College Football: Week 4 playoff bracket

Georgia gets a bye: The Bulldogs are now one of the top-four seeds after taking down No. 15 Tennessee.
Texas A&M joins the playoff: The Aggies are now a part of the 12-team field after beating Notre Dame on the road this past weekend.
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Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

It’s never too early to start thinking about the College Football Playoff. Before the games kick off in Week 4, here’s what PFF’s updated bracket would look like based on our top 25 for the week.

Byes

1. Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State was only up 13-9 on Ohio in the third quarter but pulled away by scoring 24 unanswered points for a 37-9 victory. Julian Sayin continues to shine for the Buckeyes, posting an 89.4 passing grade in the win for 347 yards. The redshirt freshman has an 86.8% adjusted completion rate for the season, which is the best in college football.

2. Miami (FL) Hurricanes

In one of the three ranked matchups of Week 3, Miami annihilated No. 18 USF by a final score of 49-12. The Hurricanes’ defensive line continues to look like the best in the nation as three separate players posted 80.0-plus PFF grades. Miami will host ESPN’s College GameDay this week as it faces archrival Florida.

3. LSU Tigers

Speaking of the Gators, LSU took down Florida this past weekend by a final score of 20-10. The Tigers’ pass-defense shined in the win, forcing five interceptions and seven turnover-worthy plays from quarterback DJ Lagway. The latter figure is tied for the most by an FBS quarterback in a game since the 2019 season.

4. Georgia Bulldogs

In what was an instant classic, Georgia went on the road and beat No. 15 Tennessee 44-41 in overtime. Gunner Stockton came up big for the Bulldogs, finishing with a 91.8 passing grade on 10-plus yard throws with three big-time throws and no turnover-worthy plays. The Bulldogs enjoy a bye this week before a massive showdown against Alabama in Week 5.

First round

5. Oregon Ducks vs. 12. USF Bulls

Oregon opened up Big Ten play with a 34-14 win on the road over Northwestern. Dante Moore continued to look like a top Heisman Trophy candidate, producing an 80.1 passing grade with two big-time throws in the win. His 78.1% completion rate is third among all quarterbacks in America right now.

Even though USF lost to Miami, it remains the Group of Five favorite right now. The Bulls’ two wins over Boise State and Florida are still more impressive than any other Group of Five playoff teams right now, although Tulane may have a case if it takes down Ole Miss this weekend.

6. Penn State Nittany Lions vs. 11. Iowa State Cyclones

Penn State wrapped up its nonconference slate with a 52-6 win over Villanova. The Nittany Lions’ defense dominated in the win, posting a 90.1 grade as a unit. Penn State’s 92.5 defensive grade on the season is second in America to Texas Tech. It’ll need that side of the ball to perform better in its next game against sixth-ranked Oregon in two weeks.

Iowa State is the only 4-0 team in the country right now, although the Cyclones had to claw their way to a 24-16 victory over Arkansas State despite entering the game as 21.5-point favorites. Rocco Becht was very solid in the win, posting an 81.6 passing grade.

7. Texas Longhorns vs. 10. Illinois Fighting Illini

Texas took care of business in Week 3 with a 27-10 victory over UTEP. Arch Manning struggled in the win, earning just a 47.1 passing grade with only a 55.6% adjusted completion rate. He has a chance to bounce back in Week 4 against a Sam Houston State outfit that’s currently 0-3 to start the season.

Illinois shut out Western Michigan 38-0 on Saturday. The Fighting Illini completely shut down the Broncos’ passing attack, allowing just 3.8 yards per pass. They’ll have a much tougher test this weekend against Fernando Mendoza and No. 19 Indiana in one of the biggest games of Week 4.

8. Florida State Seminoles vs. 9. Texas A&M Aggies

Florida State had a bye this past weekend and is back in action in Week 4 against Kent State.

Texas A&M pulled off a thrilling road victory over No. 8 Notre Dame this past weekend, winning 41-40. Wide receiver Mario Craver exploded for 207 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Fighting Irish, with 137 yards coming after the catch. The Aggies have a bye week before taking on No. 22 Auburn in Week 5.