The first College Football Rankings were released on Tuesday night, and it was Tennessee who is in the No. 1 spot. In addition to the Vols, Ohio State, Georgia and Clemson are inside the projected four-team playoff bracket.
Potentially by 2024 and definitely by 2026, the College Football Playoff will expand to 12 teams and there will be four rounds of playoff rather than two. Each week here at Sporting News, we will take a look at what that bracket would look like if that format was in place for this season.
MORE: Full College Football Playoff Rankings
What a 12-team playoff bracket would look like
A 12-team field would consist of the six highest rated conference champions and the six highest-rated at-large teams. The format most discussed would feature a first-round bye for the top four seeds and the first-round games to be held on campus. The top four seeds would be the four highest rated conference champions.
So what would the bracket look like if the field was unveiled today?
Here would be the first-round matchups:
No. 12 Tulane at No. 5 Georgia
Let’s just say the spread in this game would be … large. Tulane makes it into the field as the sixth-highest rated conference champion. The Green Wave are in first in the American Athletic Conference, the same league produced playoff participant Cincinnati in 2021. Georgia, ranked No. 3 by the committee, would be the five-seed since there is already an SEC team in the top four and would get to host a first-round game.
Winner plays: vs. No. 4 seed TCU
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No. 11 Ole Miss at No. 6 Michigan
The Shea Patterson Bowl? Patterson spent two years at Ole Miss before becoming Michigan’s starting quarterback for his final two seasons in 2018-19. Two of the more notable coaches in the game square off in the Big House, and there would be plenty of ground-and-pound in the winter weather in Ann Arbor.
Winner plays: vs. No. 3 seed Clemson
No. 10 LSU at No. 7 Alabama
A rematch of this weekend’s clash in Baton Rouge. LSU and Alabama have shared many a moment on the big stage, and this would be another chapter. Alabama is a double-digit favorite in Baton Rouge on Saturday. That number climbs if they square off in Tuscaloosa.
Winner plays: vs. No. 2 seed Ohio State
No. 9 USC at No. 8 Oregon
This looks like a Pac-12 championship game, but on campus! There are four big boys in the Pac-12 this season, and these are the two best for now. They will not meet in the regular season. It would be a fascinating first-round matchup.
Winner plays: vs. No. 1 seed Tennessee
MORE: Why more CFP games need to be on campus
Seeds for a 12-team playoff
The list of seeds 1-12 would be as follows based on today’s rankings and conference standings.
No. 1 seed Tennessee (8-0) – In what was supposed to potentially a dangerous look-ahead spot before its showdown with Georgia, Tennessee ran and hid from Kentucky 44-6 on Saturday. The Vols offense has been spectacular all season, but Saturday in Knoxville, the defense kept pace, allowing just 205 total yards and picking off three Will Levis passes.
No. 2 seed Ohio State (8-0) – Ohio State passed its toughest test against Penn State last Saturday, but it was not easy. Trailing 21-16 in the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes exploded for four touchdowns and left the Lions in the dust. Ohio State has little to worry about (Northwestern, Maryland, Indiana) before it tries to get revenge against Michigan on Nov. 26.
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No. 3 seed Clemson (8-0) – The Tigers had an open Saturday before traveling to Notre Dame this weekend for a rematch of the 2020 double-overtime classic won by ND 47-40. It will be interesting to see how patient Dabo Swinney is with starting QB D.J. Uiagalelei after benching him in favor of five-star freshman Cade Klubnik against Syracuse. Swinney insists DJ is his man, but if it is tight in South Bend, will Klubnik come out of the bullpen?
No. 4. seed TCU (8-0) – The Frogs survived a letdown spot last weekend at West Virginia and pulled out a 41-31 win in a game that came down to the final minutes. Quarterback Max Duggan has 22 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and is averaging 276 passing yards per game. There is a chance TCU will be favored in its final four regular season games, starting with week at home against Texas Tech
No. 5. seed Georgia (8-0) – The reigning national champion had a convincing 22-point win over Florida in Jacksonville last week and now faces its toughest test of the season against No. 1 Tennessee. The Dawgs are a solid favorite, but this is by far the best offense it has faced. The winner will cruise to the SEC East title and will be in position to lose the SEC title game and still possibly make the playoff.
No. 6. seed Michigan (8-0) – Lost in the ugliness of the incidents that occurred in the Michigan Stadium tunnel after the game was a solid 29-7 win for the Wolverines over Michigan State. Michigan had serious red zone issues, settling for five field goals. How will Michigan handle the distractions in the aftermath of Saturday’s ugliness? Up next is a visit to 4-4 Rutgers.
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No. 7. seed Alabama (7-1) – Alabama is coming off an open week before its annual showdown with LSU. The Tide have played three road games this season – two of which came down to the final possession. Tiger Stadium should be hopping, although Alabama has won 10 of the last 11 games in this series and LSU has not exceeded 17 points in any of the 10 losses.
No. 8. seed Oregon (7-1) – Oregon continued its 40-point barrage with a 42-24 win at Cal. It is the seventh straight game the Ducks have crashed the 40-point mark. Oregon stands at the head of a four-team class in the Pac-12 as it prepares for what should be an easy road trip to Colorado.
No, 9. seed USC (7-1) – The Trojans had a tougher-than-expected trip to Arizona, emerging with a 45-37 win. The USC offense can keep pace with almost anybody, but the defense is starting to show cracks after allowing 42 and 37 points in back-to-back weeks. Home games with Cal and Colorado are up before end-of-the-season tests against UCLA and Notre Dame.
MORE: Could Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama all land in CFP out of the SEC?
10. seed LSU (6-2) – The Tigers lost in Week 1 by one point to Florida State on a blocked extra point and have handled the rest of their business heading into this week’s showdown with visiting Alabama. Quarterback Jayden Daniels has been red hot the last two weeks with five passing touchdowns and six rushing touchdowns.
11. seed Ole Miss (7-1) – Ole Miss is the third team currently tied for first place in the SEC West with Alabama and LSU. The Rebels have just a loss to LSU on the negative side, but it was a one-sided loss and Kentucky is the only quality win thus far. They get a big chance for a quality win in two weeks when they host Alabama.
12. seed Tulane (7-1) – The Green Wave own an impressive win over No. 13 Kansas State and sit in first place in the AAC, but games against Cincinnati and No. 25 UCF remain. There is still work to be done in New Orleans if the Wave want to finish as the sixth highest-rated conference champ.
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