Notre Dame Opens at No. 11 in CFP Rankings

November 3, 2026

Notre Dame landed at No. 11 in the College Football Playoff committee’s first rankings of the season, far behind its fourth-place AP standing and sixth-place coaches-poll ranking. Committee chairman Hunter Yurachek said the 7-1 Fighting Irish lacked a signature win. Their only loss was 28-24 to BYU, their sole opponent currently ranked in the CFP top 25.

The ranking leaves Notre Dame with a major opportunity this Saturday: it hosts top-ranked Miami in South Bend. Miami beat the Irish last season, a result that helped the Hurricanes reach the playoff and left Notre Dame out. A victory this weekend could produce a substantial jump, while another loss would further weaken the Irish’s playoff position.

The initial rankings also placed six two-loss SEC teams above their positions in both the AP and coaches polls. Alabama came in fifth, ahead of undefeated UCLA at No. 8, and Texas was seventh. The committee’s use of a strength-of-conference measure drew scrutiny, with critics arguing it had become a major factor in the SEC teams’ high placements.

Ohio State, which beat No. 4 Indiana, was ranked 12th, making it the first team outside the projected playoff field. Alabama’s No. 5 position also drew criticism: it has two losses and a 2-2 record against teams in the CFP top 25. The committee’s rankings will be updated over the next four weeks before Selection Sunday.