GRAPEVINE, Texas — Miami remained No. 1 in the College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday night, the selection committee announced. The unbeaten Hurricanes held the top spot for a second straight week as the race for first-round byes tightened. Georgia, Utah and Indiana again filled out the leading group.

The committee's first rankings of the 2026 season, released on 3 November, placed Miami at No. 1 for the first time in the programme's history. The Hurricanes were 8-0 at that release.

Georgia, Utah and Indiana followed. The second release came after a Week 10 slate that tested several contenders in the 12-team bracket.

Ohio State, ranked No. 12 at 6-2 in the opening release, stayed on the edge of the projected field. The Buckeyes need wins in their remaining Big Ten games to strengthen their résumé before the conference title weekend. The playoff format grants automatic places to the five highest-ranked conference champions, with seven at-large spots for the rest.

The committee chair said on ESPN's rankings broadcast that Miami's unbeaten record and the consistency of its performances had kept the Hurricanes ahead of Georgia. The top four teams in the final rankings receive byes into the quarter-finals, regardless of conference titles. That gives every Tuesday release significant weight for seeding.

The committee will publish four more weekly rankings before the final bracket is revealed on selection Sunday in December. ESPN overhauled its Football Power Index ahead of Week 11, adding another data point to a debate over strength of schedule. Miami's remaining Atlantic Coast Conference fixtures will decide whether it keeps hold of the top seed.