Three weeks into this thing, and what do we really know? We know that the Georgia Bulldogs have an excellent football team, but one the College Football Playoff Selection Committee is not quite ready to give its roses to just yet. In their eyes, this team is imperfect, as illustrated by its one loss on the ledge. In the history of this tournament, you are allowed to grow and get better after an early loss...
Based on ESPN's Football Power Index, Georgia was almost certainly going to be a lock to have a top-four seed heading into this week's ranking. Getting a first-round bye did not help any of the teams a year ago, as Oregon, Georgia, Boise State and Arizona State all lost in the national quarterfinals. Granted, Boise State and Arizona State were grossly overseeded. Anywho, what about the rankings?
Heading into Week 13, here are the latest College Football Playoff rankings. Who all made the top 25?
- Ohio State Buckeyes (10-0)
- Indiana Hoosiers (11-0)
- Texas A&M Aggies (10-0)
- Georgia Bulldogs (9-1)
- Texas Tech Red Raiders (10-1)
- Ole Miss Rebels (10-1)
- Oregon Ducks (9-1)
- Oklahoma Sooners (8-2)
- Notre Dame Fighting (8-2)
- Alabama Crimson Tide (8-2)
- BYU Cougars (9-1)
- Utah Utes (8-2)
- Miami Hurricanes (8-2)
- Vanderbilt Commodores (8-2)
- USC Trojans (8-2)
- Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-1)
- Texas Longhorns (7-3)
- Michigan Wolverines (8-2)
- Virginia Cavaliers (9-2)
- Tennessee Volunteers (7-3)
- Illinois Fighting Illini (7-3)
- Missouri Tigers (7-3)
- Houston Cougars (8-2)
- Tulane Green Wave (8-2)
- Arizona State Sun Devils (7-3)
Now that we know the top 25, let's find out who would make the playoff if the season ended today.
Projected College Football Playoff bracket after third series of rankings
Based on the criteria of the College Football Playoff, this would be the 12-team bracket as of now.
- Ohio State Buckeyes (10-0): Projected Big Ten champion
- Indiana Hoosiers (11-0): Projected Big Ten runner-up
- Texas A&M Aggies (10-0): Projected SEC champion
- Georgia Bulldogs (9-1): Projected SEC runner-up
- Texas Tech Red Raiders (10-1): Projected Big 12 champion
- Ole Miss Rebels (10-1): Projected SEC at-large
- Oregon Ducks (9-1): Projected Big Ten at-large
- Oklahoma Sooners (8-2): Projected SEC at-large
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-2): Projected national independent at-large
- Alabama Crimson Tide (8-2): Projected SEC at-large
- Miami Hurricanes (8-2): Projected ACC champion
- Tulane Green Wave (8-2): Projected AAC/Group of Five champion
For a little bit more context, these would be the first four teams out of the playoff field as of tonight.
- 13. BYU Cougars (9-1): Projected Big 12 runner-up
- 14. Utah Utes (8-2): Big 12
- 15. Vanderbilt Commodores (8-2): SEC
- 16. USC Trojans (8-2): Big Ten
Georgia is ranked fourth and seeded No. 4. While it is one spot better than a week ago, there are some in Dawg Nation who feel the Bulldogs got robbed with this ranking. They have played a much tougher schedule than the three teams ranked ahead of them in Ohio State, Indiana and Texas A&M. Eventually, water will find its level. In the meantime, we will have to see how this all unfolds in the end.
So without further ado, let's do a College Football Playoff bracket simulation like we did last week...
Projected College Football Playoff first-round matchups and byes
Now that we know who has made the playoff in this latest bracket, here are the first-round matchups.
- No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes (BYE)
- No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers (BYE)
- No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies (BYE)
- No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs (BYE)
- No. 5 Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. No. 12 Tulane Green Wave
- No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels vs. No. 11 Miami Hurricanes
- No. 7 Oregon Ducks vs. No. 10 Alabama Crimson Tide
- No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners vs. No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M and Georgia have all earned first-round byes in this bracket. Big 12 champion Texas Tech will take on AAC champion Tulane out of the Group of Five in the No. 5 vs. No. 12 game. No. 6 Ole Miss will host No. 11-seeded ACC champion Miami. Oregon will welcome Alabama to Autzen in the No. 7 vs. No. 10 game. Oklahoma faces Notre Dame in Norman in the No. 8 vs. No. 9.
