Week 10 • 2026
QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I’ve got people back home looking up to me. If I give up, I’m giving them the mindset that they can give up when something hard comes. As long as I keep pushing forward, I’m giving those kids motivation to do the same.” - Penn State running back Cam Wallace following his breakout performance against Purdue after suffering a gruesome injury in 2024
TEAM TO WATCH
TEAM OF THE WEEK
Georgia’s suffocating defense fueled a commanding 27-8 win over then-No. 17 Florida, forcing four turnovers and holding the Gators well below their season scoring average. Florida entered the matchup averaging 39.6 points per game, but the Bulldogs held them to their lowest scoring output of the season. The victory kept Georgia tied for first in the SEC standings with Kentucky.
USC continued the chaos on Halloween with its 30-18 upset over then-No. 2 Ohio State, keeping its College Football Playoff hopes alive. The Trojans climbed to No. 20 in the CFP rankings, while the Buckeyes became the fourth consecutive AP Top 2 team to fall along with UCF over No. 2 BYU, Auburn over No. 1 Georgia, and Oklahoma over No. 1 Texas.
Georgia stuffed Florida’s ground game, allowing just 54 yards on 28 carries (1.9 ypc) and limiting star running back Jadan Baugh to 38 yards. The Dawgs also capitalized on Florida’s struggling passing attack, picking three interceptions. Georgia converted the takeaways into 17 points, with its offense adding 217 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Quarterback Jayden Maiava continued his efficient season, completing 15-of-22 passes for 222 yards and a touchdown, while wide receiver Trent Mosley hauled in a team-high five receptions for 101 yards and a score. The Trojans’ defense set the tone up front with two sacks and seven tackles for loss.
GEORGIA
The Bulldogs rank ninth nationally in total defense, allowing just 272.6 yards per game. On offense, Georgia’s backfield features three running backs averaging over six yards per carry. Dwight Phillips Jr. leads with 415 yards on 55 carries (7.5 ypc). Georgia closes the season with three of its final four games against teams currently ranked in the CFP Top 25. The stretch begins with a road matchup against No. 10 Ole Miss on Saturday, November 7, at 5:30 p.m. PHX on ABC.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER // 2026
USC
Freshman tight end Mark Bowman provided one of the game’s defining moments in the third quarter, catching a pass over the middle before hurdling a defender and shedding two tacklers on a 70-yard catch-and-run to the Ohio State three-yard line. USC finished the drive with a touchdown from running back King Miller, extending its lead in a pivotal stretch. The Trojans face another major test when they travel to Bloomington to take on No. 4 Indiana in another must-win game on Saturday, November 14.
Week 10
GAMES TO WATCH #9 BYU AT #3 UTAH
11.7 // 10:00 A.M. // ABC
#7 TEXAS AT #18 MISSOURI
CFP WEEK 10 RANKINGS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Miami Georgia Utah Indiana Alabama
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Kentucky Texas UCLA BYU Ole Miss
For full Rankings, click here.
11.7 // 10:00 A.M. // ESPN
#5 ALABAMA AT #14 LSU
11.7 // 1:30 P.M. // ABC
#6 KENTUCKY AT #13 TENNESSEE
11.7 // 4:15 P.M. // ESPN
#2 GEORGIA AT #10 OLE MISS
11.7 // 5:30 P.M. // ABC
For a full schedule of Week 10 games, click here. (All times in PHX)
2026 BOWL PREDICTIONS
GAME OF THE WEEK #1 MIAMI AT #11 NOTRE DAME
No. 1 Miami heads to South Bend to face No. 11 Notre Dame in one of the season’s most anticipated matchups. Both programs, CFP National Championship Game runners-up the last two seasons, are seeking their first ranked win of the season as they look to strengthen their championship aspirations. The game will feature Heisman hopefuls Miami quarterback Darian Mensah and Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr. Mensah has thrown for 2,425 yards and 25 touchdowns, while Carr has recorded 1,849 yards and 18 touchdowns and has yet to commit a turnover at home this season. The Fighting Irish look to avenge their 27-24 loss to the Hurricanes last season, a result that ultimately determined the final at-large bid in the College Football Playoff. Kickoff at Notre Dame Stadium is set for Saturday, November 7, at 5:30 p.m. on NBC.
