Overview

• USA TODAY’s updated bracket moves Texas A&M into the projected 12-team field in place of Oklahoma after the Sooners’ loss to Texas, with the Aggies buoyed by a road win at Notre Dame and an unbeaten start.
• Indiana’s victory at Oregon vaulted the Hoosiers into top-four status across projections, and CBS Sports’ selection-style ranking places Indiana and Alabama inside the top four based on recent résumé boosts.
• Oregon’s playoff case is now precarious if it finishes 10-2 without a win over a ranked opponent, with USC currently the Ducks’ only remaining ranked foe and analysts noting the need for at least one quality win.
• The CFP process this season features a new strength-of-schedule metric and a first-time power ranking of 12 teams while preserving five conference champions, and CBS projects South Florida as the Group of Six auto-bid at the 12 seed.
• Despite the Pac-12’s dissolution, legacy schools remain tied to existing bowl contracts through 2025, with current projections slotting USC to the Alamo Bowl, Washington to the Las Vegas Bowl and Utah to the Holiday Bowl.