Latest projections for all 46 CFB postseason games

Week 4 did not nutrient immoderate seismic upsets, but arsenic always, determination were plentifulness of eye-opening results that impacted the College Football Playoff representation and beyond.

Among the games that altered perceptions were Indiana's dismantling of Illinois, decisive wins by Texas Tech (at Utah) and Ole Miss (over Tulane), and roadworthy victories by Syracuse (at Clemson) and Michigan (at Nebraska).

As successful past season's inaugural 12-team CFP, the 5 highest-ranked league champions, positive the adjacent 7 highest-ranked teams, volition marque the field. Unlike past year, the 4 highest-ranked teams (not needfully league champions) volition beryllium awarded first-round byes. The different 8 teams volition conscionable successful first-round games astatine the field sites of seeds Nos. 5 done 8.

From there, the quarterfinals and semifinals volition beryllium played successful what had been the New Year's Six bowls, with this season's nationalist title crippled scheduled for Jan. 19 astatine Hard Rock Stadium successful Miami.

All of that is conscionable the extremity of the iceberg, though. Apart from the playoff is the 35-game slate of vessel games, opening with the Cricket Celebration Bowl connected Dec. 13.

We're present for each of it.

ESPN vessel gurus Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach are projecting each postseason matchup, including their breakdowns of however the playoff volition play out, and we'll beryllium backmost each week of the play until the existent matchups are set.

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College Football Playoff

First-round games (at field sites)

Friday, Dec. 19/Saturday, Dec. 20

Times and networks TBD.

Bonagura: No. 12 South Florida astatine No. 5 LSU
Schlabach: No. 12 South Florida astatine No. 5 Oregon

Bonagura: No. 11 Texas Tech astatine No. 6 Miami
Schlabach: No. 11 Indiana astatine No. 6 Penn State

Bonagura: No. 10 Texas astatine No. 7 Florida State
Schlabach: No. 10 Texas A&M astatine No. 7 Florida State

Bonagura: No. 9 Oklahoma astatine No. 8 Indiana
Schlabach: No. 9 Texas Tech astatine No. 8 Oklahoma

First-round breakdown

Bonagura: Two teams worthy highlighting this week are Indiana and Texas Tech, some of which had immense wins against league teams that were successful these projections a week agone (Illinois and Utah). These games weren't conscionable wins, they were statements. Indiana bushed Illinois by 53 and Tech bushed Utah by 24.

For Texas Tech, the triumph should found the Red Raiders arsenic the favourite successful the Big 12 -- a league that volition person a pugnacious clip getting 2 teams successful the playoff. For Indiana, the roadworthy is much hard -- but it's manageable. The lone ranked teams near connected its docket are Oregon and Penn State, truthful if the Hoosiers clasp service successful the games they're favored successful and decorativeness 10-2, that should beryllium bully capable to get successful the playoff. Of course, this appears to beryllium a squad that tin spell toe-to-toe with anyone, truthful it's premature to constitute disconnected immoderate games arsenic losses.

Schlabach: It was different chaotic Saturday, and my playoff bracket has 3 caller teams aft Illinois, Tulane and Utah were connected the incorrect broadside of blowouts.

Texas Tech spent a boatload of currency boosting its roster this past offseaso...