CFP QUARTERFINAL at Vrbo FIESTA BOWL
CACTUS BOWL
ESPN Bonagura – No. 1 Miami vs. No. 8 Kentucky
ESPN Schlabach – Michigan vs. Cincinnati
Sports Illustrated – No. 4 Miami vs. No. 5 Utah
Sports Illustrated – Nebraska vs. West Virginia
CBS Sports – No. 4 UCLA vs. No. 5 Indiana/No. 12 Boise State
CBS Sports – Michigan vs. Cincinnati
USA Today – No. 3 Miami vs. No. 6 Utah
USA Today – Wisconsin vs. Baylor
College Football News – No. 2 Miami vs. No. 7 Indiana
College Football News – Northwestern vs. Kansas State
The Athletic – No. 4 Miami vs. No. 5 Utah/No. 12 Oregon State
The Athletic – Wisconsin vs. West Virginia
Week 10
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER // 2026
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
BUCKY IRVING A stormy day in Tampa Bay laid the foundation for a career performance by running back Bucky Irving, who powered the Buccaneers to a 16-0 victory over Atlanta. The Buccaneers rushed for 342 yards, led by Irving’s 170 yards and one touchdown on 27 carries. Tampa became the first team to win a game without completing a pass since Buffalo accomplished the feat in 1974. Leading 9-0 in the third quarter, Irving broke out for a 46-yard run down to the Atlanta 35-yard line. A few plays later, he punched in a four-yard touchdown, notching the game’s only trip to the end zone. Irving ranks fourth in the NFL with 728 rushing yards and ninth with 5.0 yards per carry. In the 2023-24 Fiesta Bowl, Irving helped No. 8 Oregon cruise to a 45-6 win over No. 23 Liberty in his final collegiate game. He rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown, capping an impressive 13-play, 82-yard drive that took 7:27 off the clock with a 1-yard score. Following a standout season and Fiesta Bowl performance, Tampa selected Irving in the fourth round with the 125th overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft. Irving and the Buccaneers carry a two-game winning streak into their road matchup against the Bears on Sunday, November 8, at 6:20 p.m. PHX on NBC for Sunday Night Football.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
DJ LAGWAY BAYLOR
DREW MESTEMAKER OKLAHOMA STATE
Quarterback DJ Lagway delivered a standout performance, earning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors. He completed 16-of-25 passes for 319 yards and four touchdowns in Baylor’s 41-9 rout of UCF. Lagway opened scoring with a four-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter before adding consecutive touchdown throws of 21 and 77 yards in the third. He capped the victory with a five-yard touchdown pass in the fourth, helping Baylor improve to 5-3 (3-2 Big 12). Lagway currently ranks 12th in FBS with 278.5 passing yards per game.
Quarterback Drew Mestemaker continued his outstanding season, completing 27-of-42 passes for 323 yards and five touchdowns in a shootout against Iowa State. After throwing three touchdowns earlier in the contest, Mestemaker added two more in the fourth quarter, including a seven-yard go-ahead score with 53 seconds remaining. Mestemaker leads the nation with 25 passing touchdowns and ranks second with 2,649 passing yards, further strengthening his case as one of the nation’s premier quarterbacks.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER // 2026
Week 10
BIG NEWS The Cactus Bowl enters an exciting new era with a fresh rebranding rooted in its Arizona heritage. The game will once again feature Bowl Season’s only Big Ten vs. Big 12 matchup and is set for 5:30 p.m. MST on Saturday, December 26, in its grand return to Mountain America Stadium. As we eagerly await kickoff in Tempe, we’re bringing you weekly game highlights, player reports and other updates from the two conferences. Here’s the BIG news heading into Week 10:
BIG TEN •
Indiana survived a dramatic overtime battle with Minnesota, 23-16, improving to 8-1 on the season. The Golden Gophers drilled a 60-yard field goal with 19 seconds left, before a 33-yard pass from backup quarterback Grant Wilson to Charlie Becker set up kicker Paddy McAteer to drill a 60-yard equalizer. Wilson found Becker again on the first play of overtime to help Indiana secure a miraculous victory
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Oregon bounced back with a 34-26 upset over No. 20 Northwestern in Eugene, earning its second win over a ranked opponent this season. Quarterback Dylan Raiola completed 22-of-31 passes for 336 yards and three touchdowns. The Ducks outscored the Wildcats 21-6 in the second half, including a 14-3 fourth quarter to secure the win. The win returned the Ducks to the top 25 at No. 23 in the CFP rankings
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Iowa climbed to No. 19 in this week’s CFP rankings after its 30-0 shutout of then-No. 25 Wisconsin. Quarterback Hank Brown earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors, completing 20-of-24 passes for 222 yards and two touchdowns. The Hawkeyes’ defense limited the Badgers to 235 total yards and forced three turnovers, recording their third shutout of the season
