The College Football Playoff landscape has shifted considerably after three weeks of play, with SEC teams moving to the forefront of playoff projections. ESPN assessed how the selection committee could stack the top 12 teams in the country and found the conference well-represented among the contenders.
Alabama and Ole Miss have both entered the College Football Playoff bracket in CBS Sports' bowl projections, joining Penn State among the teams making significant moves in the updated rankings. Brad Crawford noted that the changes reflect "mass changes in our bowl projections and College Football Playoff picks after the first quarter of the season."
The early projections suggest the SEC's strength this season will likely influence how the selection committee ultimately ranks teams heading into the playoff selection process.