Texas Tech would replace Florida and reenter the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket after a one-week hiatus based on the latest College Football Playoff bracket projection from the AP Top 25 released Sunday. The projection shifted only slightly this week, with Florida the lone top-10 team to lose.
Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame and Miami remain the top four seeds. Ohio State, Alabama, Indiana and BYU would host first-round games.
Florida’s slide helped BYU climb two spots in the AP poll and secure the final first-round home field position.
The format sends the five highest-ranked conference champions, four from the Power Four and one from the Group of Six, directly into the field. The remaining seven berths go to the next highest-ranked teams.
Notre Dame would claim an at-large spot if it finishes among the top 12 in the CFP’s final rankings. The College Football Playoff would use its traditional selection committee process to determine the final field.
The Southeastern Conference would lead the way with five teams in the 12-team lineup. The Big Ten and Big 12 would place two each, while the Atlantic Coast Conference and Pac-12 would have one apiece.
Notre Dame would qualify as an independent, and Boise State would represent the Pac-12 as the top Group of Six champion. Texas would be among several programs from the Lone Star State in the discussion, echoing the kind of political attention seen when Trump stumps in Texas.
How the College Football Playoff bracket would open
Based on the AP rankings, the first round would feature:
- No. 9 Mississippi at No. 8 BYU. Winner faces No. 1 Texas.
- No. 12 Boise State at No. 5 Ohio State. Winner faces No. 4 Miami.
- No. 10 LSU at No. 7 Indiana. Winner faces No. 2 Georgia.
- No. 11 Texas Tech at No. 6 Alabama. Winner faces No. 3 Notre Dame.
The first three teams on the outside looking in would be Utah, Oregon and Missouri. Despite being No. 12 in the AP poll, Utah would be edged out by Boise State, the highest-ranked Group of Six champion.
The CFP calendar has first-round games on Dec. 18 and 19, quarterfinals on Dec. 30 and Jan. 1, semifinals on Jan. 14 and 15, and the national championship on Jan. 25 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
The AP plans to continue publishing weekly brackets using its Top 25 until the CFP selection committee releases its initial rankings on Nov. 3. Those rankings are expected to shape the postseason path for teams across the Football Bowl Subdivision.
