12-Team College Football Playoff Bracket Based on Coaches Poll

9. Clemson at 8. Tennessee

The Tennessee Volunteers had a bye week, remaining at No. 7 in both polls and resting at the eighth seed in this projected bracket. Tennessee gets to host Kentucky and Mississippi State in the next two weeks before a gigantic clash at Georgia, finishing with UTEP and at Vanderbilt. If the Volunteers lose to UGA and finish 10-2, would they squeak into the field? The resume would be light with a home win against Alabama and not much else. The Volunteers would be hosting the Clemson Tigers, the second selection from the ACC. Clemson was also on a bye week, and they’ll close the regular season with a tricky road that includes Louisville, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, and South Carolina. It feels like Clemson has two paths to reach the College Football Playoff: win out and then win the ACC Championship Game to get the three-seed, or win out to finish 11-1 but miss the ACC Championship Game and earn a home game in the first round.

Week 10: Kentucky at Tennessee (-15.5)

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2. Georgia Bulldogs - SEC Champion

The Georgia Bulldogs grab the projected two-seed as the SEC Champion and the current No. 2 team in the AP and Coaches Poll. Georgia had a bye week after a dominant victory at Texas. UGA’s pass rush was the story of that game, and if they can consistently unleash it, the Bulldogs will have a real chance to fulfill their potential and capture another national championship. UGA would get a bye and play the winner of the ten at seven matchup.

2024 National Championship Odds: Georgia +360

3. Miami Hurricanes - ACC Champion

The ACC Championship and the likely first-round bye that comes with it looks like a four-team race between Pitt, SMU, Miami, and Clemson. Miami and Clemson look like the best teams, but Pitt and SMU are both unbeaten in the league and have hope. The Miami Hurricanes have the best offense, and Cam Ward is one of the best players in the country. The Miami Hurricanes are the No. 3 seed in this projection and the No. 5 team in both polls. The Hurricanes throttled the Florida State Seminoles to improve to 8-0. Miami will be heavily favored in each of their remaining games.

2024 National Championship Odds: Miami +1600

4. Iowa State Cyclones - Big 12 Champion

Can the Big 12 get two teams into the College Football Playoff? If Iowa State and BYU go unbeaten through the regular season and then meet in the Big 12 Championship Game, do both teams make the field? I believe the answer is yes, but for now, Iowa State is the higher-ranked team in the Coaches Poll, and the Cyclones grab the four-seed and the automatic bye. Iowa State is coming off of a bye, and they will now return to action with a home game against Texas Tech. The 12 versus five matchup winner would take on Iowa State in the Fiesta Bowl.

Week 10: Texas Tech at Iowa State (-14.5)

12. Boise State at 5. Penn State

Things get very interesting at this point in the bracket. Boise State took a big step toward securing the Group of Five’s spot in the field with a close victory at UNLV and Navy being blown out by Notre Dame. The Broncos have only one defeat, which was in a tight game at No. 1 Oregon. Their overall strength of schedule is not great, but if the Broncos win out, they will be in the field. This projection has Boise State playing at No. 5 seed Penn State. The Nittany Lions won at Wisconsin because of an excellent performance by the defense and a strong enough second half from backup quarterback Beau Pribula. The status of Drew Allar looms as a significant question heading into the matchup against Ohio State, but the Nittany Lions are the five-seed in this projection and the No. 3 team in both polls at 7-0.

Week 10: Ohio State (-3.5) at Penn State

11. Texas A&M at 6. Ohio State

The Ohio State Buckeyes survived at home against the Nebraska Cornhuskers and improved to 6-1, but that was not the performance they hoped for. Coming off a bye week and going into the matchup with Penn State, Ohio State fans were hoping to see the running game click, but the Huskers slowed them and shut down the offense outside of a pair of explosive pass plays. The Buckeyes are still ranked fourth in both polls, but they have yet to play like the team everyone believes them to be capable of being. Ohio State would host the Texas A&M Aggies, who check in at No. 11 in the Coaches Poll. Marcel Reed was inserted in the second half and helped the Aggies pull away from LSU for a huge win. Texas A&M is now favored to reach the regular season finale against Texas, still unbeaten in the SEC.

Week 10: Texas A&M (-3.5) at South Carolina

10. Notre Dame at 7. Texas

The Texas Longhorns escaped Nashville with a 27-24 win over Vanderbilt. That win was a solid rebound after getting beaten soundly by Georgia in Austin. Texas must keep winning to make the SEC Championship Game, as all signs point to a massive clash during the last week of the regular season in College Station against the Texas A&M Aggies. That game would occur with a spot in the SEC Championship Game on the line. Texas is sixth in both polls and the seventh seed in this projected bracket. The Longhorns would host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Austin in the first round. Notre Dame waxed Navy and jumped two spots to No. 9 in the Coaches Poll. Despite what people thought after ND lost to Northern Illinois, they are safely in the field if the Irish win out.

9. Clemson at 8. Tennessee

The Tennessee Volunteers had a bye week, remaining at No. 7 in both polls and resting at the eighth seed in this projected bracket. Tennessee gets to host Kentucky and Mississippi State in the next two weeks before a gigantic clash at Georgia, finishing with UTEP and at Vanderbilt. If the Volunteers lose to UGA and finish 10-2, would they squeak into the field? The resume would be light with a home win against Alabama and not much else. The Volunteers would be hosting the Clemson Tigers, the second selection from the ACC. Clemson was also on a bye week, and they’ll close the regular season with a tricky road that includes Louisville, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, and South Carolina. It feels like Clemson has two paths to reach the College Football Playoff: win out and then win the ACC Championship Game to get the three-seed, or win out to finish 11-1 but miss the ACC Championship Game and earn a home game in the first round.

Week 10: Kentucky at Tennessee (-15.5)

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