Joel Klatt projects College Football Playoff bracket teams ahead of Week 10

Joel Klatt slots Ohio State No. 1, boosts Miami to No. 5, and fills out a balanced 12-team CFP bracket.

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt provided an update to his projected College Football Playoff bracket. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

With the first playoff rankings fast approaching, the national picture is beginning to take shape across college football. Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt projects a clear College Football Playoff path ahead of Week 10, and it starts with the Ohio State Buckeyes holding the No. 1 seed if they finish 13-0. Klatt framed the bracket by walking through seeding logic, conference outcomes, and how at-large bids would shake out against difficult November schedules. He emphasized that a perfect run by Ohio State locks the top line, while the SEC’s best could still challenge on resume strength.

Klatt also spotlighted SEC volatility. He noted that Texas A&M could “absolutely overtake Ohio State” as an undefeated league champion, and he slotted Alabama fourth as an 11-2 SEC runner-up that still earns a bye. He elevated the Big Ten’s depth, pointing to strong metrics for the league’s middle tier and a grueling November that could trim Oregon’s record.

The bracket foundation included a key ACC piece. “Miami at 12-1 as an ACC champ would get the fifth seed,” he said, underscoring that the Big Ten and SEC would still receive committee benefit, while Miami’s path puts the Hurricanes at home in the first round.

Joel Klatt's Projected Top 12 Seeds And Bracket Details

Klatt’s top line features Ohio State at No. 1 as an unbeaten Big Ten champion, Texas A&M at No. 2 as an undefeated SEC champion, Indiana at No. 3 as a 12-1 Big Ten runner-up, and Alabama at No. 4 at 11-2 with the final bye. He argued that those four carry both elite résumés and high-end schedules, and he lamented that byes do not also include home quarterfinals.

He placed Miami fifth as a 12-1 ACC champion, followed by Georgia sixth as an 11-1 at-large. Texas Tech landed seventh as a 12-1 Big 12 champion. Ole Miss, which Klatt projects at 11-1, took the No. 8 line. Tennessee’s 10-2 surge earned No. 9, and Oregon’s 10-2 profile slotted No. 10 after a difficult November that includes trips to Iowa and Washington and a date with USC.

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman and the Irish earn the No. 11 seed ahead of USF, the Group of Six seed at No. 12. | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Notre Dame rounded out the at-large pool at No. 11, riding a long winning streak and quality losses to Miami and Texas A&M. The Group of Six champion, South Florida, completed the field at No. 12 and would travel to Miami.

Klatt explained his tie-break logic among the final candidates by weighing league strength, November momentum, and head-to-head or duplicate-loss context. He cited the Sagarin ratings and similar models as support for elevating the Big Ten’s upper-middle, which in turn buoyed Oregon’s inclusion. By his math, Georgia Tech and BYU miss the cut in this scenario.

Joel Klatt's Projected College Football Playoff Seeds & Final Records

1. Ohio State (13-0)
2. Texas A&M (13-0)
3. Indiana (12-1)
4. Alabama (11-2)
5. Miami (12-1)
6. Georgia (11-1)
7. Texas Tech (12-1)
8. Ole Miss (11-1)
9. Tennessee (10-2)
10. Oregon (10-2)
11. Notre Dame (10-2)
12. South Florida (Group of Six champion)