Alabama replaces Miami as a top-four seed in the College Football Playoff (CFP) based on The Associated Press Top 25 released Sunday. Additionally, Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, and BYU appear on the mock bracket for the first time this season.
Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, and Alabama hold the top four seeds as the Nos. 1-4 teams in the AP poll. Alabama moved up two spots after beating Tennessee 37-20, earning a spot as a top-four seed on the bracket for the first time this season. These top four seeds will receive a first-round bye in the CFP.
Several teams made notable strides this week: Georgia Tech won at Duke to improve to 7-0, Vanderbilt defeated LSU to reach 6-1, and BYU is also undefeated at 7-0 following a win over Utah. Meanwhile, Miami’s loss to Louisville knocked the Hurricanes out of the top four, though they remain on the bracket.
Texas Tech’s loss at Arizona State caused them to drop off the bracket, along with LSU and Tennessee.
Conference representation on the mock bracket includes five teams from the Southeastern Conference (SEC), three from the Big Ten, two from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), and one each from the Big 12 and the American Athletic Conference.
Based on the latest AP Top 25, the CFP would open as follows:
– No. 9 seed Miami at No. 8 Mississippi. The winner advances to face No. 1 Ohio State.
– No. 12 seed South Florida at No. 5 Georgia. The winner advances to face No. 4 Alabama.
– No. 10 seed Vanderbilt at No. 7 Georgia Tech. The winner advances to face No. 2 Indiana.
– No. 11 seed BYU at No. 6 Oregon. The winner advances to face No. 3 Texas A&M.
Just outside the bracket are Notre Dame, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech. Although Notre Dame is ranked No. 12 by the AP, they are bumped due to the automatic qualification of conference champion South Florida from the American Athletic Conference.
The five highest-ranked conference champions automatically qualify for the CFP; however, the format has changed so that the four highest-ranked champions no longer receive a first-round bye. Instead, the 12-team bracket is seeded directly based on the CFP’s final rankings on December 7.
The top four seeds will be assigned to quarterfinal games in ranking order, also taking current bowl relationships into account. This year, quarterfinal winners advance to the semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl and the Peach Bowl. The No. 1 seed receives preferential placement based on geography.
Teams ranked Nos. 5-12 will play in the first round, with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at designated sites chosen by the higher-seeded schools.
Important dates for the CFP schedule:
– First-round games: December 19 and 20
– Quarterfinals: December 31 and January 1
– Semifinals: January 8 and 9
– Championship game: January 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida
The AP will continue to publish brackets based on the weekly Top 25 until the CFP selection committee releases its initial rankings on November 4.
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