College Football Playoff Rankings projection: Alabama, Indiana resumes in good shape; is Oregon in danger?

Independent of unbeatens Ohio State and Miami, are there two college football teams hotter than Indiana and Alabama at this time? The Hoosiers posted their first road win over a top-5 opponent in program history at Oregon while the Crimson Tide's beaten three consecutive ranked opponents for only the second time in the last two decades.

Both garner top-4 respect in this week's new College Football Playoff top 25 rankings projection given the resume boosts each team has secured in recent weeks.

Different from our updated end-of-season bowl game and playoff bracket projections, this is a more comprehensive look at how the selection committee would likely view these teams at the current time, ahead of their first official top 25 rankings reveal on Nov. 4.

Bowl projections: Alabama becomes SEC frontrunner in College Football Playoff race, Indiana spikes

Brad Crawford

Selection protocol hasn't changed, but the playoff has added a new strength of schedule metric this season that rewards teams for quality wins. As a reminder, the committee will also for the first time power-rank who they consider to be the nation's 12-best teams with the rule still in place that five of that group are conference champions from the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12, ACC and Group of Six.

Here's a projection on how the selection committee's top 25 would look entering Week 8.

1. Ohio State (6-0)

As far as eye test and game control are concerned, the Buckeyes have been superb this season. With victories over then-No. 1 Texas and a splattering of No. 17 Illinois over the weekend, Ohio State has accomplished its mission of domination over its first six games. The rest of the schedule should be a breeze before the trip to Michigan.

2. Miami (5-0)

Every metric available points to the Hurricanes as a top-2 team this season and rightfully so when you consider how well Mario Cristobal's team has played on both sides of the football. They pounced on three ranked teams early and embark on a stretch of seven games in seven weeks to end the season, beginning Friday night against Louisville. 

3. Indiana (6-0)

No team has a more sexy pair of wins than the Hoosiers and if the selection committee put Indiana higher than this, it wouldn't be a shock. A 50-point beatdown of Illinois, which was ranked inside the top 10 at the time, preceded Saturday's mammoth victory at Oregon. That's a signature moment for Curt Cignetti's program and essentially guarantees another playoff appearance. Over their final six games, the Hoosiers play one team with a winning record (at Maryland on Nov. 1). It looks like you can punch Indiana's ticket to Indianapolis already.

4. Alabama (5-1)

One of two teams this season with three wins over top-25 competition, suffice it to say the Crimson Tide look like the SEC's top squad after seven weeks. Very few saw that coming after the season-opening loss to a Florida State team that has since tanked in the ACC, but right now, Alabama has the look of a national championship contender with Ty Simpson at quarterback.

5. Texas Tech (6-0)

The Red Raiders don't have a sparkling resume with their lone ranked win coming at Utah a few weeks ago,  but when your efficiency numbers are top 10 nationally on offense and defense, you're one of the elites. This is Texas Tech's best team in more than a decade and Joey McGuire knows it. As of now, however, the Big 12 Conference is a one-bid league.

6. Texas A&M (6-0)

One of the toughest teams to power rank at this point, the Aggies are fundamentally sound and their win at Notre Dame last month is one of the best true road victories of the season for any team inside this projected top 12. Already 3-0 in SEC play, Texas A&M has to play nationally-ranked Missouri, LSU and Texas over its final six contests. If the season ended today, the Aggies would get a first-round home game in College Station.

7. Ole Miss (6-0)

Taking care of business. That's all that matters for Lane Kiffin, who avoided a catastrophic loss to Washington State over the weekend to stay unbeaten. The Rebels hold a top-5 win over LSU up to this point and beat a very good Tulane team by 35 points. Give its record and the collection of victories, Ole Miss would be in line for a potentially favorable opening-round tilt.

8. Georgia (5-1)

Plus-1 for a win in a hostile road environment. The selection committee loves those and the Bulldogs managed to down Auburn despite an early deficit on The Plains. Coming from behind to beat Tennessee away from Athens was also advantageous for Kirby Smart's team. The loss to Alabama stung, but considering where the Crimson Tide rank in this projections, it doesn't tank Georgia's stock.

9. Oregon (5-1)

Are the Ducks in danger of missing the playoff this season following Saturday's loss to Indiana? All the numbers point to Oregon likely finishing 11-1 and getting a first-round home game. However, the body of work could be scrutinized a few weeks from now. USC is the only ranked opponent left on the schedule and Oregon's only win against a top 25 team up to this point is Penn State. The Ducks control their own destiny the rest of the way, but the win over the disastrous Nittany Lions will mean even less if Oregon stumbles once more.

10. Oklahoma (5-1)

With ranked wins over Michigan and Auburn, the Sooners are in good standing with the selection committee despite Saturday's loss to Texas. Part of that is the John Mateer factor. Sidelined only 17 days after hand surgery, his return failed to impress after three interceptions cost Oklahoma. Perhaps the committee would take into account the injury factor here considering Mateer may not be back to 100% just yet.

11. Georgia Tech (6-0)

Like LSU, the Yellow Jackets' lone ranked win came against Clemson. However, Georgia Tech is unbeaten at midseason while the Tigers' loss at Ole Miss pushes them down a bit in these projected rankings. If the season ended today, LSU hasn't shown enough offensively to warrant an at-large designation -- at least from a replacing Georgia Tech perspective.

12. South Florida (4-2)

While the Bulls would not be ranked at No. 12 in the selection committee's top 25 at this point despite two ranked wins, USF is here as the designated 12-seed since it's the overwhelming favorite to get the Group of Six's automatic bid. Memphis, Navy, Tulane and others are going to battle in the American as well, but this is USF's to lose at this point following last week's win at previously unbeaten North Texas.

13. LSU (5-1)
14. Tennessee (5-1)
15. BYU (6-0)
16. Vanderbilt (5-1)
17. Virginia (5-1)
18. USC (5-1)
19. Notre Dame (4-2)
20. Missouri (5-1)
21. Memphis (6-0)
22. Texas (4-2)
23. Utah (5-1)
24. Cincinnati (5-1)
25. Michigan (4-2)

Projected first-round CFP games

• No. 9 Oregon at No. 8 Georgia 
• No. 10 Oklahoma at No. 7 Ole Miss
• No. 11 Georgia Tech at No. 6 Texas A&M
• No. 12 South Florida at No. 5 Texas Tech

Too many SEC teams, right? Blame the logjam at the top of the conference after 10 teams appeared in the updated AP poll over the weekend, including seven of the top 14. The toughest pick this week was Oregon and where to place the Ducks. Their lone Power Four win over a team with a winning record is Northwestern with those others combining to go 4-15 thus far thanks to Penn State's collapse and Oregon State's dreadful start resulting in Trent Bray's firing.