12 Team CFB Playoff Projection on the AP Top 25 Poll

#8 - Ole Miss Rebels vs. #9 - Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The final first-round clash would be the eighth-seed Ole Miss Rebels hosting the ninth-seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Oxford. Ole Miss is ranked sixth in the preseason, while Notre Dame will begin the season ranked ninth. The best spot Notre Dame can get is fifth, and they barely miss out on a home game in this projection. The Ole Miss Rebels loaded up in the transfer portal and returned a loaded offense and what they hope is a much-improved defense. On paper, this is the best Ole Miss team in decades. Notre Dame hopes Riley Leonard can stay healthy and help an improved wide receiver room increase the passing output. The winner would take on Georgia in Atlanta.

Ole Miss Odds to Make CFP: -130

#2 - Ohio State Buckeyes - Big Ten Champion

Ryan Day’s Ohio State Buckeyes are ranked second and earn the projected number two seed in the College Football Playoff. They get a bye as the projected Big Ten Champion and would await the winner of the seven-seed versus the ten-seed. Ohio State would probably be slotted to the Rose Bowl for a quarterfinal destination. OSU returns more proven production and star power than any team in the country, and the defense should be the nation’s best.

Ohio State Odds to Make CFP: -650

#3 - Florida State Seminoles - ACC Champion

This is the first spot where fans must remember the automatic bye rule: each power conference gets a bye. That means No. 10, Florida State, slots in as the third seed. The Seminoles felt they were robbed last season, but this projection has them earn their shot as the ACC Champion with a first-round bye as they await the winner of the six-seed versus 11-seed game. Florida State would likely grab the spot in the Sugar Bowl for the quarterfinal matchup. FSU hopes they can replace a lot of lost production with another infusion of talent in the transfer portal and the steadily increasing success on the high school recruiting front.

Florida State Odds to Make CFP: +160

#4 - Utah Utes - Big 12 Champion

The final automatic bye spot goes to the lowest-ranked power conference champion: the Utah Utes from the Big 12 Conference. Utah checks in as the 13th-ranked team in the country as Cam Rising returns after missing the 2023 season. Utah also suffered many injuries on defense, and they are hoping a healthier team can return the Utes to the level expected under Kyle Whittingham. Utah going to the Fiesta Bowl for the quarterfinal would make a lot of sense, and they would line up against the winner of five versus 12.

Utah Odds to Make CFP: +210

#5 - Oregon Ducks (At-Large) vs. #12 - Boise State Broncos (G5 Auto-Bid)

The Oregon Ducks would face the automatic qualifier from the Group of Five leagues, and the team receiving the most votes from the votes (but not ranked) is the Boise State Broncos from the Mountain West Conference. This is a departure from the Coaches Poll, where Memphis grabbed the auto-bid. The Ducks receive the first “at-large” selection and are ranked third in the country in both preseason polls. Oregon figures to have a high-powered offense led by transfer quarterback Dillon Gabriel and a group of explosive skill weapons. The defense could be the unit that makes a real jump and elevates Oregon from really good to elite. Boise State beats out Memphis and Liberty for this slot, but what will happen if the Flames go unbeaten against a cakewalk schedule? The Ducks would be a massive favorite over Boise State, and this is a game we'll see on September 7 at Autzen Stadium. The winner, likely Oregon, would get to play old PAC-12 foe Utah in the Fiesta Bowl to go to the semifinals. If offered that path, Dan Lanning would take it without hesitation.

Oregon Odds to Make the CFP: -300

#6 - Texas Longhorns (At-Large) vs. #11 - Michigan Wolverines (At-Large)

The Texas Longhorns begin the season ranked number four and are projected as the sixth seed in the 12-team College Football Playoff. Texas would host the 11-seed and the reigning National Champions, the Michigan Wolverines. Fans can bemoan the 12-team playoff, and there are many reasons to be angry or upset about the expansion and possible dilution of the regular season, but it’s hard to argue with how cool some of these first-round games would be. Of course, this would be a rematch of a regular-season game between the Longhorns and Wolverines, but this game would be played in Austin instead of Ann Arbor.

Texas Odds to Make CFP: -220

#7 - Alabama Crimson Tide vs. #10 - Penn State Nittany Lions

The Alabama Crimson Tide would host the Penn State Nittany Lions in this projected bracket in a battle of two of college football’s most traditionally iconic uniform sets. Penn State and Alabama have not squared off since 2011, but the two used to play regularly in the 1980s. Alabama has some question marks in the secondary and wide receiver positions, but the Crimson Tide returned a lot of talent to Kalen DeBoer’s first squad. Penn State is hoping to break through from being in the second tier of the Big Ten, and James Franklin is counting on a shakeup at the offensive coordinator to get them over the hump. The winner would battle the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Alabama Odds to Make CFP: +100

#8 - Ole Miss Rebels vs. #9 - Notre Dame Fighting Irish

The final first-round clash would be the eighth-seed Ole Miss Rebels hosting the ninth-seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Oxford. Ole Miss is ranked sixth in the preseason, while Notre Dame will begin the season ranked ninth. The best spot Notre Dame can get is fifth, and they barely miss out on a home game in this projection. The Ole Miss Rebels loaded up in the transfer portal and returned a loaded offense and what they hope is a much-improved defense. On paper, this is the best Ole Miss team in decades. Notre Dame hopes Riley Leonard can stay healthy and help an improved wide receiver room increase the passing output. The winner would take on Georgia in Atlanta.

Ole Miss Odds to Make CFP: -130