BIG 12 •
Transfer quarterback Tommy Castellanos made an immediate impact in his first start, leading Texas Tech to defeat No. 22 Arizona, 34-26. Castellanos threw for 144 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 117 yards and a score on the ground. Texas Tech remains in a tie for second in the Big 12 with BYU and looks to stay in the championship race when it hosts an explosive West Virginia offense this weekend
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In a 100-point shootout that witnessed 13 touchdowns and more than 1,000 total yards, Iowa State pulled off a 51-49 upset of No. 24 Oklahoma State in one of the wildest games of the season. After the Cowboys scored a go-ahead touchdown with 53 seconds remaining, the Cyclones drove 47 yards to set up kicker Kyle Konrardy’s game-winning field goal. Konrardy finished with 15 points and earned Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors
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The stakes have never been higher in the nearly 100-year history of the Holy War, as No. 9 BYU and No. 3 Utah meet for the first time as top 10 opponents. A victory would move either team to the top of the Big 12 standings, adding another layer to one of college football’s most heated rivalries. BYU has won the last three meetings, but Utah enters with the longest active FBS winning streak at 14 games
HOT TAKES “The College Football Playoff committee will shoehorn in at least one 9-3 SEC team. The call is that, for the first time in the short history of the CFP, a team with more than two regular-season losses will get an at-large spot in the rankings over a Power Four program that goes 10-2.” – Pete Fiutak, College Football News “CJ Carr could win the Heisman Trophy. The Heisman is nothing if not a narrative award, and it’s not difficult to imagine Carr jumping to the top of the Heisman odds board if Notre Dame wins on Saturday.” – Spenser Davis, Saturday Down South CLICK HERE to submit your hot takes for a chance to be featured in next week’s edition!
Week 10
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER // 2026
NEWS IN THE FOUNDATION CHARITY SPOTLIGHT FIESTA SPORTS FOUNDATION HOSTS LEGACY YOUTH FOOTBALL CLINIC
FOOTBALL FEATURE: CAMPO VERDE’S DYNAMIC DUO LEADS COYOTES TO COPPER STATE INVITATIONAL VICTORY Campo Verde quarterback Amaya Moreno knew what receiver Jaiyana Bogan-Jacobs could do long before the rest of the flag football world started paying attention. “A lot of people are just finding out now, but she’s been doing this,” Moreno said. “The one-handers and the flashy grabs, she does it all the time.” Bogan-Jacobs has the ability to turn a play into something unforgettable – Moreno sees it all at practice. But at the Fiesta Bowl Copper State Invitational, the duo and the rest of their teammates had a chance to show Arizona just how special their team really is. Campo Verde went undefeated over two days of competition at Arizona State University’s Dorsey Fields, beating eight of Arizona’s top high school girls flag football programs along the way. Campo finished the tournament with a 42-12 win over Salpointe Catholic in the championship game on Saturday, Oct. 17.
The 2026 Fiesta Sports Foundation Legacy Youth Football Clinic hosted nearly 100 children from the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community to introduce and enhance the game of football to the community. This free, non-contact clinic at Scottsdale Community College taught participants through various drills and skills challenges as part of the Foundation’s greater effort to connect with Arizona youth through football. Youth athletes were joined by special guest coach Devon Kennard, a former Arizona Cardinals linebacker and Desert Vista High School alumnus. Kennard was the latest in a great group of special coaches that have included NFL and major college players, in addition to local high school teams in this one-of-a-kind event. Past guest coaches include eight-year NFL quarterback Brett Hundley, Arizona Cardinals linebacker Jesse Luketa, Arizona prep quarterback standouts and current NFL players Spencer Rattler and Jack Plummer, NFL Super Bowl Champion and Glendale Apollo High School graduate Prince Amukamara and former Arizona State and NFL kicker Luis Zendejas.
Moreno and Bogan-Jacobs played a big part in earning the Coyotes the championship. Moreno led the offense at quarterback, while Bogan-Jacobs made plays at wide receiver and defensive back, collecting tournament MVP honors. Over the course of the two-day tournament, Bogan-Jacobs hauled in 31 receptions from Moreno for 482 yards and 12 touchdowns.
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Week 10
CFP QUARTERFINAL AT THE Vrbo FIESTA BOWL DECEMBER 30, 2026
CACTUS BOWL
DECEMBER 26, 2026
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Week 10
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COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER // 2026