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College Football Playoff Rankings: A New Leader Emerges

The college football landscape has undergone a significant shift, with Oregon taking over the top spot in the latest playoff rankings. The Ducks’ ascension to the number one seed comes after Texas lost to Georgia, which had previously lost to Alabama, and then Tennessee. This shake-up has opened the door for new contenders to emerge and make a push for the 12-team College Football Playoff.

The Top Four Seeds

• No. 1 Oregon Ducks: With their convincing win over Ohio State, Oregon has solidified its position as the number one seed. The Ducks are projected to win the Big Ten championship and have a strong chance of reaching the playoff.
• No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs: Georgia’s win over Texas has propelled them to the second seed. The Bulldogs have the top résumé in the FBS, according to ESPN’s strength of record metric, and are well-positioned to make a deep playoff run.
• No. 3 Miami Hurricanes: Miami’s road win over Louisville has legitimized their playoff position, and they remain on track to face Clemson in the ACC championship game.
• No. 4 BYU Cougars: BYU’s projected Big 12 championship win has earned them the fourth seed. The Cougars’ road win at SMU and head-to-head home win against Kansas State have separated them from Iowa State in the projected committee ranking.

First-Round Matchups

• No. 12 Boise State Broncos at No. 5 Texas Longhorns: This matchup features the committee’s fifth-highest ranked conference champion, Boise State, against the Longhorns.
• No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers at No. 8 LSU Tigers: Tennessee’s win over Alabama has earned them a promotion, and they will face the Tigers in the first round.
• No. 11 Indiana Hoosiers at No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes: Indiana’s convincing win over Nebraska has bumped them up, and they will face the Buckeyes in the first round.
• No. 10 Clemson Tigers at No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions: Clemson’s loss to Miami has dropped them to the tenth seed, and they will face the Nittany Lions in the first round.

Group of 5 Power Rankings

• No. 1 Boise State Broncos: The Broncos’ schedule separates them from other Group of 5 contenders, with a three-point loss at Oregon and a win against Washington State.
• No. 2 UNLV Rebels: UNLV’s road win against Oregon State has given their résumé a boost, and they will face Boise State in a crucial matchup.
• No. 3 Navy Midshipmen: Navy’s win against Memphis has earned them the third spot, despite a weak schedule.
• No. 4 Army Black Knights: Army’s undefeated record has them in the fourth spot, but their weak schedule is a concern.

The college football playoff picture is constantly shifting, and teams will need to continue to perform well to secure their spots in the 12-team playoff.