CFP Traffic Report: Where every Power Four team stands entering Week 9 of season

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With chaos still reigning in the College Football Playoff race, Week 9 only added to the uncertainty for some. Elite teams continue to separate themselves from the pack, but even some top teams are running out of room for mistakes. Every loss matters and every slip-up looms larger entering a pivotal November stretch, potentially derailing title hopes for programs that entered 2025 with high expectations.

Indiana and Ohio State remain near locks for the playoff, cruising through Big Ten schedules that leave them in firm control. Texas A&M and Alabama are staking claims in the SEC, while Georgia, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt are jockeying to keep the pressure on -- none with a completely clear path. Texas continues to hang on by the slimmest of margins, surviving a late rally to stay alive in the CFP picture, while Oklahoma's inconsistencies threaten to undo its postseason hopes.

Meanwhile, the ACC and Big 12 remain wide open. Georgia Tech and Virginia are holding the edge, with five one-loss ACC teams nipping at their heels. In the Big 12, BYU and Cincinnati sit in control, but Houston and Texas Tech aren't far off, keeping the conference race -- and the path to the CFP -- tense.

So, who's cruising to the playoff and who's running out of room? This Week 10 edition of the College Football Playoff Traffic Report breaks down where the Power Four teams stand, from those in control to those clinging to hope, organized by tiers:

🚀 On cruise control
🟢 In the driver's seat
🟡 Bumper-to-bumper
🔴 Sitting on the shoulder
⛔ Out of the race

The latest report highlights 25 teams most likely to reach the CFP, spotlighting those in strong position while flagging programs running low on margin for error -- or already effectively out of the hunt.

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Chip Patterson

Let's take a look at the road to the CFP ahead of Week 10.

🚀 On cruise control

Look elite, have a clear path and have a lot of margin for error

No. 2 Indiana (8-0): Curt Cignetti doesn't mess around. The Hoosiers obliterated UCLA for their second win over an FBS opponent by 50-plus points this season -- something only eight Power Four teams have done once. Buckle up for more beatdowns: Indiana's final four Big Ten opponents -- Maryland, Penn State, Wisconsin and Purdue -- are a combined 1-17 in conference play.

No. 1 Ohio State (7-0): The Buckeyes haven't faced much resistance, but they've been suffocating anyway behind a defense that's given up double-digits just once. That looming trip to Michigan at the end of the schedule is the only real threat left, but even a fifth straight loss to its bitter rival wouldn't keep Ohio State out of the CFP.

No. 3 Texas A&M (8-0): The Aggies can win a national championship. Seriously. Texas A&M has the pieces to make a deep postseason run -- as long as it avoids another catastrophic November collapse. The first goal is straightforward enough: get to the SEC title game for the first time since joining the league in 2012.

No. 4 Alabama (7-1): One way to look at the Crimson Tide's narrow victory at South Carolina is as a stumble from a team that had been rolling. The other? As a battle-tested group that just survived a four-game gauntlet against CFP contenders and then escaped Williams-Brice Stadium, one of the more underrated environments in the SEC.

🟢 In the driver's seat

Control their path, but still vulnerable -- one or two unexpected hiccups could matter

No. 5 Georgia (6-1): The Bulldogs still control their destiny to the CFP, but they'll need a little help if they want to make it back to Atlanta to defend their SEC crown. The schedule isn't a free pass: the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party against Florida, plus tests against Texas and Georgia Tech, loom large. Georgia has the talent to handle it, but a couple slips in November could change everything.

No. 6 Oregon (7-1): The Ducks' sloppy win over struggling Wisconsin isn't a reason for concern. The victory keeps them on track for the CFP, but their path is tougher than it appears. Road trips to Iowa and Washington are far from easy, and missteps in both could quickly change the playoff picture.

No. 7 Ole Miss (7-1): Splitting road games at Georgia and Oklahoma was a must for the Rebels -- and they delivered. Now the question is whether Lane Kiffin can keep Ole Miss rolling amid swirling Florida rumors. The Rebels don't leave Oxford again until the Egg Bowl, but the looming Florida matchup on Nov. 15 adds plenty of intrigue to the final stretch.

No. 8 Georgia Tech (8-0): The Yellow Jackets have been cruising, but the next two weeks -- at NC State and at Boston College -- could get tricky. Both are potential trap spots away from Atlanta, where Georgia Tech has been far less dominant. Even a spot in the ACC title game might not guarantee a CFP berth, so there's little room for error.

