College Football Playoff: Greg McElroy projects CFP field, conference champs midway through season

Week 8 is behind us, and ESPN’s Greg McElroy has released his Top 12 College Football Playoff field. The former Alabama quarterback winner made a few notable choices, including projecting two non-conference champions to capture bye weeks.

Four of McElroy’s Top 12 teams come from the SEC, with two earning a first-round bye in his projections. The Big Ten also hold McElroy’s No. 1 overall seed and the other bye week for the CFP, as two conference championship runner-ups make the top four.

Keeping that in mind, here’s McElroy’s CFP projections heading into Week 9. There’s still plenty of changes that could come to his Top 12, but this is where the former Alabama quarterback stands at this moment in time.

1) Ohio State (Big Ten Champion)

With Luke Fickell on the hot seat and needing something to quiet the noise, Wisconsin might have put up a decent fight against Ohio State. The Buckeyes had other ideas, turning this one into a blowout right away with 17 first-quarter points.

From there it was smooth sailing for Julian Sayin and company. Sayin threw four touchdown passes, including two to Carnell Tate. Next up for Ohio State is a home date with Penn State. McElroy has them winning the Big Ten at the moment, and locking up the top seed in the CFP.

2) Alabama (SEC Champion)

Alabama was in charge of their contest against Tennessee from start to finish, but it really blew things open with a 99-yard pick-six on a play that could have easily swung things the other direction. Those are the breaks championship teams create.

And at this point, Alabama certainly has the look of a title contender. The Crimson Tide just keep winning. Next up is a road trip to face a flustered South Carolina team. At the moment, McElroy has them winning the SEC and going on to be the No. 2 seed in the CFP.

3) Indiana

There was definite letdown potential this weekend for Indiana following its huge win over Oregon a week ago. But the Hoosiers took care of business and beat Michigan State soundly, allowing only three points in the second half.

The schedule continues to look very manageable for Indiana. Up next is a home date with UCLA, followed by road trips to Maryland and struggling Penn State. McElroy has them coming up just short as the runner-up in the Big Ten, but still ranked in the top three with a bye week.

4) Texas A&M

Texas A&M gave up a first-quarter field goal, then took the lead about midway through the frame and never again trailed. Still, there were points where the game was firmly in the balance, as the defense allowed Arkansas to stay within striking range right till the bitter end.

Arkansas actually outgained its top-25 foe 527 to 497 in the game, something that will undoubtedly frustrate Mike Elko. Still, on a bloody weekend in college football, simply surviving was a huge win — and the Aggies did just that. McElroy has them at No. 2 in the SEC and No. 4 overall, entering the CFP with a bye.

5) Oregon

Oregon wasted no time bouncing back from the loss to Indiana, even with a trip all the way across the country. That’s what top-25 teams do — they take care of business.

Dante Moore threw for 290 yards and four scores, while the Ducks also punched it in four times on the ground. It was a lopsided win from start to finish, punctuated by a 28-point second quarter. McElroy believes they’re a top five team in the country, which would be good for the top seed without a bye.

6) Texas Tech (Big 12 Champion)

Texas Tech was the class of the Big 12 to start the 2025 season. The Red Raiders came back down to Earth a bit in Week 8 though, as they fell to Arizona State on the road.

Quarterback Will Hammond had been playing well, but he was out-dueled by Sam Leavitt. He threw for over 300 yards, while the Texas Tech signal caller only mustered 167. Still, McElroy has them rebounding and winning the Big 12 this season.

7) Miami (ACC Champion)

Miami quarterback Carson Beck threw four interceptions, and the Hurricanes were doomed as Louisville played the upstart in this one. It was clear early on that it would be closer than the experts predicted.

The Hurricanes certainly had their chances, but self-inflicted mistakes cost them against the Cardinals. While the loss puts a serious dent in Miami’s résumé, the Hurricanes still have everything in front of them. McElroy still has them winning the ACC.

8) Georgia

Georgia got everything it could handle and then some against an Ole Miss team that didn’t seem intimidated by the incredibly hostile environment. But at every turn, Gunner Stockton was there to answer the call.

The Georgia quarterback threw for 289 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. He also ran for 59 yards and a score, helping the Bulldogs win a thrilling shootout with the Rebels. And just like that, Georgia moves back into a dominant position in the SEC race. McElroy has them coming up short in the conference, but still heading to the Playoff.

9) Notre Dame

It was a back-and-forth game throughout the evening, but Notre Dame just kept making plays when it needed to. After USC took the lead in the second half, a 100-yard kick return touchdown flipped things right back around instantly.

Jeremiyah Love ran for more than 200 yards in the win, and the Fighting Irish kept their playoff hopes alive. With the USC game in the books, Notre Dame now gets a much-needed bye week to rest and recover. They’ll likely have to win out to make the CFP, and McElroy evidently believes that’ll happen.

10) Ole Miss

In the grand scheme of things, the loss on the road at Georgia doesn’t figure to be all that detrimental to Ole Miss’ playoff chances, as McElroy predicted. It’s a legitimate top-25 opponent that figures to remain one the rest of the way.

Still, it does narrow the margin for error for Lane Kiffin and his squad. Trinidad Chambliss was once again solid in the loss, but the offense ran out of steam late as the crowd took its toll. Now it’s about bouncing back — next up is a road trip to Oklahoma.

11) Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech is McElroy’s runner-up in the ACC. It seems like they’re going to be here for the long haul and contend for the CFP. The Yellow Jackets are 7-0 on the season following a 27-18 win over Duke in Week 8.

Haynes King threw for 205 yards and ran for another 105 on the ground and had a touchdown. In a 10-10 game in the fourth quarter, Georgia Tech outscored the Blue Devils 17-8 to get the victory over Duke.

12) USF (G5)

At 6-1, USF’s lone loss came on the road against Miami. McElroy evidently believes they’ll win-out and become the top Group of Five team in the nation, clinching a spot in the 12-team Playoff.

They have a huge game this weekend against Memphis, which could decide whether it’s the Bulls or the Tigers as the No. 12-seed. That one will take place in Tennessee, so USF better bring their A-game.