College Football Playoff: CBS Sports projects 12-team field, full bowl slate after Week 3

The College Football Playoff field projections from CBS Sports have been updated, providing a full 12-team field and the entire bowl slate. With Week 3 now in the books, there’s a lot more data to rely on, too.

A handful of new teams are seeking entry into the CFP, and if results continue to trend this way we’ll likely see a few first-timers. But there’s a lot of football yet to be played.

Let’s dive into CBS Sports’ projections after the first three weeks of the season. We’ll look at the first-round matchups below.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #1

No. 5 Georgia vs. No. 12 South Florida

Despite a lopsided loss to Miami in Week 3, CBS Sports still has USF securing a playoff spot as the top Group of Five team. The offense is electric and could provide a decent test for an opponent in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Georgia avoided an upset at the hands of Tennessee thanks to a late missed field goal that allowed the game to head to overtime. Quarterback Gunner Stockton certainly looks the part for the Dawgs.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #2

No. 6 Oregon vs. No. 11 Oklahoma

Oklahoma is perhaps the team in the FBS that has most seen its fortunes change from a year ago thanks to an impact addition from the transfer portal. Quarterback John Mateer has been downright elite through the first three games.

Oregon, meanwhile, has simply been steady as she goes. Quarterback Dante Moore has settled in nicely and the amount of talent Dan Lanning has amassed in Eugene is notable. The Ducks are loaded across the board.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #3

No. 7 Florida State vs. No. 10 Texas A&M

What a ridiculous story it would be to see Florida State go from 2-10 a year ago to the playoffs. And yet it seems absolutely possible through the first three weeks of the season.

Texas A&M, on the other hand, has put itself into position to enter the playoff conversation by virtue of an impressive late come-from-behind win at Notre Dame. The moxie of quarterback Marcel Reed was on full display in that one.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #4

No. 8 Texas Tech vs. No. 9 Illinois

Texas Tech has mostly beaten up on patsies so far, but it’ll get a much stiffer test this week traveling to No. 16 Utah. Win that one and there isn’t a game on the schedule the rest of the way that’s not winnable.

Illinois has fully adopted the mentality of its coach — a hard-nosed team that simply finds ways to win. The team already has an impressive road win at Duke. Now two ranked opponents are up next: at Indiana and home against USC.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl

Ohio State vs. TBD

The defending national champions have picked up right where they left off in 2024, starting with a quality win over Texas in the season opener. While there’s been some adjustment, it seems to be happening quickly.

Perhaps most importantly, quarterback Julian Sayin looks the part. And given the talent around him, that gives the Buckeyes a chance to win just about every game on the schedule again.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl

LSU vs. TBD

LSU finally got the season opener monkey off its back by beating Clemson, although that win looks a little less special than it did two weeks ago. Still, it’s clear the Tigers are a team to be accounted for in the playoff discussion.

Quarterback Garrett Nussmeier gives the team a veteran leader on offense, while there’s plenty of talent on defense. Maintaining focus throughout a grueling schedule will be the real key.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl

Miami vs. TBD

The Hurricanes look as good as any team in the country right now, with clear answers on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Carson Beck seems to have shaken off his 2024 season and is back to his 2023 form.

Meanwhile, Rueben Bain and company on the defense are quickly turning into an elite unit. Games are won and lost in the trenches, and the ‘Canes have been dominating there on both sides.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl

Penn State vs. TBD

Penn State hasn’t been tested yet, but it also hasn’t played a remotely close game. The team is taking care of business like it’s supposed to through this part of the schedule.

It’ll only be two weeks before we truly know a little more about the Nittany Lions. They’re off this week before taking on a top-10 Oregon team at home on Sept. 27.

CBS Bowl Projections after Week 2

Saturday, Dec. 13

LA Bowl
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
9 p.m., ESPN
Boise State vs. Cal

Tuesday, Dec. 16

IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
9 p.m., ESPN
Miami (OH) vs. Louisiana

Wednesday, Dec. 17

StaffDNA Cure Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
5 p.m., ESPN
Memphis vs. UCF

68 Ventures Bowl
Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
8:30 p.m., ESPN
Buffalo vs. Troy

Friday, Dec. 19

Myrtle Beach Bowl
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
Noon, ESPN
UConn vs. Ohio

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ESPN
South Carolina vs. Pittsburgh

Monday, Dec. 22

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
2 p.m., ESPN
UNLV vs. Toledo

Tuesday, Dec. 23

Boca Raton Bowl
Flagler Credit Union Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
2 p.m., ESPN
South Alabama vs. Tulane

New Orleans Bowl
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Liberty vs. Appalachian State

Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl
Frisco, Texas
9 p.m., ESPN
North Texas vs. Texas State

Wednesday, Dec. 24

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)
8 p.m., ESPN
Hawaii vs. James Madison

Friday, Dec. 26

GameAbove Sports Bowl
Ford Field (Detroit)
1 p.m., ESPN
Rutgers vs. Central Michigan

Rate Bowl
Chase Field (Phoenix)
4:30 p.m., ESPN
Baylor vs. Indiana

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
8 p.m., ESPN
Louisville vs. UTSA

Saturday, Dec. 27

Go Bowling Military Bowl
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
11 a.m., ESPN
North Carolina vs. Navy

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium (Bronx, New York)
Noon, ABC
Duke vs. Iowa

Wasabi Fenway Bowl
Fenway Park (Boston)
2:15 p.m., ESPN
Boston College vs. East Carolina

Pop-Tarts Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ABC
Georgia Tech vs. TCU

Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
4:30 p.m., CW Network
Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State

Isleta New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
5:45 p.m., ESPN
Air Force vs. Washington State

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)
7:30 p.m. ABC
Notre Dame vs. Alabama

Kinder’s Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium (Houston)
9:15 p.m., ESPN
Utah vs. Auburn

Monday, Dec. 29

Birmingham Bowl
Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
2 p.m., ESPN
Houston vs. Vanderbilt

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
2 p.m., ESPN
Cincinnati vs. Western Kentucky

Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Minnesota vs. Arkansas

Valero Alamo Bowl
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9 p.m., ESPN
Iowa State vs. USC

Wednesday, Dec. 31

ReliaQuest Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon, ESPN
Michigan vs. Tennessee

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m., CBS
SMU vs. Arizona State

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3 p.m., ABC
Texas vs. Nebraska

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Washington vs. Michigan State

Friday, Jan. 2

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
1 p.m., ESPN
Army vs. Kansas

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
4:30 p.m., ESPN
Missouri vs. BYU

Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
8 p.m., ESPN
NC State vs. Ole Miss

Holiday Bowl
Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)
8 p.m., Fox
Clemson vs. Arizona