Phil Steele's Top 12 College Football Surprise Teams Ahead of Week 10

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 College Football's 48 Teams With a Chance to Make CFP Going Into Week 10

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ESPN Ranks the 25 Hardest Remaining College Football Schedules Going Into Week 9

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

Ranking the 20 College Football Coaches On the Hot Seat Going Into Week 8

Ranking the 10 Most Overrated Teams in College Football Right Now (Week 8)

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View the profile of Oklahoma Sooners DB Mykel Patterson-McDonald on SportsGrid. Get the latest news, stats, player prop picks, related players, and more on SportsGrid.com.

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#45 · OKLA · DB