College Football Playoff: Projecting 12-team bracket after week 6

One reason I’m doing these 12-team College Football Playoff projections each week — aside from a burning desire to have people call me an idiot on multiple social media platforms — is to train my brain for how the week-to-week is going to work next year. 

Games that might not move the meter much now will carry more weight. This week’s example? Texas A&M at Tennessee. Neither of these teams are expected to make the four-team CFP this year. Texas A&M already has two losses, and Tennessee has a loss at Florida and would be knocked out by a loss this weekend or by a loss against Alabama or Georgia. But a game such as this one next year would still carry plenty of intrigue.

It would feel like a potential knockout or a re-launch game for Texas A&M, which is talented enough to win all the games on its schedule after this one. It would be a chance for Tennessee to climb within striking distance of the top 11 — remember, the top-ranked Group of 5 champ will get a bid — and a win would give the Volunteers more than a fighting chance if they could split the games against Alabama and Georgia. 

Don’t be shocked if the winner of this game lands in this space next week. 

(For now, remember that we’re using the 2024 CFP format with the conferences as currently constituted. The new Big Ten might very well get five teams in the 2024 CFP, but we’re considering Oregon and Washington as Pac-12 members and Oklahoma and Texas as Big 12 members.)

1. Georgia (SEC champ)
2. Penn State (Big Ten champ)
3. Oklahoma (Big 12 champ)
4. Florida State (ACC champ)
5. Michigan (At-large)
6. Oregon (Pac-12 champ)
7. Ohio State (At-large)
8. Washington (At-large)
9. Texas (At-large)
10. Louisville (At-large)
11. North Carolina (At-large)
12. Wyoming (Mountain West champ)

Playoff bracket matchups

No. 12 Wyoming at No. 5 Michigan
**Winner plays No. 4 Florida State in the Sugar Bowl

No. 11 North Carolina at No. 6 Oregon
**Winner plays No. 3 Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl

No. 10 Louisville at No. 7 Ohio State
**Winner plays No. 2 Penn State in the Rose Bowl

No. 9 Texas at No. 8 Washington
**Winner plays No. 1 Georgia in the Peach Bowl