No. 1 Oregon and No. 2 Texas are one win away from locking up the highest two seeds within the College Football Playoff after the discharge of the penultimate CFP Rankings on Tuesday. SMU tasks because the 3-seed ACC champion, whereas Boise State can also be closing in on a first-round bye after rating No. 10 on this week’s launch. The Broncos are 5 spots away from any Big 12 workforce and solely have to beat No. 20 UNLV to finish a bye.
Projected Big 12 champion Arizona State sits at No. 15 within the rankings and the 12-seed within the bracket because the Sun Devils are projected to face a tricky street journey to satisfy 5-seed Penn State within the first spherical. The different projected dwelling websites are 6-seed Notre Dame, 7-seed Georgia and 8-seed Ohio State. The Fighting Irish are ineligible for a first-round bye regardless of rating No. 4 as a result of they can’t win a convention championship.
Down the board, Alabama is projected to make the 12-team College Football Playoff area after rating No. 11 within the CFP Rankings. The Crimson Tide narrowly eked out a spot whereas contending in opposition to No. 12 Miami, No. 13 Ole Miss and No. 14 South Carolina for the bid. The winner of the Big 12 title sport between No. 15 Arizona State and No. 16 Iowa State will seemingly maintain the 12-seed.
Here is a take a look at how the College Football Playoff bracket takes care of the penultimate CFP Rankings launch.
CBS Sports Graphic
Alabama is in, for now
The most consequential race within the penultimate rankings was for the No. 11 spot between Alabama, Miami, Ole Miss and South Carolina. Between the 5 auto-bids and 6 seemingly at-large groups, just one free spot was out there for the glut. In a surprising transfer (not), Alabama moved forward of an ACC workforce with fewer losses and is now projected within the area.
That mentioned, Alabama’s standing stays tenuous relying on the end result of the ACC Championship Game. Based on SMU’s No. 8 rating, the Mustangs are seemingly a lock to make the sphere as a convention champ or at-large. If No. 17 Clemson upsets SMU within the title sport, they’ll seemingly enter the sphere as a bid thief. Tide followers ought to be rooting laborious for SMU to handle enterprise.
For all intents and functions, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Miami at the moment are eradicated from the College Football Playoff.
Ohio State favored for dwelling area
After dropping a stunner to a putrid Michigan workforce in Week 14, Ohio State fell 4 spots down the rankings to No. 6 and the 8-seed. The Buckeyes didn’t even attain the Big Ten Championship Game for the fourth straight season and at the moment are ineligible for a bye. Thanks to wins over high 10 Indiana and Penn State, although, the Buckeyes are nonetheless in nice place to host a CFP sport at Ohio Stadium.
The Buckeyes are projected to host 9-seed Tennesse, and it is unlikely that this system is pushed off their spot. None of the opposite projected at-large groups behind them are enjoying in a convention championship sport and should not be capable to rise. Ryan Day will get some new life, however will now must play 4 CFP video games to succeed in the nationwide championship. It’s a tricky path.
Plenty up for grabs
The expanded CFP is about to arrange maybe the craziest convention championship weekend in historical past. The Big 12 and Mountain West each have play-in video games, the place the winner is heading to the College Football Playoff and the loser is out. While No. 8 SMU ought to be within the area regardless, No. 17 Clemson is enjoying for his or her lives.
Even within the Big Ten and SEC, although, fortunes can change instantly. A win for No. 3 Penn State or No. 5 Georgia may push them into the byes and pressure Oregon or Texas to play within the first spherical. Clemson may additionally shake up the sphere and doubtlessly knock Alabama out and get the Big 12 champ into the bye vary. Everything is on the desk.
