College football bowl projections: Texas returns to playoff contention

The College Football Playoff Selection Committee is preparing for its first top 25 rankings release of the season, with several recent games impacting team standings. Texas secured a win against Vanderbilt, while the ACC experienced significant upheaval. Miami's upset loss to SMU has affected its position in playoff discussions, with coach Mario Cristobal still optimistic about the team’s chances despite recent setbacks. Georgia Tech's loss to NC State added to the complexity at the top of the ACC standings, where Louisville, Virginia, SMU, Duke, and Pitt all have one conference loss.

Clemson's defeat by Duke marked the Tigers' sixth consecutive home loss against Power Four competition, putting coach Dabo Swinney at risk of missing the postseason for the first time. Meanwhile, Oklahoma's victory over Tennessee in the SEC was crucial for both two-loss teams, although the Sooners face a challenging schedule ahead.

Projected College Football Playoff matchups for the quarterfinals include Ohio State versus the winner of Ole Miss and