College Football Playoff: ESPN predicts 12-team CFP bracket ahead of final rankings reveal

ESPN projected the 12-team College Football Playoff field after conference championship weekend and there were some changes from last weekend in terms of playoff predictions. It’s ahead of the final reveal of the rankings Sunday afternoon.

Now that the regular season and conference champions were crowned, there’s a clear look at the playoff field. Still, there will be debate as to where teams will go and what final teams will get in.

The four highest-ranked conference champions will receive byes, and the first-round games will all take place at campus sites to begin the playoff. From there, the winners will advance to respective bowl games leading to the national championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20.

1. Oregon

Oregon capped off a perfect season, to this point, with a Big Ten Championship in the school’s first year in the conference. Beating Penn State 45-37 could be just the beginning.

Dillon Gabriel threw for 283 yards and four touchdowns. Jordan James added two on the ground and Tez Johson caught 11 passes for 181 yards and two scores. The Ducks should get the No. 1 seed on Sunday.

2. Georgia (+5)

This is where the chaos begins! Georgia lost starting QB Carson Beck to an injury in the second half so in comes Gunner Stockton. The Bulldogs managed to outlast Texas in overtime 22-19 after seeing the Longhorns kick a field goal.

Georgia is inevitable right? Because of their two losses, they won’t be able to get the top spot, but they should vault right up to the second spot.

3. Boise State (+1)

The Broncos improved to 12-1 with a 21-7 win over UNLV in the Mountain West title game. Like Georgia, Boise State beat a team twice to clinch a playoff spot.

Based on Ashton Jeanty dominating again, only losing to Oregon, and who’s around them, the Broncos should be the third seed. The G5 gets a first round bye!

4. Arizona State (+8)

How about the Sun Devils punching their ticket to the playoff with authority? Cam Skattebo also made his Heisman case with a dominant performance, helping get ASU to the bracket.

After being a fringe team or the last seed, Arizona State vaults up to one of the top four to get a bye. Thanks to Clemson knocking off SMU, there was an opportunity for a jump.

12. Clemson (NR) at 5. Penn State

Clemson is in as ACC Champions by beating SMU 34-31 with a 56-yard field goal as time expired. It was an instant classic, but the Tigers are back in the playoff. They’ll likely be lower than the top 12, so they get the final spot.

Penn State does not move after a one score loss to Oregon for the Big Ten title. As it stands right now, it looks like the Nittany Lions will host a first round playoff game.

11. SMU (-8) at 6. Texas (-4)

SMU gets into the playoff per ESPN’s projections and actually still stay above Clemson. Yeah they’ll drop in the rankings, but SMU will get in and have to go on the road in the first round. At this point, you can flip flop SMU and Clemson but there’s a good chance both get in.

Texas drops four spots into the first round after losing to Georgia for the second time this season. Texas’ only two losses are to UGA and one was for a title. They’ll host SMU in an all-Texas matchup in the first round of the playoff.

10. Indiana at 7. Notre Dame (-1)

Indiana stays right in the No. 10 spot and just watched the chaos unfold. An 11-1 record in the regular season punched their ticket to the playoffs, a first round road trip.

Notre Dame only moves down one spot due to Texas dropping with a loss. The Fighting Irish earned their ticket as well with an 11-1 record and will get a home playoff game in South Bend.

9. Tennessee at 8. Ohio State

The game we all pretty much expected in the first round of the playoff after last weekend. Neither of these teams will be affected according to ESPN.

Ohio State will get a shot at redemption with a home playoff game, welcoming the Vols to Columbus. The winner of this one, in this scenario anyway, takes on Oregon in the quarterfinals.

Next Two Out of Playoff

Alabama (9-3)
Miami (10-2)

Both teams did not play for a conference championship and the Crimson Tide were the last team in last week. That’s until Clemson knocked off SMU and stole a playoff spot.

Miami unfortunately couldn’t move regardless of what happened. But those two losses to Georgia Tech and Syracuse will certainly haunt them going into a bowl game and then the offseason.