SEC dominates top seeds as CFP bracket reflects AP Top 25 rankings
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 20, 2026, 6:08 PM
Last updated Sep 20, 2026
The latest AP Top 25 poll indicates that three of the top four seeds in the College Football Playoff would come from the Southeastern Conference. Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Mississippi are positioned as the top four seeds, while first-round games are set to feature teams like BYU, Alabama, Boise State, and Indiana. SEC teams, including Texas, are well represented, with projections showing five teams expected to qualify. The playoff format includes five highest-ranked conference champions, alongside seven at-large bids. The first-round games will take place on December 18 and 19, with the championship scheduled for January 25 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
- •Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Mississippi are top seeds.
- •SEC expected to have five teams in the playoff field.
- •First-round games are slated for December 18 and 19.
- •Championship game is set for January 25 in Las Vegas.
- •AP will update playoff brackets weekly until November 3.
- 6:08 PMYahoo Sports — 3 of top 4 seeds in the College Football Playoff would be from SEC on bracket based on AP Top 25
"Three of the top four seeds in the College Football Playoff would be from the Southeastern Conference and two Big 12 teams would be in the bracket based on The Associated Press Top 25 poll released Sunday. Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame and Mississippi would be the top four seeds and Indiana, Miami, Ohio State and Alabama would host first-round games. The five highest-ranked conference champions — from the Power Four and one from the Group of Six — will qualify for the CFP. The other seven spots will be filled by the next highest-ranked teams.
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
NCAAF•Sep 20, 2026, 7:00 PMA dominant start and late collapse lead to a mixed report card for UNC Football’s loss to Clemson
NCAAF•Sep 20, 2026, 6:53 PMWeek 3 AP poll reaction: What's next for each Top 25 team
NCAAF•Sep 20, 2026, 6:53 PMAlabama football news: Crimson Tide flip 2027 Tulane commit
NCAAF•Sep 20, 2026, 6:42 PMCollege football pressure index: Four coaches, two QBs and one coordinator under the gun in Week 4
NCAAF•Sep 20, 2026, 6:40 PMIn a packed SEC schedule, Georgia hosts Oklahoma in Week 4—get tickets now- NCAAF•Sep 20, 2026, 6:22 PMOle Miss up to No. 4, LSU slides to 10th as 10 SEC teams ranked
