College Football Rankings Week 6: Top 25 Rankings (2026)
Table of Contents
Week 5 brought another round of movement to the college football Week 6 rankings, particularly in the SEC. Florida's unbeaten run ended with a 45-17 loss at Missouri, Alabama rolled past Mississippi State, and Georgia remained perfect with another convincing win. Ohio State also handled a ranked Iowa team on the road, while Miami continued to look like one of the most complete teams in the country with a 41-13 win over Clemson.
Our rankings aren't a copy of the AP Top 25. They're College Football Week 6 power rankings based on résumé, performance, opponent quality and how each team looks entering the next week. Texas remains No. 1, but our order differs near the top: Georgia stays No. 2, Alabama jumps to No. 3, Ohio State is No. 4, and Miami rounds out the top five.
For a look back at how the Top 25 stood entering last weekend, revisit our College Football Week 5 Top 25 Rankings.
And for our betting analysis from the previous slate, check out our College Football Week 5 Picks
College Football Week 6 Rankings: Top 25
- Texas
- Georgia
- Alabama
- Ohio State
- Miami (FL)
- Indiana
- Notre Dame
- BYU
- Ole Miss
- LSU
- Texas Tech
- Utah
- Oregon
- Missouri
- Tennessee
- Florida
- Mississippi State
- Oklahoma State
- USC
- Iowa
- UCLA
- Houston
- Boise State
- SMU
- Pittsburgh
College Football Week 6 Top 10
1. Texas Longhorns
Record: 4-0
Texas had Week 5 off, and nothing happened around the country that was enough to knock the Longhorns from our No. 1 spot.
The résumé remains the biggest argument. Texas has already beaten Ohio State and won at Tennessee, giving the Longhorns two quality victories before getting into the heart of their SEC schedule. Arch Manning and the offense haven't been flawless, but Texas has shown it can win against legitimate competition.
The schedule isn't getting easier. Oklahoma is next in Dallas, followed by a difficult stretch that should give us an even clearer picture of whether Texas deserves to remain the top team in the Week 6 college football rankings.
2. Georgia Bulldogs
Record: 5-0
Georgia hasn't received quite the same attention as some of the other national championship contenders, but the Bulldogs continue to do exactly what a top-tier team should.
Georgia beat Vanderbilt 38-14 in Week 5 behind an efficient performance from Gunner Stockton. He threw for 295 yards while completing better than 78% of his passes, and the Bulldogs' defense once again made life difficult for an opposing offense. Vanderbilt produced only one drive longer than 35 yards.
Now comes the real measuring stick: Alabama. A road win in Tuscaloosa would give Georgia a strong case for No. 1.
3. Alabama Crimson Tide
Record: 5-0
Alabama makes one of the biggest moves in our college football rankings for Week 6 after dismantling Mississippi State 56-23.
Mississippi State entered the weekend as an undefeated ranked team with an opportunity to establish itself as an SEC contender. Alabama quickly demonstrated the gap that still exists. Keelon Russell threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns, including a 6-for-7 performance for 146 yards and two scores on third down. Alabama's defense also contributed a pick-six.
Georgia now comes to Tuscaloosa for one of the biggest games of Week 6. Alabama won't have to wait long to justify this ranking.
4. Ohio State Buckeyes
Record: 4-1
Ohio State continues climbing after going into Kinnick Stadium and beating Iowa 31-14.
Jeremiah Smith remains the centerpiece of the Buckeyes' offense. He erupted for 11 catches and 206 yards against Iowa and has 617 receiving yards and seven touchdowns through five games. Iowa kept things competitive early, but Ohio State eventually had too much offensive firepower.
The loss to Texas keeps the Buckeyes behind the top three for now, but Ohio State still looks fully capable of winning the Big Ten and competing for a national championship.
5. Miami Hurricanes
Record: 5-0
Miami's 41-13 demolition of Clemson might be the clearest indication yet that the Hurricanes belong among the country's elite.
Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney give Miami plenty of explosiveness through the air, but this roster isn't built around one dimension. The Hurricanes have also received strong play along both lines, while Mark Fletcher provides a physical presence in the backfield.
Miami is off in Week 6, but at 5-0 the Hurricanes have positioned themselves as one of the early favorites in the ACC and a serious College Football Playoff contender.
6. Indiana Hoosiers
Record: 5-0
Indiana hasn't played the same caliber of schedule as the teams ahead of it, but there isn't much more the Hoosiers could have done with the opponents they've faced.
A 47-15 win over Rutgers pushed Indiana to 5-0. Quarterback Josh Hoover has now thrown 15 touchdown passes without an interception, giving the Hoosiers an exceptionally efficient passing attack.
The question is competition. A trip to Nebraska should provide a more useful measuring stick and could either validate Indiana's top-six ranking or expose some weaknesses that haven't appeared against the early schedule.
7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Record: 5-0
Notre Dame remains unbeaten after a 37-26 road win over North Carolina.
CJ Carr completed 21 of 29 passes and threw four touchdowns, while Jonaz Walton provided 120 rushing yards on 23 carries. That's particularly encouraging after the Irish had struggled to establish their running game consistently earlier in the season.
The defense wasn't as dominant as it has been in other games, but Notre Dame controlled the matchup. The Irish remain firmly in the national playoff picture.
