PFN’s 2026 College Football Power Rankings: Georgia, Florida Climb After Electric Week 4

The college football landscape shifted again in Week 4, with several ranked teams making major statements while others took a pretty significant hit.

PFN’s CFB Power Rankings are based on our data and PFN Impact metrics rather than preseason expectations. With conference play really starting to heat up, here’s a look at where the top teams stand after another wild weekend of college football.

23T) Cincinnati Bearcats

Cincinnati joins the three-way tie at No. 23 after improving to 4-0.

The Bearcats have a stronger offense than defense, ranking 15th nationally in PFN’s Offense Impact Score. The defense ranks 73rd, so there are still questions about how Cincinnati will hold up against the strongest competition.

But at 4-0 and with a recent big win over Kansas State, the Bearcats have earned the opportunity to find out.

23T) Virginia Tech Hokies

Virginia Tech makes another move up the rankings after opening the season 4-0.

The Hokies rank 23rd nationally in offense and 24th defensively, giving them one of the more impressive statistical profiles among the teams near the bottom of the Top 25.

They sneaked by a pesky Boston College squad, but at 4-0, Virginia Tech has earned its spot in the conversation of contending in the mysterious ACC conference.

23T) Louisville Cardinals

Louisville moves into a tie at No. 23 after sitting at No. 26 previously.

The Cardinals are 2-2, but their offense ranks 18th nationally in PFN’s metrics. They are led by star transfer QB Lincoln Kienholz, who has a top 15 PFN CFB QB Impact Score of 87.6. He is currently carrying the entire team.

That offensive production is keeping Louisville relevant despite the inconsistent start.
The defense, ranked 72nd, remains the biggest concern moving forward.

22) Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Wake Forest rises to No. 22 after a big-time win over ranked Louisville this past weekend.

The Demon Deacons are now 3-1, and the biggest issue in the PFN metrics is clearly the defense, which ranks 115th nationally. The offense ranks 62nd, so Wake Forest doesn’t have a major statistical advantage on either side of the ball, but head coach Jake Dickert has his team believing and sometimes, that’s all that is needed to be successful.

Still, the 3-1 start has been enough to keep the Demon Deacons inside the Top 25.

21) Pittsburgh Panthers

Pittsburgh continues its surprising start.

The Panthers are 4-0 and now sit at No. 21 in PFN’s rankings, with the defense ranking 9th nationally. Pat Narduzzi has a very balanced team, but the defense leads the way for them right now.

The offense hasn’t been nearly as impressive as the defense, but they are no slouches, sitting at No. 17. They are led by star sophomore QB Mason Heintschel, who had another 6 passing touchdowns this week, and his 13 total TDs are second-most in the country.

An undefeated start has the Panthers looking like one of the more interesting teams in the ACC as conference play develops.

20) Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee falls to No. 20 after losing a close one to Texas.

The Volunteers are now 3-1, but there are still plenty of positives to take from the season so far. Tennessee ranks 51st nationally on offense and 19th defensively, giving it one of the better all-around profiles in the SEC.

The loss to Texas hurts after recovering the onside kick late and having a chance, but there is still plenty of football left for Tennessee to make up ground.

19) Texas Tech Red Raiders

Texas Tech falls to No. 19 despite remaining undefeated at 4-0.

The Red Raiders haven’t necessarily been overwhelming statistically, ranking 37th offensively and 35th defensively.

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Still, they keep finding ways to win, and until they get that blunder on their schedule, they will continue to be inside the top 25.

At 4-0, Texas Tech has put itself in a strong position in the Big 12, but the toughest part of the schedule is still ahead and other teams within the conference are rising.

18) Missouri Tigers

Missouri drops to No. 18 after falling to 3-1. The Tigers have been relatively balanced this season, ranking 48th offensively and 33rd defensively.

The defense remains the biggest reason Missouri is still inside the Top 20. With SEC play continuing to get tougher, Missouri will need that defense to keep carrying the team.

17) UCLA Bruins

UCLA continues to rise after opening the season 4-0.

The Bruins have a solid overall profile, ranking 28th nationally on offense and 27th defensively.

