College Football Playoff 12-Team Projections After Week 7

With Week 7 of the 2026 college football season in the books, it’s never too early to project how the 12-team playoff will look by December.

The projected field features some significant changes after a chaotic Week 7 slate. Georgia falls from No. 1 after its loss to Auburn, but coach Kirby Smart’s team remains Athlon Sports’ pick to win the SEC. Saturday’s win in Bloomington lifted Ohio State to the No. 1 seed, with Miami (No. 3) and BYU (No. 4) projected as conference champions and also taking the final two spots in the top four. Texas, Missouri and Alabama fell from the projected playoff field this week, with Tennessee, Kentucky and Texas Tech joining as at-large selections.

Considering the unpredictable nature of the ’26 season, more surprises and shifts in the playoff field are likely coming in future weeks. The Big 12 has two projected teams in the field after Week 7, but a third team is a strong possibility with Houston and Utah also in the mix. Could a 9-3 team from the SEC make the 12-team field this year?

Although the season is just seven weeks old, the impact of every game isn’t limited to just the top teams. Instead, each contest takes on an increased role due to eight additional spots in the playoff, as well as seeding, and the automatic bids for conference champions.

As a refresher: 12 teams — four champions from the power conferences, the highest-ranked Group of 6 team and seven highest-ranked at-large selections by the selection committee — will receive berths to the College Football Playoff. Notre Dame is also locked into the field if it finishes in the top 12 in the selection committee’s final rankings.

The top four highest-ranked teams receive a bye, with the first-round games slated to be played at the home sites of the higher seeds. Beginning with the quarterfinals, all games through the national championship will be played at bowl or neutral sites.

Related: College Football Bowl Projections for 2026 After Week 7

With Week 7 completed, Athlon Sports projects the CFP field for 2026:

College Football Playoff 12-Team Projections After Week 7

The Projected Field for 2026-27
Ranking All 138 College Football Teams for 2026

1. Ohio State (Projected Big Ten Champion)
2. Georgia (Projected SEC Champion)
3. Miami (Projected ACC Champion)
4. BYU (Projected Big 12 Champion)
5. Indiana
6. Ole Miss
7. Tennessee
8. Notre Dame
9. Kentucky
10. UCLA
11. Texas Tech
12. Boise State (Projected Highest G6 Champion)

Bubble Watch After Week 7
LSU (5-2)
Alabama (5-2)
Oregon (4-2)
USC (6-1)
Texas (4-2)
Florida (5-2)
Missouri (5-2)
Utah (6-0)
Iowa (5-1)
SMU (5-1)
Houston (6-1)
Oklahoma State (4-2)
Northwestern (5-1)
Arizona (5-1)
Wake Forest (6-1)

G6 Playoff Contenders
Projected Conference Champions: Boise State, Memphis, New Mexico, Liberty, Western Michigan, James Madison
Other G6 Teams in the Mix: North Dakota State, Oregon State, UTSA, Toledo

College Football Playoff First Round

Games to be played on Dec. 18 and Dec. 19. Contests will be played at the home site of the higher-ranked team.

No. 5 Indiana vs. No. 12 Boise State
No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 11 Texas Tech
No. 7 Tennessee vs. No. 10 UCLA
No. 8 Notre Dame vs. No. 9 Kentucky

College Football Playoff Quarterfinals

Second-round games will be played at bowl sites and will take place on Dec. 30 and Jan. 1.

Fiesta Bowl (Dec. 30)
Projection: No. 4 BYU vs. No. 5 Indiana

Peach Bowl (Jan. 1)
Projection: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7 Tennessee

Rose Bowl (Jan. 1)
Projection: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 8 Notre Dame

Cotton Bowl (Jan. 1)
Projection: No. 3 Miami vs. No. 6 Ole Miss

College Football Playoff Semifinals

Semifinal games will be played at bowl sites. Matchups are scheduled for Jan. 14-15.

Orange Bowl (Jan. 14)
Projection: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Indiana

Sugar Bowl (Jan. 15)
Projection: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 3 Miami

NationalChampionship

Jan. 25, 2027 in Las Vegas, Nev.
Projection: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Georgia

Related: 2026 Bowl Projections After Week 7: Saturday Chaos Shakes Up Postseason Outlook

Related: College Football Rankings: Athlon Sports Top 25 (After Week 7)

Related: Florida and Texas Have Been Exceptionally Inconsistent. Where Do They Go From Here?

This story was originally published by Athlon on Oct 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.