The Tennessee football team is set to discover its path to the College Football Playoff when the ultimate CFP rankings are unveiled on Sunday. The Vols will closely watch the decline of Texas in the standings, a change that is well overdue due to the Longhorns‘ insufficient number of quality victories. Could Texas’ poor record […]
The Tennessee football team is set to discover its path to the College Football Playoff when the ultimate CFP rankings are unveiled on Sunday.
The Vols will closely watch the decline of Texas in the standings, a change that is well overdue due to the Longhorns‘ insufficient number of quality victories.
Could Texas’ poor record impact the CFP seeding and provide an advantage to the Vols? Who will the Vols face in a fortnight during the first round?
Here’s how we anticipate the latest CFP rankings will look prior to the final announcement on Sunday:
SATURDAY INSIGHT:Is it possible for Texas to fall behind Tennessee? The effect of the SEC championship on the Vols in the CFP context
Projection for Tennessee Vols’ CFP rankings
Predicted CFP bracket
Projected CFP seeds
- Seed No. 1: Oregon (Big Ten Champion)
- Seed No. 2: Georgia (SEC Champion)
- Seed No. 3: Boise State (Mountain West Champion)
- Seed No. 4: Arizona State (Big 12 Champion)
- Seed No. 5: Penn State
- Seed No. 6: Notre Dame
- Seed No. 7: Ohio State
- Seed No. 8: Tennessee
- Seed No. 9: Texas
- Seed No. 10: Indiana
- Seed No. 11: Clemson (ACC Champion)
- Seed No. 12: SMU
Teams on the outside looking in: Alabama, South Carolina, Ole Miss, Miami (FL)
Projected first-round matchups for CFP
- No. 12 SMU at No. 5 Penn State
- No. 11 Clemson at No. 6 Notre Dame
- No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Ohio State
- No. 9 Texas at No. 8 Tennessee
Quarterfinal matchups forecast
- No. 1 Oregon vs. Texas/Tennessee
- No. 2 Georgia vs. Indiana/Ohio State
- No. 3 Boise State vs. Clemson/Notre Dame
- No. 4 Arizona State vs. SMU/Penn State
A few observations:
- SMU merits a place in the College Football Playoff. Point blank. Kevin Jennings is a standout. Alabama faltered against teams not even contending for the ACC Championship, a point SMU would clearly surpass.
- Texas’ record isn’t strong enough to keep ahead of Tennessee, resulting in their slide to No. 9—an adjustment that the committee should have made a long time ago.
- In no other instance would the 10th ranked team defeat a ranked rival, and the 15th ranked team elevate past the 10th after overcoming an unranked opponent. This doesn’t apply to Boise State and Arizona State.
Release date for the College Football Playoff rankings
The concluding CFP rankings will be announced on Sunday, Dec. 8.
Chronology of CFP rankings releases
- Nov. 5
- Nov. 12
- Nov. 19
- Nov. 26
- Dec. 3
- Dec. 8
Timing for the CFP rankings broadcast?
Sunday’s reveal of the CFP rankings is scheduled for Noon ET.
Viewing the College Football Playoff rankings broadcast
- Schedule: Noon ET, Sunday, Dec. 8
- Network: ESPN
- Streaming options: FUBO (free trial), ESPN app
The reveal of the final College Football Playoff rankings occurs on Sunday, Dec. 8, on ESPN, hosted by Rece Davis. Viewing alternatives include FUBO, which provides a free trial for new users.
Total teams in the College Football Playoff 2024?
This season marks the initial year of the 12-team format for the CFP, incorporating four first-round and four quarterfinal matches added to the CFP lineup. The top four ranked conference champions will secure a top-four seed, while the fifth-ranked conference champion will also guarantee a place in the tournament.
Operating structure of the College Football Playoff?
The top four ranked conference champions will receive a first-round bye, with seeds numbered 5-8 hosting first-round contests in December. The seeds will be established based on their final CFP rankings when announced on Dec. 8.
A heads-up: It’s plausible, if not likely, that the top four seeds won’t match the final CFP rankings precisely. For instance, should Texas be positioned No. 3 in the concluding rankings but fail to clinch the SEC title, its seeding cannot exceed fifth.
The leading four seeds are not mandated to solely consist of “Power 4” conference champions, particularly if a team from another conference is ranked higher. Hypothetically, the Big 12 champion could be entirely excluded if it ranks outside the top 12 and sits behind five other conference champions.
The official bracket will be structured as follows:
First round of CFP
Dec. 20 or 21
- No. 9 seed at No. 8 seed, time to be determined
- No. 12 seed at No. 5 seed, time to be determined
- No. 10 seed at No. 7 seed, time to be determined
- No. 11 seed at No. 6 seed, time to be determined
Quarterfinal matchups for CFP
Dec. 31 or Jan. 1, 2025
- No. 1 seed (highest-ranked conference champion) vs. winner of No. 8/No. 9, site and time TBD
- No. 4 seed (fourth highest-ranked conference champion) vs. winner of No. 5/No. 12, site and time TBD
- No. 2 seed (second highest-ranked conference champion) vs. winner of No. 7/No. 10, site and time TBD
- No. 3 seed (third highest-ranked conference champion) vs. winner of No. 6/No. 11, site and time TBD
Semifinals for CFP
Jan. 9 or 10, 2025
- No. 1 seed winner versus No. 4 seed winner, site and time TBD
- No. 2 seed winner versus No. 3 seed winner, site and time TBD
Finals for CFP national championship
Jan. 20, 2025
- Semifinal winner No. 1 vs. Semifinal winner No. 2 in Atlanta
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