Predicting the College Football Playoff Bracket After Week 5

8. Penn State Nittany Lions vs. 9. Georgia Bulldogs

Suddenly, the Georgia Bulldogs don't look like the imposing force everyone thought they would be. Georgia barely escaped Lexington with a win and came up short in their comeback attempt versus the Alabama Crimson Tide last week. With road games at Texas and Ole Miss on the horizon, they risk falling completely out of favor with the CFP committee. Nevertheless, we're giving them the benefit of the doubt and installing them as the ninth seed in our bracket. 

As they always are, the Penn State Nittany Lions' defense was up to the challenge against the 19th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini last week. After scoring on their opening drive, Illinois mustered less than 150 yards the rest of the way, falling into Penn State's defensive traps. 

Playing on the road puts the Bulldogs at a significant disadvantage in the postseason, particularly against Penn State. They'll need to start their climb up the standings to salvage a home playoff game or risk losing their spot altogether. 

National Championship Odds: Penn State +1800, Georgia +550

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

All the laudation has been directed at Alabama, but the Ohio State Buckeyes have captured the attention of sharp bettors. The presumptive Big Ten Champions have moved to the top of the National Championship futures board, currently installed marginally ahead of the Crimson Tide. 

Ohio State easily dispatched the Michigan State Spartans, claiming a 38-7 victory as -23.5 chalk. Not surprisingly, they out-gained their conference rivals by over 200 yards while limiting the Spartans to 13 first downs in Week 5. 

Their next real test comes in Week 7 when the Buckeyes travel to Eugene for a date with the Oregon Ducks. Until then, and likely beyond, they'll remain a top betting option to claim their first title since 2014.

National Championship Odds: Ohio State +370

3. Miami Hurricanes (ACC Champion)

The Miami Hurricanes survive a scare on Friday night, storming back against the Virginia Tech Hokies to claim a controversial 38-34 win at Hard Rock Stadium. In doing so, they maintain their spot as the third-seeded ACC representative in our CFP bracket. 

This was the first time Miami's defense was tested, and it caused some concern. Bhayshul Tuten ran for 141 yards on 19 carries, with dual-threat quarterback Kyron Drones adding another 52 on nine rushing attempts. That yielded an unfair advantage for the Hokies, out-gaining Miami 206 to 165 in rushing yards. 

The Hurricanes' ACC Championship aspirations remain strong, but they'll be tested in a Week 8 road matchup against the Louisville Cardinals.

National Championship Odds: Miami +1800

4. Iowa State Cyclones (Big 12 Champion)

An expanded conference has muddied the Big 12 waters. After the Utah Utes' ugly upset loss to the Arizona Wildcats, the Iowa State Cyclones have moved to the front of the Big 12 pack. 

Utah was humbled at Rice-Eccles Stadium, scratching its way to just 10 points in defeat. That dropped them to 4-1 in conference play, tying them with seven other one-loss teams in the Big 12 and giving the Cyclones an advantage to claim their first Big 12 title in school history. 

It was all academic for Iowa State as they easily dispatched a Houston Cougars side 20-0. Defense remains the hallmark of their success, and, as they say, that wins championships.

National Championship Odds: Iowa State+13000

5. Texas Longhorns vs. 12. UNLV Rebels

The departure of Matt Sluka did nothing to impact the UNLV Rebels' outlook. The Mountain West leaders demolished the Fresno State Bulldogs, securing their position as the pre-eminent Group of 5 program. Still, they'll face a seemingly unwinnable matchup against the high-octane Texas Longhorns in the first round of the playoffs. 

There's an argument to be made that Texas belonged at the top of the standings. They've allowed just 35 points through five weeks of action, earning nearly a +200 point differential. But we'll see what the Longhorns are truly made of as they host the Oklahoma Sooners and Georgia Bulldogs in Weeks 7 & 8. 

Surely, a win over the Bulldogs would propel Texas into another stratosphere. For now, they remain locked into the fifth seed as +500 frontrunners.

National Championship Odds: Texas +500, UNLV +50000

6. Tennessee Volunteers vs. 11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

In all likelihood, the 11th seed will be decided by the victor of Week 14's showdown between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and USC Trojans. But for now, the Fighting Irish maintain their advantage in our bracket.

Notre Dame took care of business as -6.5 favorites over the visiting Louisville Cardinals in Week 5. The Independents held Tyler Shough to 24-of-41 in the passing game, sacking the Cardinals pivot three times and stealing one interception. 

Tennesee was at home, resting up for Week 6's tilt at Arkansas, but we've seen enough to trust them as the sixth seed.

National Championship Odds: Tennessee +1000, Notre Dame +4000

7. Oregon Ducks vs. 10. Missouri Tigers

The Oregon Ducks maintained their tenure as one of the top teams in the country with a decisive 34-13 win over the UCLA Bruins on Saturday. As a result, they've moved up our projections, usurping the Ole Miss Rebels and earning a home game in Eugene come playoff time. 

The Missouri Tigers' grip on a playoff spot will be tested in Week 6's SEC battle versus the Texas A&M Aggies. Coming off a bye, they'll be well-rested and prepared to steal a win as short +2 underdogs. 

National Championship Odds: Oregon +1000, Missouri +6000

8. Penn State Nittany Lions vs. 9. Georgia Bulldogs

Suddenly, the Georgia Bulldogs don't look like the imposing force everyone thought they would be. Georgia barely escaped Lexington with a win and came up short in their comeback attempt versus the Alabama Crimson Tide last week. With road games at Texas and Ole Miss on the horizon, they risk falling completely out of favor with the CFP committee. Nevertheless, we're giving them the benefit of the doubt and installing them as the ninth seed in our bracket. 

As they always are, the Penn State Nittany Lions' defense was up to the challenge against the 19th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini last week. After scoring on their opening drive, Illinois mustered less than 150 yards the rest of the way, falling into Penn State's defensive traps. 

Playing on the road puts the Bulldogs at a significant disadvantage in the postseason, particularly against Penn State. They'll need to start their climb up the standings to salvage a home playoff game or risk losing their spot altogether. 

National Championship Odds: Penn State +1800, Georgia +550