Bowl projections: Alabama, Penn State, Ole Miss move into College Football Playoff bracket — SkimNews
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- Ole Miss moved into the CFP bracket projection after Trinidad Chambled led a win over previously unbeaten LSU, giving the Rebels what the source calls two of the best wins in college football (Louisville in the opener plus LSU)
- Alabama entered the bracket projection after handling Florida State 50-36 behind four total touchdowns from freshman Keelon Russell, with the Crimson Tide still having an opportunity to crack the field from the SEC
- Penn State debuted in the 12-team projection this week, with the Nittany Lions' upcoming game against USC described as vital to both teams' Big Ten title hopes
- SMU dropped out of the CFP projection into the Pop-Tarts Bowl against TCU, with Miami, Virginia, and Louisville now standing between the Mustangs and a Charlotte appearance
- Oklahoma State snapped a 21-game losing skid against FBS opponents by upsetting Oregon, vaulting first-year coach Eric Morris's squad into the Texas Bowl projection against Florida
- Vanderbilt earned a Gasparilla Bowl projection after a fumble recovery in the end zone with one second left stunned NC State, with five-star freshman quarterback Jared Curtis leading the 3-0 start
- Louisville emerged as a serious CFP threat after beating SMU and, per the source, does not play another nationally ranked opponent this season
Why it matters: Three new SEC and Big Ten teams entering the CFP bracket projection while SMU falls to the Pop-Tarts Bowl shows how quickly one weekend reshapes the 12-team field. Bowl directors are simultaneously weighing multi-year sponsorship deals against a possible 24-team playoff expansion that could pull Power Four programs out of featured matchups.
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