10/11/2026 01:40:00
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10/11 13:38 CDT Georgia takes over for Texas as CFP top seed based on AP Top
25; Longhorns would host 1st-round game
Georgia takes over for Texas as CFP top seed based on AP Top 25; Longhorns
would host 1st-round game
By ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer
Georgia would replace Texas as the top seed on the 12-team College Football
Playoff bracket based on The Associated Press Top 25 released Sunday, but the
Longhorns would still play at home in the first round.
The projected bracket underwent minor changes with Texas' loss to unranked
Oklahoma knocking the Longhorns out of a top-four seed and the first-round bye
that goes with it.
Georgia, Notre Dame, Miami each moved up one seed line from last week, Ohio
State moves in at No. 4, and Indiana, Alabama, Texas and BYU would host
first-round games.
The five highest-ranked conference champions --- from the Power Four and one
from the Group of Six --- will qualify for the CFP. The other seven spots will
be filled by the next highest-ranked teams. One of those at-large teams will be
Notre Dame if the Fighting Irish are among the top 12 in the CFP's final
rankings.
The Southeastern Conference would have four teams in the bracket, one less than
last week because LSU dropped off following its loss to Kentucky. Utah replaced
LSU and would give the Big 12 a third team in the tournament. The Big Ten would
have two teams and the Atlantic Coast Conference and Pac-12 would have one
each. Notre Dame would be in as an independent and Boise State would represent
the Pac-12 as the top Group of Six champion.
Based on the AP rankings, the CFP would open like this:
--- No. 9 seed Mississippi at No. 8 BYU. Winner vs. No. 1 Georgia.
--- No. 12 seed Boise State at No. 5 seed Indiana. Winner vs. No. 4 Ohio State.
--- No. 10 seed Texas Tech at No. 7 Texas. Winner vs. No. 2 Notre Dame.
--- No. 11 seed Utah at No. 6 Alabama. Winner vs. No. 3 Miami.
The first three teams outside the bracket: UCLA, Missouri and Tennessee. The
Bruins are ranked No. 12 by the AP but would get bumped by Boise State, the
highest-ranked Group of Six team.
First-round games are Dec. 18 and 19, quarterfinals Dec. 30 and Jan. 1,
semifinals Jan. 14 and 15 and the championship game is Jan. 25 at Allegiant
Stadium in Las Vegas.
The AP will publish brackets based on the weekly Top 25 until the CFP selection
committee unveils its initial rankings Nov. 3.
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Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP's full
college football coverage here
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