8. BYU Cougars
Record: 5-0
BYU keeps winning, and at this stage an undefeated Power Four résumé is difficult to ignore.
The Cougars entered Week 5 at No. 8 in the AP poll and remain one of the teams setting the pace in the Big 12. The larger question is whether BYU can maintain that position as the schedule becomes more demanding.
For now, 5-0 is 5-0, and BYU deserves a spot inside our top 10.
9. Ole Miss Rebels
Record: 3-1
Ole Miss had a much-needed week off following its 52-28 loss to Florida.
That defeat exposed some legitimate concerns, particularly on defense, but it shouldn't erase everything the Rebels showed earlier in the season. Trinidad Chambliss remains one of the country's most dangerous quarterbacks, and Ole Miss already owns a significant win over LSU.
The Rebels now have to show that the Florida loss was a correction rather than the beginning of a larger defensive problem.
10. LSU Tigers
Record: 4-1
LSU rounds out our Week 6 top 10.
The Tigers responded to their loss against Ole Miss by taking care of business against McNeese. LSU's lone defeat came against a Rebels team that remains in our top 10, so there's no reason to push the Tigers dramatically down the rankings.
The larger evaluation of Lane Kiffin's first LSU team will come against the SEC schedule. The talent is there; consistency against ranked competition will determine how high the Tigers ultimately climb.
College Football Week 6 Rankings: Teams 11-25
11. Texas Tech — The Red Raiders are 5-0 and continue to build one of the better résumés in the Big 12.
12. Utah — Utah was idle in Week 5 after starting 4-0. Devon Dampier and the Utes have already shown enough to remain within striking distance of the top 10.
13. Oregon — The Ducks remain dangerous despite carrying a loss. The biggest variable going forward is quarterback Dante Moore's health after his concussion.
14. Missouri — No team helped itself more in Week 5. Missouri blasted previously unbeaten Florida 45-17 and jumped directly into the national conversation.
15. Tennessee — The Volunteers beat Auburn 24-14 despite questions at quarterback. Their close loss to No. 1 Texas continues to age well.
16. Florida — One bad Saturday doesn't erase Florida's wins over Auburn and Ole Miss, but losing 45-17 to Missouri requires a significant adjustment.
17. Mississippi State — Alabama exposed the Bulldogs in a 56-23 loss, but Mississippi State still owns a win over Missouri and has done enough to remain ranked.
18. Oklahoma State — The Cowboys remain an interesting Big 12 team and stay inside our top 20.
19. USC — USC is 5-1 after surviving Washington, but the Trojans still need a signature victory to move significantly higher.
20. Iowa — Losing to Ohio State isn't disqualifying. The Hawkeyes fall after the 31-14 defeat, but they remain one of the more credible teams in the second half of the Top 25.
21. UCLA — UCLA remains unbeaten at 4-0 and continues to emerge as one of the early surprises of the Big Ten season.
22. Houston — The Cougars sit at 4-1 and remain in the Top 25 as Big 12 play develops.
23. Boise State — Boise State's 4-1 start keeps the Broncos firmly in the rankings.
24. SMU — The Mustangs are 4-1 and remain part of the ACC picture despite sitting behind Miami and several other national contenders.
25. Pittsburgh — Pitt enters at 5-0 following a 35-33 victory over Virginia Tech. The major concern is quarterback Mason Heintschel's season-ending ACL injury, which changes the Panthers' outlook even with the undefeated record.
Biggest Changes in the Week 6 College Football Rankings
Alabama is the team we're rewarding most aggressively near the top. The Crimson Tide didn't merely beat Mississippi State; they controlled an undefeated ranked opponent on both sides of the ball. Georgia-Alabama in Week 6 now becomes a direct test of our No. 2 and No. 3 teams.
Missouri also deserves significant credit. The Tigers entered their Florida matchup needing a statement and delivered one with a 45-17 win. Florida consequently takes one of the week's biggest drops, although its earlier wins are strong enough to keep the Gators comfortably inside our Top 25.
College Football Week 6 Rankings Predictions
The top of these rankings could change quickly. Georgia at Alabama gives No. 2 and No. 3 an immediate opportunity to strengthen a résumé, while No. 1 Texas returns from its bye to face Oklahoma.
Ohio State has already demonstrated that its lone loss doesn't remove it from the national championship conversation. Miami and Indiana are undefeated, Notre Dame is 5-0, and BYU remains unbeaten as well.
That's why these Week 6 college football rankings predictions are less about projecting the final College Football Playoff bracket and more about evaluating where teams stand right now. There is still far too much football remaining to treat the current order as permanent.
College Football Week 6 Top 25 Rankings
For a quick look at our complete 2026 college football Week 6 rankings, the order is Texas, Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State and Miami in the top five, followed by Indiana, Notre Dame, BYU, Ole Miss and LSU.
The biggest debate is near the top. Texas has the strongest collection of wins, Georgia remains unbeaten, Alabama is surging, and Ohio State continues to look like one of the country's most talented teams despite its loss to Texas. Miami shouldn't be overlooked either after its dominant 5-0 start.
Week 6 should tell us considerably more. Georgia-Alabama headlines the slate, while several undefeated teams have an opportunity to either strengthen their playoff cases or open the door for another major shakeup in the college football rankings.