COAST TO COAST PREVIEW; THE TOP 10

Halloween Weekend | October 31, 2026

By Jim Baxter | JB Talking Sportz

We’re approaching November, and the college football landscape is beginning to take shape. Or is it?

If we’ve learned anything this season, it’s that nobody is safe. We’ve watched highly ranked teams stumble against opponents they were supposed to handle, and we’ve seen the national championship picture change dramatically from one Saturday to the next.

Miami continues to occupy the top spot, Ohio State is lurking just behind the Hurricanes, and Georgia has climbed back into the top three.

Meanwhile, Utah and UCLA remain unbeaten, and BYU is trying to recover from a stunning double-overtime loss to UCF.

Eight of the nation’s top ten teams will be in action this weekend, and while there aren’t many heavyweight showdowns, there are several games that could produce surprises.

Let’s take a look.

NO. 1 MIAMI (7-0)

Opponent: at North Carolina
7:30 PM ET | ABC

Miami continues to impress me.

The Hurricanes dismantled Pittsburgh 52-23 last weekend, and I believe they’re playing some of the best football in the country.

Quarterback Darian Mensah has been outstanding, and Malachi Toney continues to demonstrate why he’s among the most dangerous offensive weapons in college football.

What impresses me most about Miami is its balance.

The Hurricanes can attack opponents through the air, establish the running game, and play physical defense.

North Carolina will have the advantage of playing at home, but I don’t see the Tar Heels having enough defensive personnel to consistently contain Miami’s offense.

The biggest concern for the Hurricanes is complacency. When you’re ranked No. 1, everybody wants to be the team that knocks you off.

I don’t believe that’s happening Saturday.

JB’S PREDICTION: MIAMI 41, NORTH CAROLINA 17

NO. 2 OHIO STATE (6-1)

Opponent: at USC
7:30 PM ET | NBC

This is one of the more intriguing games on the national schedule.

Ohio State travels to Los Angeles to face a USC program that has been inconsistent and is coming off a disappointing 24-7 loss to Wisconsin.

The Buckeyes have one of the most talented rosters in college football, and Jeremiah Smith remains an extraordinary weapon.

I believe Smith is the best wide receiver prospect in the country, regardless of classification.

USC has enough offensive talent to create problems, but I question whether the Trojans can consistently protect their quarterback against Ohio State’s defensive front.

The Buckeyes should be able to establish an advantage at the line of scrimmage, and I expect them to exploit USC’s defensive weaknesses.

Playing in the Coliseum is never easy, particularly for a team traveling across the country, but Ohio State is simply the better football team.

I expect the Trojans to compete early before the Buckeyes begin pulling away.

JB’S PREDICTION: OHIO STATE 38, USC 20

NO. 3 GEORGIA (6-1)

Opponent: vs. No. 17 Florida, Atlanta
3:30 PM ET | ABC

Georgia and Florida renew their rivalry in Atlanta, and I expect this to be one of the more physical games of the weekend.

The Bulldogs are coming off an open date, giving Kirby Smart additional time to prepare for the Gators.

Florida has shown improvement, but I’m not convinced the Gators have the offensive consistency necessary to beat Georgia.

The Bulldogs have an advantage in the trenches, and I believe that will ultimately determine the outcome.

Georgia needs to establish its running game and avoid putting unnecessary pressure on Gunnar Stockton.

Defensively, the Bulldogs should be able to generate enough pressure to disrupt Florida’s passing attack.

I expect the Gators to hang around for a while, but Georgia’s superior depth and physicality should become increasingly evident as the game progresses.

JB’S PREDICTION: GEORGIA 31, FLORIDA 17

NO. 4 INDIANA (7-1)

Opponent: vs. Minnesota
3:30 PM ET | CBS

Indiana survived a defensive battle against Michigan last weekend, escaping with a 13-6 overtime victory.

It wasn’t pretty, but good football teams occasionally have to find ways to win when things aren’t going particularly well.

The Hoosiers have established themselves as legitimate contenders in the Big Ten, but their offensive performance against Michigan raised some questions.

Minnesota is capable of playing physical football, and I expect the Golden Gophers to attempt to shorten the game by controlling possession.

Indiana needs to establish an offensive rhythm early and avoid allowing Minnesota to dictate the tempo.

I believe the Hoosiers are considerably more talented offensively than they demonstrated against Michigan.

Look for a much better offensive performance this weekend.

JB’S PREDICTION: INDIANA 34, MINNESOTA 13

NO. 5 NOTRE DAME (6-1)

Opponent: vs. Navy, Foxborough, Massachusetts
12:00 PM ET | ABC

Notre Dame returns to action following an open date, and the Fighting Irish should be well prepared for their annual meeting with Navy.

This is always an interesting matchup because defending Navy’s option-oriented offense requires discipline.

One missed assignment can turn what appears to be a routine running play into a substantial gain.

Notre Dame has a significant advantage in overall personnel, particularly along the defensive front.

The Irish need to remain disciplined, maintain their assignments, and avoid allowing Navy to control the clock.

