Undefeated Utah earned the No. 2 spot in the College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday, Nov. 10, the highest CFP ranking in program history.
The Utes (9-0) climbed one spot from No. 3 in the committee's first rankings on Nov. 3. BYU (7-2) dropped one spot to No. 10 after losing to Utah 28-20 at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 7, according to the CFP Selection Committee.
Georgia (8-1) replaced Miami at No. 1. Alabama (7-2) jumped to No. 3, and UCLA (9-0) rose to No. 4. Utah and UCLA are the only undefeated teams left in FBS, the NCAA reported.
What it means for Utah
If the rankings hold, Utah would earn the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the 12-team playoff, according to ESPN's projected bracket. The top four seeds skip the first round under the current format.
Utah head coach Morgan Scalley, a Salt Lake City native who played safety at Utah and took over as head coach in December 2025, has the Utes riding a 15-game win streak. After the BYU victory, Scalley kept his focus narrow.
"This is a big one," Scalley said, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. "It's not the big one."
Utah faces No. 23 Arizona, TCU and West Virginia to close the regular season. A win at Arizona on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 5:30 p.m. MT on FOX would keep the Utes on track for the Big 12 Championship Game, according to Utah Athletics.
Dampier's big week
Quarterback Devon Dampier powered the rivalry win with 177 passing yards and two touchdowns, 87 rushing yards and two more scores, and a 29-yard reception on a trick play, Utah Athletics reported. The performance earned him the Paul Hornung Award National Player of the Week, which recognizes the most versatile player in college football.
Dampier is 19-2 as Utah's starter. He has accounted for multiple touchdowns in all nine games this season, according to Yahoo Sports.
BYU stays in the bracket
BYU's one-spot drop surprised some observers. The Tribune noted the committee credited the Cougars' win over No. 5 Notre Dame and a one-score loss to the No. 2 team in the country.
At No. 10, BYU projects as a first-round home game in the current bracket. The Cougars have Baylor, Kansas and Cincinnati remaining. BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said after the Utah loss that quarterback Bear Bachmeier made "some really good plays with the ball," according to the Tribune's game coverage. Bachmeier threw for 272 yards and a touchdown but also threw four interceptions.
Draper connection
One Utah-tied name surfaced earlier this season on the opposite sideline. Isaac Wilson, the former Corner Canyon High School quarterback from Draper, transferred from Utah to Colorado and started for the Buffaloes this fall, the Deseret News reported in October. Wilson won the 2023 state championship at Rice-Eccles Stadium and broke the Utah high school record for total offense in a season before signing with the Utes. Colorado did not crack the Top 25.
Full CFP Top 25 (released Nov. 10)
- Georgia (8-1)
- Utah (9-0)
- Alabama (7-2)
- UCLA (9-0)
- Notre Dame (8-1)
- Texas (7-2)
- Miami (8-1)
- Tennessee (7-2)
- Indiana (8-1)
- BYU (7-2)
- Kentucky (7-2)
- Texas Tech (8-1)
- Wake Forest
- Houston
- Minnesota
- Oregon
- Southern California
- Penn State
- Missouri
- LSU
- Arizona State
- Arizona
- Boise State
- Oklahoma State
- Records for teams 13-25 not listed in committee release
The Big 12 placed six teams in the Top 25: Utah, BYU, Texas Tech, Houston, Arizona and Oklahoma State.
The committee releases updated rankings each Tuesday through the regular season. The final bracket will be set Sunday, Dec. 6, according to ESPN. The CFP National Championship is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 25, 2027, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
