Predicting the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket: Oregon, Indiana on upset watch

The College Football Playoff creeps ever closer as the final games in October kick off. Is the week before Halloween going to strike fear into the hearts of certain CFP contenders?

Week 9 brings along tests for the Oregon Ducks and Indiana Hoosiers. It offers redemption for the Ohio State Buckeyes and Alabama Crimson Tide.

Going into another tantalizing slate of college football action, what does the 12-team College Football Playoff look like?

Predicted 12-team College Football Playoff bracket going into Week 9

CFP Autobids

1. Oregon Ducks

After their victory over the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Oregon Ducks are the favorite to win the Big Ten. And frankly, they should waltz into the conference title game undefeated if they take care of business against a solid Illinois squad this week. Then it's Michigan, Maryland, Wisconsin and Washington remaining. From there they may face the Buckeyes again, or Indiana or Penn State in Indianapolis. They'd be favored in any of those matchups.

2. Georgia Bulldogs

I don't want to be a prisoner of the moment, but Georgia's win at Texas told us a lot about whether the Bulldogs truly have another SEC Championship in them. Kirby Smart squads are at their most dangerous when they believe the CFB world doubts them (whether that doubt is real or imagined). The head coach seems to have jumpstarted his team since their Alabama loss and I expect them to win out following their well-timed bye this week with games against Florida, Ole Miss, Tennessee, UMass and Georgia Tech.

3. Miami Hurricanes

I'm tempted to put Clemson here considering how shaky the Hurricanes have been in ACC play so far. They've won their last three games by a combined 12 points. Still, as much backing Mario Cristobal to avoid making a critical slip up scares me, I see no reason to predict a loss this week to hapless Florida State or losses upcoming against Duke, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest or Syracuse. That last one is likely their toughest before the ACC title game.

4. Iowa State Cyclones

Matt Campbell is back baby! The Cyclones had a rough go of it over the last three years but they've found the quarterback they needed to steer the ship in Rocco Becht. In a sea of uncertainty in the Big 12 this year, Iowa State feels certain. Texas Tech, Kansas, Cincinnati, Utah and Kansas State remain after their bye week

CFP At-large host teams

5. Texas Longhorns

The quarterback controversy between Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning has created more questions than answers for Steve Sarkisian after the loss to Georgia. We expect it to be Ewers against Vanderbilt this weekend and this time the heavy favorite will see the Commodores coming. If the Longhorns keep their cool in Nashville, they can easily book a rematch with Georgia in the SEC title game with wins over Florida, Arkansas, Kentucky and Texas A&M. They'd change places in this bracket if they get revenge.

6. Ohio State Buckeyes

The Ohio State Buckeyes are still the No. 1 team in the Football Power Index, despite their loss to Oregon, which they've had a week to stew over. They'll take on a Nebraska team that just got humbled by Indiana this week. Poor Huskers may be in for another rough one if the Buckeyes want to take out their frustrations on the visitors. That leaves Penn State, Purdue, Northwestern, Indiana and Michigan remaining. It's not an easy slate and Ohio State could end up with three losses before the end of it. I'm still siding with Ryan Days collection of talent in games against the Nittany Lions and Hoosiers, so they stay up on this side of the bracket.

7. Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State enjoyed a bye week after their dramatic win over USC in Los Angeles, so they should be fresh when traveling to Wisconsin this weekend. Expect them to take care of business there. It truly looks like the Nittany Lions will get out of their two-loss purgatory this year. Ohio State looks like their only remaining loss. And yes, I'm still predicting that loss because despite their improved offense, I worry about how USC's struggling offensive line was able to somewhat neutralize PSU's defensive line.

8. Indiana Hoosiers

What can we make of the surprisingly undefeated Indiana Hoosiers? Well, they're playing really good football under Paul Cignetti, ranking 11th in FPO. Unfortunately, Kurtis Rourke injured his thumb in the Hoosiers' thumping of Nebraska and looks likely to miss this weekend's game against Washington. And while he may return in time for the trip to Michigan State, I wonder how much that digit will bother him going forward. Don't sleep on Indiana with Tayven Jackson at QB though. Either way, I'm not picking the Hoosiers to win in the Horseshoe later this season, so they land here.

CFP At-large visiting teams

9. Tennessee Volunteers

Good luck to anyone who tries to make sense of the SEC championship race because it's a tangled web of would-be tiebreakers. So, I'm going with my gut that UGA and Texas will play for the title and Tennessee will step into an at-large spot. They're on a bye this weekend so they'll stay one of the one-loss teams, but they have Kentucky, Mississippi State, Georgia, UTEP and Vanderbilt coming up. That trip to Athens is likely their second loss.

10. Clemson Tigers

I personally think Dabo Swinney has done his team a disservice by refusing to play the transfer portal game and letting his roster stagnate. However, he's still a good coach who prepares his team to win most of their games. After a demoralizing loss to Georgia to open the season, the Tigers have rebuilt their confidence on offense. Cade Klubnik is getting the job done, so after their bye, I expect a run of wins over Louisville, Virginia Tech, Pitt, the Citadel and South Carolina. That'll put them in the ACC title game where I side with Cam Ward.

11. Alabama Crimson Tide

Alabama certainly isn't at their best right now and they haven't been since halftime against Georgia. They need to figure it out quick with Missouri coming to town. The Tigers aren't exactly feeling it right now either but they're good enough to swing an upset if the Crimson Tide are off their game again. Then the following week's matchup with LSU basically decides if Kalen DeBoer can sneak his team into the field. I think he can.

12. Boise State Broncos

All hail Austin Jeanty! The Boise State Broncos are the favorites to run the table in the Mountain West. They need to go through UNLV this week to do that. Friday's game is a true toss up, but I fully expect the winner to be sitting in the CFP field. After UNLV, San Diego State, Nevada, San Jose State, Wyoming and Oregon State look like fodder for Jeanty's Heisman campaign.

CFP First Four Out

1. LSU Tigers
2. BYU Cougars
3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
4. Army Black Knights

There are several SEC teams technically still alive in the CFP race, but I expect the likes of Texas A&M, Ole Miss and Missouri to suffer losses to Texas, Alabama and Georgia respectively. With at least two losses each and relatively weak strength of schedule, they shouldn't factor in.

LSU is a bit more intriguing. The Tigers have found their feet since a loss to USC and several ugly wins in September. They're one of only two SEC teams without a loss in conference. They have potential résumé building wins against Texas A&M, Alabama and Vanderbilt on the horizon. Those are all winnable games over currently ranked teams. At the same time, I've got them on the outside looking in because I'm not sure I trust Brian Kelly's squad just yet to avoid a loss or two. Their game against the Aggies this week will be telling.

BYU could go on to win the Big 12 and punch a ticket to the playoff. However, three of their final five games are on the road, including tough outings to UCF, Utah and ASU. And I like Iowa State in the Big 12 title game if it comes to that.

Notre Dame's loss to NIU looms large as one of the most costly slip ups of the season. They have no wiggle room. One more loss takes them from the field to the bubble. Where does that loss come from with Navy this weekend followed by Florida State, Viginia, Army and USC? I'm not entirely sure, but the service academies are undefeated and thriving right now. And even though the Trojans record is terrible, they still rank 15th in FPI and can't be overlooked.

Does an undefeated Army get in with wins over Notre and Navy on their résumé? There will be stirring debates between the Black Knights and Boise State if it comes to that. As much as I love the rise of the service academies, I'm not prepared to go all in on that undefeated record just yet. They have a bye this weekend then need to get through Air Force, North Texas, Notre Dame, UTSA and Navy.