Playoff bracket prediction: Georgia still top dog, Texas A&M joins field

Each week after Saturday’s games, Matt Hayes predicts the College Football Playoff 12-team bracket. Here’s his list after Week 9:

College Football Playoff bracket projection

1. Georgia: Until someone not-named Alabama can figure out this beast, no one is beating the Bulldogs

2. Oregon: Ducks are beginning to flex on defense, giving up nine combined points in the last two weeks to Purdue and Illinois.

3. Miami: A comically easy schedule isn’t much better in November (Duke, at Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, at Syracuse).

4. Brigham Young: The Cougars keep knocking out wins, and the schedule looks more manageable by the week.

5. Ohio State: This spot, more than likely, will be the third-best team in college football at the end of the season. Translation: the best non-champion of the SEC and Big Ten.

6. Texas: A difficult natural letdown game, and a gutty fourth-quarter win. A bye week before Florida comes to Austin Nov. 9.

7. Penn State: There’s plenty to like about a stout defense, but can the Lions get enough offense to beat Ohio State — no matter who plays quarterback?

8. Tennessee: Once QB Nico Iamaleava starts connecting on deep throws in conference games, the Vols become a legit threat to reach the CFP semifinals.

9. Texas A&M: We’re now officially into the month of November games — and the Aggies are alone (by record) at the top of the SEC.

10. Notre Dame: The easiest month of November this side of Miami. If Irish don’t advance to the playoff, it will be a colossal failure.

11. Indiana: Time to start winning games of significance on the road. It begins this week at Michigan State, a team talented enough to end the Hoosiers’ unbeaten season.

12. Boise State: Tough win late Friday night at UNLV means Mountain West championship game will be played at Boise State — unless the Broncos are upset over the final month of the season.

CFP first-round games

(12) Boise State at (5) Ohio State

(11) Indiana at (6) Texas

(10) Notre Dame at (7) Penn State

(9) Texas A&M at (8) Tennessee

Quarterfinals

Sugar Bowl: (1) Georgia vs. Tennessee/Texas A&M winner

Rose Bowl: (2) Oregon vs. Notre Dame/Penn State winner

Peach Bowl: (3) Miami vs. Indiana/Texas winner

Fiesta Bowl: (4) BYU vs. Ohio State/Boise State winner

Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.