College Football Playoff bracket for Week 10: Projecting top four seeds, first-round matchups, bubble teams originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The ultimate selling point of the 12-team College Football Playoff is the volume of teams that are still alive in the race heading into November.
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If you subscribe to the theory that a three-loss Power 4 team won’t get in without a conference championship berth and that a Group of 5 team won’t get in without more than one loss, then we have the number of teams that applies to heading into November.
We’ll put it at 38 teams. There are only six unbeaten teams left in the FBS. The Big Ten has two unbeaten teams in Ohio State and Indiana. Georgia Tech (ACC), BYU (Big 12) and Texas A&M (SEC) are the remaining unbeaten teams in the Power 4. That leaves Navy in the American Conference out of the Group of 5.
A total of 11 teams have one loss in the Power 4, led by Alabama and Miami – our projected champions in the SEC and ACC, respectively. With the first College Football Playoff rankings coming on Nov. 4, it is a good idea to stay in this club.
MORE: Ranking the job openings | Ranking the candidates
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FBS teams with two losses or less
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SEC (9) |
BIG TEN (8) |
BIG 12 (6) |
ACC (6) |
G5 (8) |
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Texas A&M (8-0) |
Ohio State (7-0) |
BYU (8-0) |
Georgia Tech (8-0) |
Navy (7-0) |
|
Alabama (7-1) |
Indiana (8-0) |
Texas Tech (7-1) |
Virginia (7-1) |
Memphis (7-1) |
|
Ole Miss (7-1) |
Oregon (7-1) |
Cincinnati (7-1) |
MIami (6-1) |
Tulane (6-1) |
|
Georgia (6-1) |
Michigan (6-2) |
Houston (7-1) |
Louisville (6-1) |
North Texas (7-1) |
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Vanderbilt (7-1) |
Nebraska (6-2) |
Utah (5-2)* |
Pitt (6-2) |
San Diego State (6-1) |
|
Oklahoma (6-2) |
Washington (6-2) |
TCU (6-2) |
Wake Forest (5-2) |
James Madison (6-1) |
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Missouri (6-2) |
Iowa (6-2) |
IND (1) |
UNLV (6-1) |
|
|
Tennessee (6-2) |
USC (5-2) |
Notre Dame (5-2) |
||
|
Texas (6-2) |
There were a few shakeups in our College Football Playoff bracket. Here is a look at our latest playoff projections, including first-round byes, first-round matchups and bubble teams.
Dropped out: Oklahoma, South Florida
Moved in: Navy, Vanderbilt
Projected College Football Playoff first-round byes
No. 1 Ohio State (7-0, 4-0; Big Ten champion)
Ohio State had its second bye week – and the Buckeyes enter November with a perfect record for the fifth time in seven seasons under Ryan Day. Julian Sayin (1,872 yards, 19 TDs, 3 INTs) and Jeremiah Smith (602 yards, 7 TDs) are in the Heisman mix, and the defense allows 5.9 points per game. The Buckeyes will be No. 1 in the first CFP rankings on Nov. 4 with a victory against Penn State.
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No. 2 Alabama (7-1, 5-0; SEC champion)
The Crimson Tide rallied in the fourth quarter for a 29-22 victory at South Carolina. Ty Simpson (24 of 43, 253 yards, 2 TDs) led a game-tying TD drive, and Germie Bernard scored on a 25-yard TD run with 34 seconds remaining. Alabama still does not have a conference loss in a crowded SEC race, and three of its final four games are at home.
No. 3 Indiana (8-0, 5-0; Big Ten at-large)
Aiden Fisher had a 25-yard interception return for a score on the game’s first possession, which set the tone for a 56-6 blowout against UCLA. Curt Cignetti has the Hoosiers unbeaten in November for the second straight season. Fernando Mendoza (15 of 22, 168 yards, 3 TDs, INT) added 45 rushing yards and a TD to an offense that had 262 rushing yards. The Hoosiers have three road games in their last four contests – starting with Maryland in Week 10.
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No. 4 Texas A&M (8-0, 5-0; SEC at-large)
The Aggies have a clean shot at reaching the SEC championship game after a 49-25 blowout at LSU in Week 9. Marcel Reed dazzled with 202 passing yards, 108 rushing yards and four total TDs. Texas A&M has a favorable schedule after the bye week starting with a road trip to Missouri on Nov. 8. Mike Elko is in the running for Coach of the Year.
