Week 9 results have created uncertainty regarding the College Football Playoff rankings and bowl eligibility. According to a November 1 report from Sports Illustrated, several teams previously considered locks for the postseason are facing much less certain futures.
The latest bowl projections going into Week 10 show several shake-ups in the College Football Playoff pecking order. Georgia has ascended to the top spot as the safe pick to win the SEC, while Indiana continues its title defense. LSU and Wake Forest are projected to remain in the postseason picture.
Projected rankings for the College Football Playoff after Week 9 include Georgia, Indiana, Notre Dame, Miami, Utah, LSU, UCLA, BYU, Kentucky, Ohio State, Wake Forest, and UTSA.
The projected first round of the College Football Playoff includes the following matchups: No. 12 UTSA at No. 5 Utah, No. 11 Wake Forest at No. 6 LSU, No. 10 Ohio State at No. 7 UCLA, and No. 9 Kentucky at No. 8 BYU.
Quarterfinal projections include the Fiesta Bowl featuring No. 4 Miami against No. 5 Utah, the Cotton Bowl with No. 3 Notre Dame against No. 7 UCLA, the Rose Bowl with No. 2 Indiana against No. 6 LSU, and the Peach Bowl with No. 1 Georgia against No. 8 BYU.
Semifinal matchups are projected as the Orange Bowl between No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 6 LSU, and the Sugar Bowl between No. 1 Georgia and No. 4 Miami. The National Championship is scheduled to be held in Las Vegas between No. 1 Georgia and No. 3 Notre Dame.
Beyond the College Football Playoff, several bowl games are highlighted in the projections. These include the Gasparilla Bowl, which is projected as a BCS championship rematch between Florida State and Oklahoma, and the Mayo Bowl between North Carolina and Penn State. Other notable matchups include the Alamo Bowl featuring Texas Tech and Oregon, and a meeting of dual-threat quarterbacks in the Las Vegas Bowl between Arizona and South Carolina.
The College Football Playoff selection committee is scheduled to release the first rankings on Tuesday.
