Notre Dame Fighting for Home Game in Latest College Football Playoff Projections

Hold on to your seats as we enter the back half of the 2024 college football regular season

Oct 19, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) runs against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets during the second half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. \ / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

A pair of top ten teams were off this week while a two of the eight in action dropped games.

What does Week 8 mean for the College Football Playoff?

A certain powerhouse program finds itself out of the latest playoff projection after falling to a conference rival while a Midwest underdog program has made itself a viable candidate for a playoff spot.

Here is how our latest College Football Playoff projections look after another edge-of-your-seat weekend.

Vanderbilt Commodores linebacker Jeffrey Ugochukwu (12) celebrates after knocking off the Alabama Crimson Tide 40-35 at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. | Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Saturday was one of those days of college football that you remember for an extremely long time. Despite there not appearing to be a true marquee contest, five teams ranked in the top 11 of the Associated Press poll were upset.

No. 1 Alabama lost to Vanderbilt for the first time in 40 years while previously unbeaten Tennessee was knocked off at Arkansas. Elsewhere, Missouri, Michigan, and USC all went on the road and lost as well.

So what in the world does the 12-team College Football Playoff look like following an epic Saturday of College Football?

Whew boy, this one is an absolute doozie.

College Football Playoff Projection: Top Four Seeds

Just a friendly reminder before we get going - this is based on what I think will happen combined with what already has this college football season.

The biggest move comes from Georgia who beat Texas on the road and moves into being the favorite to win the SEC as a result. Ohio State moves up a spot versus last week as I still have the Buckeyes winning the Big Ten despite falling at Oregon.

1. Ohio State
2. Georgia
3. Iowa State
4. Clemson

College Football Playoff Projections: 5-8

Oct 19, 2024; Louisville, Kentucky, USA; Miami Hurricanes running back Damien Martinez (6) runs the ball against Louisville Cardinals defensive back Tayon Holloway (20) during the second half at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium. Miami defeated Louisville 52-45. / Jamie Rhodes-Imagn Images

Who emerges in that second pack of teams? After falling at Vanderbilt two weeks ago and flirting with danger against South Carolina last week, Alabama fell on the road to Tennessee. As a result, the Crimson Tide slide out of the playoff in our projection.

5. Oregon
6. Miami
7. Penn State
8. Texas

College Football Playoff Projections: 9-12

Indiana's Kaelon Black (8) celebrates a touchdown during the Indiana versus Nebraska football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There is a logjam of teams with reasonable paths to the College Football Playoff as we've concluded eight weeks. So which are the final few to sneak into the first 12-team College Football Playoff?

Believe it or not, the first two states to have two teams in the same College Football Playoff will be Texas and...Indiana.

At least as things sit this week following a 56-7 dismantling of Nebraska by the 7-0 Hoosiers.

9. Notre Dame
10. Indiana
11. Texas A&M
12. Boise State

It's incredibly log-jammed here. Texas A&M playing host to LSU next week gives them a slight edge over the Tigers currently but that could switch in the blink of an eye. Alabama sits with two losses while one-loss Tennessee still has to travel to Georgia and Iowa State avoided near disaster against UCF this week. Can the Cyclones run the table in the regular season?

It really is neck and neck between a handful of teams as we move to late-October.

College Football Playoff Projections - Bracket

First Round Byes:

1. Ohio State
2. Georgia
3. BYU
4. Clemson

First Round Games:

5. Oregon vs. 12. Boise State
6. Miami vs. 11. Texas A&M
7. Penn State vs. 10. Indiana
8. Texas vs. 9. Notre Dame

Second Round Games:
1. Ohio State vs. 8. Texas
4. Clemson vs. 5. Oregon
3. BYU vs. 11. Texas A&M
2. Georgia vs. 7. Penn State

Semi-Final Games
1. Ohio State vs. 5. Oregon
2. Georgia vs. 11. Texas A&M

National Championship
2. Georgia over 1. Ohio State

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