The projected College Football Playoff bracket witnessed significant changes following Week 12 of the season. BYU, which had been on a winning streak, suffered its first loss when it was defeated 16 - 13 by Kansas on Saturday night. This set off a chain reaction, as Georgia emerged victorious over Tennessee with a score of 31 - 17, reshuffling the race for the SEC Championship game.

Boise State's Ascent and the Impact on the Polls

Boise State managed to fend off a scare from San Jose State and climbed above BYU in both the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 poll on Sunday. This remarkable feat could potentially give them the fourth-highest ranked presumed conference champion status, putting them on the inside track to secure the No. 4 seed in the 12 - team bracket, provided the CFP committee aligns with the other polls.With two weeks remaining in the regular season and conference championship week, there is still much to be determined about who will make up the first expanded CFP. Let's take a closer look at the latest CFP projections after Week 12.

College Football Playoff Predictions After Week 12

Seedings for the CFP are based on the US LBM Coaches Poll and the CFP selection process. Here are the latest seedings after Week 12:1. Oregon (11 - 0)*2. Texas (9 - 1)*3. Miami (9 - 1)*4. Boise State (9 - 1)*5. Ohio State (9 - 1)6. Penn State (9 - 1)7. Indiana (10 - 0)8. Notre Dame (9 - 1)9. Alabama (8 - 2)10. Georgia (8 - 2)11. Ole Miss (8 - 2)12. BYU (9 - 1)***Receives first - round bye, automatic bid**Receives automatic bidAfter BYU's loss, Boise State leapfrogged the Cougars in the Coaches Poll. This would grant Boise State a first - round bye as the fourth - highest - ranked presumed conference champion. However, if the season were to end today, BYU would still receive an automatic bid but would be seeded as the No. 12 seed, outside the top 12.Tennessee's defeat to Georgia also excluded them from the projected field. As per the Coaches Poll, the Vols would be the first at - large team outside the 12 - team bracket. It will be intriguing to observe how the SEC unfolds in the remaining weeks, considering Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Tennessee each have two losses this season.

Projected CFP Bracket After Week 12

If the regular season were to end after Week 12, here's what the first - round matchups would look like:No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 12 BYUNo. 6 Penn State vs. No. 11 Ole MissNo. 7 Indiana vs. No. 10 GeorgiaNo. 8 Notre Dame vs. No. 9 AlabamaPenn State and Ole Miss are set to face off in a rematch from last season's Peach Bowl. Meanwhile, Georgia will travel to Bloomington, Indiana, to take on the surprising Hoosiers. Ohio State will host BYU in this scenario, and Alabama will travel to face Notre Dame in an iconic matchup between two college football powerhouses.The winner of Ohio State - BYU would advance to face No. 4 Boise State in the semifinals, while the winner of Penn State - Ole Miss would take on Miami. The Indiana - Georgia winner would then face Texas, and the Notre Dame - Alabama winner would face Oregon.

College Football Playoff Dates and Schedules

The College Football Playoff begins with first - round games on Friday, Dec. 20, and Saturday, Dec. 21. The quarterfinals kick off on Tuesday, Dec. 31, and Wednesday, Jan. 1. The semifinals are scheduled for Jan. 9 - 10, with the national championship on Monday, Jan. 20. Here is the full list of dates for CFP games this season:First round: Friday, Dec. 20 - Saturday, Dec. 21Quarterfinals: Tuesday, Dec. 31 - Wednesday, Jan. 1Semifinals: Thursday, Jan. 9 - Friday, Jan. 10National championship: Monday, Jan. 20

College Football Playoff Ranking Dates

All times are Eastern.The third of the six College Football Playoff rankings will be aired live at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 26, on ESPN. After Tuesday's selection show, there are only two more CFP rankings releases before the 12 - team bracket is announced. Here is the full list of CFP rankings release dates:Tuesday, Nov. 12: 8:30 p.m.Tuesday, Nov. 19: 7 p.m.Tuesday, Nov. 26: 8 p.m.Tuesday, Dec. 3: 7 p.m.Sunday, Dec. 8: Noon