The first set of College Football Playoff rankings will be released in a week.
With this season’s playoffs expanding to 12 teams, we’ll be breaking down the projected playoff field each week ahead of the release of the first 2024 rankings on November 5.
Without the CFP rankings as a guide, we rely primarily on the AP Top 25 as our barometer to project the field. The CFP rankings and the AP poll typically show far more similarities than differences at the end of the season. Here’s what the preliminary playoff field looks like as the calendar prepares to turn to November.
1. Oregon (8-0, projected Big Ten champion)
The Ducks are rolling. Oregon defeated Illinois 38-9 in Week 9 to remain undefeated and has no more ranked opponents on its schedule. Visiting Michigan on Saturday is probably the toughest game yet, but don’t sleep on a trip to Wisconsin on November 16. Oregon should be favored in that game and has one of the easiest routes to 12-0 of any remaining game. undefeated teams.
2. Georgia (6-1, projected SEC champions)
The Bulldogs aren’t ranked first in the SEC, but we’re confident at this point. There is a way for Georgia to reach the SEC title game at 6-2 in conference — SEC tiebreakers can get very complicated — and the Bulldogs shouldn’t have much of a problem with Florida in the teams’ annual rivalry game . on Saturday.
3. Miami (8-0, projected ACC champions)
Could Miami clinch a spot in the top two? It’s possible. The Hurricanes’ schedule is simpler than Oregon’s. Miami has Duke on Saturday, along with Georgia Tech, Wake Forest and Syracuse the rest of the way. That trip to the Orange could be tricky, but if Miami goes 12-0 or even 11-1 and beats Clemson in the ACC title game, the Hurricanes could move up from No. 3.
4. BYU (8-0, projected Big 12 champion)
The Cougars were the underdogs at UCF in Week 9, ultimately winning 37-24 in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the score indicated. The Cougars held the ball for more than 40 minutes, rushing for 255 yards while LJ Martin had 15 carries for 101 yards. BYU is off in Week 10 before visiting Utah in a game we always thought would feature a Big 12 contender. Many of us thought it would be Utah.
No. 12 Boise State (6-1, projected MWC champion) at No. 5 Penn State (overall)
UNLV did its best to contain Ashton Jeanty in Week 9. Jeanty had his “worst” game of the season with 33 carries for 128 yards and his fourth-quarter TD put Boise State ahead for good in the 29-23 victory of the Broncos. Penn State hosts Ohio State on Saturday in the biggest game of the week and it is currently unclear whether QB Drew Allar will be able to play. He left the Nittany Lions’ win over Wisconsin late in the first half with a knee injury.
No. No. 11 Clemson (6-1, overall) at No. 6 Ohio State (6-1, overall)
The Tigers host Louisville on Saturday and will have to lick their chops against Louisville’s defense. The Cardinals have given up at least 31 points in each of their three losses over the past four games. Clemson, meanwhile, has scored at least 48 points in all but one of the past six games, while Cade Klubnik has — no joke — jumped into the Heisman discussion.
No. 10 Texas A&M (7-1, overall) and No. 7 Texas (7-1, overall)
Yes, it is theoretically possible that the Longhorns and Aggies, after not playing each other since Texas A&M left the Big 12, could play each other three times in a row. They finish the season against each other, could play each other in the SEC title game and then could play each other in the playoff.
The chance of that happening is very, very small. But don’t rule out the possibility of back-to-back games. There is a scenario in which Texas A&M wins at South Carolina and Auburn to clinch a spot in the SEC title game before the teams meet in the regular season finale.
No. 9 Notre Dame (7-1, overall) and No. 8 Tennessee (6-1, overall)
The Irish and Volunteers have not played each other for almost twenty years. The last game took place in 2005 in South Bend, when Notre Dame won 41-21. Remember, Notre Dame can’t be top four because it’s not part of a conference. So the best the Irish can do is hope for a home game in the first round. And given Notre Dame’s schedule and the guarantee that either Penn State or Ohio State will lose in Week 10, there’s a good chance Notre Dame will host a playoff game.