They don’t have the explosive statistical profile of some of the teams ahead of them, but being undefeated through four games has kept UCLA firmly inside the Top 25.

They have a secret weapon with running back Wayne Knight, who followed head coach Bob Chesney over from James Madison. He currently has the best PFN CFB RB Impact Grade in the country. The upcoming Big Ten schedule should tell us much more about this team.

16) USC Trojans

USC took a significant hit after losing to Oregon.

The Trojans fell 41-27 in the massive Big Ten matchup, dropping them to 4-1. There is still plenty to like about this team. USC has the No. 3 offense in PFN’s metrics, which shows just how dangerous the Trojans can be when everything is clicking.

The problem is the defense, which ranks 107th nationally. This has been the team’s kryptonite for the longest time, and it showed up again on Saturday against Oregon.

That imbalance was exposed against the Ducks, and USC will need to figure it out quickly if it wants to stay in the national picture.

15) Utah Utes

Utah is at No. 15 despite remaining undefeated at 4-0. The Utes have one of the most balanced profiles in the country, ranking 8th in offense and 14th in defense, according to PFN’s metrics.

That balance has kept Utah in the top 15 even as other teams have made major moves around them. New head coach Morgan Scalley has hit the ground running in Year 1 with the Utes. Utah looks like a sneaky CFP team, and the Holy War against BYU should be fun this year.

The Big 12 race is starting to take shape, and Utah should be right in the middle of it.

14) BYU Cougars

Speaking of BYU, the Cougars continue to have one of the better offenses in the country, ranking 22nd nationally in PFN’s Offense Impact Score. The dynamic duo of Bear Bachmeier and LJ Martin remains prolific and is arguably the best 1-2 punch in the country.

The defense ranks 50th, so the offense will likely have to carry this team against the toughest teams on their schedule. For now, BYU remains firmly inside the top 15.

13) Mississippi State Bulldogs

Mississippi State continues to climb after improving to 4-0.

The Bulldogs have quietly built one of the better offensive profiles in the country, ranking 9th nationally in PFN’s CFB Offense Impact Score. Heisman contender Kamario Taylor has burst onto the scene for the Bulldogs.

The defense is a different story, ranking 55th. The unit is serviceable, but needs work. Still, Mississippi State continues to win games, and the undefeated record has pushed the Bulldogs all the way to No. 13 in the latest rankings. A big test awaits against the Crimson Tide this week.

12) Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa continues climbing after another impressive defensive performance.

The Hawkeyes improved to 4-0 by beating Michigan 20-19 in a defensive battle. Iowa’s defense ranks fourth nationally in PFN’s Defense Impact Score, which is easily the biggest strength of this team. The offense, on the other hand, ranks 55th.

The formula is pretty obvious with Iowa: play defense, limit mistakes, and make enough plays offensively to win. So far, it’s working.

11) Ole Miss Rebels

Ole Miss falls to No. 11 after getting blown out by Florida.

The Rebels entered the weekend with plenty of momentum after their huge win over LSU, but the 52-28 loss to the Gators completely changed the conversation around the team.
Ole Miss still has a strong offensive profile (40th in the nation), but its defense ranks 90th nationally in PFN’s metrics.

That defensive inconsistency is becoming harder to ignore, especially against high-level SEC competition. They will remain contenders as long as they have Trinidad Chambliss under center, but the defense is a big question mark currently that can hold them back from reaching their full potential.

10) LSU Tigers

LSU rises back up after an impressive blowout win over the Aggies.

The Tigers are 3-1, but their defense remains one of the best units in the country, ranking first nationally in PFN’s Defense Impact Score. The offense, however, ranks 41st. Sam Leavitt looked much more comfortable with a 312-yard passing performance last week.

That defensive strength gives LSU plenty of room to recover, but the Tigers need more consistency offensively if they want to remain in the upper tier of the SEC.

9) Florida Gators

Florida made a massive jump up the rankings after one of the biggest wins of the weekend. After stunning Ole Miss 52-28, the Gators improved to 4-0.

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Florida’s offense ranks fourth nationally in PFN’s metrics, while the defense sits at No. 61. They have offensive weapons everywhere, but are led by star running back Jadan Baugh.

