{
    "meta": {
        "service": "Versus Sports Simulator",
        "about": "Versus Sports Simulator's projection of the FBS playoff field the selection committee might pick in December, if the rest of the season goes the way Versus expects.",
        "disclaimer": "A projection produced by the Versus Sports Simulator ratings, not the selection committee's field. The committee picks the real field once the regular season ends.",
        "sport": "College football",
        "division": "FBS",
        "season": "2026-2027",
        "week": 3,
        "isLatestWeek": false,
        "ratingsDate": "2026-09-13",
        "view": {
            "pickedBy": "committee",
            "fieldAsOf": "end-of-season",
            "description": "Versus Sports Simulator's projection of the FBS playoff field the selection committee might pick in December, if the rest of the season goes the way Versus expects."
        },
        "url": "https://www.versussportssimulator.com/college-football/fbs/playoff-projection/2026/week-3.json",
        "htmlUrl": "https://www.versussportssimulator.com/college-football/fbs/playoff-projection/2026/week-3",
        "license": "Free to quote with attribution to Versus Sports Simulator and a link to https://www.versussportssimulator.com/college-football/fbs/playoff-projection/2026/week-3"
    },
    "format": {
        "fieldSize": 12,
        "byes": 4,
        "seededThrough": 12,
        "automaticBids": 5
    },
    "field": [
        {
            "seed": 1,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": true,
            "team": "Texas",
            "abbreviation": "TEX",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "bidType": "automatic",
            "bidDetail": "SEC champion",
            "conferenceTitleChance": 28,
            "record": "12-1",
            "gamesPlayed": 13,
            "currentRank": 1,
            "versusRank": 1,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 1,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 1,
            "playoffChance": 89.2
        },
        {
            "seed": 2,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": true,
            "team": "Ohio State",
            "abbreviation": "OSU",
            "conference": "Big Ten",
            "bidType": "automatic",
            "bidDetail": "Big Ten champion",
            "conferenceTitleChance": 41,
            "record": "11-2",
            "gamesPlayed": 13,
            "currentRank": 5,
            "versusRank": 2,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 4,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 6,
            "playoffChance": 81.4
        },
        {
            "seed": 3,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": true,
            "team": "Notre Dame",
            "abbreviation": "ND",
            "conference": "FBS Independents",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "11-1",
            "gamesPlayed": 12,
            "currentRank": 2,
            "versusRank": 4,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 31,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 2,
            "playoffChance": 98.7
        },
        {
            "seed": 4,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": true,
            "team": "Indiana",
            "abbreviation": "IND",
            "conference": "Big Ten",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "11-2",
            "gamesPlayed": 12,
            "currentRank": 4,
            "versusRank": 3,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 59,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 7,
            "playoffChance": 93.2
        },
        {
            "seed": 5,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Miami FL",
            "abbreviation": "MIA",
            "conference": "ACC",
            "bidType": "automatic",
            "bidDetail": "ACC champion",
            "conferenceTitleChance": 60,
            "record": "12-1",
            "gamesPlayed": 13,
            "currentRank": 11,
            "versusRank": 8,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 39,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 8,
            "playoffChance": 89.7
        },
        {
            "seed": 6,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Utah",
            "abbreviation": "UTAH",
            "conference": "Big 12",
            "bidType": "automatic",
            "bidDetail": "Big 12 champion",
            "conferenceTitleChance": 43.9,
            "record": "12-1",
            "gamesPlayed": 13,
            "currentRank": 22,
            "versusRank": 10,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 50,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 11,
            "playoffChance": 86.1
        },
        {
            "seed": 7,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Alabama",
            "abbreviation": "ALA",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "9-3",
            "gamesPlayed": 12,
            "currentRank": 7,
            "versusRank": 5,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 25,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 4,
            "playoffChance": 69.9
        },
        {
            "seed": 8,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Penn State",
            "abbreviation": "PSU",
            "conference": "Big Ten",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "10-2",
            "gamesPlayed": 13,
            "currentRank": 14,
            "versusRank": 12,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 51,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 12,
            "playoffChance": 70.4
        },
        {
            "seed": 9,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Texas A&M",
            "abbreviation": "TAMU",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "9-3",
            "gamesPlayed": 12,
            "currentRank": 8,
