Two months ago, this scenario would have seemed unimaginable. Just five weeks ago, it was still somewhat improbable. But here we are - Colorado, the Big 12 champion, featured in the USA TODAY Sports projected College Football Playoff bracket. After winning four consecutive games, they tied for first place with Brigham Young. Multiple Big 12 contenders have stumbled. BYU lost to Kansas on Saturday after narrow escapes against Oklahoma State and Utah. Kansas State has dropped two in a row, and Iowa State also lost two consecutive games before bouncing back to beat Cincinnati.

The Steady Improvement of the Buffaloes

The Buffaloes' steady progress is in stark contrast to the unpredictability in the college football landscape. After putting 49 points on Utah (a team that hadn't allowed more than 27 points in a game until Saturday), Colorado now ranks 26th nationally in scoring. Defensively, they have held their past four opponents to just 4.5 yards per play. To clinch a spot in the title game, they need to beat Kansas and Oklahoma State or split these final two games and get some assistance. The most likely matchup would be against the winner of Saturday's game between BYU and Arizona State.

Colorado's Path to the Title Game

Beating Kansas and Oklahoma State would be a significant step for Colorado. Their recent form shows that they are capable of achieving this. Defensively, they have been solid, and their offense has been clicking. If they can continue this momentum, they have a good chance of making it to the title game.Another option is to split the final two games and rely on some help. This would require them to play at a high level in both games and hope that other teams' results go their way. It's a challenging path, but Colorado has shown that they are up to the task.

The Impact of Other Teams

Alabama is another newcomer in the bracket. With games against Oklahoma and Auburn to close out November, they are the safest bet to reach the SEC championship game. Tennessee's loss to Georgia has made their path much clearer. If there are no major upsets this weekend, the title game will pit the Tide against the winner of Texas and Texas A&M.In a hypothetical matchup with the Longhorns, Alabama has the edge based on their performance against a common opponent, Georgia. While Alabama topped the Bulldogs early in SEC play, Texas was dominated at home in a 30-15 loss.Texas still lands in the bracket as an at-large pick, joining two other SEC teams in the Bulldogs and Mississippi. The projected 12-team bracket also includes four Big Ten teams, Notre Dame, and winners of the Big 12, ACC (Miami), and Mountain West (Boise State).

Other Teams to Watch

Army has a huge game against Notre Dame on Saturday. As roughly 17-point underdogs, a win could vault them ahead of Boise State with three games to play: Texas-San Antonio, the American Athletic championship against Tulane, and Navy. An unbeaten regular season could even put them ahead of the Big 12 champion and into one of the top four seeds, earning a bye through the opening round.Arizona State has been flying under the radar with Colorado's success. But with two games to play, they are in a position to play their way into the Big 12 title game. After beating Kansas State, a win against BYU on Saturday would move them into second place.Arkansas may be 5-5 heading into Saturday's game against Louisiana Tech, but they could play a crucial role in determining the playoff field. As a useful common opponent, their results against Tennessee, Texas, and Ole Miss can help the committee break ties between multiple two-loss SEC teams.Syracuse, like Arkansas, could settle the ACC race by beating Miami in the season finale. This would set up Clemson and SMU for the conference championship. The Orange would be in the mix themselves if not for a last-second defeat to Stanford in September and a sloppy 37-31 loss at Boston College earlier this month.