Miami remains No. 1 as strength of schedule shapes the rankings, UCLA stays unbeaten, and NIL-driven parity shakes up college football&#039;s top teams this season.

College Football Rankings: Miami Leads, UCLA Rises

Miami stakes its claim to No. 1 after a dominant win over Pitt, while BYU, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, Tennessee and Houston tumble in a truly chaotic weekend.

Miami Rises to No. 1 as College Football Playoff Rankings Heat Up

As kickoff for the 2026 college football season draws near, ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) supercomputer simulated thousands of regular-season scenarios to project the final 12-team College Football Playoff bracket. Stripping away subjective voter bias and preseason hype, the algorithm evaluated per-play efficiency, roster talent, and schedule difficulty to calculate every program's exact postseason odds. We expanded our master index to power rank the top 30 teams most likely to crash the playoff party. From top-tier titans like Ohio State, Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Oregon leading the field, to dark horses and Group-of-Five contenders like Boise State, Utah, South Carolina, Florida State, and Virginia lurking on the bubble, we break down every program's FPI profile, projected record, and postseason odds. Check out our complete 30-team playoff projection to see where your team stands.

ESPN Ranks Top 50 College Football Teams With a Chance to Make CFP Going Into Week 9

As the 2026 college football season approaches, USA TODAY Sports assembled a 10-voter panel to power rank the top 25 head coaches in the country. Following a chaotic expanded playoff season and a wild coaching carousel, the master list features major shifts across every power conference. From established heavyweights holding down the top tier to rising program builders like Rhett Lashlee, Jon Sumrall, Clark Lea, Josh Heupel, and Sonny Dykes cracking the rankings, we break down every coach's career record, key achievements, and 2026 outlook. Check out our full 25-coach power rankings to see where your team's leader sits.

USA TODAY's Top 25 College Football Coaches: Records Going Into Week 9

ESPN Ranks College Football's 3 Undefeated Teams by Strength of Schedule Right Now

Going 12-0 in modern college football is arguably the hardest feat in sports. As kickoff for the 2026 season approaches, ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) supercomputer simulated thousands of regular-season scenarios to calculate the exact win-out probabilities for every FBS program. Factoring in roster depth, efficiency ratings, and schedule difficulty, we expanded our master index to power rank the 10 teams most likely to finish the regular season undefeated. From Notre Dame, Texas Tech, Georgia, Indiana, and Ohio State leading the unblemished board to Miami, Oregon, Texas, Penn State, and UNLV lurking, we break down every program's FPI profile, team record, and path to perfection. Check out our full 10-team breakdown to see who could run the table.

ESPN Ranks College Football's 3 Undefeated Teams From Most to Least Likely to Win Out Ahead of Week 9

Miami merits the No. 1 ranking with elite talent on offense and defense, but questions remain over whether the Hurricanes truly stand far above every rival.

Is No. 1 Miami Really College Football's Best Team?

Miami stays unbeaten after crushing Pitt, while Indiana, Georgia, Ohio State and Notre Dame round out a top five shaping the national title race ahead.

College Football Top Five: Miami Claims the No. 1 Spot

LATEST K.J. Cloyd NEWS

Dave shares Week 8 college football picks: Tennessee, Michigan-Indiana under, Utah-Houston over, and New Mexico to cover at home against North Dakota State.

Week 8 College Football Best Bets and Betting Picks

Utah and Houston meet in a top-15 Big 12 clash. With both offenses poised to score and Houston&#039;s defense vulnerable, the over 56.5 is the best bet tonight.

Utah vs. Houston Preview: Bet the Over in Big 12 Shootout

Ole Miss is backed to cover and win outright against struggling Texas, while the Longhorns&#039; team total over 27.5 offers another betting angle to consider.

Texas vs. Ole Miss Picks: Rebels ATS, Team Total Over

Dan Lanning&#039;s quarterback gamble nearly sank Oregon last week. With Dylan Rayola now starting, Illinois +10 is the pick as Oregon faces a tough road test.

Oregon vs. Illinois Betting Pick: Take the Illini +10

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View the profile of Miami (FL) Hurricanes LB K.J. Cloyd on SportsGrid. Get the latest news, stats, player prop picks, related players, and more on SportsGrid.com.

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K.J. Cloyd is a LB for the Miami (FL) Hurricanes in the NCAAF.

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ESPN Ranks College Football's Top 15 Quarterbacks Going Into Week 9

Ranking the Top 50 College Football Running Backs Right Now: Going Into Week 9

ESPN Ranks the 9 B1G Teams With Best Chance to Win the Big Ten Going Into Week 9

USA TODAY 2027 NFL First Round Mock Draft 6.0: Picks 1-32

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HEADLINES

Malik Beasley Case Fuels Calls for NBA Prop Bet Caps

NBA Injury Strategy & Playoff Seeding Reform Ideas

Can OKC Remain an NBA Title Contender After Injuries?

ESPN Ranks College Football's 16 1-Loss Teams by Strength of Record Right Now: Ahead of Week 9

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Ranking All 14 Active No. 1 Overall NFL Draft Picks 1-14 Going Into Week 8

TST Images: Trailblazers defeat Lakers, 136-129 , at Crypto.com Arena

Lakers can’t get stops, suffer first loss of season

How Matisse Thybulle ended up with the Lakers

Ducks blow 3-goal lead to cellar-dweller Canucks in &quot;terrible&quot; OT defeat

Hill comes to the rescue as Knights snap three-game skid

TST Images: Golden Knights defeat the Senators, 4-1, at T-Mobile Arena

Kings drop final game of road trip to Blackhawks

Rays Player Props: Back Caminero and Diaz in Game 4

MLB Lockout Debate: Salary Caps, Floors and Contracts

World Series Hitter Props: Contreras & Turang Lines

Pitching Props: Jax & May Strikeout Unders Tonight

Ranking the Top 20 Players in College Basketball Right Now

UNLV returns to &#39;Hardway Eight&#39; mode in 89-77 exhibition loss to BYU

Rodney Rice, Alijah Arenas lead No. 21 USC past San Diego State in 85-68 exhibition win

TST Images: USC defeats San Diego State, 85-68, in San Diego

NCAAB

Ranking the 20 College Football Coaches On the Hot Seat Going Into Week 9

&quot;This is where I want to be&quot;: Riley answers the noise head-on

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Bob Chesney is building something in UCLA... and he isn&#39;t going anywhere

UFC's Paramount Deal and Its Waning Combat Sports Edge

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Improving Your Putting: Insights from Michael Brennan

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Jeremiyah Love's Fantasy Outlook Amid Ankle Woes

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SPORTSGRID SHORTS

Ranking the Top 10 Potential Upsets for College Football Week 9

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College Football Playoff Chaos as Texas Doubts Grow

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Spurs Lead in Western Conference Odds Over OKC & Denver

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K.J. Cloyd

#23 · MFL · LB

HT/WT

6’2”, 228 lbs

Birthplace

Columbia, MS, USA

Class

Junior

LATEST K.J. Cloyd NEWS

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