09/27/26 01:13:00
Printable Page
09/27 13:12 CDT Florida would appear on CFP bracket and host a first-round game
based on AP Top 25; 6 SEC teams in
Florida would appear on CFP bracket and host a first-round game based on AP Top
25; 6 SEC teams in
By ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer
Florida would be in the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket for the first
time based on The Associated Press Top 25 released Sunday and the Gators would
host a first-round game.
First-year coach Jon Sumrall's team zoomed up 13 spots to No. 8 in the poll,
which would give the Gators the last home-field spot and the Southeastern
Conference a total of six teams in the field.
Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame and Miami would be the top four seeds and Ohio
State, Indiana, Alabama and Florida would host first-round games.
The five highest-ranked conference champions --- from the Power Four and one
from the Group of Six --- will qualify for the CFP. The other seven spots will
be filled by the next highest-ranked teams. One of those at-large teams will be
Notre Dame if the Fighting Irish are among the top 12 in the CFP's final
rankings.
The Big Ten would have two teams in the field and the Big 12, Atlantic Coast
Conference and Pac-12 would have one each. Notre Dame would be in as an
independent, and Boise State would represent the Pac-12 as the top Group of Six
champion.
Based on the AP rankings, the CFP would open like this:
--- No. 9 seed Mississippi at No. 8 Florida. Winner vs. No. 1 Texas.
--- No. 12 seed Boise State at Ohio State. Winner vs. No. 4 Miami.
--- No. 10 seed BYU at No. 7 Alabama. Winner vs. No. 2 Georgia.
--- No. 11 seed LSU at No. 6 Indiana. Winner vs. No. 3 Notre Dame.
The first three teams outside the bracket: Texas Tech, Utah and Iowa.
The Red Raiders are ranked No. 12 by the AP but would get bumped by Boise
State, the highest-ranked Group of Six team.
First-round games are Dec. 18 and 19, quarterfinals Dec. 30 and Jan. 1,
semifinals Jan. 14 and 15 and the championship game is Jan. 25 at Allegiant
Stadium in Las Vegas.
The AP will publish brackets based on the weekly Top 25 until the CFP selection
committee unveils its initial rankings Nov. 3.
___
Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here, visit the Top 25 here and see AP's full
college football coverage here
|
