The first round of the College Football Playoff is in the books, and it was truly a sight to behold given the pageantry of all four campuses on full display all around the country. There was snow surrounding Touchdown Jesus, some folks acting tough without shirts in the elements of Happy Valley, plenty of cowboy hats down on the 40 Acres and even a bright orange takeover of one of the most iconic venues in the sport.
As far as the results, well, let’s just say there have been more competitive games—even if double-digit margins are more par for the course in the postseason. The good news is the field in the national title chase has been narrowed to an elite group of eight programs trying to make it to Atlanta next month.
Who looks most likely to wind up holding up that golden cylinder? With four extra data points from the first round, here’s a reseeding of the CFP field based on both recent performances plus a reordering of those on their bye ahead of the quarterfinals.
1. Oregon Ducks
Actual seed: No. 1
Last round: Bye
Next opponent: No. 8 Ohio State, Rose Bowl quarterfinal, Jan. 1.
There will be a lot made about the difficult path the Ducks face to win their first national title and how much it could bring about tweaks to the CFP format. But coach Dan Lanning has the right approach to welcome any team at any time and will probably benefit from playing the rematch against Ohio State when his team is fully healthy, rested and most prepared. Plus, we're all lucky to take in a pseudo Pac-12/Big Ten meeting at the Rose Bowl despite all involved wearing the conference patch of just the latter.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes
Actual seed: No. 8
Last round: Beat No. 9 Tennessee, 42–17.
Next opponent: No. 1 Oregon, Rose Bowl quarterfinal, Jan. 1.
That version of the Buckeyes? The one that played to the level of their talent and seemed aggressive on both sides of the ball? That is a team capable of winning it all. There are still concerns about the offensive line and keeping momentum going out to Pasadena to play with the same fire in a rematch against the Ducks, but that was an eye-opener for OSU after two weeks of doubt.
3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Actual seed: No. 7
Last round: Beat No. 10 Indiana, 27–17.
Next opponent: No. 2 Georgia, Sugar Bowl quarterfinal, Jan. 1.
Pretty much everything the Irish dreamed of, they got in the first CFP game on campus. The images of South Bend were gorgeous, the defense turned up to suffocate its in-state opposition and it left no doubt pretty much from the moment Jeremiyah Love turned the corner on his 98-yard run. The biggest question will be an injury update on starting right guard Rocco Spindler after defensive tackle Rylie Mills was announced out for the rest of the season with a knee injury.
4. Penn State Nittany Lions
Actual seed: No. 6
Last round: Beat No. 11 SMU, 38–10.
Next opponent: No. 3 Boise State, Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal, Dec. 31.
The last two games have shown the ceiling PSU is capable of playing to, which may well be enough to win the national championship this season given its favorable path. The linebackers were phenomenal in helping the defense clamp down on the Mustangs, Abdul Carter continues to look like a top-three pick and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s offense seems to have really found a great groove. With the confidence of a home blowout under their belt plus the most favorable path in the bracket, the narrative surrounding James Franklin and his program has a chance to undergo a significant revision.
5. Georgia Bulldogs
Actual seed: No. 2
Last round: Bye
Next opponent: No. 7 Notre Dame, Sugar Bowl quarterfinal, Jan. 1.
More than one UGA fan has to be hoping the positive vibes of their 1980 trip to New Orleans will be alive and well when they take on the Irish this time around. The national title won’t be on the line to ring in the new year, but this feels like that type of heavyweight matchup that will feature plenty of conservative offensive play and some hard-hitting defense. While there will be plenty of worry over QB Gunner Stockton likely making his first start in a game of this magnitude, the extra time to prepare could help the Bulldogs sharpen their passing attack.
6. Texas Longhorns
Actual seed: No. 5
Last round: Beat No. 12 Clemson, 38–24.
Next opponent: No. 4 Arizona State, Peach Bowl quarterfinal, Jan. 1.
The Longhorns are tough to beat when they lean into the script of running the ball and playing defense, despite a few late lapses that briefly threatened to make their runaway victory over Clemson a bit more nerve-wracking. Texas also showed how important a bye in the first round is as it lost key contributors—center Jake Majors, running back Quintrevion Wisner and offensive tackle Cam Williams—in the win. The former two appear like they’ll be good to go, but Steve Sarkisian would like a full complement of guys if he can help it (which could also include WR Isaiah Bond).
7. Arizona State Sun Devils
Actual seed: No. 4
Last round: Bye
Next opponent: No. 5 Texas, Peach Bowl quarterfinal, Jan. 1.
A full month off should help Kenny Dillingham & Co. scheme up options in the passing game with the absence of top receiver Jordyn Tyson, which will be needed to provide balance so the box isn’t fully stacked to stop Cam Skattebo. Still, there’s a mighty big defensive challenge ahead for the Sun Devils if they want to reach a semifinal nobody saw coming.
8. Boise State Broncos
Actual seed: No. 3
Last round: Bye
Next opponent: No. 6 Penn State, Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal, Dec. 31.
Nobody was hoping for an upset in the first round more than the Broncos, who will have a big challenge trying to deal with that PSU front seven. The good news is they’re no strangers to upsets in the desert and will have a fresh, healthy Ashton Jeanty ready to go on New Year’s Eve.
Out of the Bracket
9. Clemson Tigers
Actual seed: No. 12
Results: Lost at No. 5 Texas, 38–24.
There was no surprise Dabo Swinney magic in store for the Tigers down in Austin, but Clemson fans have to at least be encouraged by what Cade Klubnik did in the second half, making plays down the field with young wide receivers. That saved the Tigers’ first-round game from being a complete blowout, but issues stopping the run proved to be an Achilles’ heel when it came to really getting the ACC champs closer than one score.
10. Tennessee Volunteers
Actual seed: No. 9
Results: Lost at No. 8 Ohio State, 42–17.
It was all setting up for one of the great SEC moments in the playoffs, a stream of fans in orange taking over The Horseshoe and a potential statement win for a program that has been scratching at the surface of getting back to the big time. Alas, the Vols were run off the field almost right away by the Buckeyes, with the normally salty defense a shell of itself and no run game to speak of outside of Nico Iamaleava scrambling around. Of all the first-round blowouts, this one surprised the most in terms of just how uncompetitive the team was.
11. Indiana Hoosiers
Actual seed: No. 10
Results: Lost at No. 7 Notre Dame, 27–17.
The scores in the final minutes made the scoreboard look respectable, but make no mistake, the Hoosiers were outclassed and overmatched in their first taste of major postseason action. The defense got pushed around early, the offense was MIA most of the night and all of Curt Cignetti’s brash nature appears to have disappeared in between his pregame TV appearances and actually taking the field. It was a banner year no matter what in Bloomington, Ind., but the team did itself no favors in convincing the general public it was for real with its effort.
12. SMU Mustangs
Actual seed: No. 11
Results: Lost at No. 6 Penn State, 38–10.
Pretty much from start to finish against the Nittany Lions, SMU represented four quarters of kindling to detractors who thought it did not belong in the College Football Playoff. That doesn’t retrospectively mean the selection committee got it wrong, but it will be tough for Mustangs fans to reconcile a dream debut campaign in the ACC with what transpired in their final two games. QB Kevin Jennings will be a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender in 2025, but he might be having nightmares about Dominic DeLuca picking off his passes until next fall.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Reseeding the College Football Playoff After the First Round .
