The College Football Playoff committee released its first rankings of the 2026 season Tuesday night, and Miami sits at the top. The Hurricanes, unbeaten through the opening stretch of the year, earned the No. 1 spot in the committee's debut top 25 — a first for the program.

Behind Miami, the committee slotted Georgia, Utah and Indiana in the next three spots, with Alabama checking in at No. 5. The biggest eyebrow-raiser further down the list: Notre Dame opens the playoff race at No. 11, a placement that leaves the Irish with little margin for error over the season's final month.

The first rankings are a snapshot, not a verdict — the committee will revise its top 25 weekly until Selection Day. But history says the opening No. 1 carries weight, and Miami now controls its own path. Win out, and the Hurricanes are in. For everyone from Alabama down to the bubble teams, November just became a weekly elimination exercise.