The projected picture for the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket is shaping up for this postseason after the final full week of the 2024 regular season over the weekend.
Post-Week 14 2024 College Football Playoff Predictions before the P4 conference championship games
During Thanksgiving week, multiple rivalry games ended with fireworks and big-time upsets that shifted the late-season projected CFP picture. The No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes shockingly fell to the Michigan Wolverines, 13-10, in Columbus last weekend.
We also saw the No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs nearly fall to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in a thrilling eight-overtime game in Athens on Friday night (Nov. 29). More chaos ensued around the ACC last weekend with the Syracuse Orange upsetting the No. 6 Miami Hurricanes at the Carrier Dome in northern New York on Nov. 30.
The final Playoff picture will be determined this week in the conference championship games on Friday night and Saturday throughout the day.
Here's a look at the updated 12-team College Football Playoff bracket predictions, one week from when the bracket will be finalized in the College Football Playoff Selection Show on Dec. 8.
Rank | Team | Why are they here | Previous rank |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Oregon | Big Ten Champion | 1 (--) |
2 | Texas | SEC Champion | 2 (--) |
3 | SMU | ACC Champion | 3 (--) |
4 | Boise State | Mountain West Champion | 4 (--) |
5 | Notre Dame | At-Large | 8 (+3) |
6 | Penn State | At-Large | 7 (--) |
7 | Georgia | At-Large | 6 (-1) |
8 | Ohio State | At-Large | 5 (-3) |
9 | Tennessee | At-Large | 9 (--) |
10 | Indiana | At-Large | 10 (--) |
11 | South Carolina | At-Large | NA |
12 | Arizona State | Big 12 Champion | NA |
Miami and the Iowa State Cyclones fell out of the 12-team CFP bracket projections. Miami's four-point loss to the Orange knocked the Canes out of the ACC Championship Game. The Canes will need some help to get into the Playoff.
Iowa State still has a chance of making the Playoff if it wins the Big 12 Championship Game this coming Saturday.
The No. 12 Arizona State Sun Devils move into the projected Big 12 Champion spot after a dominant win over their in-state rival Arizona last weekend, 49-7. Arizona State will battle Iowa State in the Big 12 title game in Arlington this weekend for a spot in the Playoff on the line for that conference's champion.
Arizona State and the No. 13 South Carolina Gamecocks entered the Playoff picture for the first time this season. South Carolina is on a roll with six straight wins to close out the regular season, including three victories over ranked opponents.
Head coach Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks toppled the No. 12 Clemson Tigers in a rivalry game on the road thanks to late-game heorics from quarterback LaNorris Sellers last weekend.
No. 2 Texas football and the No. 1 Oregon Ducks lead a consistent group of top four projected conference champions occupying the first-round bye slots for the Playoff.
The No. 4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish is the biggest riser in this week's CFP bracket predictions, closing out the regular season with a solid double-digit victory over rival USC. Notre Dame can't get a spot in the top four in the Playoff due to its lack of conference official affiliation for college football.
The three teams on the outside looking in for this week's CFP bracket predictions are the No. 11 Alabama Crimson Tide, Miami, and Clemson.