Update at 3 a.m. ET on SundayThe first full college football Saturday is in the books and for as much excitement as there was, the hype over the return of the sport was really met by only two games decided in—quite literally—the final throws and another that nearly came to that among upset-minded teams. Beyond such contests though, there was enough action to alter the postseason picture enough that it’s time to make some changes to the College Football Playoff bracket. As things stand, LSU’s impressive thumping of Clemson did more than send a statement, it elevated the Tigers from a potential playoff team into one of the SEC favorites who will be vying for a bye in the first round. Likewise, fellow contenders who had less-than-impressive debuts saw their stock fall slightly after the first weekend of the season. There was not enough of a sample size to really change which teams will make the bracket as it currently stands, but there were enough data points to move the teams around by a notable amount. With more games still on deck, the playoff still presents plenty of great storylines and a number of intriguing matchups should things hold for the rest of the season.Update at 7 p.m. ET on SaturdayIt may be hard to top Oregon’s 34–27 win over Boise State on Saturday in terms of both game of the week and CFP implications. Much like the last time these two played in Eugene, Ore., the Broncos more than showed that they belonged against the best team on their schedule and that the Ducks still have a few things to work on ahead of their difficult Big Ten slate that kicks off in a few weeks at USC. While the final result is not enough to move the new-look Pac-12 favorites (feels strange typing that when not referencing Oregon in this game) out of the bracket, it does bump the eventual winners down a few notches—just like Indiana after a less-than-convincing effort in the opener. Update at noon ET on SaturdayAfter last week’s lovely Week Zero appetizer and some midweek action from coast to coast, the first full Saturday of the season is upon us!As usual, the chase for the College Football Playoff will be top of mind for many fan bases in 2026 and the road to Las Vegas is full of hopeful contenders as Week 1 gets underway. It’s not the most intense slate of matchups on tap this weekend, but it features plenty of games which will have significant implications that the selection committee will be paying close attention to.Using the Sports Illustrated preseason projections, and based on some of the early looks at teams, here’s how the bracket looks. Live Week 1 College Football Playoff BracketNotre DameOhio StateLSUMiami GeorgiaTexasOregon IndianaMississippiUSCBYUBoise StateFirst RoundNo. 12 Boise State at No. 5 GeorgiaNo. 11 BYU at No. 6 TexasNo. 10 USC at No. 7 OregonNo. 9 Mississippi at No. 8 IndianaQuarterfinalsPeach Bowl: No. 4 Miami vs. winner of No. 12 Boise State vs. No. 5 GeorgiaCotton Bowl: No. 3 LSU vs. winner of No. 11 BYU vs. No. 6 TexasRose Bowl: No. 2 Ohio State vs. winner of No. 10 USC vs. No. 7 OregonFiesta Bowl: No. 1 Notre Dame vs. winner of No. 9 Mississippi vs. No. 8 IndianaNo. 12 Boise State at No. 5 GeorgiaWhat a strange offseason it was given the buzz around the Bulldogs has been close to nothing. The youngest team in the sport will have no issue for the start of nonconference play—as evidenced by their effortless romp in Athens, Ga., against an FCS foe—but plenty of tests await in SEC play. The Broncos, meanwhile, showed why they are the early favorite for the Group of 6 bid (and maybe more) after an impressive start-to-finish effort at Oregon. Yes, it ended with an 0–1 record to start 2026, but they did what was required in showing the selection committee that they’re no pushover compared to higher-caliber opposition like the No. 2 team in the country. That Memphis–Boise State game is suddenly very much a massive contest in the CFP pecking order. No. 11 BYU at No. 6 Texas The hype seemed well-deserved for wideout Cam Coleman, who was on the right end of a number of great throws from Arch Manning in Texas’s blowout win over Texas State on Saturday. In terms of tune-ups for the mega matchup next week against the Buckeyes, it’s hard to have a better one than that. The Cougars are SI’s early pick to win the Big 12 and get over the hump of making the playoff and their opening win, combined with the competition that Texas Tech faced, will do nothing to change that after one week. No. 10 USC at No. 7 OregonDan Lanning can’t be happy with some of the sloppy play he saw from his team on the other hand, particularly defensively as Oregon allowed Boise State to notch several sustained scoring drives and build up an early double-digit lead. The Ducks still had flashes of greatness in between the rust, but will have to step it up against a brutal Big Ten slate. Down the coast, Lincoln Riley apparently heard enough about the closer-than-expected score from Week Zero and kept the starters in long enough against Fresno State to notch an impressive shutout on Friday night. Combined with an offense that has seen plenty of freshmen look the part, the Trojans appear to be firmly in the mix as one of the contenders in the Big Ten early on. No. 9 Mississippi at No. 8 IndianaTrinidad Chambliss might be the face of college football and we’ll see him in action Sunday for what is this week’s only ranked-vs.-ranked matchup against Louisville. The reigning champion, meanwhile, looked a little rusty in game No. 1 with a running game that needs work and a defense which will surely be hearing from Curt Cignetti in practice the next couple of days. New QB Josh Hoover had a nice debut against North Texas, but it’s clear this isn’t quite the well-rounded juggernaut that rolled through the CFP late last season just yet. Peach Bowl: No. 4 MiamiLast season’s runner-up got off to a flying start in the Bay Area on Friday night as Malachi Toney’s Heisman Trophy campaign looks alive and well after torching the Cardinal. Good luck to the rest of the ACC handling the Hurricanes if they’re going to keep playing like that.Cotton Bowl: No. 3 LSUThe most expensive roster in college football looked like it in what amounted to a tune-up game against a fellow Power 4 foe. It wasn’t just a good debut for Lane Kiffin’s squad, but a statement-making one which signaled that they are now the team to beat in the SEC even before considering all the off-field drama. Rose Bowl: No. 2 Ohio StateThe Buckeyes’ warmup game ahead of taking a trip to Austin went as expected on Saturday in Columbus. Jeremiah Smith flashed the Heisman pose and looked ready to remind everyone he’s the best player in the sport, several new names on defense stepped up to make some plays and even former coach Jim Tressel gave his seal of approval on an afternoon where he was enshrined at the Horseshoe. Fiesta Bowl: No. 1 Notre DameThe biggest chip on the shoulder of any team is probably on the Irish after the way things went down at the end of last season and being left out of the playoff. We’ll see if that gets channeled into the matchup at Lambeau Field on Sunday against a much improved Wisconsin side.PODCAST: Listen to Sports Illustrated’s college sports podcast, Others Receiving Votes, hosted by Pat Forde, on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on SI’s college YouTube channel or on SI TV.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow