College Football Playoff: CBS Sports projects 12-team field, full bowl slate after Week 4

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 4 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 four 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 USF

Georgia is the second highest ranked SEC team in these College Football Playoff projections, giving them a home game in the first round. Here come the Bulls as well!

Yes, Miami thrashed them, but USF bounced back with a 63-14 win over South Carolina State. The schedule sets up for an 11-1 regular season and it seems like they have the inside track to the Group of Five spot. But good luck in Athens!

College Football Playoff First Round Game #2

No. 6 Oregon vs. No. 11 Indiana

An all-Big Ten matchup in the first round of the College Football Playoff out in Eugene. Funny enough, these two teams have to play in that exact location on October 11th.

Indiana blasted a top 10 Illinois team 63-10 and Oregon has looked like a runaway train as well. So, something’s got to give in this game!

College Football Playoff First Round Game #3

No. 7 Texas Tech vs. No. 10 Texas A&M

Texas Tech might have a new way to improve a roster and make the College Football Playoff: have a very eager investor! In all seriousness, the Red Raiders dominated Utah Saturday and are now 4-0 on the season and look like the new Big 12 favorite.

Texas A&M is 3-0 on the season and has a win over Notre Dame, plus a top 10 ranking right now. As it stands, Mike Elko could get this team to their first CFP, albeit a road game in-state.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #4

No. 8 Florida State vs. No. 9 Oklahoma

Florida State dominated Kent State this weekend and is still in a great position to make the College Football Playoff at this stage. How about multiple ACC teams?

Oklahoma had a statement win over Auburn and at 4-0, Brent Venables has the Sooners in a great spot, more so than he ever has. Notice that Oklahoma is in over rival Texas right now, a preseason national title pick!

CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl

Ohio State vs. TBD

Ohio State is presumably the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff per CBS. They’re the No. 1 team in the AP Poll after Week 4.

All they’ve done is win since losing to Michigan at the end of the last regular season. The Buckeyes, with elite playmakers such as Jeremiah Smith and Caleb Downs of course, can definitely repeat this season.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl

Miami vs. TBD

Miami struggled for a period against Florida, but ultimately dominated the game. The defense is for real and the offense can beat you multiple ways.

At this rate, the Hurricanes not making the College Football Playoff would be a massive bust. They’re the projected ACC champs according to these projections.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl

LSU vs. TBD

LSU is the projected SEC champion in CBS’ College Football Playoff projections, at least through the first third of the season. Don’t forget, the Tigers still have to play Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, Alabama and Oklahoma, among ranked opponents left.

Still, the defense is elite, Garrett Nussmeier is impressive as long as he’s healthy and Brian Kelly arguably has his best overall team. It’s a recipe for a first round bye.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl

Penn State vs. TBD

Penn State could still get a first round bye if they win every game except for the Ohio State regular season game. Heck, they might still be here at 11-2 with two losses to the Buckeyes (with one in the Big Ten championship game).

Making a second straight College Football Playoff seems like a foregone conclusion right now. But, the Nittany Lions have not been challenged yet. That’ll change this weekend with Oregon coming to town.

CBS Bowl Projections after Week 4

Date TBA

Bahamas Bowl (TBD)
TBD
TBD
Buffalo vs. FIU

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
Texas State vs. Utah State

Wednesday, Dec. 17

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

68 Ventures Bowl
Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
8:30 p.m., ESPN
Old Dominion vs. Northern Illinois

Friday, Dec. 19

Myrtle Beach Bowl
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
Noon, ESPN
Appalachian State vs. North Texas

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ESPN
NC State vs. Ole Miss

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
Baylor vs. East Carolina

New Orleans Bowl
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Western Kentucky vs. Louisiana Tech

Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl
Frisco, Texas
9 p.m., ESPN
Rice vs. Maryland

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
Michigan State vs. Ohio

Rate Bowl
Chase Field (Phoenix)
4:30 p.m., ESPN
Minnesota vs. West Virginia

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

Wasabi Fenway Bowl
Fenway Park (Boston)
2:15 p.m., ESPN
Pittsburgh vs. Tulane

Pop-Tarts Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ABC
Notre Dame vs. Utah

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

Isleta New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
5:45 p.m., ESPN
New Mexico vs. Troy

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

Kinder’s Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium (Houston)
9:15 p.m., ESPN
Iowa State vs. Missouri

Monday, Dec. 29

Birmingham Bowl
Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
2 p.m., ESPN
Mississippi State vs. Kansas State

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
2 p.m., ESPN
UCF vs. Southern Mississippi

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

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

Wednesday, Dec. 31

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

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m., CBS
Virginia 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. Wyoming

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
BYU vs. South Carolina

Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
8 p.m., ESPN
Clemson vs. Vanderbilt

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