No. 10 Miami (6-1): The Hurricanes' offense sputtered in the first half again in Week 9 -- maybe Carson Beck had trouble spotting receivers in those camo uniforms. Still, an important test for Miami comes next: its first trip outside the Sunshine State all season, a must-win at SMU to stay in the playoff chase.

No. 10 BYU (8-0): These Cougars must have nine lives. BYU has trailed in the second half of four of its five Big 12 games yet remains unbeaten and in control of the conference race. A much-needed bye week comes before a trip to Texas Tech in Week 11.

No. 9 Vanderbilt (7-1): The Commodores are on the last leg of a four-game SEC gauntlet against AP Top 25 opponents with a trip to Texas in Week 10. Vanderbilt has a little margin for error down the stretch, but anything more than two losses would all but leave its CFP hopes to fate.

No. 12 Notre Dame (5-2): The Fighting Irish are likely to hang in the shadows this November with no marquee matchups left on the schedule. Navy hasn't offered much resistance the past two years, and the quieter things stay around South Bend, the better for Marcus Freeman and Co.

No. 13 Texas Tech (7-1): The Red Raiders control their Big 12 fate, but Week 10 at resurgent Kansas State screams trap game -- particularly with a showdown against frontrunner BYU on deck. Getting quarterback Behren Morton back is important.

No. 14 Tennessee (6-2): The résumé lacks substance -- none of the teams the Volunteers have beaten this season currently own a winning record. There are chances to fix that with Oklahoma and Vanderbilt still on the schedule.

🟡 Bumper-to-bumper

Alive, but their path is crowded, narrow or highly dependent on others

No. 20 Texas (6-2): Down 31-14 late in the third quarter, it looked like the Longhorns' CFP hopes were finished -- until a furious rally and overtime win kept them alive. The comeback buys little breathing room with three of the next four opponents ranked inside the top 10 of the AP poll.

No. 15 Virginia (7-1): The Cardiac Cavaliers did it again -- their fourth straight one-possession win and third overtime thriller in that stretch. Virginia still controls its fate in the ACC race, but the next three -- at California, Wake Forest and at Duke -- could easily end the magic.

No. 18 Oklahoma (6-2): The cracks are showing. Losers in two of their last three, the Sooners still have to survive trips to Tennessee and Alabama -- plus dates with Missouri and LSU -- to stay in the CFP mix. Oklahoma could unravel quickly in November.

No. 17 Cincinnati (7-1): The Bearcats might still be undefeated if not for Brendan Sorsby's lone interception in the season-opening loss to Nebraska. Cincinnati will have to fight for its path to the Big 12 title game, starting with a tough road trip to Utah in Week 10.

No. 16 Louisville (6-1): Bunched in the ACC's crowded one-loss pack, the Cardinals remain in the mix but will need a little help to climb the standings. They hold key tiebreakers over Miami and Pittsburgh, with SMU on the November schedule. Don't count Jeff Brohm out just yet.

No. 21 Michigan (6-2): A massive opportunity awaits if the Wolverines can topple Ohio State again. A win would almost certainly put them in the CFP and potentially the Big Ten title game depending on tie-breakers.

No. 23 USC (5-2): Another road trip awaits Lincoln Riley and the Trojans, which are 2-6 in such games since the start of last season. The Week 10 visit to Nebraska is huge -- win that, and USC still has a clear path to prove itself against Iowa and at Oregon.

No. 19 Missouri (6-2): The Tigers' skid against AP Top 25 SEC foes rolls on. Eli Drinkwitz has dropped his last five such games at Missouri, with two more looming -- Texas A&M and Oklahoma.

No. 22 Houston (7-1): The Cougars need a little chaos to punch their ticket to the Big 12 title game and keep CFP hopes alive -- but that's been the weekly norm in this conference the past couple years. Houston still has one of the easiest remaining slates in the league.

Washington (6-2): There's two unranked Big Ten teams with a legitimate CFP shot. The Huskies should roll through the next three games before catching Oregon at home in late November. If Washington wins out, it'll be in a strong position for the CFP.

Iowa (6-2): The Hawkeyes' lone conference loss is to Indiana in one of the few times it's been pushed this season. Iowa hasn't gotten enough credit for its play over the past month. A bye before hosting Oregon and visiting USC makes the next few weeks a defining stretch.