The College Football Playoff committee has announced its fifth set of rankings for the 2023 season, which serves as the final assessment before the playoff bracket is determined on Sunday. This season marks a significant expansion, with the playoff featuring 12 teams, comprised of the five highest-ranked conference champions and seven additional at-large teams.
In this newly formatted bracket, the top four conference champions receive first-round byes, while the remaining schools will engage in first-round matchups at the home venues of the higher seeds.
According to the latest projections, the top seeds are as follows:
**First-round byes**:
– No. 1 Oregon Ducks
– No. 2 Texas Longhorns
– No. 3 SMU Mustangs
– No. 4 Boise State Broncos
**First-round matchups**:
– No. 9 Tennessee Volunteers at No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes (Winner will face No. 1 Oregon)
– No. 12 Arizona State Sun Devils at No. 5 Penn State Nittany Lions (Winner will face No. 4 Boise State)
– No. 11 Alabama Crimson Tide at No. 6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Winner will face No. 3 SMU)
– No. 10 Indiana Hoosiers at No. 7 Georgia Bulldogs (Winner will face No. 2 Texas)
**Top 25 Rankings**:
1. Oregon (12-0)
2. Texas (11-1)
3. Penn State (11-1)
4. Notre Dame (11-1)
5. Georgia (10-2)
6. Ohio State (10-2)
7. Tennessee (10-2)
8. SMU (11-1)
9. Indiana (11-1)
10. Boise State (11-1)
11. Alabama (9-3)
12. Miami (10-2)
13. Ole Miss (9-3)
14. South Carolina (9-3)
15. Arizona State (10-2)
16. Iowa State (10-2)
17. Clemson (9-3)
18. BYU (10-2)
19. Missouri (9-3)
20. UNLV (10-2)
21. Illinois (9-3)
22. Syracuse (9-3)
23. Colorado (9-3)
24. Army (10-1)
25. Memphis (10-2)
This expanded format aims to create a more exciting and competitive playoff experience for fans and teams alike. With thrilling matchups set to unfold, the anticipation for the playoff is palpable, and the stakes couldn’t be higher for the participating teams. As the season heads into its final weekend, fans can look forward to an electrifying series of games that promise drama and intensity in every matchup.