College Football Playoff Projections Shift After Miami, Texas Tech Upsets

Week 8 of the college football season saw significant upheaval in the College Football Playoff (CFP) race as Miami suffered a surprising loss to Louisville, and Texas Tech fell to Arizona State, causing both teams to drop out of the top four projections. Miami, now ranked ninth in the AP Poll, must win all remaining games to maintain a viable path to the CFP, although they face stiff competition within the ACC from undefeated teams like Georgia Tech, who surged into the top five after key victories. Alabama capitalized on the chaos by moving into the top four seeds following a decisive win over Tennessee, maintaining their status as a CFP contender despite an earlier loss to Florida State. Various projections place Alabama in quarterfinal matchups against teams like Oregon, Georgia, and Texas Tech, reflecting strong confidence in their postseason potential. Ohio State, Indiana, and Texas A&M join Alabama as the current top four seeds, with Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, and BYU also gaining spots in mock playoff brackets. The SEC leads with five teams in the 12-team CFP bracket, underscoring its strength this season, while Miami remains on the bracket but must navigate a challenging schedule and conference chaos to secure a playoff berth.