US LBM Coaches Poll: Georgia team to beat in SEC
USA TODAY Sports’ Paul Myerberg breaks down the latest US LBM Coaches Poll and has Georgia as the SEC’s top contender after Texas blowout.
- Oklahoma is expected to climb to No. 8 in the College Football Playoff rankings after defeating Alabama.
- Alabama’s loss to the Sooners will likely drop them to No. 9, just ahead of Notre Dame.
- Ohio State, Indiana, and Texas A&M are projected to remain the top three undefeated teams.
Three high-profile teams — Oklahoma, Alabama and Notre Dame — will take the spotlight in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings.
After beating the Crimson Tide 23-21, look for the Sooners to climb to No. 8. Previously No. 4, Alabama’s fall should stop at No. 9. That will knock Notre Dame back one spot to No. 10 even after the Fighting Irish breezed past Pittsburgh.
While the red-hot Irish have won eight in a row, Alabama has a stronger résumé against a significantly more difficult schedule.
Losses by Louisville, Iowa, Pittsburgh, South Florida and Cincinnati should open a spot for the Group of Five. Tulane is the safest bet to crack the rankings thanks to wins against Northwestern, Duke and Memphis.
Here’s how the top 12 of the third playoff rankings of the 2025 season will look:
1. Ohio State (10-0)
Best win: vs. Texas (14-7), Aug. 30.
Loss: None.
Playoff chances: 100%. The Buckeyes could lose to Rutgers and Michigan and still earn an at-large spot. OSU could even beat Rutgers, lose to Michigan, miss the Big Ten championship game and be in contention for an opening-round bye.
2. Indiana (11-0)
Best win: at Oregon (30-20), Oct. 11.
Loss: None.
Playoff chances: 100%. Taking care of Wisconsin locks Indiana into at least an at-large spot. Beating Purdue on Nov. 28 will send the Hoosiers to the Big Ten title game for the first time ever. That also should wrap up a bye.
3. Texas A&M (10-0)
Best win: at Notre Dame (41-40), Sept. 13.
Loss: None.
Playoff chances: 98%. At this point, the Aggies would have to really stumble down the stretch to miss the playoff entirely. Getting routed by Texas and then backdooring into the SEC title game only to get blown out again, combined with a Notre Dame flop down the stretch, might be just enough to take A&M off the board. But even that’s a stretch.
4. Georgia (9-1)
Best win: vs. Mississippi (43-35), Oct. 18.
Loss: vs. Alabama (24-21), Sept. 27.
Playoff chances: 99%. Only the infinitesimal chance at being upset by one-win Charlotte keeps Georgia from being a playoff lock. A shocking loss on Saturday and a loss to Georgia Tech would knock the Bulldogs out of the field.
5. Texas Tech (10-1)
Best win: vs. Brigham Young (29-7), Nov. 8.
Loss: at Arizona State (26-22), Oct. 18.
Playoff chances: 90%. To reach No. 5 in the rankings strengthens the Red Raiders’ safety net even if they fall short of a Big 12 championship. But losses to West Virginia and in the conference title game would knock Tech out of the playoff.
6. Mississippi (10-1)
Best win: at Oklahoma (34-26), Oct. 25.
Loss: at Georgia (43-35), Oct. 18.
Playoff chances: 99%. Saturday’s unimpressive 34-24 win at home against Florida was still enough to almost ensure an at-large playoff berth regardless of what happens in the Egg Bowl.
7. Oregon (9-1)
Best win: at Iowa (18-16), Nov. 8.
Loss: vs. Indiana (30-20), Oct. 11.
Playoff chances: 60%. The odds are better than not that Oregon is the third Big Ten team in the field. But the Ducks have played two legitimate opponents all season, losing to Indiana and barely beating Iowa. Are they ready for Saturday’s huge matchup at home against Southern California? A loss there would dump Oregon out of the top 10 heading into the finale against Washington.
8. Oklahoma (8-2)
Best win: at Alabama (23-21), Nov. 15.
Losses: vs. Texas (in Dallas) (23-6), Oct. 11; vs. Mississippi (34-26), Oct. 25.
Playoff chances: 55%. Tossed aside after two October losses, the Sooners have rallied into at-large position with wins this month against Tennessee and Alabama. Oklahoma is in with wins at home against Missouri and LSU – and likely with home game in first round – but can’t afford a third defeat.
9. Alabama (9-2)
Best win: at Georgia (24-21), Sept. 27.
Losses: at Florida State (31-17), Aug. 30; vs. Oklahoma (23-21), Nov. 15.
Playoff chances: 75%. Alabama can still lock down a spot in the SEC title game and an at-large berth by beating Auburn. But a loss in the Iron Bowl will knock the Tide out of the mix.
10. Notre Dame (9-2)
Best win: vs. Southern California (34-24), Oct. 18.
Loss: at Miami (27-24), Aug. 31; vs. Texas A&M (41-40), Sept. 13.
Playoff chances: 85%. While they shouldn’t lose to Syracuse or Stanford, dropping one spot in the rankings will make the Irish feel a little more anxious about securing that at-large bid. Falling to No. 10 would move them a little closer to Miami, and it would be bad news for Notre Dame if that head-to-head tiebreaker came into play.
11. Brigham Young (9-1)
Best win: vs. Utah (24-21), Oct. 18.
Loss: at Texas Tech (29-7), Nov. 8.
Playoff chances: 33%. The Cougars’ best chance is via a conference title. But a chaotic finish in the Big Ten or SEC might give the Big 12 a chance at two playoff teams. In that scenario, BYU would need to beat Cincinnati and Central Florida convincingly and then play dramatically better against Texas Tech in the conference title game to crack the top 10.
12. Utah (9-2)
Best win: vs. Cincinnati (45-14), Nov. 1.
Losses: vs. Texas Tech (34-10), Sept. 20; at Brigham Young (24-21), Oct. 18.
Playoff chances: 10%. Losses to the Red Raiders and BYU will block Utah from the Big 12 title game. Getting an at-large bid is possible but very improbable given the number of teams ahead of the Utes and the fact there are still two teams behind them — the ACC champion and the Group of Five representative — who will be bumped into the bracket with the final rankings.
