NCAAF · 2 hours ago

Quad of Death: Ranking The Toughest CFB Bracket Quads

Sammy Jacobs

Host · Writer

1. Cotton Bowl Quad (No. 2 Ohio State, No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 10 Miami)
The Cotton Bowl quad that features No. 2 Ohio State gets the nod as the 'Quad of Death'. The Buckeyes, despite losing to Indiana by three, still are the defending national champions. OSU is still arguably the most talented team in the tournament.

What sets this quadrant above the Rose Bowl Quadrant is the presence of the other two teams.

No. 7 Texas A&M finished 11-1 (7-1), with its only loss coming at Texas. They were a top-four team for most of the season.

No. 10 Miami looked like a favorite for the title through the first month of the season as they knocked off three ranked foes, including Notre Dame in the opener. Tie-breakers and two mid-season losses to Louisville and SMU kept them from winning the ACC.

From top to bottom, these three teams are the toughest group.

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Quad of Death: Ranking the 2026 CFP Quadrants
The field for the 2026 College Football Playoff has been set, though there's been some controversy. Which quadrant is the toughest to get through? Let's rank them.

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4. Sugar Bowl Quadrant (No. 3 Georgia, No. 6 Ole Miss, No. 11 Tulane)
Having two SEC teams in a quadrant may have meant more if Lane Kiffin was still at the helm of Ole Miss.

Georgia won the SEC and looks to be hitting its stride at the right time, dismantling both Texas and Alabama late in the season.

Ole Miss already played and beat Tulane at home this season, but that's a gripe for another time. Can they replicate what they do without Kiffin? That's the big question.

Tulane coach Jon Sumrall is heading to Florida after the Playoff. The Green Wave earned their way in with wins over ACC Champion Duke and Big Ten bowl team Northwestern before winning the AAC. However, they got smashed by Ole Miss earlier this season.
3. Orange Bowl Quad (No. 4 Texas Tech, No. 5 Oregon, No. 12 James Madison)
There is a drop-off in the other two quadrants, which feature teams from the Group of Six and those seeking new head coaches.

The Orange Bowl quadrant has some firepower with No. 4 Texas Tech. Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez is the best defender in the sport, and the Red Raiders were built for the playoffs.

The Oregon Ducks finished 11-1 with their only loss being to the No. 1 Hoosiers. If they get their star wide receivers back, this team is a sleeper to win it all. They also get the sweet spot of the No. 5 seed.

James Madison rounds out the group. The Dukes earned their way into the Playoff by going 12-1 and winning the Sun Belt. JMU is also looking for a new head coach, but Bob Chesney will stay with them through the Playoff before heading to UCLA.
2. Rose Bowl Quad (No. 1 Indiana, No. 8 Oklahoma, No. 9 Alabama)
There was a little debate about putting this group at number one, but ultimately it came down to this. Alabama and Oklahoma just aren't as scary as Miami and Texas A&M.

The Hoosiers have Heisman Trophy-winning Fernando Mendoza, as well as Curt Cignetti, with wins over the No. 5 and No. 2 teams in the country, and a drubbing of then-No. 9 Illinois.

Oklahoma is flawed on offense, but has an elite defense and gets R Mason Thomas back.

Alabama should not have made the Playoff and was uncompetitive in the SEC title game, losing 28-7 to Georgia. Tide coach Kalen DeBoer is sort of on the hot seat as well.
1. Cotton Bowl Quad (No. 2 Ohio State, No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 10 Miami)
The Cotton Bowl quad that features No. 2 Ohio State gets the nod as the 'Quad of Death'. The Buckeyes, despite losing to Indiana by three, still are the defending national champions. OSU is still arguably the most talented team in the tournament.

What sets this quadrant above the Rose Bowl Quadrant is the presence of the other two teams.

No. 7 Texas A&M finished 11-1 (7-1), with its only loss coming at Texas. They were a top-four team for most of the season.

No. 10 Miami looked like a favorite for the title through the first month of the season as they knocked off three ranked foes, including Notre Dame in the opener. Tie-breakers and two mid-season losses to Louisville and SMU kept them from winning the ACC.

From top to bottom, these three teams are the toughest group.

Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
Quad of Death: Ranking the 2026 CFP Quadrants
The field for the 2026 College Football Playoff has been set, though there's been some controversy. Which quadrant is the toughest to get through? Let's rank them.

Have all the intel you need? Free, actionable information is just one click away! Sign up for our daily newsletter, SportsGrid Daily.

Quad of Death: Ranking The Toughest CFB Bracket Quads

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