Bowl projections: How did big wins and tough losses affect the postseason picture? — SkimNews
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- Texas erased a 20-point deficit to beat then-No. 1 Ohio State in Week 2's lone top-25 matchup, jumping seeds in this week's playoff projections.
- Oregon fell out of ESPN's playoff projections entirely after absorbing losses to Oklahoma State and Michigan during Week 2.
- Michigan's win over then-No. 11 Oklahoma delivered a major Week 2 shift to the overall bowl picture.
- The 2026 CFP format grants automatic bids to Power 4 conference champions and the highest-ranked Group of 6 team, with the next seven highest-ranked teams filling out the 12-team field.
- Notre Dame receives a guaranteed spot in the 12-team field if it finishes among the top 12 teams, under the new structure.
- The four highest-ranked teams earn first-round byes, while seeds 5-8 host first-round games on Dec. 18-19 at their campus sites.
- Bowl season runs from the Cricket Celebration Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Dec. 12 to the CFP National Championship at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Jan. 25.
Why it matters: ESPN's two projection models diverge sharply at the top — Bonagura slots Notre Dame as the No. 1 seed while Schlabach puts Texas there — and a single Week 2 result (Texas over Ohio State) knocked Power-conference heavyweight Oregon entirely out of the 12-team field, illustrating how volatile the new format makes early-season standings.
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