The SEC has narrowed down to three teams, while the ACC now boasts two teams in the latest College Football Playoff projections by YSL News Sports.

After a tumultuous weekend, Alabama and Mississippi were eliminated from contention. Tennessee made a comeback by defeating Texas-El Paso decisively.

Currently, there is no fourth SEC team in the bracket; instead, that position has been claimed by SMU. Although Miami is still favored to win the ACC, the Mustangs are in a strong position to secure an at-large spot even if they lose to the Hurricanes.

This situation hinges on a couple of key outcomes: SMU needs to prevail over California this weekend to head into the ACC championship game with just one loss, and Tennessee must avoid a loss against Vanderbilt. A defeat for the Volunteers would enable Alabama or even South Carolina to re-enter the bracket, provided South Carolina triumphs over their rival Clemson.

If this scenario plays out, the playoffs would feature four teams from the Big Ten (Oregon, Ohio State, Penn State, and Indiana), three teams from the SEC, two from the ACC, one from the Big 12, as well as Notre Dame and Boise State.

Projected College Football Playoff Bracket

Arizona State has taken the lead in the Big 12, with Indiana also remaining in playoff contention.

After defeating Brigham Young 28-23, Arizona State has replaced BYU as the frontrunner in the Big 12. They are now the fourth team to lead the conference in our projections, alongside BYU, Colorado, and Kansas State.

Key losses in the SEC have allowed Indiana to retain strong hopes for an at-large bid after their 38-15 defeat to Ohio State on Saturday. A win against Purdue this weekend would solidify their position.

Boise State is still ahead in the Group of Five rankings following their narrow escape from Wyoming’s upset attempts. However, the Broncos are not expected to receive a bye in the first round since Arizona State likely has the potential to secure another ranked victory in the conference championship game.

Although Boise might have a chance against UNLV in the Mountain West championship, it is presumed that Arizona State could establish a stronger resume, positioning them ahead in the final playoff rankings despite carrying one additional loss compared to the Broncos.

Teams to Monitor

Tulane

With Army’s loss to Notre Dame, the possibilities for both the American Athletic and Mountain West champions to enter the playoff have diminished. Tulane must secure victories over Memphis and Army while hoping Boise State stumbles in one of their final two games. In other circumstances, a two-loss Green Wave would be a compelling Group of Five contender, but it will be challenging to surpass the Broncos if they conclude with only one loss.

South Carolina

The Gamecocks might just be the best eight-win team out there. They have steadily climbed the rankings and could exploit any turmoil with a victory against Clemson. A crucial win here could elevate South Carolina above Alabama if the Tide triumph in the Iron Bowl.

Iowa State

The Cyclones have regained momentum with wins over Cincinnati and Utah. While a victory against Kansas State on Saturday wouldn’t guarantee anything, it could set up a clash with Arizona State, should all four leading Big 12 teams win this weekend.

UNLV

To pave a path to the playoffs ahead of Tulane or Army, UNLV needs to triumph over both Nevada and Boise State. Key to their hopes is defeating the Broncos to reverse one of their two losses. Additionally, a win for Syracuse against Miami would be beneficial, allowing the Orange to finish with nine victories and potentially land in the playoff rankings, considering they edged out the Rebels 44-41 in an overtime game earlier in October.