Georgia Takes No. 1 CFP Slot, SEC Drops to Four Teams — SkimNews
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- Georgia moved to No. 1 in the CFP projection after its road win at Alabama, earning the No. 1 ranking in ESPN's strength of record and lifting its schedule strength to No. 34.
- The SEC is down to four projected playoff teams — Georgia, Texas, Alabama and Ole Miss — after Texas, Alabama and LSU all lost in Week 6, ending the conference's hold on half the bracket.
- Miami has a 94.7% chance to reach the CFP, second only to Georgia (95.7%), buoyed by the nation's No. 1 scoring offense (49.6 PPG) and No. 1 scoring defense (9.8 PPG) with quarterback Darian Mensah leading the attack.
- UCLA is 5-0 and ranked No. 3 in ESPN's strength of record, but its résumé carries question marks after beating Oregon when the Ducks were down to their third-string quarterback and starting QB Nico Iamaleava is now dealing with a lower leg injury.
- Ohio State sits at No. 5 in the projected top 12, a direct result of Texas losing to Oklahoma after the Longhorns had beaten the Buckeyes in Week 2, giving Texas two top-25 wins that keep the head-to-head result alive.
- Texas is the SEC's enigma, averaging just 5.4 yards per play (No. 104 nationally) and 3.7 yards per carry (No. 117) despite owning wins over Ohio State and at Tennessee, with four straight ranked opponents starting Oct. 24.
- Wake Forest is 5-1 and the ACC's other legitimate contender behind Miami, with ESPN's FPI giving the Demon Deacons at least a 50% chance to win each remaining game, setting up a likely ACC championship rematch with the Hurricanes.
Why it matters: With the selection committee now leaning on strength of record and schedule metrics more than eye-test results, Georgia's Alabama win crystallized its No. 1 résumé, while Texas, UCLA, and BYU each sit in positions where a single win or loss in the next two weeks could swing the entire 12-team bracket — and ultimately, the four conference championship games that award automatic bids.
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