Halfway through the 2026 season, the College Football Playoff field looks remarkably different from what it did preseason. The Playoff committee’s first rankings will arrive in just two weeks, kicking off a month-long, national race for a postseason berth. In the meantime, here are two squads that have exceeded expectations and two that have underwhelmed.
Georgia
A chasm separates Georgia from the rest of the sport. Kirby Smart’s pedigree is unparalleled, and this Saturday’s tooth-and-nail road win over Alabama locked his pedestal atop the college football universe. Gunner Stockton has bested his doubters, boasting the SEC’s best completion percentage, and he only serves compliment to the Dawgs’ lethal rushing attack.
Running backs Dwight Phillips Jr. and Bo Walker totaled 189 total yards Saturday, a testament to their individual talent and Georgia’s wherewithal in the trenches. Offensive guard Dontrell Glover was named offensive lineman of the week, anchoring Georgia’s brick wall on the line. Saturday’s win felt especially significant, marking Smart’s second consecutive victory over the Tide. In Nick Saban’s absence, Georgia has no perennial challengers to their budding dynasty. If the Dawgs stay the course this season, they will be primed to strengthen their case as college football’s premier power this winter.
UCLA
For about a decade, Oregon has been the nucleus of West Coast college football, but, despite their success, the Ducks haven’t landed a national title. USC’s shoddy efforts at resurgence haven’t fully materialized, and the Lincoln Riley experiment remains in the bounds. That leaves an opening for another westward power. UCLA has a long way to go before staking its claim, but Bob Chesney’s inaugural season has been extremely promising.
The Bruins’ 17-15 upset over Oregon Saturday dispelled doubters who insisted their success so far was lucky happenstance and an easy slate. UCLA touts a spotless record, making them the only undefeated Big Ten group other than Indiana. Despite their surging momentum, quarterback Nico Imaevala’s Saturday knee injury appears to be season-ending. Backup Ty Diffenbach will likely take snaps going forward, but the crux of the Bruins’ attack is their rushing game. Running back Wayne Knight is averaging a monstrous 7.7 yards per carry, best in the conference, and may be able to supplement offensive production with Imaevala sidelined. A road trip to Michigan and a home date with USC will likely decide their postseason fate.
Oregon
Oregon has been on the precipice of college football’s elite echelon for most of the Playoff era, but Dan Lanning keeps coming up shy. The Ducks’ week two loss to Oklahoma State, wherein they allowed north of 550 yards, was disastrous. Early season flubs aren’t unheard of, but Saturday’s home loss against UCLA will likely preclude Oregon from serious Playoff contention.
Without senior phenom Dante Moore, who will miss the remainder of the season after a head injury sustained against USC, Oregon simply lacks the arsenal to compete at the highest level. Dylan Raiola, the Ducks’ second man, was yanked after an abysmal, two-interception start against the Bruins. Brock Thomas took the remaining reps, and managed 11 completions on 15 attempts and a touchdown. Oregon forked over seven turnovers in the loss and had possession for just over 20 minutes of the contest. The Ducks will host a solid Nebraska squad this weekend. The Cornhuskers nearly unseated Indiana on Saturday, and should be fired up rolling into Eugene.
LSU
When Lane Kiffin jumped ship to LSU and reeled in a host of elite talent, it looked like the Tigers would be an immediate contender. After rocking Clemson in week one, they looked like a shoe-in for the postseason. LSU couldn’t sidestep karma in a week three bout with Kiffin’s former program, but that was a redeemable blunder.
A loss, albeit in overtime, to Kentucky this past Saturday will make LSU’s road to a Playoff berth exceptionally challenging. Sam Leavitt has been spotty, posting 10 touchdowns against 8 interceptions, and the Tigers defense has sputtered in big moments. Princewill Umanmielen has grounded a solid Tigers’ front seven, but a porous performance Saturday makes season’s back half daunting. LSU has one of the hardest latter slates in the country, with Mississippi State, Alabama, Texas and Tennessee still on the docket.