2026 College Football Season - Week 10 Recap and Top Performers

Welcome to November, when every result carries College Football Playoff implications. With the margin for error shrinking by the week, contenders can no longer afford missteps. Week 10 provided plenty of clarity, separating the true playoff threats from the pretenders. With that in mind, let's take a look at what we learned.

What Did We Learn From Week 10?

• Let's start with Ohio State. At this point, the Buckeyes look like just another team. Their disappointing loss to Oregon highlighted how much they've struggled without Julian Sayin, as Ryan Day's squad has failed to maintain the level of play that once made them a playoff contender. Even more frustrating is seeing a talent like Jeremiah Smith unable to carry the offense on his own after putting together a Heisman-calibre campaign for much of the season. Simply put, this looks like a forgettable season for them.

• When a quarterback throws for 380 yards without a single touchdown pass, it usually points to bigger offensive issues. That was the case for LSU and Sam Levitt in their loss to Alabama, as the Tigers moved the ball but failed to finish drives (kudos to the Crimson Tide defense). Now sitting at 6-3, LSU is running out of room for error and is dangerously close to falling completely out of the College Football Playoff race.

  
  

• Miami suffered its first loss of the season, and at one point it appeared the game would turn into a blowout. However, Darian Mensah and the Hurricanes' offence responded with a strong second-half effort that nearly produced an improbable comeback. Now that its unbeaten run is over, the Hurricanes can focus on recapturing the form that made them one of the nation's top teams earlier this season.

  
  

• Wow. What Georgia did to Ole Miss should have everyone's attention. It's rare to see Trinidad Chambliss and his offense completely overwhelmed, but they had no answers for a Bulldogs defense that has a strong case as the best unit in the nation. More importantly, this game reinforced what many already suspected: Kirby Smart's squad looks like the No. 1 team in college football right now.

  
  

• BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier did not play poorly, but Utah's elite defense proved too much to overcome. The Utes have shown all season why they belong among college football's best, and this victory likely solidified their playoff spot while reinforcing their status as a team nobody wants to face right now.

  
  

• Well, don't look now, but Texas is heating up at the right time. The Longhorns have now won three straight games, including a comeback victory over Missouri after trailing in the first half. At 7-3, their margin for error remains slim, but they head into next week's showdown with LSU carrying plenty of momentum. If Arch Manning continues to play at a high level, Texas could be a legitimate threat come playoff time.

  
  

• Another week, another win for UCLA. At 9-0, the Bruins have built a resume worthy of a top playoff seed, but given the committee's track record, it would not be surprising to see them once again left outside the Top 5. Regardless of where they land in the rankings, UCLA remains one of the best stories in college football this season.

  
  

• The debate around playoff consideration continues for the New Mexico Lobos, who improved to 8-1 with a win over Nevada. Despite their impressive record, it would not be surprising to see them receive the same lack of national respect as another surging program: Arizona.

  
  

• At 7-2, the Arizona Wildcats have built a resume that should at least put them in the College Football Playoff conversation. However, given the committee's track record and the fact that their latest victory came against TCU, Arizona may once again find itself overlooked despite continuing to stack wins.

  
  

• As much as Drew Mestemaker deserves credit for Oklahoma State's resurgence, more attention should be directed toward Caleb Hawkins. The Cowboys' star running back has become a nightmare for opposing defences, and Kansas State learned that the hard way in its Week 10 loss.

  
  

• As expected, Wake Forest had little trouble with Merrimack, building a 49-0 lead by halftime en route to a dominant victory. However, while the lopsided win looks impressive on paper, defeating an overmatched Merrimack squad is unlikely to do much to strengthen the Demon Deacons' case for a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Week 10 Top 10 Performers

Offense:

1. QB DJ Lagway - Baylor

2. QB Thomas Castellanos - Texas Tech

3. RB Nate Sheppard - Duke

4. RB Dylan Riley - Boise State

5. QBs Steele Pizzella - Wake Forest

6. QB Byrum Brown - Auburn

7. RB Aiden Flora - Iowa State

8. RB Caleb Hawkins and QB Drew Mestemaker - Oklahoma State

9. WR Easton Messer - FAU

10. QBs William Watson III - UMass and Max Cutforth - Boise State

Defense:

1. LB Peyton Seelmann - North Carolina

2. LB Devon Jackson - Oregon

3. CBs Ashton Hampton and Elliott Washington II - Clemson

4. EDGE Isaiah Ward - Washington

5. DB Scooter Jackson - UCLA

6. LB Hudson Hooper - TCU

7. DE Jonathan Bax - FAU

8. LB Myles Graham - Florida

9. DL Devan Thompkins - Alabama

10. LBs Joshua Iseah - Umass and Trey White - Texas Tech

Notable Mentions:

QB Michael Hawkins Jr. - West Virginia, QB Kevin Jennings - SMU, QB CJ Carr - Notre Dame, QB Jackson Gutierrez - Navy, QB Noah Fifita - Arizona, QB Ty Dieffenbach - UCLA, WR Giovanni Richardson - Arizona, QB Arch Manning - Texas, EDGE Sedrick Vessah - Buffalo, WR Yamir Knight - SMU, RB Nick Woodford - Central Michigan, RB Jalen Bonds - Ball State, CB Israel Petite - Toledo, LB Tim Thomas - Sacramento State, RB Nick Woodford - Central Michigan, LB Michael Molnar - Ohio, QB Caden Veltkamp - FAU, DE Marques White - SMU, CB Tyrese Boss - Arizona, Katin Houser - Illinois, LB Maverick Baranowski - Minnesota, WR Aidan Mizell - UCLA, LB Rasheem Biles - Texas, WR Collin Dixon - Illinois, WR Jack Foley - Wake Forest, LB Keyshawn Johnson - Syracuse, LB Fred Jackson - South Carolina, QB Sam Leavitt - LSU, QB Conner Weigman - Houston, WR Rasean Jones - Boise State, LB Coleman Cauley - Navy, WR Cooper Barkate - Miami, LB Chris Cole - Georgia, WR Talyn Taylor - Georgia, RB Cam Cook - West Virginia, WR TaRon Francis - West Virginia, and RB J'Koby Williams -Texas Tech