage unit has been outstanding all season, but its pass rush leaves much to be desired. The Cougars’ 71.4 PFF pass-rush grade ranks slots 74th in the nation this season. They also rank outside the top 80 units in pressure rate and sack rate. In fact, two of their three pressure leaders are off-ball linebackers Cade Uluave and Isaiah Glasker. BYU needs its defensive line to play their best game in order to break up the excellent rhythm Dampier has had this season.
Predictions
Utah continues its undefeated season with a win over BYU in the Holy War, putting the Cougars in danger of missing out on the College Football Playoff.
Utah proves it is the most well-rounded and explosive team in the Big 12 as the Utes maintain their undefeated record.
No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs at No. 10 Ole Miss Rebels (7:30 PM ET on ABC)
Storyline to know: Georgia tries to knock Ole Miss out of the playoff, just as Ole Miss did to Georgia last year
A 9-3 team has never made the College Football Playoff as an at-large before. Ole Miss currently sits at 6-2 this season, meaning one more loss would likely eliminate the Rebels from playoff contention after they made it to the semifinals last year.
Ole Miss’ final three opponents are very beatable: A 4-4 Oklahoma team, an FCS school in Wofford and a 4-4 Mississippi State team that’s on a backup quarterback. But the problem for the Rebels is what awaits them this week. Ole Miss hosts the SEC’s top-ranked team in Georgia, which is out for revenge after the Rebels knocked the Bulldogs out of the playoff last year.
A loss for Georgia wouldn’t exclude the Bulldogs from playoff contention, but it would significantly hurt their chances of making it to the SEC Championship Game in what’s a logjammed SEC.
Matchup to watch when Georgia has the ball (Dalton): Gunner Stockton vs. the Rebels’ blitz-heavy pass defense
The Rebels’ struggling defense will be put to the test once again versus a highly efficient Georgia attack. Their pass defense has been a particular problem as they rank 108th in the nation in team PFF coverage grade and 72nd in team PFF pass-rush grade. One way Ole Miss tries to make up for its lack of consistent pressure is by blitzing on 47.5% of opposing pass plays, the 14th-highest rate in the FBS.
Head coach Pete Golding may need to reconsider that approach this week considering Gunner Stockton’s success against the blitz this season. Stockton has been blitzed on over half of his dropbacks this year and has produced a 90.2 PFF passing grade in those situations, which ranks sixth-best among all qualified quarterbacks. He’s completed over 70% of his passes and has thrown 11 touchdowns compared to just one interception when opponents send extra pressure.
Ole Miss may want to sit back and force Stockton to hang on to the ball a bit longer, or the Rebels will risk him dicing up the blitz as he has all season.
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Matchup to watch when Ole Miss has the ball (Max): Which Trinidad Chambliss do we get against Georgia?
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss faced Georgia twice last season. The first was a regular-season loss, which was arguably Chambliss’ worst game as a passer for the Rebels across the last two seasons. The second was the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal, which was arguably Chambliss’ best game of his career.
Trinidad Chambliss’ two 2025 games against Georgia
| Game | AdjustedCompletion % | Passing Yards | TD/INT | BTT/TWP | Passer Rating |
| Week 8 Loss | 62.5% | 263 | 1/0 | 1/1 | 85.8 |
| CFP Quarterfinal Win | 80.5% | 362 | 2/0 | 5/1 | 103.7 |
Aside from Chambliss playing like a magician in the playoff game with some of his throws outside of structure, it was interesting to see Kirby Smart and Glenn Schumann’s coverage philosophy change in the latter game despite having so much success in the regular season.
In Week 8 of last season, Georgia played man coverage 40% of the time. In the playoff, that dropped to 24.7%. Chambliss’ struggles against man coverage have carried over into this year, too. His 50.7% completion rate against man coverage is 92nd in the FBS. Smart would be, well, smart to play a heavy dosage of man coverage again in this game with his elite secondary.
Predictions
Chambliss can’t carry Ole Miss to victory against Georgia’s defense this time. The Bulldogs further prove they’re the team to beat in the SEC and possibly the country while simultaneously jostling the Rebels out of playoff contention.
Dalton: Georgia 30, Ole Miss 27
The Rebels’ defensive flaws come back to bite them one more time as Georgia avenges last season’s playoff defeat.
No. 5 Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 14 LSU Tigers (3:30 PM ET on ABC)
Storyline to know: Playoff elimination game
As stated earlier, no 9-3 team has ever made the College Football Playoff as an at-large. Since Alabama and LSU both have 6-2 records, it’s safe to assume the loser of this game will most likely miss out on the playoff this year.
The Crimson Tide lost two in a row to Georgia and Tennessee, but bounced back last week with a win over Texas A&M. The Tigers, meanwhile, have won two straight against Mississippi State and Auburn after their overtime loss to Kentucky.
Matchup to watch when Alabama has the ball (Dalton): Will LSU’s defense contain Keelon Russell’s greatest strengths?
Keelon Russell’s statistical profile is heavily buoyed by two of his best attributes: Deep passing and scrambling. Through Week 9, Russell ranks among the top five quarterbacks in the nation with 22 deep completions and a 57.9% completion percentage on those throws. He’s also amassed 337 rushing yards via scrambles, which is the fourth-highest total among all FBS quarterbacks.
