The massive block of marble that is the college football season is continuing to chip away into its final form: the College Football Playoff. It's a gradual process, but with every passing week, the College Football Playoff bracket grows clearer.
We're back for week 3 of our 12-team playoff bracket predictions, and with a greater number of quality power 4 matchups, we're beginning to learn more about which teams are playoff contenders, and which teams likely don't have what it takes to compete for a national title.
So who are the pretenders, and who do we expect to see battling for the CFB crown in January? Well, it's still only September, but let's quickly go through some of the top risers and fallers from week 2.
Risers
Texas: Sarkisian's roster walked into The Big House in Ann Arbor Michigan and stomped the reigning national champions on their own turf. It was a huge statement victory to take down the champs in such a dominant fashion, and the Longhorns could give Georgia a scare for the SEC title if they maintain this level of play.
Tennessee: Another SEC team is on the rise after week 2, after the Volunteers hosted 24th-ranked NC State and dominated the Wolfpack 51-10 in Knoxville. The Vols may be a sneaky contender for the SEC championship game, and certainly have their sights set on a playoff berth.
Fallers
Oregon: The Ducks vs. the State of Idaho may be the greatest modern rivalry in football, as Oregon barely escaped Boise State a week removed after their scare against the Idaho Vandals. The good news is that Oregon stands at 2-0 at this point in the season. The bad news: if this is the real Oregon, the Ducks may be in for a challenging season in the Big 10.
Notre Dame: Losing to a MAC team while ranked in the top 5 has never happened in College Football History. That was true until Notre Dame was stunned by Northern Illinois on Saturday, as the Huskies exited South Bend with a 16-14 victory over the Irish. Contending for the Playoff as an Independant already puts Notre Dame at a disadvantage, but now they may have to win out for a chance at an at-large bid.
Utah: The Utes jumped out to an early 23-0 lead over Baylor, and was looking unbeatable until veteran QB, Cam Rising, injured his hand on a cooler while running out of bounds. With Rising, this team is the favorite to win the Big 12. Without him, they looked very mortal. This injury isn't expected to be serious, but for a quarterback who has sustained a very serious knee injury in his career, the Utes will need to be careful with their signal caller if they hope to contend this season.
Rank | Team | Reason | Previous Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Georgia | SEC Champion | 1 (--) |
2 | Ohio State | Big 10 Champion | 2 (--) |
3 | Kansas State | Big 12 Champion | 8 (Up 5) |
4 | Miami (FL) | ACC Champion | 4 (--) |
5 | Texas | At-Large | 10 (Up 5) |
6 | Alabama | At-Large | 5 (Down 1) |
7 | Tennessee | At-Large | N/A |
8 | Ole Miss | At-Large | 7 (Down 1) |
9 | Oklahoma State | At-Large | N/A |
10 | Tulane | AAC Champion | 12 (Up 2) |
11 | Penn State | At-Large | 6 (Down 5) |
12 | USC | At-Large | N/A |