Final College Football Playoff Projections Following Conference Championship Saturday

Notre Dame is safely in the College Football Playoff but what seed will the Irish be getting?

Georgia linebacker Chaz Chambliss (32) stops Texas running back Quintrevion Wisner (26) during the second half of the SEC championship game against Texas in Atlanta, on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. / Joshua L. Jones / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What will the College Football Playoff rankings look like Sunday as the bracket will be announced for the first 12-team tournament?

The college football world waits to find out but we're not waiting until Sunday morning to try and put it together. With what has happened Saturday, what will Sunday's bracket and rankings look like?

What seed will Notre Dame end up with and who will the Fighting Irish be playing host to in the First Round?

Who gets the four First Round byes? Does Arizona State's blowout win over Iowa State lift the Sun Devils over Boise State?

And the million-dollar question: Who gets in between SMU and Alabama after the thrilling end to the ACC championship?

Here is our final projection at Notre Dame on Sports Illustrated:

College Football Playoff Projection: Top Four Seeds

Dec 7, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) celebrates after the Sun Devils defeat the Iowa State Cyclones and win the 2024 Big 12 Championship at AT&T Stadium. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The top two seeds will go to the Big Ten and SEC champions while three teams are essentially battling for the other two First Round byes that come with top four seeds.

Oregon stays at No. 1 for winning the Big Ten (projection).

Georgia climbs to No. 2 for winning the SEC.

Which other two teams get the First-Round byes?

1. Oregon
2. Georgia
3. Boise State
4. Arizona State

Arizona State's impressive resume against ranked teams outdoes Clemson's and gets the Sun Devils a bye.

College Football Playoff Projections: 5-8

Nov 30, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman celebrates with players at the end of the game against the Southern California Trojans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

More movement comes in the next four seeds, the four that will host First Round College Football Playoff games.

Just how far does Texas fall after losing to Georgia in overtime?

Penn State losing to Oregon drops the Nittany Lions from the projected five seed they had last week. How far do they fall and does Notre Dame pass them?

And who else lands a home game in the College Football Playoff?

5. Texas
6. Notre Dame
7. Penn State
8. Ohio State

If you look at just the final score then you see a Penn State team that kept things within one score of unbeaten Oregon. If you watched the game like the committee is supposed to then you see that Penn State trailed for 55:20 of the contest and made it feel like they were hanging on for dear life all night. The actual watching of games that the committee claim is important should matter and the Nittany Lions should drop a spot after dropping another big game under James Franklin.

College Football Playoff Projections: 9-12

Dec 7, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; Clemson Tigers wide receiver Antonio Williams (0) runs against Southern Methodist Mustangs safety Ahmaad Moses (3) during the third quarter in the 2024 ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Tennessee, Indiana, and Clemson are known participants but what does the committee do in regards to the 11 seed? Is it another SEC squad or does the ACC get a second team in?

Going into Saturday I for certain thought that an SMU loss would eliminate them from making the College Football Playoff. I don't think that's the case as it lost in as close of possible of way to Clemson on Saturday night. Clemson passes SMU due to winning the conference championship against them, but SMU snags the final playoff spot and heads to Austin.

9. Tennessee
10. Indiana
11. Clemson
12. SMU

College Football Playoff Projections - Bracket

First Round Byes:

1. Oregon
2. Georgia
3. Boise State
4. Arizona State

First Round Games:

5. Texas vs. 12. SMU
6. Notre Dame vs. 11. Clemson
7. Penn State vs. 10. Indiana
8. Ohio State vs. 9. Tennessee

More from Notre Dame on Sports Illustrated

A Look at Notre Dame Football's Worst Case Scenario for Conference Championship Games

Notre Dame First Round Opponent? How Alabama Problem Was Bound to Happen for CFP

Notre Dame Lands Last-Second Hail Mary for Huge Recruiting Win Over Rival