College Football Playoff Predictions: ESPN projects 12-team bracket ahead of second CFP Top 25 reveal

ESPN projected the 12-team College Football Playoff field after Week 11 and there were some changes from last weekend in terms of playoff predictions. It’s ahead of the second reveal of the rankings Tuesday night.

But as always, these playoff projections will certainly change week to week. The Power Four conferences are certainly making it difficult to determine who’s going to go where!

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 remained in the top spot with another win and are the projected Big Ten champs. With that, the Ducks are the top team in the playoff.

If they just keep doing what they’re doing, they’ll await a rematch with Ohio State or take on Indiana for the conference title. Right now? College football’s best team.

2. Texas (+4)

Texas is rolling since the loss to Georgia a few weeks ago. The Longhorns moved back into a first-round bye projection in the playoff.

So at this point, Texas is the projected SEC champion after dominating Florida. It might be a race for second place based on the last couple of weeks played out.

3. BYU (+1)

BYU is still the projected Big 12 champion and will get a first-round bye in the playoff. The Cougars are still unbeaten and could welcome Colorado for a dance in the conference championship game.

Since Miami lost, the projections actually moved BYU up. This would be quite the spot for the relatively new Power Four member

4. Miami (-1)

The Hurricanes suffered their first defeat of the season by losing to Georgia Tech. Miami was playing dangerously for weeks and it finally caught up.

So with that, the team dropped a spot in the playoff. Could there be a non-Power Four team with a first round bye? Maybe, but Miami still controls its own destiny to skip a round.

12. Boise State (-3) at 5. Ohio State

Boise State dropped back down despite another win based on other movement. Still, they are the top Group of Five team so they get in.

Ohio State stood pat, just a hair behind Oregon. The Buckeyes are actually the playoff committee’s No. 2 ranked team, they’re just not a conference champ. 

9. Notre Dame (+1) at 8. Indiana (+3)

The Fighting Irish just keep winning and keep moving on up in the playoff rankings and seedings. Just forget about that loss to NIU!

Indiana has been the story of the year and the Hoosiers are in position to stun the college football world. At 10-0, they have a week off before a practical win-and-get-in game against Ohio State for the Big Ten championship.

11. Georgia (-9) at 6. Penn State (+1)

Georgia plummeted in the playoff seedings after the loss to Ole Miss. Despite the head to head loss, the Bulldogs are still in over the Rebels.

Penn State bounced back in a big way with a dominant win over Washington. As long as the Nittany Lions don’t slip up, they should easily get in at an 11-1 regular season record.

10. Alabama (+2) at 7. Tennessee (+1)

Alabama made a statement and beatdown LSU to move back up in the playoff rankings. As of now, the Crimson Tide are projected to have a rematch with Tennessee in Knoxville.

That is exactly where Alabama lost earlier this season. The Vols continue to win, despite the lone slip up against Arkansas.

First Four Out

Ole Miss
SMU
Colorado
Clemson

Next Four Out

Kansas State
Texas A&M
LSU
Louisville

Group of Five Power Rankings

1. Boise State
2. Army
3. Tulane
4. UNLV
5. Louisiana