Offensively, I expect CJ Carr to have opportunities to exploit Navy’s secondary.

Notre Dame should win comfortably, but don’t be surprised if the Midshipmen make things interesting early.

JB’S PREDICTION: NOTRE DAME 35, NAVY 14

NO. 6 UTAH (7-0)

Opponent: at Cincinnati
3:45 PM ET | ESPN

Utah continues to be one of the more interesting stories in college football.

The Utes remain undefeated following their 21-13 victory over Houston, and they’re positioning themselves for a serious run at the Big 12 championship.

What I like about Utah is its physicality.

The Utes don’t necessarily overwhelm opponents with explosive offensive performances, but they play disciplined football and make opponents earn everything.

Cincinnati presents an interesting challenge, particularly playing at home.

The Bearcats have already demonstrated their ability to knock off quality opponents, defeating Texas Tech 37-24 last weekend.

That should get Utah’s attention.

I expect Cincinnati to make this a four-quarter contest, and I wouldn’t be shocked if the Bearcats found a way to pull off the upset.

But I’m going to stick with Utah’s defensive consistency.

JB’S PREDICTION: UTAH 27, CINCINNATI 24

NO. 7 UCLA (7-0)

Opponent: vs. Nevada
4:15 PM ET | Big Ten Network

UCLA continues to quietly put together one of the most impressive seasons in college football.

The Bruins improved to 7-0 following their 28-10 victory over Michigan State, and I believe this team deserves considerably more national attention.

Nevada shouldn’t present a significant challenge, although overlooking an opponent is always dangerous.

UCLA has the advantage in athleticism, depth, and overall personnel.

I expect the Bruins to establish control early and use this game as an opportunity to continue developing their offensive consistency.

The bigger question surrounding UCLA isn’t whether it can beat Nevada.

It’s whether the Bruins can maintain their undefeated record when the competition becomes considerably more difficult in November.

For now, I expect another comfortable victory.

JB’S PREDICTION: UCLA 42, NEVADA 10

NO. 8 BYU (6-1)

Opponent: vs. Arizona State
3:30 PM ET | FOX

This is a very important game for BYU.

The Cougars suffered their first loss of the season last weekend, falling to UCF 39-31 in double overtime.

Now comes the difficult part.

How do they respond?

I’ve always believed that you learn considerably more about a football team following a loss than you do during a winning streak.

Arizona State is capable of creating problems, and BYU cannot afford another disappointing performance.

The Cougars need to establish themselves physically and avoid the mistakes that contributed to last week’s defeat.

Playing at home should help.

I expect BYU to respond with a much more disciplined performance, although I believe Arizona State will make this competitive.

JB’S PREDICTION: BYU 31, ARIZONA STATE 24

NO. 9 KENTUCKY (7-1)

OPEN DATE

Kentucky might be one of the most overlooked teams in the country.

The Wildcats improved to 7-1 with a convincing 34-17 victory over Vanderbilt, and they’re beginning to establish themselves as legitimate contenders in the SEC.

What impresses me about Kentucky is its ability to play physical football and avoid beating itself.

The Wildcats have already demonstrated their ability to win close games, including their overtime victory over South Carolina.

Kentucky will use this open date to prepare for a difficult trip to Tennessee on November 7.

That game will tell us considerably more about whether the Wildcats belong among the nation’s elite.

For now, I believe Kentucky deserves its place in the top ten.

NO. 10 ALABAMA (6-2)

OPEN DATE

Alabama picked up an important 31-20 victory over Texas A&M last weekend, and I thought Keelon Russell demonstrated tremendous composure when the Crimson Tide needed him most.

Russell continues to impress me.

He’s a young quarterback with extraordinary potential, and I believe his development could ultimately determine how far Alabama advances this season.

The Crimson Tide have already suffered two losses, which means their margin for error is becoming increasingly narrow.

But I wouldn’t count Alabama out.

There’s still enough talent on this roster to compete with anybody in the country.

The open date comes at an excellent time, particularly with a trip to LSU looming on November 7.

That matchup against Lane Kiffin’s Tigers could have enormous implications for both programs.

Alabama isn’t out of the national championship conversation.

But the Crimson Tide can’t afford many more mistakes.

JB’S FINAL THOUGHTS

Halloween weekend might not feature a showdown between two top-ten teams, but I believe there are several opportunities for surprises.

The game that concerns me most is Utah traveling to Cincinnati.

The Bearcats are coming off an impressive victory over Texas Tech, and I believe they have enough talent to make life difficult for the undefeated Utes.

I’m also interested in watching Ohio State at USC.

The Trojans have been inconsistent, but playing in the Coliseum at night presents a different challenge.

And then there’s Miami.

The Hurricanes have looked like the best team in the country, but remaining undefeated requires more than talent. It requires focus, discipline, and the ability to handle the pressure that comes with being No. 1.

We’ll find out Saturday whether the nation’s elite continue separating themselves from the pack or whether Halloween weekend delivers another round of surprises.