Let’s take a look at our updated College Football Playoff projections after Week 9.
Reminder: The 12-team CFP is made up of the five-highest ranked conference champions and seven at-large teams. First-round byes are no longer given to the four highest-ranked champs. In the new straight seeding format, byes go to the four highest-ranked teams.
Here’s what I’ve got after Week 9.
PennLive’s Johnny McGonigal makes his College Football Playoff projections after Week 9.Johnny McGonigal
— My top four remained unchanged from last week. Alabama survived a scare at South Carolina, and Texas A&M whooped LSU. Both are poised for an SEC title appearance.
— Welcome, Vanderbilt. Road tests at Texas and Tennessee loom large. But back-to-back wins over LSU and Missouri were impressive.
— I still think Oregon will win out and boost its resume in the process with wins over Iowa, USC and Washington. But the Ducks did not impress me vs. Wisconsin whatsoever. If you’re an Oregon fan, I would be a little concerned about navigating the home stretch unscathed.
— There’s too much uncertainty with Texas Tech to put them in. Starting QB Behren Morton has been out with a leg injury, and now backup QB Will Hammond is done for the season. With that news, I’m leaning BYU to beat the Red Raiders in a couple weeks and win the Big 12.
— Based on what we’ve seen so far, Georgia Tech is a legit contender. But for now, I’m projecting the Yellow Jackets to lose to Georgia in the final week of the regular season and to Miami in the ACC title game. I could easily see the CFP committee picking a team that won 10 straight after an 0-2 start (Notre Dame) over a team that lost its final two — even if it’s not right.
— That said, Notre Dame is far from a lock to make the field if it wins out and finishes 10-2. The Irish better hope Miami wins the ACC. Because if the Canes, who don’t control their own ACC title game fate, finish 11-1, they’ll get in as an at-large over Notre Dame.
— Memphis is the non-power conference pick right now after beating South Florida. But those two teams, Navy, Tulane and North Texas are all alive in the American.
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