Bleacher Report Projects 12-Team CFP After Week 1, Elevating LSU to No. 8

Q: How might the upcoming clash between Ohio State and Texas completely shatter the newly projected 12-team playoff bracket?

Yes. Ohio State-Texas is the kind of Week 2 game that can scramble almost every layer of the projected bracket. Right now, Ohio State is projected as the No. 1 team and Big Ten auto-bid, while Texas is a top-five team and an at-large. If Texas wins at home, the Buckeyes would likely lose their grip on the top seed, Texas would have a marquee victory strong enough to push for No. 1 or close to it, and the SEC race would instantly look different because Texas would become a legitimate favorite not just for an at-large spot but for the conference title and a first-round bye. If Ohio State wins, the current projection could also be overturned. The Buckeyes’ résumé would become clearly stronger than everyone else’s after a 56-3 opener and a road win over Texas, making No. 1 more secure. Texas, meanwhile, would no longer look like a safe upper-tier at-large and could slip behind teams such as Notre Dame, LSU, Oregon or even other SEC contenders as the league’s crowded playoff fight tightens. The ripple effects go beyond those two teams. A Texas loss would increase pressure on the SEC’s projected field, where Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Oklahoma and Texas are all already in the mix. An Ohio State loss would reopen the Big Ten race for Oregon and Indiana and weaken the league’s claim to the top seed. Because this game matches two current top-five teams with conference-title paths, it could change seeding, auto-bid favorites and the at-large pecking order all at once.

Q: Will Boise State's narrow loss to Oregon actually become the ultimate secret weapon for securing a Group of Six playoff bid?

Yes — if Boise State responds well, the loss to Oregon could become one of its biggest résumé assets in the Group of Six race. The key is context. Boise State did not get blown out by a top-tier team; it pushed Oregon deep into the game, led 17-7, got three touchdown passes from Maddux Madsen and lost by just seven. Multiple early playoff projections still treat the Broncos as one of the strongest G6 contenders despite the defeat. In a format where the highest-ranked Group of Six team gets in, a competitive loss to a likely playoff team can matter more than a routine win over a weak schedule. That is especially true because Boise State’s schedule strength already rates well for a G6 team, while Memphis — the current projected bid holder in Bleacher Report’s bracket — is the next direct measuring stick. If Boise State beats Memphis in Week 2, the Oregon game instantly looks less like a missed upset and more like proof the Broncos belong above the rest of the G6 field. The narrow margin could then help separate Boise State from teams with cleaner records but weaker schedules. But the loss only becomes a “secret weapon” if Boise State avoids more damage. The committee will reward the quality of the Oregon performance only if the Broncos stack wins afterward, especially against Memphis and in conference play. If they lose again soon, the Oregon result becomes respectable but not decisive. Right now, it is an advantage in waiting, not a guarantee.

1 articles · Updated · Bleacher Report · Sep 7

Ohio State, Miami, Georgia, Texas Tech and Memphis lead Bleacher Report’s first post-Week 1 projected playoff field, with Notre Dame, Texas, Indiana, Oregon, LSU, Ole Miss and Oklahoma taking at-large spots.
LSU made the biggest statement of Week 1 by crushing Clemson 51-10, piling up 644 yards while allowing 145, a result that pushed the Tigers to No. 8 and strengthened their early CFP case.
Oregon climbed to No. 7 after rallying past Boise State 34-27, while Ole Miss reached No. 9 after a 48-yard walk-off field goal beat Louisville 41-38 in Nashville.
Bleacher Report’s updated Top 25 keeps Ohio State at No. 1 ahead of Notre Dame, Miami, Georgia and Texas, with Louisville still ranked No. 21 despite the loss.
Week 2 now turns to résumé-shaping matchups including Ohio State at Texas, Oklahoma at Michigan and Memphis at Boise State, a key game in the race for the Group of 6 automatic bid.