College football playoff predictions: Potential Georgia vs. Texas rematch on tap?
With Texas‘ 30-15 loss to Georgia this past weekend, every team in the SEC has lost a game before November for the first time since 2007. And there are still nine teams in the conference ranked among the 25 best in the sport, according to the latest Associated Press Top 25 Poll.
Put another way: There are 10 undefeated teams left in the sport. Only nine are ranked in the AP poll. None are in the SEC.
New members of the now 16-team SEC are getting the full dose. Texas and Oklahomaare the freshmen Coach brought up to the varsity to “get the experience” and all they’re “experiencing” is getting pummeled by upperclassmen.
The best wins on Texas’ résumé are Oklahoma and Michigan. Now, Texas has to hold up a 15-point loss to Georgia as its best game this season. Yikes.
Meanwhile, the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC all boast undefeated teams in their respective leagues. Expect to see more SEC teams in the CFP than any other league at this point.
Let’s get to my fourth set of CFP projections for the 2024 college football season:
1. Oregon
Conference: Big Ten
Record: 7-0
2. Georgia
Conference: SEC
Record: 6-1
3. Miami (Fla.)
Conference: ACC
Record: 7-0
4. Iowa State
Conference: Big 12
Record: 7-0
5. Ohio State
Conference: Big Ten
Record: 5-1
6. Penn State
Conference: Big Ten
Record: 6-0
7. Texas
Conference: SEC
Record: 6-1
8. Clemson
Conference: ACC
Record: 6-1
9. BYU
Conference: Big 12
Record: 7-0
10. LSU
Conference: SEC
Record: 6-1
11. Tennessee
Conference: SEC
Record: 6-1
12. Boise State
Conference:Mountain West
Record: 6-1
Now that we have the projected seeding set, let’s take a look at what the first-round matchups would look like:
1. Oregon: Bye (would then play the winner of 8. Clemson vs. 9. BYU)
2. Georgia: Bye (would then play the winner of 7. Texas vs. 10. LSU)
3. Miami: Bye (would then play the winner of 6. Penn State vs. 11. Tennessee)
4. Iowa State: Bye (would then play the winner of 5. Ohio State vs. 12. Boise State)
***
5. Ohio State (Big Ten championship runner-up) vs. 12. Boise State (highest-ranked Group of 5 champion)
This game could be in jeopardy. The Broncos face a UNLV team that is the best to come out of Las Vegas in 40 years, and Brennan Marion’s unorthodox GoGo offense has proven difficult to stop. Still, Ashton Jeanty has been the most unstoppable offensive player in the nation through six games, and if he gets loose, UNLV might not have an answer.
Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty has been the most unstoppable offensive player in the nation through six games this season. (Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images)
6. Penn State (one of the top-12 teams) vs. 11. Tennessee (one of the top-12 teams)
Tennessee still hasn’t figured out how to create explosive passing plays against SEC competition, and quarterback Nico Iamaleava has yet to throw for 200-plus yards in league play. However, Dylan Sampson is one of the most productive tailbacks in the sport, and Tom Allen’s Nittany Lion defense might have a hard time stopping him on a neutral field.
Tennessee QB Nico Iamaleava completed 14 of 27 passes for 127 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the Vols’ win over Alabama. (Photo by Butch Dill/Getty Images)
7. Texas (one of the top-12 teams) vs. 10. LSU (one of the top-12 teams)
For the first time this season, Texas’ offense looked mortal. The Longhorns were held scoreless in the first half against Georgia and managed just 15 points total in the loss because of Georgia’s ability to generate pressure. If LSU could mimic UGA’s defensive game plan, this game could be as good as 2019 Texas vs LSU in Austin — a game that sparked an undefeated national title run for LSU.
Texas QB Quinn Ewers has thrown for 1,101 yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions in five games this season. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
8. Clemson (ACC championship runner-up) vs. 9. BYU (Big 12 championship runner-up)
While BYU is undefeated, the Cougars have hardly looked unbeatable. Meanwhile, the Tigers have looked unstoppable since losing to Georgia earlier this season. With Cade Klubnik and Jake Retzlaff at QB, this potential matchup looks like a thrilling encounter, much more so than anyone thought at the beginning of the season.
BYU Cougars QB Jake Retzlaff has thrown for 1,644 yards and 16 touchdowns while leading BYU to a perfect 7-0 mark. (Photo by John Rivera/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast “The Number One College Football Show.” Follow him at @RJ_Young.
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