Yes, the College Football Playoff committee does not care about games that will happen in the future or anything else. Actually, it does care about this. Its job is to put the teams in the right seeds and let things go from there.
But if the games are great, then so be it.
After what happened last weekend, we are going to make a lot of big assumptions.
The Big Ten and ACC will be one-bid conferences: They are not strong enough. There will be equal competition in the Big 12, both with BYU and Iowa State. One mistake by SMU should be enough to keep it from the ACC’s chance to get a second team in.
If Boise State wins out, it’s going to take a top four spot: The Broncos will be picked ahead of a two-loss Big 12 Champion because they are 12-1 and their only loss was by three points at Oregon. That is just a guess, though. Last but not least…
No way, no how, NO CHANCE an 11-1 Power Four program is left out:But now things will get tricky. How about 11-2 with a loss in the Power Four championship? We are still thinking that 10-2 SEC teams will get in over 11-2 Big 12 and ACC championship losers, but we are not sure about that yet.
CFP Projections: Week 11
In the first round, games are played at the home court of the team with the higher seed. For now, this is our big choice: the Big 12 Champion will not be in the top four.
That means they will play a huge SEC team in the first round, which we think will be another huge SEC team at number 10.
This is just a guess, but the game in South Bend on Saturday afternoon should be really exciting.
College Football Playoff First Round
Friday, December 20
8:00, ABC/ESPN
Home site of higher seed
Bowl Projection: 9 Texas A&M at 8 Kansas State
Last Week: 9 Texas vs 8 Texas A&M
College Football Playoff First Round
Saturday, December 21
12:00, TNT
Home site of higher seed
Bowl Projection: 10 Texas at 7 Penn State
Last Week: 10 Iowa State vs 7 Penn State
College Football Playoff First Round
Saturday, December 21
4:00, TNT
Home site of higher seed
Bowl Projection: 11 Indiana at 6 Notre Dame
Last Week: 11 BYU vs 6 Notre Dame
College Football Playoff First Round
Saturday, December 21
8:00, ABC/ESPN
Home site of higher seed
Bowl Projection: 12 Tennessee at 5 Oregon
Last Week: 12 Miami vs 5 Oregon
In the first round, how important is home field? This is where not reseeding would be unfair.
It would not help the top seed at all if it got the winner between 8 and 9 and the 10 seed that beat the 7. No matter what happens, the quarterfinals will be a lot of fun.
College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
Tuesday, December 31
7:30, ESPN
State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ
Last Season: Oregon 45, Liberty 6
Bowl Projection: 4 Boise State vs 5 Oregon
4 Last Week: 4 Boise State vs 5 Oregon
College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
1:00, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Last Season: Ole Miss 38, Penn State 25
Bowl Projection: 3 Miami vs 6 Notre Dame
Last Week: 3 Clemson vs 6 Notre Dame
College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Rose Bowl
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
5:00, ESPN
Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA
Last Season: Michigan 27, Alabama 20 OT
Bowl Projection: 1 Ohio State vs 9 Texas A&M
Last Week: 1 Ohio State vs 9 Texas
College Football Playoff Quarterfinal Allstate Sugar Bowl
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
8:45, ESPN
Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Last Season: Washington 37, Texas 31
Bowl Projection: 2 Georgia vs 10 Texas
Last Week: 2 Georgia vs 7 Penn State
We have not changed our minds about our top two teams since the beginning, so do not get upset about it now. If everything goes as planned, this would be the third game between these two Big Ten powers. This time, it would be real.
College Football Playoff Semifinal Capital One Orange Bowl
Thursday, January 9, 2025
7:30, ESPN
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Last Season: Georgia 63, Florida State 3
Bowl Projection: 2 Georgia vs 6 Notre Dame
Last Week: 2 Georgia vs 6 Notre Dame
College Football Playoff Semifinal Goodyear Cotton Bowl
Friday, January 10, 2025
7:30, ESPN
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Last Season: Missouri 14, Ohio State 3
Bowl Projection: 1 Ohio State vs 5 Oregon
Last Week: 1 Ohio State vs 5 Oregon
College Football Playoff National Championship
Monday, January 20, 2025
7:30, ESPN
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA
Last Season: Michigan 34, Washington 13
Bowl Projection: 1 Ohio State vs 2 Georgia
Last Week: 1 Ohio State vs 2 Georgia