Georgia Surges to Top Seed in Projected 12-Team CFP Bracket
The Bulldogs replace Texas at No. 1 based on AP rankings, though the Longhorns would still host a first-round game.
Georgia has ascended to the top seed in the projected 12-team College Football Playoff bracket, overtaking Texas based on The Associated Press Top 25 poll released Sunday. Despite the shift in overall seeding, the Longhorns are still slated to host a first-round game.
The projected bracket saw adjustments following Texas' loss to unranked Oklahoma, which dropped the Longhorns out of a top-four position and the accompanying first-round bye. Georgia, Notre Dame, and Miami each moved up one seed line from the previous week. Ohio State entered the top four at No. 4, and Indiana, Alabama, Texas, and BYU are positioned to host first-round games.
Under the CFP format, the five highest-ranked conference champions from the Power Four conferences and one from the Group of Six will automatically qualify for the playoff. The remaining seven spots will be filled by the next highest-ranked teams, with Notre Dame potentially securing an at-large bid if they remain within the top 12 of the CFP's final rankings.
The Southeastern Conference is projected to have four teams in the bracket, a decrease from the previous week as LSU fell out following its loss to Kentucky. Utah has replaced LSU, providing the Big 12 with a third participant. The Big Ten would have two teams, while the Atlantic Coast Conference and Pac-12 would each have one. Notre Dame would participate as an independent, and Boise State is set to represent the Pac-12 as the top Group of Six champion.
Based on the current AP rankings, the opening round of the CFP would feature the following matchups:
No. 9 seed Mississippi at No. 8 BYU, with the winner advancing to face No. 1 Georgia. No. 12 seed Boise State at No. 5 seed Indiana, with the winner advancing to face No. 4 Ohio State. No. 10 seed Texas Tech at No. 7 Texas, with the winner advancing to face No. 2 Notre Dame. No. 11 seed Utah at No. 6 Alabama, with the winner advancing to face No. 3 Miami.
The first three teams currently projected to be outside the playoff field are UCLA, Missouri, and Tennessee. UCLA, ranked No. 12 by the AP, would be displaced by Boise State, the highest-ranked Group of Six team.
First-round games are scheduled for December 18 and 19, followed by quarterfinals on December 30 and January 1. The semifinals are set for January 14 and 15, with the championship game to be played on January 25 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The Associated Press will continue to publish projected brackets based on the weekly Top 25 poll until the CFP selection committee releases its initial rankings on November 3.