Three Big Takeaways from the November 12 CFP Projections

By Tucker Harlin

The College Football Playoff committee updated its rankings Tuesday night.

These are my three biggest reactions to the new projections.

NOTRE DAME AT TENNESSEE WOULD BE ELECTRIC

Tennessee is in line to host Notre Dame based on the Tuesday projections.

The Vols would have no difficulty on defense with that matchup, but I think the offense would be in for its biggest challenge since Oklahoma with the Irish defense.

Part of the excitement with the expanded field is the opportunity to play more uncommon opponents. I’m sure both fan bases would welcome the possibility of this game.

GEORGIA IS PLAYING FOR A SPOT IN THE FIELD AGAINST TENNESSEE… AGAIN

It’s like the committee is playing its own game to keep the dominant powers over the last 10 years at the top.

Georgia is officially the first team out of this week’s projected field of 12. Tennessee sits higher than the Bulldogs as the 8-seed in the projected field.

Don’t forget how the committee’s first official rankings in 2022 featured the Vols as the top team in the country a week before their trip to Athens.

2024 Georgia isn’t the same beast that resided in Sanford Stadium in 2022. But repetitive Jamal Lewis stiff arms in the 1990s will always have Kirby Smart up for Tennessee.

HOW IS SMU THE SECOND TEAM OUT?

I’m sorry, this has to be the most agitating decision the College Football Playoff committee made this week.

Miami took a loss to Georgia Tech in Atlanta in Week 10. What Brent Key is building at Georgia Tech is a competitive football program, but you can’t sit here and tell me the Hurricanes have a better loss than SMU.

The Mustangs’ loss was in the second week of the season to a BYU team who is the standalone leader in the Big 12. They don’t have an ACC loss.

Make it make sense.