Yahoo Top 10: After a historically chaotic college football Saturday, which team deserves top spot?

October 18, 2026

Saturday’s college football slate produced unprecedented upheaval, with No. 1 Georgia falling to Auburn on the final play for the second straight week and top‑ranked teams losing to unranked foes for the first time since 1990.

The historic day also saw five of the top eight AP poll teams defeated, including Georgia’s 53‑game unbeaten run against unranked opponents, Alabama’s first back‑to‑back regular‑season losses in 220 attempts, and the rare simultaneous defeats of Georgia, Alabama and Texas—the first such trio since 1996.

In the Top 10, Ohio State edged Indiana 19‑15 despite losing quarterback Julian Sayin to a throwing‑arm injury, while BYU upset Notre Dame 28‑24 behind Bear Bachmeier’s all‑purpose performance. Miami survived a 43‑35 double‑overtime battle to beat Florida State, and other notable notes include Bill Belichick improving to 4‑2 after UNC toppled Duke, Northwestern reaching 5‑1, Tommy Carr stepping in for Bryce Underwood to secure Michigan’s first Big Ten win, and Arkansas ending a 14‑game SEC losing streak at Vanderbilt.