NCAAF · 1 year ago

12-Team College Football Playoff Bracket Predictions | CFP Predictor

TJ Inman

Host · Writer

9. Indiana Hoosiers at 8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
What an intense game this would be. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are slated as the No. 8 seed after a bye week in which they could relax and rest after drilling Navy. The Fighting Irish still have games against Florida State, USC, and unbeaten Army. There’s not much meat on Notre Dame’s resume, but if they keep winning, it would be hard to imagine the Fighting Irish being kept from hosting a playoff game by the selection committee. Their opponents would be in-state foe Indiana. The Hoosiers fell behind for the first time all season and then responded by devouring Michigan State with 47 straight points to win 47-10. The Hoosiers had 15 tackles for loss and seven sacks in the road win. They now host Michigan and then travel to Ohio State, with a likely spot in the Big Ten Championship Game on the line for both teams.

Week 11: Michigan at Indiana (-13.5)

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1. Oregon Ducks - Big Ten Champion
The Oregon Ducks remain the No. 1 team in the country and the No. 1 seed in this projected bracket. The Ducks went to Ann Arbor and waxed the Wolverines 38-17. Until garbage time, Michigan’s defense only managed one tackle for loss against the Ducks as Oregon racked up 470 yards to Michigan’s 270. Oregon has a soft schedule down the stretch and should waltz into the Big Ten Championship Game at 12-0. This projection has the Ducks beating the Buckeyes again to secure the No. 1 seed and a trip to the Rose Bowl.

Week 11: Maryland at Oregon (-25.5)

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2. Georgia Bulldogs - SEC Champion
As has been the case most of the season, Georgia was in a fight this past weekend, and there are some concerns about this team’s ability to string together good performances. Still, Georgia played well in the game’s final stretch and pulled away from Florida for a relatively comfortable win. The Bulldogs are projected to win the SEC but have a real test this week as they travel to take on a desperate Ole Miss team.

Week 11: Georgia (-2.5) at Ole Miss
3. Miami Hurricanes - ACC Champion
The Miami Hurricanes continue to look suspect on defense, but the offense is one of the nation’s best, and Cam Ward makes this a tough team to beat. Miami roared back against Duke and beat the Blue Devils 53-31 to improve to 9-0. In addition, Clemson lost to Louisville and Pittsburgh lost to SMU so the Hurricanes know they will be in the ACC Championship Game if they continue to win.

Week 11: Miami (-12.5) at Georgia Tech
4. BYU Cougars - Big 12 Champion
The BYU Cougars had the week off, but they were given a big boost as Iowa State fell from the unbeaten ranks. That gives BYU the clear inside track to reach the Big 12 Championship Game as the favorite to win the league and earn the automatic bid. The Cougars face a tough test in Salt Lake City against rival Utah this weekend.

Week 11: BYU (-3.5) at Utah
12. Boise State Broncos at 5. Texas Longhorns
The Texas Longhorns grab the top at-large seed in this projection. The Longhorns were off this past weekend, and they hope the bye week provided the offense time to heal and figure things out. This projection has the Longhorns winning the remainder of their games in the regular season, including a win at Texas A&M that knocks the Aggies out of the playoff picture. That would get the Longhorns into the SEC Championship Game, and a second loss to the Bulldogs would leave them in an at-large spot at 11-2. They would be hosting the Boise State Broncos, the Group of Five automatic bid pick. Boise State handled San Diego State and are outscoring Mountain West opponents 175-85 this season.

Week 11: Florida at Texas (-20.5)
11. SMU Mustangs at 6. Ohio State Buckeyes
The SMU Mustangs are added to this projection after a beatdown of the previously unbeaten Pitt Panthers. SMU’s only loss this season came against undefeated BYU and that was before they made the switch to Kevin Jennings at quarterback. The Mustangs are now projected to reach the ACC Championship Game at 11-1, and a loss to Miami, plus fellow bubble teams continuing to drop games, could still get them into the field and earn a trip to Columbus. Ohio State knocked off Penn State with the defense stepping up to get two huge goal-line stands. The Buckeyes looked better on the offensive line, and they get Purdue before a massive game at home against undefeated Indiana. The winner would play Miami in the quarterfinals.

Week 11: Purdue at Ohio State (-38.5)
10. LSU Tigers at 7. Penn State Nittany Lions
The final two at-large selections are completely wide-open, with several teams just one game away from being in or out of the field. Ole Miss would catapult back in with a win over Georgia, Alabama could get in the mix again with a win at LSU, and Tennessee has a trip to Georgia that could change their outlook. Ultimately, I project LSU to beat Alabama and win out to finish at 10-2. Losses elsewhere give them enough wiggle room to squeak into the field as the ten seed. They would be visiting the Penn State Nittany Lions, projected to finish at 11-1 after the narrow loss to Ohio State. James Franklin gets a lot of justified stick from PSU fans for his losses to Michigan and Ohio State, but he generally takes care of everyone else. They should host a playoff game if they can get by Washington and Minnesota.

Week 11: Washington at Penn State (-13.5)
9. Indiana Hoosiers at 8. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
What an intense game this would be. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are slated as the No. 8 seed after a bye week in which they could relax and rest after drilling Navy. The Fighting Irish still have games against Florida State, USC, and unbeaten Army. There’s not much meat on Notre Dame’s resume, but if they keep winning, it would be hard to imagine the Fighting Irish being kept from hosting a playoff game by the selection committee. Their opponents would be in-state foe Indiana. The Hoosiers fell behind for the first time all season and then responded by devouring Michigan State with 47 straight points to win 47-10. The Hoosiers had 15 tackles for loss and seven sacks in the road win. They now host Michigan and then travel to Ohio State, with a likely spot in the Big Ten Championship Game on the line for both teams.

Week 11: Michigan at Indiana (-13.5)

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1. Oregon Ducks - Big Ten Champion
The Oregon Ducks remain the No. 1 team in the country and the No. 1 seed in this projected bracket. The Ducks went to Ann Arbor and waxed the Wolverines 38-17. Until garbage time, Michigan’s defense only managed one tackle for loss against the Ducks as Oregon racked up 470 yards to Michigan’s 270. Oregon has a soft schedule down the stretch and should waltz into the Big Ten Championship Game at 12-0. This projection has the Ducks beating the Buckeyes again to secure the No. 1 seed and a trip to the Rose Bowl.

Week 11: Maryland at Oregon (-25.5)

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12-Team College Football Playoff Bracket Predictions | CFP Predictor

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