Projected College Football Playoff first-round matchups
A look at Sporting News projected first-round College Football Playoff matchups heading into Week 10 of the college football season:
No. 12 Navy (7-0, 5-0 American champion) at No. 5 Georgia (6-1, 4-1; SEC at-large)
Navy quarterback Blake Horvath (8 of 12, 74 yards) had 174 yards and four TDs in a 42-32 victory against FAU. Brandon Chatman added 141 rushing yards and 43 rushing yards. The Midshipmen had 397 rushing yards and can take the next step against one-loss North Texas in Week 10. Gunner Stockton remains a key player for the Bulldogs. He has a 70.5% completion percentage – which led the SEC coming into the weekend. He also leads the SEC with seven rushing TDs. The Bulldogs allow 19.6 points per game. Georgia remains on track to stay in the SEC championship hunt heading into a Week 10 matchup against Florida.
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No. 11 Georgia Tech (8-0, 4-0; ACC at-large) at No. 6 Oregon (7-1, 4-1; Big Ten at-large)
When is Haynes King (25 of 31, 304 yards, 3 TDs) going to be put into the Heisman conversation? He led the Yellow Jackets to a 41-16 victory against Syracuse. King added 91 rushing yards and a pair of TDs, and Georgia Tech rolled up 543 total yards. Is a Week 10 matchup at NC State a potential trap game? The Ducks beat Wisconsin 21-7, but the real concern is an injury to quarterback Dante Moore (9 of 15, 86 yards). Backup quarterback Brock Thomas (4 of 4, 46 yards, TD) stepped in nicely, and coach Dan Lanning said Moore should be fine. Still, Oregon’s stalled a bit. A bye week is a chance to regroup before a road trip to Iowa on Nov. 8.
No. 10 Vanderbilt (7-1, 3-1; SEC at-large) at No. 7 Miami (6-1, 2-1 ACC; ACC champion)
The Commodores beat Missouri 17-10 in a defensive struggle that did not have a touchdown in the first half. Diego Pavia (10 of 19, 129 yards, INT) scored the go-ahead TD with 1:52 remaining, and linebacker Bryan Longwell led the defense with 13 tackles. Can Vanderbilt shake up the picture one more time at Texas in Week 10? The Hurricanes scored 35 second-half points in a 42-7 blowout against Stanford, which featured a workman-like performance from running back Mark Fletcher (23-106, 3 TDs). Carson Beck (21 of 28, 189 yards, TD) bounced back from the four-interception disaster against Louisville, and Miami is back on track in the ACC race heading into a road trip to SMU in Week 10.
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MORE: Breaking down Vandy’s schedule, CFP chances
No. 9 BYU (8-0, 5-0; Big 12 champion) at No. 8 Ole Miss (7-1, 4-1 SEC at-large)
Would BYU get the home game here instead? The Cougars rallied from a two-touchdown deficit against Iowa State and pulled away in a 41-27 victory that kept them on top in the Big 12 race. Freshman Bear Bachmeier (22 of 35, 307 yards, 2 TDs) enjoyed his second 300-yard game, and he led BYU with 49 rushing yards. BYU has a bye week before a huge showdown at Texas Tech on Nov. 8. Lane Kiffin led Ole Miss to a road victory against a ranked SEC team. The Rebels beat Oklahoma 34-26, and Trinidad Chambliss (24 of 44, 315 yards, TD) added 53 rushing yards. Kewan Lacy (27-78, 2 TDs was effective, and the Rebels did not have a turnover against the Sooners. Kiffin will be the subject of constant coaching rumors, but why leave Oxford when Ole Miss is in line for its first playoff appearance?
Projected College Football Playoff bubble teams
Notre Dame (5-2)
The Irish average 222.6 rushing yards per game in their five victories, and Jeremiyah Love (758 yards, 9 TDs) and Jadarian Price (509 yards, 8 TDs) continue to be one of the best tag-team backfields in the FBS. The Irish have no margin for error in their final five games – starting with Boston College in Week 10.
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Texas Tech (7-1, 4-1)
The Red Raiders beat Oklahoma State 42-0, but backup quarterback Will Hammond (9 of 15, 102 yards, TD) left with a leg injury, and third-string quarterback Mitch Griffis (9 of 13, 172 yards, TD) stepped in against the Cowboys. Starter Behren Morton missed a second straight game. Will he return for a road trip to Kansas State?
Cincinnati (7-1, 5-0)
The Bearcats jumped out to a 24-6 lead in a 41-10 victory against Baylor where Brendan Sorsby (13 of 21, 111 yards, 2 TDs) had 85 rushing yards and a TD. The defense took advantage of two turnovers. Cincinnati has emerged as a player in the Big 12 championship race. The Bearcats will get a real test at Utah in Week 10.
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Virginia (7-1, 4-0)
The Cavaliers add another ACC school on the fringe after a 17-16 overtime escape against Bill Belichick-led North Carolina. J’Mari Taylor (21-69, TD) scored the go-ahead TD in overtime, and Virginia stopped the Tar Heels’ two-point conversion attempt. Virginia has won three overtime games and another by two points. The Cavaliers travel to Cal in Week 10.
