The teams in the College Football Playoff field didn’t have the luxury of taking breathers this week. Many went from last week’s high-intensity matchups directly into potential trap situations against conference opponents with plenty still to play for.
And the new No. 1 team — Georgia — proved worthy of that ranking by squashing No. 22 Missouri’s playoff hopes. That 48-21 demolition came across as a statement that the Bulldogs’ top ranking was no gift. They earned it, and went out and proved it.
Here’s how we see that Georgia beat down between the hedges shaking out the bracket:
The projected 12-team bracket
First-round games
- (12) Boise State at (5) Notre Dame
- (11) Wake Forest at (6) Texas
- (10) Tennessee at (7) Miami
- (9) BYU at (8) Indiana
Quarterfinal pairings
- Boise State-Notre Dame winner at (4) UCLA
- Wake Forest-Texas winner at (3) Alabama
- Tennessee-Miami winner at (2) Utah
- BYU-Indiana winner at (1) Georgia
Tons of credit to Wake Forest for its 42-point beat down of an SMU team that has spent significant time in the Top 25 polls. The Demon Deacons replace Kentucky, which was playing host to Florida later Saturday night and, frankly, was lucky to hang onto its spot in the bracket after last week’s embarrassing loss at Tennessee.
Hangovers for Hurricanes, Crimson Tide?
Some say the mark of a great team is the ability to win without playing its best. But that’s also no way to pass the eye test.
Both Miami and Alabama were in prime letdown spots. Neither was in championship form, but both shook off slow starts to earn double-digit conference victories that should help them stay put in the rankings.
Miami bounced back from an emotional loss at Notre Dame by beating Duke 36-25. Meanwhile, the Crimson Tide were coming off a prime-time blowout win at LSU that came with serious hangover potential. With Keelon Russell starting despite an ankle injury, they sidestepped Vanderbilt’s potential trap and won 21-6.
Welcome to the bracket, Wake Forest
We see you, Deacs, and we can’t ignore you anymore. Not after you went into Dallas and hung 42 points in the first half on a good SMU team. In fact, for most of Saturday, it was fair to say Wake Forest received more of a test last week from Merrimack — an FCS team the Demon Deacons beat 77-0 — than they did from a Mustangs team that has spent every week of 2026 but one in the AP Top 25.
Building a Resume they can't ignore. pic.twitter.com/ppBeP5sVwA
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) November 14, 2026
Coach Jake Dickert’s team has reeled off seven straight wins since its 33-20 loss to Miami — which looks even better in retrospect — and made quite a statement about setting up an early December rematch in Charlotte. They also proved very deserving of a spot in the field of 12.
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