College Football Playoff: CBS Sports predicts 12-team CFP bracket, full bowl slate projections after Week 14

The latest CBS Sports College Football Playoff predictions are in following Week 14 of the season. The outlet projected the full 12-team bracket as well as the entire bowl slate.

Throughout the season, the College Football Playoff selection committee will rank the Top 25 teams as it’s done since its inception in 2014. The difference, though, is those rankings will become seedings at the end of the year to get the 12-team bracket. The five highest-ranked conference champions make the field – the four highest-ranked get first-round byes – and the next seven highest-ranked teams round things out.

That’s why the seedings will look different from the rankings. Ohio State was a good example in the first CFP rankings reveal. The Buckeyes were the No. 2-ranked team, but because Oregon was the projected Big Ten champion, Ohio State dropped to the No. 5 seed.

Here’s where CBS Sports’ projections stand after Week 14.

1. Oregon Ducks

Entering conference championship weekend, Oregon remains the lone unbeaten at the power conference level. The Ducks are set to square off with Penn State in the Big Ten Championship Game this weekend.

The winner — Oregon, according to CBS Sports bowl projections — is set to receive a first-round bye in the playoffs. However, even with a loss there’s a chance that Oregon could still host a first-round playoff game.

2. Georgia Bulldogs

Like Oregon, Georgia goes into the SEC Championship Game knowing it can clinch a first-round bye with a win. It’ll be a rematch against Texas, a game that the Bulldogs took comfortably during the regular-season meeting.

Unlike Oregon, Georgia doesn’t have quite as much cushion. It’s hard to believe there’s a scenario where Georgia loses badly enough in the SEC title game to miss the College Football Playoffs altogether, but it’s probably not 100% out of the realm of possibility either.

3. SMU Mustangs

After Miami fell last week, SMU’s opponent in the ACC Championship Game shifted from the Hurricanes to the Clemson Tigers. It should make for a compelling contest, one that was not played during the ACC’s regular season.

The scenario for SMU is probably a little more cut-and-dried than for Georgia. SMU has to win to make it into the playoffs. A loss leaves way too much potential to fall a few spots in the rankings and thus miss the playoff cut line.

4. Boise State Broncos

Equal situation for Boise State in this week’s Mountain West Championship Game. The Broncos have to beat UNLV to make it into the playoffs, simple as that.

The good news for Boise State is that the Broncos are high enough up in the playoff rankings that they could potentially be ranked higher than the Big 12 champion; thus earning a bye as the fourth-highest-ranked conference champion.

12. Miami Hurricanes vs. 5. Texas Longhorns

Despite the loss on Saturday, CBS Sports has Miami making the College Football Playoff field as the final team in. That would be quite a compelling story, particularly as the Hurricanes are led by a potential Heisman Trophy finalist in Cam Ward.

Texas, meanwhile, would be coming off a loss in the SEC Championship Game. Given CBS Sports’ predictions here, the publication is clearly not expected the selection committee to penalize losers in conference title games all that much.

9. Tennessee Volunteers vs. 8. Ohio State Buckeyes

Despite falling in the regular-season finale against Michigan, Ohio State checks in as the final host team in the first round of the playoffs, according to CBS Sports. That would be a nice consolation prize for missing the Big Ten title game.

Tennessee, meanwhile, narrowly misses hosting itself and would probably have some beef with Ohio State coming in ranked ahead. This 8 vs. 9 spot will be highly intriguing, because it’s naturally going to beg for resume comparisons.

11. Indiana Hoosiers vs. 6. Penn State Nittany Lions

CBS Sports has Penn State losing to Oregon in the Big Ten title game, but the publication doesn’t see the Nittany Lions being penalized much by that. In fact, Penn State remains as a top hosting team in this edition of the rankings.

Indiana, on the other hand, gets into the playoff despite having a somewhat weak resume compared to other teams. Still, the Hoosiers went 11-1 in a power conference and that’s hard to look past.

10. Arizona State Sun Devils vs. 7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Arizona State has quietly surged into playoff positioning over the past few weeks, and CBS Sports sees that surge continuing with a jump up to No. 10 in the rankings following a Big 12 title win over Iowa State. That could certainly happen.

Meanwhile, Notre Dame completes its bounce-back after the early season loss to Northern Illinois, reaching the College Football Playoffs at 11-1 overall. The Fighting Irish would even host a first-round game in this scenario.

Remaining Postseason Bowl Projections

January 4
Bahamas Bowl: Liberty vs. Western Michigan

January 3
Duke’s Mayo Bowl: Duke vs. Minnesota
First Responder Bowl: UTSA vs. Georgia Southern

January 2
Gator Bowl: Syracuse vs. South Carolina

December 31
Texas Bowl: TCU vs. LSU
Citrus Bowl: Illinois vs. Alabama
Sun Bowl: Georgia Tech vs. USC
ReliaQuest Bowl: Iowa vs. Ole Miss

December 30
Music City Bowl: Michigan vs. Missouri

December 28
Independence Bowl: Army vs. NC State
Alamo Bowl: BYU vs. Colorado
Military Bowl: Louisville vs. Navy
Arizona Bowl: Colorado State vs. Bowling Green
Pop-Tarts Bowl: Clemson vs. Iowa State
New Mexico Bowl: San Jose State vs. North Texas
Pinstripe Bowl: Boston College vs. Nebraska
Fenway Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. East Carolina

December 27
Las Vegas Bowl: Texas A&M vs. Washington State
Holiday Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. Washington
Liverty Bowl: Kansas State vs. Vanderbilt
Birmingham Bowl: West Virginia vs. Arkansas
Armed Forces Bowl: Baylor vs. Tulane

December 26
68 Ventures Bowl: Buffalo vs. Arkansas State
Rate Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Rutgers
Detroit Bowl: South Alabama vs. Miami (Ohio)

December 24
Hawaii Bowl: Marshall vs. Western Kentucky

December 23
Idaho Potato Bowl: Ohio vs. Fresno State
Myrtle Beach Bowl: Northern Illinois vs. James Madison

December 20
Gasparilla Bowl: Memphis vs. Florida
Cure Bowl: South Florida vs. Texas State

December 19
New Orleans Bowl: Sam Houston vs. Louisiana

December 18
Boca Raton Bowl: North Carolina vs. Connecticut

December 17
Frisco Bowl: Oklahoma vs. Jacksonville State

December 14
Camellia Bowl: Toledo vs. Coastal Carolina