B/R's 2026 College Football Playoff Bracket Projections and Predictions after Week 4

An action-packed Saturday slate has created a fresh outlook for the race to the 2026 season's edition of the College Football Playoff.

Florida and Mississippi State both landed marquee wins in Week 4, soaring into the projected CFP field. Florida knocked Ole Miss out of the bracket, while Mississippi State capitalized on a loss elsewhere.

As of now, the SEC dominates the Playoff conversation. But as conference play heats up, there will be plenty of movement—and opportunity for other leagues.

The projected bracket is a reflection of B/R's Top 25 dropped into the organization of the official CFP format.

Key Results in Week 4

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Jadan Baugh

Florida 52, Ole Miss 28

Immediately after toppling LSU, Ole Miss turned around and lost at Florida. It was a statement victory for the offense-driven Gators, who have rapidly ascended under new coach Jon Sumrall. Florida improved to 4-0, soaring into the projected CFP bracket with an at-large position.

Wisconsin 24, Penn State 20

Wake Forest also stunned Louisville, but the most impactful upset of the weekend belonged to Wisconsin. Penn State entered with a 3-0 record, sitting just on the wrong side of the Playoff bubble. However, the Nittany Lions blew a 17-point lead and gave up a 72-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter of this loss.

Oregon 41, USC 27
Mississippi State 31, Missouri 24

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore left with an injury, but USC could not stop Dylan Raiola in a disappointing home loss. Mississippi State, meanwhile, had a dominant fourth quarter to take out Mizzou. As a result, Mississippi State essentially took USC's spot in the latest bracket.

B/R's Top 25 After Week 4

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Darian Mensah

1. Georgia
2. Texas
3. Notre Dame
4. Miami
5. Indiana
6. Ohio State
7. Florida
8. Alabama
9. Mississippi State
10. BYU
11. LSU
12. Utah
13. Texas Tech
14. Iowa
15. Ole Miss
16. Duke
17. Virginia Tech
18. Tennessee
19. UCLA
20. USC
21. Oklahoma State
22. Oregon
23. Missouri
24. Cincinnati
25. Boise State

Post-Week 4 CFP Picture

Seeding is a reflection of how B/R's Top 25 would shape the bracket.

Power 4 Champions and Top Group of 6 Team

1. Georgia (SEC)
2. Miami (ACC)
3. Indiana (Big Ten)
4. BYU (Big 12)
5. Boise State (Pac-12)

At-Large Bids

1. Texas (SEC)
2. Notre Dame (Independent)
3. Ohio State (Big Ten)
4. Florida (SEC)
5. Alabama (SEC)
6. Mississippi State (SEC)
7. LSU (SEC)

Wild Week 4 in the SEC

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Highlighted by four games including two Top 25 teams, the SEC provided some nonstop drama on Saturday.

Texas went on the road and edged Tennessee 20-17 behind a five-sack performance from Colin Simmons. Georgia put a 41-13 beatdown on Oklahoma, and Florida had an unstoppable offense in a 52-28 victory over Ole Miss.

During the evening window, Alabama cranked up the heat on Shane Beamer's seat in a 49-18 rout of South Carolina as LSU smoked Texas A&M 35-6 and Mississippi State clipped Mizzou 31-24.

In short: Florida and Mississippi State are feeling really good—joining Texas and Georgia as confident 4-0 teams. LSU avoided a wave of panic with its rout, too.

Ole Miss won't be thrilled with a lopsided result or a struggling defense, but the Rebels are still in decent shape. On the other hand, the vibes are straight-up horrendous at OU, South Carolina and Texas A&M.

Week 4 set the stage for what should be a chaotic season in the SEC.

Impact Games in Week 5

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Kamario Taylor

Alabama at Mississippi State

Speaking of the SEC, the noon window features a massive game between Alabama and Mississippi State—you know, just as we all expected. Even though Bama isn't the class of the conference right now, Mississippi State taking down a brand of that stature would be huge for the program. Alabama, nevertheless, is the favorite for this cowbell-crazed contest in Starkville.

Ohio State at Iowa
Florida at Missouri

Want to contend nationally? You'd better win on the road. Ohio State and Florida—which are ranked fifth and eighth, respectively, in the updated AP Top 25—are headed to No. 14 Iowa and No. 25 Missouri. If either or both hosts win, the Big Ten and/or SEC standings would get an interesting twist.

Miami at Clemson

Similar story for Miami. On paper, the 'Canes should not come close to losing this matchup. Clemson is 3-1 but hasn't looked dangerous on offense. Still, when top teams are on the road in conference play, strange things are known to happen.