            "versusRank": 7,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 38,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 3,
            "playoffChance": 62.4
        },
        {
            "seed": 10,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Georgia",
            "abbreviation": "UGA",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "9-3",
            "gamesPlayed": 12,
            "currentRank": 13,
            "versusRank": 9,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 52,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 9,
            "playoffChance": 54.6
        },
        {
            "seed": 11,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Kansas St",
            "abbreviation": "KSU",
            "conference": "Big 12",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "11-2",
            "gamesPlayed": 13,
            "currentRank": 25,
            "versusRank": 18,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 36,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 14,
            "playoffChance": 57.8
        },
        {
            "seed": 12,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Boise St",
            "abbreviation": "BSU",
            "conference": "Pac-12",
            "bidType": "automatic",
            "bidDetail": "Pac-12 champion, best of the rest",
            "conferenceTitleChance": 65.1,
            "record": "10-3",
            "gamesPlayed": 13,
            "currentRank": 35,
            "versusRank": 36,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 72,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 41,
            "playoffChance": 38.1
        }
    ],
    "firstTeamsOut": [
        {
            "team": "LSU",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "record": "8-4",
            "playoffChance": 60.1
        },
        {
            "team": "Southern Cal",
            "conference": "Big Ten",
            "record": "9-3",
            "playoffChance": 37
        },
        {
            "team": "Michigan",
            "conference": "Big Ten",
            "record": "8-4",
            "playoffChance": 16
        },
        {
            "team": "Tennessee",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "record": "8-4",
            "playoffChance": 12.8
        },
        {
            "team": "Virginia",
            "conference": "ACC",
            "record": "9-3",
            "playoffChance": 15.8
        }
    ],
    "firstRoundTravel": {
        "totalMiles": null,
        "tripsUnder400Miles": null,
        "trips": null,
        "milesUnderSeedOrder": null,
        "games": []
    },
    "bracket": [
        {
            "round": "First Round",
            "onCampus": true,
            "games": [
                {
                    "top": "Texas A&M",
                    "bottom": "Penn State",
                    "host": "Penn State",
                    "neutralSite": false,
                    "favorite": "Texas A&M",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 57
                },
                {
                    "top": "Boise St",
                    "bottom": "Miami FL",
                    "host": "Miami FL",
                    "neutralSite": false,
                    "favorite": "Miami FL",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 87
                },
                {
                    "top": "Kansas St",
                    "bottom": "Utah",
                    "host": "Utah",
                    "neutralSite": false,
                    "favorite": "Utah",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 63
                },
                {
                    "top": "Georgia",
                    "bottom": "Alabama",
                    "host": "Alabama",
                    "neutralSite": false,
                    "favorite": "Alabama",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 65
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "round": "Quarterfinals",
            "onCampus": false,
            "games": [
                {
                    "top": "Texas",
                    "bottom": "Texas A&M",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Texas",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 57
                },
                {
                    "top": "Indiana",
                    "bottom": "Miami FL",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Indiana",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 52
                },
                {
                    "top": "Notre Dame",
                    "bottom": "Utah",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Notre Dame",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 65
                },
                {
                    "top": "Ohio State",
                    "bottom": "Alabama",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Ohio State",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 59
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "round": "Semifinals",
            "onCampus": false,
            "games": [
                {
                    "top": "Texas",
                    "bottom": "Indiana",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Texas",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 55
                },
                {
                    "top": "Notre Dame",
                    "bottom": "Ohio State",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Notre Dame",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 50
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "round": "National Championship",
            "onCampus": false,
            "games": [
                {
                    "top": "Texas",
                    "bottom": "Notre Dame",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Notre Dame",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 53
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}