Miami jumps to top of College Football Playoff projections after dominant opening win
Miami and LSU posted large-margin victories over Power Five opponents in Week 1, moving Miami to the projected No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff bracket.
Miami surged to the projected No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff field after a 41-13 victory over Stanford, while LSU opened with a 42-10 win against Clemson. Both teams earned the early boost by defeating Power Five opponents, a factor that selection committee members consider heavily.
The updated bracket shows Miami as the ACC champion and top seed, with Georgia, Ohio State, and Notre Dame filling the next three slots. LSU, despite a strong debut, remains projected at No. 9, reflecting a schedule that includes five ranked opponents compared with Miami’s single ranked foe.
Other early projections place Texas at No. 5 after a 52-0 win over Texas State, and Ohio State at No. 3 following a 45-7 rout of Ball State. Boise State entered the Group of Six as the top candidate after a loss to Oregon, but could improve its standing with a win over Memphis in Week 2.
The rankings also list BYU, SMU, Indiana, and Texas Tech among the teams positioned to contend for playoff spots, based on their opening performances against lower-tier opponents.