Projecting The College Football Playoff Top 12 After Week 12

On Monday, ESPN's Heather Dinich took a crack at predicting what the selection committee's top 12 would look like if it were released today.

Based on her predictions, four teams from the SEC would make the playoffs.

Alabama (projected SEC Champ) and Texas A&M would receive first-round byes. Ole Miss and Georgia would host first-round games on their campuses.

Projecting the top 12:
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (8-0)
2. Indiana Hoosiers (9-0)
3. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1)
4. Texas A&M Aggies (8-0)
5. Georgia Bulldogs (7-1)
6. Ole Miss Rebels (8-1)
7. BYU Cougars (8-0)
8. Oregon Ducks (7-1)
9. Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-1)
10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-2)
11. Texas Longhorns (7-2)
12. Oklahoma Sooners (7-2)

*Based on these projected rankings above, Texas and Oklahoma would be bumped out of the playoffs for the ACC champion and the Group of 5 champion.

Bracket

Based on the rankings above, the seeding would be:

First-round byes

No. 1 Ohio State (Big Ten champ)
No. 2 Indiana
No. 3 Alabama (SEC champ)
No. 4 Texas A&M

First-round games

On campus, Dec. 19 and 20

No. 12 Memphis (American champ) at No. 5 Georgia
No. 11 Virginia (ACC champ) at No. 6 Ole Miss
No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 7 BYU (Big 12 champ)
No. 9 Texas Tech at No. 8 Oregon

Quarterfinal games

At the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl Presented by Prudential and Allstate Sugar Bowl on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

No. 12 Memphis/No. 5 Georgia winner vs. No. 4 Texas A&M
No. 11 Virginia/No. 6 Ole Miss winner vs. No. 3 Alabama
No. 10 Notre Dame/No. 7 BYU winner vs. No. 2 Indiana
No. 9 Texas Tech/No. 8 Oregon winner vs. No. 1 Ohio State