LSU’s ability to slow down Russell’s explosive playmaking ability will be key to its success. The Tigers have limited opponents to just six deep completions this season. Only Notre Dame and Wake Forest have allowed fewer.
For the most part, the Tigers have also mitigated scrambling opportunities. They have permitted 156 scramble yards this season, which isn’t a horrible total, but 99 of those came in their most recent victory over Auburn. If LSU can keep Russell in the pocket and force him to win with underneath passing, the Tigers should be able to find defensive success.
Matchup to watch when LSU has the ball (Max): Can Sam Leavitt avoid turnovers against Alabama?
LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt has had a great first season in Baton Rouge but has been the victim of bad turnover luck. His eight interceptions are tied for the fourth-most in the FBS, even though Leavitt’s 1.6% turnover-worthy play rate is the 12th-lowest in the country. That luck may finally be swinging back to Leavitt’s favor, though, as he didn’t throw an interception against Mississippi State or Auburn, his first two games without a pick this season. Leavitt also tossed seven touchdowns across those two outings.
In order for the Tigers to win this game, they’ll need Leavitt to play a clean brand of football once again. But Alabama has had a very opportunistic defense. The Crimson Tide’s 12 interceptions are tied for fifth in the nation. Alabama has returned five of those picks for touchdowns, tied with Texas Tech for the most in the country. The Crimson Tide have snagged at least one interception in every game this season.
Predictions
Sam Leavitt outduels Keelon Russell, who struggles against what’s been one of the best defenses in America. LSU wins at home, keeps its playoff hopes alive and all but kills Alabama’s playoff chances.
LSU’s defense bottles up Keelon Russell enough to outlast the Crimson Tide to get a win that could propel the Tigers to the playoff.
No. 6 Kentucky Wildcats at No. 13 Tennessee Volunteers (6:15 PM ET on ESPN)
Storyline to know: Can Kentucky keep its magical season alive and end Tennessee’s playoff hopes?
Kentucky has been one of the biggest surprises in college football this season. With a first-year head coach in Will Stein, the Wildcats are 7-1 and tied with Georgia for first place in the SEC. Kentucky finished just 5-7 last year and had a 4.5 preseason win total.
The Wildcats look to keep it rolling this week at Tennessee, which is currently clinging to its playoff hopes with a 6-2 record. One more loss essentially eliminates the Volunteers from playoff contention for a second straight season.
Matchup to watch when Kentucky has the ball (Dalton): Can Tennessee force Kenny Minchey into obvious passing situations?
The most staggering split in Kenny Minchey’s statistical profile is the difference in production between play action and non-play action dropbacks. Minchey has been able to utilize play action at an above-average 40% rate. In those situations, he has averaged 9.2 yards per attempt while throwing 10 touchdowns and no interceptions. Without the help of play action, though, Minchey has averaged just 6.3 yards per attempt while posting a 55.9 PFF passing grade that ranks 135th out of 171 qualified FBS quarterbacks.
If Tennessee can find a way to keep the Wildcats off schedule, it can unleash its elite pass defense on Minchey. That’s not a given considering the Volunteers’ struggles in run defense, but they rank among the top 25 FBS teams in PFF pass-rush grade and PFF coverage grade.
The Volunteers’ ability to prevent explosive pass plays has been paramount to their success. Tennessee has allowed just 5.6 yards per attempt and an 8.4% explosive pass rate, both of which are top-six marks in the nation. At some point in this game, Minchey will have to find cracks in Tennessee’s pass defense. That set of plays will likely decide the winner of this game.
Matchup to watch when Tennessee has the ball (Max): Can DeSean Bishop carry the offense on his shoulders?
Tennessee has had a massive problem at quarterback this season. Five-star true freshman Faizon Brandon started the first five games, but poor play led to him being replaced by redshirt freshman George MacIntyre. While MacIntyre has been better, it’s not like head coach Josh Heupel fully trusts him to run this offense. MacIntyre’s average depth of target is just 4.8 yards downfield, the lowest among Power Four quarterbacks. Keep in mind that this is a Volunteers offense very much predicated on deep shots. Outside of this season, Heupel’s Tennessee offenses have been fourth in the Power Four in deep pass attempt rate (17.3%).
Instead, the Volunteers have had to rely on former walk-on running back DeSean Bishop to carry this offense. He’s done a very good job at that, placing fifth nationally in rushing yards (957) and fourth in yards after contact (671). Kentucky has been relatively average in run defense this year, placing 72nd in EPA per run allowed and 101st in successful run rate allowed. The Wildcats have only stacked the box on 60 run plays this year, the 82nd-most in the FBS. Defensive coordinator Jay Bateman should increase that number on Saturday and dare MacIntyre to beat his defense over the top.
Predictions
Max: Tennessee 28, Kentucky 27
DeSean Bishop does just enough to get Tennessee over the top of Kentucky to keep the Volunteers’ season alive.
Dalton: Tennessee 20, Kentucky 17
Tennessee’s elite pass defense gets the best of Kenny Minchey as the Wildcats’ playoff hopes take a major hit.
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