Projecting the College Football Playoff Bracket Based on the Coaches Poll

8 Seed - Ole Miss Rebels (6) vs. 9 Seed - Notre Dame Fighting Irish (#7)

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 just barely miss out on a home game in this projection. The Rebels loaded up in the transfer portal, returning an explosive offense and what they hope is a much-improved defense. On paper, this is the best Ole Miss team in decades. Notre Dame is hoping 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 2024 Odds to Make CFP : -130
Notre Dame 2024 Odds to Make CFP: -165

2 Seed - Ohio State Buckeyes (#2)

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 7-seed versus the 10-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 2024 National Title Odds: +400

3 Seed - Florida State Seminoles (#10)

This is the first spot where fans need to remember the automatic bye rule: each power conference gets a bye. That means number ten 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 would await the winner of the 6-seed versus 11-seed game. Florida State would likely grab the spot in the Sugar Bowl for the quarterfinal matchup. FSU is hoping 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 2024 National Title Odds: +3000

4 Seed - Utah Utes (#13)

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 13^th-ranked team in the country as Cam Rising returns after missing the 2023 season. Utah suffered a lot of injuries on defense as well 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 the 5 versus 12 game.

Utah 2024 Big 12 Title Odds: +320

5 Seed - Oregon Ducks (#3) vs. 12 Seed Memphis Tigers (Unranked)

The Oregon Ducks would face the automatic qualifier from the Group of Five leagues and the team receiving the most votes from the poll (but not actually ranked) is the Memphis Tigers from the American Athletic Conference. The Ducks receive the first “at-large” selection and they are ranked third in the country by the Coaches Poll. 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. Memphis beats out Liberty for this slot but what will happen if Liberty goes unbeaten against a cake schedule? The Ducks would be a massive favorite over Memphis in Autzen Stadium and they would then get to play old PAC-12 foe Utah in the Fiesta Bowl to go to the semifinals. If offered that path, I am sure Dan Lanning would take it with no hesitation.

Oregon 2024 National Title Odds: +650

6 Seed - Texas Longhorns (#4) vs. 11 Seed - Penn State Nittany Lions (#9)

The Texas Longhorns begin the season ranked fourth in the country and are projected as the six seed in the 12-team College Football Playoff. Texas would be hosting the 11-seed, the Penn State Nittany Lions. 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. Seeing Penn State play at Texas would be a lot of fun as a showdown between Drew Allar and Quinn Ewers. Could Penn State take advantage of a potentially weak Texas secondary? How would Ewers do against a strong PSU defense? The Longhorns would be the second of four SEC teams in the bracket.

Texas 2024 Odds to Make CFP: -220
Penn State Odds to Make CFP: -145

7 Seed - Alabama Crimson Tide (#5) vs. 10 Seed - Michigan Wolverines (#8)

How about a rematch of last season’s Rose Bowl but played in Tuscaloosa? Sign me up! The Alabama Crimson Tide are ranked fifth by the coaches and are projected as the seven seed. The reigning national champs begin the season ranked eighth and listed as the ten seed. Michigan would visit the Crimson Tide for a game on either December 20 or December 21 and the winner would move on to play the Ohio State Buckeyes. Obviously, that would create the potential for a rematch between the Buckeyes and Wolverines but Michigan would have to win at Alabama to get there first. Both programs have a new head coach but both still have a ton of talent.

Alabama 2024 Odds to Make CFP: +100
Michigan 2024 Odds to Make CFP: +150

8 Seed - Ole Miss Rebels (6) vs. 9 Seed - Notre Dame Fighting Irish (#7)

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 just barely miss out on a home game in this projection. The Rebels loaded up in the transfer portal, returning an explosive offense and what they hope is a much-improved defense. On paper, this is the best Ole Miss team in decades. Notre Dame is hoping 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 2024 Odds to Make CFP : -130
Notre Dame 2024 Odds to Make CFP: -165