12-team Week 11 College Football Playoff bracket: Georgia, Texas from SEC dominate, while Alabama claims wild card entry
The postseason picture is beginning to take shape as the College Football Playoff selection committee released their first rankings on Tuesday. Despite 10 weeks being in the books and several teams grabbing a clear hold of their destiny, things are still wide open, with 30 clubs having +1000 odds, or better, of reaching the postseason.
While there will surely be plenty of complaints regarding the rankings, the sentiment here is that the committee would have the correct 12 teams in the postseason if the season ended today.
Here's a look at the projection for the College Football Playoff bracket entering Week 11.
12-team Week 11 College Football Playoff bracket
First-round bye: No. 2-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, No. 3-ranked Georgia Bulldogs, No. 4-ranked Miami (FL) Hurricanes, No. 9-ranked BYU Cougars
The Ohio State Buckeyes are the big surprise here as they are not currently in position to earn the Big Ten's automatic bid. The prediction is that they will avenge their heartbreaking one-point road loss against the Oregon Ducks in the Big Ten championship game.
Meanwhile, the Georgia Bulldogs, Miami (FL) Hurricanes and BYU Cougars are all projected to hold their position atop their respective conferences by emerging as conference champions.
College Football Playoff first round
No. 1-ranked Oregon Ducks vs. No. 12-ranked Boise State Broncos
The Ohio State Buckeyes receiving the first-round bye means that the Oregon Ducks will have to play in the first round of the College Football Playoff. Despite the predicted conference title loss, Oregon would earn the five seed the highest-ranked team without a bye and host the Boise State Broncos.
No. 5-ranked Texas Longhorns vs. No. 11-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide
The Texas Longhorns and Alabama Crimson Tide both are not mathematically eliminated from receiving a first-round bye. However, the projection is that neither program does. Instead, the Longhorns earn the six seed and host the Crimson Tide in a high-profile battle of SEC rivals.
No. 6-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions vs. No. 10-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Penn State Nittany Lions and Notre Dame Fighting Irish both have a clear path to the postseason. While the Nittany Lions have an outside shot at a first-round bye, the projection is that they will earn the seven seed and host the Fighting Irish.
No. 7-ranked Tennessee Volunteers vs. No. 8-ranked Indiana Hoosiers
The Tennessee Volunteers and Indiana Hoosiers are two additional teams who remain in contention for a first-round bye. Instead, this projection has the Hoosiers traveling to Knoxville to face the eighth seeded Volunteers.