Sports Illustrated
The Fake 12-Team Playoff Selection Committee, for the first time this season, made zero changes to its field from one week to the next. The 12 teams that advanced to last week’s Fake Playoff also made it into this one. They’re just in a slightly different order.
The only real certainty about the field is that Georgia is No. 1. Outside of that very real fact, anything and everything is up for debate. For instance, spots 2–10 are a hodgepodge of one-loss teams with strong résumés and unbeatens with weaker résumés. There is an argument for No. 2 to be No. 10 (Oregon hasn’t looked dominant, after all) and No. 10 to be No. 2 (Notre Dame has one of the country’s strongest schedules and best losses).
This week produced one truly tough decision with Wake Forest losing at North Carolina: Who is the last conference champion to punch its ticket into the field? We’ll get to the answers later.
For now, to the bracket we go!
1. Georgia (SEC champion)
2. Oregon (Pac-12 champion)
3. Cincinnati (AAC champion)
4. Oklahoma (Big 12 champion)
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5. Alabama (SEC at-large)
12. Wake Forest (ACC champion)
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6. Ohio State (Big Ten champion)
11. Texas A&M (SEC at-large)
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7. Michigan State (Big Ten at-large)
10. Notre Dame (Independent at-large)
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8. Oklahoma State (Big 12 at-large)
9. Michigan (Big Ten at-large)
