With the first edition of the College Football Playoff rankings officially out, there’ll be even more drama surrounding this Saturday’s loaded schedule.

As of this moment, Miami is No. 1 in the CFP rankings. To the surprise of just about every football fan in the world, Alabama earned a spot in the top five despite having two losses on its résumé. The top five for the CFP rankings also featured Georgia, Utah and Indiana.

While some teams feel great about where they stand in the CFP rankings, there are three major programs that need a win this Saturday to feel good about their playoff hopes.

Oct 31, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (13) throws a pass against the Navy Midshipmen during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn ImagesEric Canha-Imagn Images.
Oct 31, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (13) throws a pass against the Navy Midshipmen during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn ImagesEric Canha-Imagn Images.

It’s now or never for Notre Dame.

There’s no question about it, No.11 Notre Dame needs to defeat No. 1 Miami on Saturday to feel good about its chances of making the CFP.

Even though Notre Dame is 7-1 on the season, the CFP selection committee felt the need to put Marcus Freeman’s squad behind SEC teams with two losses, such as Alabama and Texas. With that being said, a second loss at this point in the season could knock Notre Dame out of playoff contention.

After all, Notre Dame’s schedule doesn’t feature any marquee games after this weekend. The program will wrap up its regular season with games against Boston College, SMU and Syracuse.

Sep 19, 2026; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Louisiana State Tigers quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Mississippi Rebels during the third quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn ImagesPetre Thomas-Imagn Images.
Sep 19, 2026; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Louisiana State Tigers quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Mississippi Rebels during the third quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn ImagesPetre Thomas-Imagn Images.

LSU can’t afford a third loss.

A win over No. 5 Alabama would give No. 14 LSU plenty of confidence heading into the final stretch of the regular season. On the flip side, a loss would put Lane Kiffin’s team in a really tough spot.

LSU still has games remaining against No. 7 Texas and No. 13 Tennessee, so a loss to Alabama wouldn’t completely derail its chances of making the CFP. At the end of the day though, a loss would leave the Tigers with zero margin for error.

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Luke Fahey (13) reacts during the NCAA football game against the USC Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Oct. 31, 2026. Ohio State lost 30-18.© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Luke Fahey (13) reacts during the NCAA football game against the USC Trojans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Oct. 31, 2026. Ohio State lost 30-18.© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Another loss could sink Ohio State.

Unfortunately for No. 12 Ohio State, the 2026 season might end up being defined by Julian Sayin’s injury. Last weekend, Ryan Day’s squad suffered a 30-18 loss to USC. Backup quarterback Luke Fahey wasn’t bad by any means, but he didn’t have the offense firing on all cylinders.

A loss to No. 23 Oregon this Saturday would almost definitely have Ohio State missing out on the postseason.

After all, the committee has proven over the years that it doesn’t want teams with backup quarterbacks competing in the CFP.

This story was originally published by The Spun on Nov 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Source: Yahoo Sports