Predicting the College Football Playoff after Georgia wins SEC title over Texas

Where things stand in the College Football Playoff rankings and bracket projection after Georgia takes down Texas in the SEC Championship Game.

There's a shakeup in the College Football Playoff bracket projection after Georgia upset Texas in the SEC Championship Game. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Editor's Note: These rankings were updated after Clemson beat SMU in the ACC Championship Game, and you can see them here.

It went down in Atlanta on Championship Saturday, as Georgia endured a quarterback change to take down Texas in overtime in a closely-fought SEC Championship Game that will have a direct impact on what the College Football Playoff rankings and bracket will look like heading into Selection Day.

Carson Beck came off the bench after missing the second half with an injury, but executed the decisive handoff that saw Trevor Etienne score the game-winning touchdown in overtime that likely will send Georgia into a first-round bye once the playoff begins.

Where do things stand in the updated College Football Playoff bracket projection after Georgia took down the Longhorns? Here’s our guess for where things stand right now.

Predicting the College Football Playoff after Georgia wins SEC title

As of the end of the SEC Championship Game, subject to change pending other games

1. Oregon. We expect the Ducks will beat Penn State and win the Big Ten title, keeping their hold on the top overall seed.

2. Georgia. A monster overtime victory over Texas in the SEC Championship Game should catapult the Bulldogs into the Longhorns’ former projected No. 2 seed, with a first round bye.

3. SMU. We’re sticking with the Mustangs to win the ACC title and stay in the top four. Because if not, the committee could find arguments to drop them out of the top dozen entirely.

4. Boise State. Arizona State fans won’t like this, but the committee may not feel they have to move the Mountain West champion Broncos from the four seed.

5. Notre Dame. Expect the Irish to host a first-round game on campus, and they should come out ahead of our projected Big Ten title loser Penn State.

6. Penn State. We should see the Nittany Lions host a playoff game in the first round, but the question remains if the committee would drop them below the Irish, who do not play for a conference title, something the selectors place a heavy emphasis on.

7. Texas. The committee could just elect to swap the Bulldogs for the Longhorns in this 7 spot, which is still enough to host a first-round playoff game on the Forty Acres.

8. Ohio State. No change for the Buckeyes, who are expected to host in the first round.

9. Tennessee. SEC fans will argue with the Vols going on the road, but it’s not expected the committee will change this order.

10. Indiana. The one-loss Hoosiers may not have had as strong a schedule as some SEC teams on the bubble, but it’s hard to dislodge them with that record and that offense.

11. Arizona State. A dominant win over Iowa State for the Big 12 title should in an ideal world be enough to jump Boise State and get a bye, but the selectors are likely uncomfortable with overtaking the Broncos, who also won their league title game this week.

12. Alabama. The committee might drop the idle Tide one spot as a gesture towards the victorious Sun Devils, and to get what it considers a more telegenic matchup with Alabama going to Notre Dame in the first round. Alabama also has a win over the now SEC champion, too.

Who goes where?

No. 12 Alabama at
No. 5 Notre Dame

Winner plays No. 4 Boise State

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No. 11 Arizona State at
No. 6 Penn State

Winner plays No. 3 SMU

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No. 10 Indiana at
No. 7 Texas

Winner plays No. 2 Georgia

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No. 9 Tennessee at
No. 8 Ohio State

Winner plays No. 1 Oregon

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