{
    "meta": {
        "service": "Versus Sports Simulator",
        "about": "Versus Sports Simulator's projection of the FBS playoff field the selection committee might pick if the playoffs began today, from games already played.",
        "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": "today",
            "description": "Versus Sports Simulator's projection of the FBS playoff field the selection committee might pick if the playoffs began today, from games already played."
        },
        "url": "https://www.versussportssimulator.com/college-football/fbs/playoff-projection/2026/week-3.json?as=today",
        "htmlUrl": "https://www.versussportssimulator.com/college-football/fbs/playoff-projection/2026/week-3?as=today",
        "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?as=today"
    },
    "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": null,
            "record": "3-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 3,
            "currentRank": 1,
            "versusRank": 1,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 14,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 1,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 2,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": true,
            "team": "Notre Dame",
            "abbreviation": "ND",
            "conference": "FBS Independents",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "2-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 2,
            "currentRank": 2,
            "versusRank": 2,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 31,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 22,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 3,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": true,
            "team": "Indiana",
            "abbreviation": "IND",
            "conference": "Big Ten",
            "bidType": "automatic",
            "bidDetail": "Big Ten champion",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "3-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 3,
            "currentRank": 4,
            "versusRank": 4,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 95,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 23,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 4,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": true,
            "team": "Alabama",
            "abbreviation": "ALA",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "2-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 2,
            "currentRank": 7,
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            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 35,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 5,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 5,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Texas A&M",
            "abbreviation": "TAMU",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "2-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 2,
            "currentRank": 8,
            "versusRank": 8,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 33,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 18,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 6,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "LSU",
            "abbreviation": "LSU",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "2-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 2,
            "currentRank": 9,
            "versusRank": 9,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 39,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 19,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 7,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Brigham Young",
            "abbreviation": "BYU",
            "conference": "Big 12",
            "bidType": "automatic",
            "bidDetail": "Big 12 champion",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "3-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 3,
            "currentRank": 10,
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            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 75,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 15,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 8,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Miami FL",
            "abbreviation": "MIA",
            "conference": "ACC",
            "bidType": "automatic",
            "bidDetail": "ACC champion",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "3-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 3,
            "currentRank": 11,
            "versusRank": 11,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 81,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 33,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 9,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Southern Cal",
            "abbreviation": "USC",
            "conference": "Big Ten",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "3-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 3,
            "currentRank": 12,
            "versusRank": 12,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 30,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 20,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 10,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Georgia",
            "abbreviation": "UGA",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "2-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 2,
            "currentRank": 13,
            "versusRank": 13,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 131,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 60,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 11,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Penn State",
            "abbreviation": "PSU",
            "conference": "Big Ten",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "2-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 2,
            "currentRank": 14,
            "versusRank": 14,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 36,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 24,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 12,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "South Florida",
            "abbreviation": "USF",
            "conference": "AAC",
            "bidType": "automatic",
            "bidDetail": "AAC champion, best of the rest",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "3-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 3,
            "currentRank": 36,
            "versusRank": 36,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 47,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 11,
            "playoffChance": null
        }
    ],
    "firstTeamsOut": [
        {
            "team": "SMU",
            "conference": "ACC",
            "record": "2-0",
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "team": "Iowa",
            "conference": "Big Ten",
            "record": "2-0",
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "team": "Washington",
            "conference": "Big Ten",
            "record": "2-0",
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "team": "Tennessee",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "record": "2-0",
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "team": "Utah",
            "conference": "Big 12",
            "record": "2-0",
            "playoffChance": null
        }
    ],
    "firstRoundTravel": {
        "totalMiles": null,
        "tripsUnder400Miles": null,
        "trips": null,
        "milesUnderSeedOrder": null,
        "games": []
    },
    "bracket": [
        {
            "round": "First Round",
            "onCampus": true,
            "games": [
                {
                    "top": "Southern Cal",
                    "bottom": "Miami FL",
                    "host": "Miami FL",
                    "neutralSite": false,
                    "favorite": "Miami FL",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 71
                },
                {
                    "top": "South Florida",
                    "bottom": "Texas A&M",
                    "host": "Texas A&M",
                    "neutralSite": false,
                    "favorite": "Texas A&M",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 93
                },
                {
                    "top": "Penn State",
                    "bottom": "LSU",
                    "host": "LSU",
                    "neutralSite": false,
                    "favorite": "LSU",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 67
                },
                {
                    "top": "Georgia",
                    "bottom": "Brigham Young",
                    "host": "Brigham Young",
                    "neutralSite": false,
                    "favorite": "Georgia",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 62
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "round": "Quarterfinals",
            "onCampus": false,
            "games": [
                {
                    "top": "Texas",
                    "bottom": "Miami FL",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
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                    "favoriteWinChance": 57
                },
                {
                    "top": "Alabama",
                    "bottom": "Texas A&M",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Alabama",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 50
                },
                {
                    "top": "Indiana",
                    "bottom": "LSU",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Indiana",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 53
                },
                {
                    "top": "Notre Dame",
                    "bottom": "Georgia",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Notre Dame",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 68
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "round": "Semifinals",
            "onCampus": false,
            "games": [
                {
                    "top": "Texas",
                    "bottom": "Alabama",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Texas",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 57
                },
                {
                    "top": "Indiana",
                    "bottom": "Notre Dame",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Notre Dame",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 58
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "round": "National Championship",
            "onCampus": false,
            "games": [
                {
                    "top": "Texas",
                    "bottom": "Notre Dame",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Notre Dame",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 53
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}