College Football Playoff: Final Projections and Key Questions Ahead of Bracket Reveal

The College Football Playoff has expanded to 12 teams, with the top four seeds going to the highest-ranked conference champions. Oregon secured the No. 1 seed after defeating Penn State in the Big Ten championship. Alabama, despite earlier setbacks, is likely to secure an at-large bid, while Notre Dame is expected to be the top at-large seed. The opening round features notable matchups, including Texas vs. Alabama, with games played on campus before moving to bowl sites for the quarterfinals.