Texas reclaimed the top spot in the AP Top 25 rankings, securing the No. 1 seed in The Associated Press College Football Playoff bracket projection. In this projection, two Southeastern Conference (SEC) teams are set for head-to-head matchups in the first round. The top seed and SEC champion, Texas, is followed by Ohio State from the Big Ten at No. 2, Miami from the Atlantic Coast Conference at No. 3, and Iowa State from the Big 12 at No. 4. These four teams would enjoy first-round byes in the 12-team playoff format.
Texas ascended to the top seed following an upset loss by Alabama to Vanderbilt. Clemson and Mississippi have earned spots in the current bracket, while Missouri and Michigan have dropped out after recent defeats. The projected bracket for this week includes two SEC matchups in the first round: Mississippi facing Georgia and Tennessee taking on Alabama.
The playoff format dictates that the top four seeds are reserved for the highest-ranked conference champions, without regard to their overall ranking. The top five conference champions, regardless of their conference, are guaranteed places in the playoff. There is no limit on the number of teams that can qualify from a single conference. While the College Football Playoff selection committee will begin releasing rankings in November, the current breakdown is according to the AP Top 25 rankings.
The anticipated matchups in the projected bracket are as follows: Tennessee at Alabama, Boise State at Oregon, Mississippi at Georgia, and Clemson at Penn State. The winners of these games will advance to face higher-seeded teams in the subsequent bowl games.
Teams entering the bracket this week are Clemson and Mississippi, while Michigan and Missouri exit the field. The next five teams in the ranking include Notre Dame, LSU, BYU, Texas A&M, and Utah, poised to make a move up the standings.
