Projecting the CFP top 12 after Week 4: Gators claw into contention — SkimNews
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- Florida upset Ole Miss 52-28 as coach Jon Sumrall bluntly declared 'We have not arrived' — the Gators have now scored 40-plus points in each of their first four games for the first time since 2001 under Steve Spurrier, and the win set up a head-to-head tiebreaker tangle with Ole Miss and LSU.
- Texas held the No. 1 projection at 4-0 despite an undisciplined escape at Tennessee, committing 11 penalties for 115 yards while Arch Manning was sacked six times, threw one interception with no touchdowns, and the Longhorns managed just 61 rushing yards and 3-of-12 on third downs.
- Ohio State moved up to No. 2 at 3-1, with receiver Jeremiah Smith tying the school record with four touchdown catches and posting career highs of 12 receptions for 217 yards in the win over Illinois — a boost compounded by Ole Miss's double-digit loss at Florida.
- Georgia stayed at No. 3 at 4-0 after its defense forced four Oklahoma turnovers and held the Sooners to 65 rushing yards, leading the nation in both total efficiency and offensive efficiency, though its schedule ranks No. 123 nationally and lacks a true statement win.
- Miami climbed to No. 4 at 4-0 on two Power 4 road wins (Stanford and Wake Forest) and a national-leading rate of explosive plays (percentage of plays over 10 yards), while Notre Dame's defense holds the edge in TFLs and sacks in any committee comparison.
- Notre Dame sits at No. 5 at 4-0, marking the first September undefeated under Marcus Freeman, with QB CJ Carr accounting for four touchdowns against Purdue in a complete three-phase effort and the Irish now 3-0 against the Big Ten.
- Alabama rounds out the top six at 4-0 with three straight convincing wins against Power 4 opponents, including the Sept. 12 road victory at 3-1 Kentucky that gains value after the Wildcats' Week 3 win at Texas A&M, plus a turnover-free dismantling of South Carolina.
Why it matters: The SEC's new Florida-Ole Miss-LSU logjam forces the committee into head-to-head tiebreaker mode after Florida's 52-28 win dropped Ole Miss down the rankings. Texas retains the No. 1 projection despite 11 penalties and six sacks of Arch Manning at Tennessee — though the source explicitly notes undisciplined play and offensive problems could haunt Texas in a debate with a comparable 4-0 team.
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