That combination has Florida looking much more dangerous than it did coming into the season. The Gators now have a major SEC victory on their résumé and a chance to keep climbing.

8) Oregon Ducks

Oregon made one of the biggest jumps in the latest rankings.

The Ducks are now No. 8 after beating USC 41-27 in a huge Big Ten matchup. Oregon improved to 3-1 and finally picked up the kind of marquee win that can change the perception of a team.

The Ducks rank 13th nationally on offense and 38th on defense, giving them one of the more balanced profiles in the Big Ten. The win over USC was especially important because Oregon had already suffered a loss earlier in the season. Now, the Ducks have a major conference win to build around and gain some much-needed momentum.

7) Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama continues climbing after another strong performance.

The Crimson Tide improved to 4-0 by beating South Carolina 49-18. Alabama’s defense remains one of its biggest strengths, ranking 22nd nationally in PFN’s metrics.

The offense ranks 14th, giving Alabama a solid balance on both sides of the ball. Alabama now has a chance to make an even bigger statement as the SEC schedule gets more difficult.

6) Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State drops to No. 6 after a slight move down in the rankings. The Buckeyes responded to their loss to Texas by beating Illinois 42-19 and improving to 3-1.

Ohio State continues to have a strong defensive profile, ranking 15th nationally in PFN Defense Impact Score. The offense ranks 7th.

Jeremiah Smith somehow seems to be improving after already being looked at as the best receiver in college football. The loss to Texas still hangs over the Buckeyes, but they have responded well and remain one of the most talented teams in the country.

4T) Texas Longhorns

Texas moves into a tie for fourth after surviving a huge road test against Tennessee.

The Longhorns defeated the Volunteers 20-17 to improve to 4-0, adding another quality win to an already impressive start.

Texas isn’t dominating PFN’s offensive or defensive metrics, but the Longhorns continue to find ways to win. They rank 68th offensively and 5th defensively.

That balance, along with the team’s undefeated record, has kept Texas right near the top of the rankings, but they’re hanging around by the skin on their teeth. The comeback win over the Buckeyes is the big résumé booster.

4T) Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame stays at No. 4 after another convincing win.

The Fighting Irish improved to 4-0 by taking down Purdue 49-10. Notre Dame continues to have one of the better defensive profiles in the country, ranking second nationally in PFN’s Defense Impact Score. The offense ranks 19th, giving the Irish a balanced profile that has kept them near the top of the rankings.

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Notre Dame has another opportunity to strengthen its résumé as the season continues, but for now, the Irish remain firmly inside the top four.

3) Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana fell to No. 3 but remains firmly among the top teams in the country.

The defending national champions improved to 4-0 after surviving a close 29-23 game against Northwestern on Friday night.

Indiana still has one of the strongest defenses in the country, ranking 11th nationally in PFN’s CFB Defense Impact Score. The offense also ranks sixth. The Hoosiers haven’t been quite as dominant as they were at times last season, but the overall profile remains extremely strong.

2) Miami Hurricanes

Miami remains near the very top of the rankings after another impressive performance.
The Hurricanes improved to 4-0 by destroying Central Michigan 52-3, continuing what has been an explosive start to the season.

Miami owns the No. 1 offense in PFN’s metrics while also ranking eighth defensively. That combination has given the Hurricanes one of the strongest overall profiles in the country. The duo of star receiver Malachi Toney and quarterback Darian Mensah has produced fireworks just as everyone expected.

The biggest question now is how Miami handles the tougher portion of its schedule, but the numbers clearly have the Hurricanes near the top of the sport.

1) Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia takes over the No. 1 spot in PFN’s College Football Power Rankings.

The Bulldogs improved to 4-0 after dominating Oklahoma 41-13 on Saturday. Georgia continues to look like one of the most complete teams in the country, ranking fifth nationally in PFN Offense Impact Score and seventh defensively.

The Bulldogs have been able to control games on both sides of the ball, and that balance is a major reason they have moved to the top of the rankings. They currently have a 13.2% chance to win the national championship, according to PFN’s CFB Playoff Meter.

With the SEC schedule only getting tougher from here, the Bulldogs will have plenty of opportunities to prove they deserve to be at No. 1.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.