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Ohio State remains the projected Big Ten champion in USA TODAY Sports’ College Football Playoff bracketology despite Saturday’s 32-31 loss at Oregon.
The instant classic between the Buckeyes and Ducks strongly suggests the two teams will meet again to decide the conference’s winner in December. Given how tightly the game was played at Autzen Stadium, Ohio State would likely be seen as the favorite in a neutral-site matchup in Indianapolis.
The Ducks continue to be one of the top at-large teams in our projected playoff field. In addition to Ohio State and Oregon, the Big Ten is also projected to have a third playoff team in Penn State. The Nittany Lions are in position to earn an at-large bid even with a loss to the Buckeyes early next month. They don’t face another ranked team on their schedule.
One team not in this week’s field is Alabama. It’s been a whirlwind month for the Crimson Tide, who held on to beat Georgia, lost to Vanderbilt and then really struggled to secure a 27-25 win against South Carolina. Based on what we’ve seen in recent weeks, the Tide are far from a sure thing and perhaps headed for multiple losses the rest of the way.
South Carolina linebacker Bam Martin-Scott (22) pursues Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard (5) as he carries the ball during the first quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
College football playoff bracket projection
The SEC is a mess. Not in terms of overall quality: The conference remains the best in the Bowl Subdivision, with Texas ranked No. 1 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and another seven teams in the Top 25.
But SEC teams are falling victim to the league’s depth. In addition to Alabama’s struggles, we’ve seen Tennessee lose to Arkansas, Missouri lose to Texas A&M and Mississippi lose twice in a three-game span.
That’s led to a reassessment of the math behind the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/big-changes-cfp-bracket-projection-110435430.html
Author : USA TODAY Sports
Publish date : 2024-10-15 11:04:35
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