College Football Playoff Bracket Projections and Predictions After Week 4

Thanks to an impressive win at Utah, Texas Tech is the newest addition the projected College Football Playoff field.

Otherwise, it was a quiet Week 4. Indiana's blowout win shoved Illinois out of the current bracket, creating a space for Oklahoma—which clipped Auburn on Saturday afternoon—to occupy the 12th and final spot.

But worry not, my friends. The drama is coming in Week 5.

The projections for the CFP are based on the latest B/R Top 25, which both recent results have shaped and upcoming games will change.

Key Results in Week 4

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Texas Tech 34, Utah 10

Iowa State opened its weekend as B/R's highest-ranked Big 12 team, but Texas Tech swiped the label on Saturday. The defense—a unit bolstered by Tech's ultra-aggressive approach to the transfer portal this offseason—allowed just 263 yards and forced four turnovers in the victory at Utah.

Oklahoma 24, Auburn 17

Similarly, the Sooners put on a defensive masterclass in their Top 25 win. Auburn quarterback Jackson Arnold, who started for OU last season, was under constant duress in his former home. Oklahoma racked up 14 tackles for loss, setting a program record with 10 sacks.

Indiana 63, Illinois 10

What a beatdown. I mean, my word. Take it from Indiana coach Curt Cignetti: "They couldn't stop us," he told reporters. "They couldn't match up on the perimeter. And then we broke their will." Indiana collected 579 yards in the 53-point demolition, the largest margin ever in a victory over a Top 10 opponent. All those questions about who would be this year's Indiana? Well, it might be Indiana.

B/R's Top 25 After Week 4

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CharMar "Marty" Brown

1. Ohio State
2. Georgia
3. Penn State
4. Miami
5. LSU
6. Oregon
7. Texas A&M
8. Florida State
9. Oklahoma
10. Texas
11. Texas Tech
12. Indiana
13. Tennessee
14. Iowa State
15. Ole Miss
16. Alabama
17. Missouri
18. Georgia tech
19. Vanderbilt
20. Michigan
21. Louisville
22. Utah
23. South Florida
24. Illinois
25. Washington

Post-Week 4 CFP Picture

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Bracket Format

Automatic bids: The highest-ranked team within five conferences. (Ultimately, the league champion will receive an auto-bid.)

1. Ohio State (No. 1, Big Ten)
2. Georgia (No. 2, SEC)
3. Miami (No. 4, ACC)
4. Texas Tech (No. 11, Big 12)
5. South Florida (No. 23, American)

At-large bids: The next seven highest-ranked teams in the country.

1. Penn State (No. 3)
2. LSU (No. 5)
3. Oregon (No. 6)
4. Texas A&M (No. 7)
5. Florida State (No. 8)
6. Oklahoma (No. 9)
7. Texas (No. 10)

Rankings are based on latest B/R Top 25.

Teams on the Radar

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Beau Pribula

Memphis Tigers

That coveted automatic bid in the Group of Five has a hotly contested race in the American. South Florida made early waves in upsets of Boise State and Florida, and Memphis joined the party in Week 4. The defense forced a red-zone fumble in the final minutes to stun Arkansas 32-31. Memphis is now 4-0.

Missouri Tigers

Penn State transfer Beau Pribula has been an excellent addition for Mizzou, which took out South Carolina 29-20 on Saturday. Ahmad Hardy rushed for 138 yards, while Jamal Roberts (76) and Pribula (72) also had major contributions. Missouri should be 5-0 when Alabama comes to town in mid-October.

USC Trojans

We're about to learn an awful lot about the Trojans—in a hurry, too. USC travels to Illinois on Saturday before an idle weekend, then hosts Michigan and travels to Notre Dame in consecutive weeks.

Impact Games in Week 5

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Dante Moore

Big Ten: USC at Illinois
Big Ten: Oregon at Penn State

Illinois, clearly, needs a bounce-back victory, and USC coming to town immediately is a double-edged sword. Can the Illini recover, or will USC announce itself as a serious Big Ten threat? In the evening, we'll be treated to a massive game at Penn State. The winner will take a significant step toward the CFP, along with securing a valuable tiebreaker for the conference race.

Big 12: TCU at Arizona State

Iowa State jumped out to a hot start, and Texas Tech recently bulked up the bandwagon. However, this is a not-so-sneaky, very important Big 12 affair happening on Friday at ASU. Expect the winner to make noise in the next Top 25.

SEC: LSU at Ole Miss
SEC: Auburn at Texas A&M
SEC: Alabama at Georgia

How's that for a list of impact games? All over the conference, Week 5 is loaded with showdowns. The first two matchups share the mid-afternoon window, while Bama's trip to UGA lands the prime-time treatment. Save for Auburn needing to avoid a second SEC loss, no result will be truly crushing—or guarantee more success, for that matter. But it sure is helpful to pad a resume.