Top-10 Team Upsets Shake Up College Football Playoff Picture
The college football season is heating up. Week 8 brought some real shake-ups in the rankings.
Several top-10 teams stumbled, which shuffled the postseason picture and changed the College Football Playoff (CFP) and bowl game projections. We’re diving into the latest projections, breaking down the first-round games, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the national championship.
We’ll also take a look at the broader bowl season, pointing out key matchups and storylines that might catch your eye. For the nitty-gritty details, check out the original article on ESPN.
Contents
First-Round Games
The first-round games are set for Friday, Dec. 19, and Saturday, Dec. 20. These matchups will be hosted by the higher-seeded teams, which always makes for a charged atmosphere.
Key Matchups
Kyle Bonagura’s Projections:
- No. 12 Memphis at No. 5 Oregon
- No. 11 Texas Tech at No. 6 Georgia
- No. 10 BYU at No. 7 Ole Miss
- No. 9 Miami at No. 8 Georgia Tech
Mark Schlabach’s Projections:
- No. 12 South Florida at No. 5 Georgia
- No. 11 Texas Tech at No. 6 Oregon
- No. 10 BYU at No. 7 Ole Miss
- No. 9 Miami at No. 8 Georgia Tech
Both experts are on the same page for BYU and Miami. They differ when it comes to Memphis, Texas Tech, and South Florida.
Quarterfinals
The quarterfinals are happening in the New Year’s Six bowls. There’s something about those games that just feels bigger, right?
They’re scheduled for Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Four matchups, all with plenty of drama looming.
Bonagura’s Projections
- No. 7 Ole Miss vs. No. 2 Indiana at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
- No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 4 Alabama at the Capital One Orange Bowl
- No. 8 Georgia Tech vs. No. 1 Ohio State at the Rose Bowl Game
- No. 6 Georgia vs. No. 3 Texas A&M at the Allstate Sugar Bowl
Schlabach’s Projections
- No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 4 Alabama at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
- No. 7 Ole Miss vs. No. 2 Indiana at the Capital One Orange Bowl
- No. 9 Miami vs. No. 1 Ohio State at the Rose Bowl Game
- No. 6 Oregon vs. No. 3 Texas A&M at the Allstate Sugar Bowl
There’s a lot of buzz around a possible Alabama–Georgia rematch. Ohio State keeps showing up as the team to beat.
Semifinals
The semifinals are set for Jan. 8 and Jan. 9. Winners from the quarterfinals will meet in these high-stakes games.
Bonagura and Schlabach are both leaning toward the same semifinalists. It’s shaping up to be a wild finish.
Projected Matchups
- No. 4 Alabama vs. No. 1 Ohio State at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
- No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 2 Indiana at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl
Ohio State’s defense is no joke. Indiana’s offense, though, can light up the scoreboard—should be fun to watch.
National Championship
The national championship is set for Jan. 19 at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. Both experts are predicting an Indiana vs. Ohio State showdown, which says a lot about the Big Ten’s strength this year.
Championship Breakdown
Bonagura’s Prediction: No. 2 Indiana vs. No. 1 Ohio State
Schlabach’s Prediction: No. 2 Indiana vs. No. 1 Ohio State
Ohio State’s defense is stingy, and Indiana’s offense is a handful. The Buckeyes’ QB, Julian Sayin, has been on another level lately—hard not to see them as favorites.
Bowl Season Highlights
Outside the CFP, bowl season brings a 35-game slate. It all starts with the Cricket Celebration Bowl on Dec. 13.
Notable Bowls
- Cricket Celebration Bowl: Jackson State vs. North Carolina Central
- LA Bowl: California vs. Boise State
- Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Toledo vs. Fresno State
- TaxSlayer Gator Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Texas
- Holiday Bowl: SMU vs. Washington
These games are a chance for teams to finish strong and for fans to enjoy some wild matchups. The Cricket Celebration Bowl gets things rolling, and Jackson State vs. North Carolina Central could be a classic HBCU battle.
Conclusion
The college football season’s almost at its peak. CFP and bowl games are just around the corner, and fans are in for a wild ride.
Top teams stumble while new contenders step up—it never gets old, does it? The postseason matchups look set to bring some real drama.
If you’re curious about the latest projections, you can dive into the details over at ESPN.
