All the votes are in and the decisions have been made, as the first of what will be five College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings were revealed on Tuesday evening. Oregon leads the pack, while Army rounds out the Top 25. But more importantly, Boise State finishes out the Top 12, which would be the final of teams to conduct the new field this season.
Here's the Top 12:
- Oregon
- Ohio State
- Georgia
- Miami
- Texas
- Penn State
- Tennessee
- Indiana
- BYU
- Notre Dame
- Alabama
- Boise State
These 12 teams are very likely going to be shaken up by the time Selection Day arrives on Dec. 8. But while we wait, we're going to do our predictions based on the first week of the CFP rankings.
First Round of College Football Playoff
No. 12 Boise State vs. No. 2 Ohio State
Winner: Ohio State
No. 9 Indiana vs. No. 8 Tennessee
Winner: Indiana
No. 11 Alabama vs. No. 6 Texas
Winner: Texas
No. 10 Notre Dame vs. No. 7 Penn State
Winner: Notre Dame
Quarterfinals of College Football Playoff
No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 4 BYU
Winner: Ohio State
No. 9 Indiana vs. No. 1 Oregon
Winner: Oregon
No. 6 Texas vs. No. 3 Miami
Winner: Miami
No. 10 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia
Winner: Georgia
Semifinals of College Football Playoff
No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Oregon
Winner: Oregon
No. 3 Miami vs. No. 2 Georgia
Winner: Georgia
College Football Playoff National Championship
No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 1 Oregon
Winner: Oregon
Why Oregon Can Make and Win the CFP National Championship: This year’s Oregon Ducks team has been hyped up since last season, with many believing they could be the best in the nation. Though they showed some early struggles in close wins over Idaho and Boise State, they’ve rallied as the season has progressed and have looked dominant. Most importantly, they handled business against a highly ranked Ohio State team at home.
They’re likely to face the Buckeyes again in the Big Ten Championship, given their relatively easy remaining schedule. We even project a third matchup between Oregon and Ohio State in the semifinals. Beating a team three times in one season would be unprecedented, but so is this new 12-team playoff structure.
This year’s Oregon football team is strong enough in every phase of the game to compete with and beat anybody, putting them in prime position to claim their first national championship in school history.
Why Georgia Can Make It but Lose the CFP National Championship: Truthfully, there’s not a lot of confidence that Georgia can make it all the way to the national championship. There’s a legitimate chance the Bulldogs could slip up again in the regular season, with games against No. 16 Ole Miss and No. 7 Tennessee still on the schedule.
The Bulldogs have been inconsistent and, at times, shaky this season. But under Kirby Smart, they have experience, having reached the CFP national championship twice in the last three years, which gives them an edge. They match up well against a team like Notre Dame, and while Miami’s offense could pose a challenge, Georgia has the ability to score on the Hurricanes.
However, a matchup against Oregon would be a different story. Slowing down Dillon Gabriel and the Ducks' offense would be a difficult task for any playoff opponent. Additionally, Oregon’s solid defense could easily shut down an inconsistent Georgia offense.
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