Texas Tech has more better players than Tulane, so the Red Raiders will advance to the national quarterfinals. Ole Miss may play with its food for a bit, but Carson Beck will throw picks to Pete Golding's defense, so the Rebels move on. Oregon should beat Alabama in this game, but the Ducks will not, as Ty Simpson marches on to being the No. 1 pick. Notre Dame runs out of gas vs. Oklahoma.
With Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Alabama and Oklahoma all advancing, let's see the quarterfinal matchups.
Projected College Football Playoff bracket national quarterfinals
With only eight teams left, here is who would be playing each other in the four national quarterfinals.
- Rose Bowl: No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners
- Orange Bowl: No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers vs. No. 10 Alabama Crimson Tide
- Cotton Bowl: No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies vs. No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels
- Sugar Bowl: No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs vs. No. 5 Texas Tech Red Raiders
Big Ten champion Ohio State would draw Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl. Indiana would face Alabama in the Orange Bowl. SEC champion Texas A&M gets conference foe Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl, or the Sugar Bowl, it really does not matter. Georgia would face Big 12 champion Texas Tech in the Sugar Bowl, or the Cotton Bowl, whatever is the last remaining New Year's Six Bowl that goes unclaimed.
Ohio State's depth and offensive firepower allows the Buckeyes to cruise past the Sooners rather easily. Indiana gets by Alabama by the skin of the Hoosiers' teeth. Texas A&M does so many cartwheels in the streets after being an Ole Miss team that has grown sick and tired of Lane Kiffin's shenanigans. Georgia has too much talent on the offensive side of the ball for Texas Tech to contain.
It will be chalk heading into the semifinals with Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M and Georgia advancing.
Projected College Football Playoff bracket national semifinals
With only four teams remaining, here is who would be playing who in the national semifinal games.
- Peach Bowl: No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes vs. No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs
- Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers vs. No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies
Ohio State would take the Peach Bowl, only to get Georgia in the Bulldogs' backyard... Indiana will settle for the Fiesta Bowl, where the Hoosiers will await Texas A&M. At this stage of the game, all four of these teams could conceivably win the College Football Playoff. It will be all about matchups and opportunities the rest of the way. Will Georgia take advantage of theirs or come up short of the goal?
No, not a chance. Georgia reminds Ohio State that Mercedes-Benz Stadium belongs to them. It will not take a last-second missed field goal to win this time, as Georgia hands Ohio State its first and only loss of the season in the semifinals. The same principle applies to Indiana getting past Texas A&M in the Fiesta Bowl. The two grittier teams advance because they have the better quarterbacks at hand.
So it will be the Tom Crean Bowl between Georgia and Indiana in the national title bout down in Miami.
Projected College Football Playoff bracket national championship
In a game that will be mostly red and a little bit of black, it is Georgia vs. Indiana for the ultimate prize.
- College Football Playoff National Championship Game: No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers vs. No. 4 Georgia Bulldogs
Let's be real. For as good of a season as it has been for Indiana, the Hoosiers simply do not recruit on the same level as Georgia. Even though both teams have a bye in this playoff bracket, Georgia will have more depth on both sides of the ball that Indiana will not be able to keep up with. You could see the tide start to turn midway through the third quarter. Georgia wins by multiple scores to win it all.
To tie a bow on this, last weekend showed us all we really need to know about Georgia and any playoff bracket it is thrust into. Alabama has been degraded. Not to say "Ding dong, the witch is dead!", but Alabama does not pose the same threat it once did a week ago. Georgia has been battle-tested and has emerged as potentially the College Football Playoff's grim reaper. Nobody wants to play them...
For now, Georgia fans can rest easy on cupcake week and hope other playoff contenders may falter.