Week 10 of college football was considered a heavyweight battle and the results came. A top-two team fell for the fifth straight week when No. 1 Miami lost to No. 11 Notre Dame, setting the playoff race underway once again. Many other teams also faced important situations. No. 3 Utah cemented its place among the top contenders. LSU number 14 found itself outside. No. 6 Kentucky moved closer to the edge of the bubble after a second loss in SEC play. With that in mind, here are the biggest winners and losers from Week 10, including several teams making and breaking their postseason bids. Winner: Notre Dame Last season, the Fighting Irish lost to both of their College Football Playoff opponents, costing them a postseason berth. After losing to BYU earlier this season, Notre Dame was in danger of repeating its mistakes. Instead, quarterback CJ Carr helped lead the Irish to a thrilling 31-24 victory over No. 1 Miami. Carr was magnificent in the victory, throwing for 319 yards and three touchdowns, one of the best performances of his career. He jumps to the front of the Heisman Trophy conversation after the win, especially after out-dueling Darian Mensah. But the most important thing is that Notre Dame effectively punched its ticket to the College Football Playoff. Loser: Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham It’s bad enough that Whittingham had to watch his protégé, Morgan Scalley, lead Utah to a better start than it has had in the last 15 years. But after the Utes effectively clinched their spot in the College Football Playoff with a victory over BYU, Whittingham had one of the most miserable performances in program history. The Wolverines lost 15-6 to a Michigan State team that came in without a single Big Ten victory. They didn’t score a single point until the two-minute warning of the fourth quarter. It was the first time Michigan lost without allowing a touchdown since 1985. Whittingham is in serious danger of being a one-and-done coach at Michigan after falling to 5-4 and 2-4 in Big Ten play. With three straight games against CFP-ranked opponents, missing a bowl game entirely is absolutely on the table. Winner: Georgia. You could beat Kirby Smart once. You won’t catch it twice. After losing in the College Football Playoff last season against Ole Miss, No. 2 Georgia gutted the No. 10 Rebels 42-7 to effectively end its College Football Playoff campaign. The Bulldogs completely stifled Ole Miss’ elite offense, limiting it to 66 rushing yards on 31 carries. Georgia rushed for 295 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Gunner Stockton needed just 15 passes to throw for 186 yards and four touchdowns. College football has been waiting for an elite team to emerge. Welcome back, Georgia. Winner: Utah When Utah joined the Big 12, they came with the expectation of competing at the conference and national level every year under Kyle Whittingham. It never happened. Finally, Morgan Scalley has them harnessing their potential and defeating their rival. The No. 3 Utes posted a big win against No. 9 BYU, snapping a three-game losing streak against the Cougars. They overcame an early deficit in the second half thanks to tremendous play from quarterback Devon Dampier, reaching 9-0 for the first time since 2008 (an undefeated season). The victory puts them in the College Football Playoff. Based on what happens tonight, they could have a serious case for No. 1. Loser: Ohio State The last time Ohio State had three losses in the regular season was in 2011, an interim-run season after Tattoogate. The last time they gave up 38 unanswered points was in 1999, the penultimate year of the John Cooper era. In every way, Ryan Day’s show is hitting rock bottom. Of course, Julian Sayin’s quarterback injury lingers throughout the Buckeyes’ run. Rookie quarterback Luke Fahey has struggled in two starts and has never been on the same page with his downfield passes. But while Sayin and Jeremiah Smith managed to plug many holes, they were wallpaper for the rot growing on the walls. The Buckeyes were bullied on both lines of scrimmage against USC and Oregon, two teams that have been bullied by much of the Big Ten. His high school collapsed. Ohio State just isn’t Ohio State right now in any phase, and Day better have good answers to fix it in 2027. Winner: Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jason Witten. It’s only one game, but the former Hall of Fame tight end was a breath of fresh air for Oklahoma’s offense. The production and efficiency under Witten was nothing special (351 yards, 4.8 yards per play) but the change in approach helped pave the way for a much more dominant offense. The Sooners held the ball for nearly 38 minutes in Witten’s debut behind 40 rushing attempts, tied for second most against an SEC opponent in the last two years. Witten also emphasized faster developing routes for John Mateer, helping him distribute the ball. Five receivers had at least three receptions. Florida is one of the worst defenses in the SEC, so it’s wise not to get too deep into it. But while there are plenty of bigger tests ahead, Witten has his own offensive style that should complement Brent Venables’ defense much better. Loser: Kentucky The Wildcats were one of the biggest surprises of the first CFP rankings, starting at No. 6 as one of the few SEC teams with just one loss. That top ranking position takes a big hit after a miserable performance against No. 13 Tennessee, a 34-6 loss. After managing the game well for most of the first three quarters, Kentucky fumbled and lost consecutive turnovers. Tennessee turned every short field into a touchdown to end the game. Kentucky should still be a playoff lock if they can win with games remaining against Florida, Missouri and Louisville. However, if they lose more, they could fall completely, especially after their big win over LSU took a hit. Loser: LSULane Kiffin signed the SEC’s biggest contract and reportedly spent the most money on his roster in college football this year. After a 31-14 loss against No. 5 Alabama, all LSU has to show for it is an 0-3 record against top 25 CFP opponents. LSU was completely outmatched against the Tide, who had great success at virtually every important moment. Kiffin’s offense turned the ball over three times and several trips to the red zone ended empty. It was Kiffin’s sixth straight loss to Alabama as head coach, and the Tigers’ postseason hopes are on life support. There are no worse returns on investment in 2026. Winner: Texas Don’t look now, but the Longhorns look tremendously interesting heading down the stretch. None of their performances have been especially clean, but No. 7 Texas now has wins over No. 7 Ole Miss, No. 12 Ohio State, No. 13 Tennessee and No. 18 Missouri on its record. There were some frustrating moments, but Arch Manning played an efficient game with 297 passing yards and three touchdowns without a turnover. If they can avoid mistakes, Texas looks in good shape to make the postseason, especially since they are first in line as a potential three-loss team. Loser: Nebraska There has to be a curse on Nebraska. There is no other explanation. The Cornhuskers had a 5-0 record and seemed in prime position for postseason success. Now, they’ve lost three straight and haven’t even comfortably reached bowl eligibility after a frustrating 24-13 loss against Illinois on Friday night. Nebraska gained 426 yards of offense, but managed to turn it into just 13 points after multiple missed field goals and turnovers. They went 1 of 4 on fourth down. After the game, Nebraska fired offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. Will it help? Only if he can lift the curse. Winner: Ferris StateToo many people know Ferris State as the school that produced Trinidad Chambliss. Everyone should also know them as the most dominant college football team in the United States. The Bulldogs just won their 40th consecutive game, tying a Division II record, after an 80-0 victory over Wayne State. The winning streak dates back to Chambliss’ first solo start in 2024, but Tony Annese has built a machine in Big Rapids. Annese has an absurd 153-21 record with four national championships in the last five years. It’s as good as it looks. Loser: Tulane When Jon Sumrall left for Florida, Tulane decided to take the easy way out and promote internally. Former Southern Miss coach Will Hall was promoted from passing game coordinator to head coach. That decision has turned into an absolute and utter disaster. Despite returning a talented roster, Tulane has completely fallen off a cliff. A loss to Tulsa highlights just how far this proud program has fallen. The Green Wave lost 60-10, a surprising result for the reigning American Conference champions. They are now 4-5 with games still remaining against North Texas and South Florida. Realistically, Tulane could miss a bowl game in 2026. After last week’s showing, Hall should be a unique coach. Tulane can (and should) do better.
