{
    "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": 8,
        "isLatestWeek": false,
        "ratingsDate": "2026-10-18",
        "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-8.json?as=today",
        "htmlUrl": "https://www.versussportssimulator.com/college-football/fbs/playoff-projection/2026/week-8?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-8?as=today"
    },
    "format": {
        "name": "College Football Playoff",
        "status": "official",
        "checked": null,
        "summary": null,
        "reported": null,
        "assumed": null,
        "sources": null,
        "fieldSize": 12,
        "byes": 4,
        "seededThrough": 12,
        "automaticBids": 6
    },
    "field": [
        {
            "seed": 1,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": true,
            "team": "Brigham Young",
            "abbreviation": "BYU",
            "conference": "Big 12",
            "bidType": "automatic",
            "bidDetail": "Big 12 champion",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "6-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 6,
            "currentRank": 1,
            "versusRank": 1,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 55,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 1,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 2,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": true,
            "team": "UCLA",
            "abbreviation": "UCLA",
            "conference": "Big Ten",
            "bidType": "automatic",
            "bidDetail": "Big Ten champion",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "6-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 6,
            "currentRank": 2,
            "versusRank": 2,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 19,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 3,
            "playoffChance": null
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        {
            "seed": 3,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": true,
            "team": "Texas Tech",
            "abbreviation": "TTU",
            "conference": "Big 12",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "6-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 6,
            "currentRank": 3,
            "versusRank": 3,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 46,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 4,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 4,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": true,
            "team": "Miami FL",
            "abbreviation": "MIA",
            "conference": "ACC",
            "bidType": "automatic",
            "bidDetail": "ACC champion",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "6-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 6,
            "currentRank": 4,
            "versusRank": 4,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 65,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 6,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 5,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Kentucky",
            "abbreviation": "UK",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "bidType": "automatic",
            "bidDetail": "SEC champion",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "6-1",
            "gamesPlayed": 7,
            "currentRank": 5,
            "versusRank": 5,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 2,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 2,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 6,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Ohio State",
            "abbreviation": "OSU",
            "conference": "Big Ten",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "6-1",
            "gamesPlayed": 7,
            "currentRank": 7,
            "versusRank": 7,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 31,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 5,
            "playoffChance": null
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        {
            "seed": 7,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Utah",
            "abbreviation": "UTAH",
            "conference": "Big 12",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
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            "record": "6-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 6,
            "currentRank": 10,
            "versusRank": 10,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 44,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 13,
            "playoffChance": null
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        {
            "seed": 8,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Notre Dame",
            "abbreviation": "ND",
            "conference": "FBS Independents",
            "bidType": "automatic",
            "bidDetail": "Top-12 guarantee",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "6-1",
            "gamesPlayed": 7,
            "currentRank": 8,
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            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 20,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 12,
            "playoffChance": null
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        {
            "seed": 9,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Tennessee",
            "abbreviation": "TENN",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "6-1",
            "gamesPlayed": 7,
            "currentRank": 9,
            "versusRank": 9,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 70,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 8,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 10,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Houston",
            "abbreviation": "HOU",
            "conference": "Big 12",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "6-1",
            "gamesPlayed": 7,
            "currentRank": 11,
            "versusRank": 11,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 24,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 11,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 11,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "Mississippi",
            "abbreviation": "MISS",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "bidType": "at-large",
            "bidDetail": "At-large",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "5-1",
            "gamesPlayed": 6,
            "currentRank": 6,
            "versusRank": 6,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 16,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 7,
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "seed": 12,
            "seeded": true,
            "bye": false,
            "team": "James Madison",
            "abbreviation": "JMU",
            "conference": "Sun Belt",
            "bidType": "automatic",
            "bidDetail": "Group of 6 bid, Sun Belt champion",
            "conferenceTitleChance": null,
            "record": "7-0",
            "gamesPlayed": 7,
            "currentRank": 25,
            "versusRank": 25,
            "strengthOfScheduleRank": 109,
            "strengthOfRecordRank": 25,
            "playoffChance": null
        }
    ],
    "firstTeamsOut": [
        {
            "team": "Georgia",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "record": "6-1",
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "team": "Wake Forest",
            "conference": "ACC",
            "record": "6-1",
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "team": "Indiana",
            "conference": "Big Ten",
            "record": "6-1",
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "team": "Iowa",
            "conference": "Big Ten",
            "record": "5-1",
            "playoffChance": null
        },
        {
            "team": "LSU",
            "conference": "SEC",
            "record": "5-2",
            "playoffChance": null
        }
    ],
    "firstRoundTravel": {
        "totalMiles": null,
        "tripsUnder400Miles": null,
        "trips": null,
        "milesUnderSeedOrder": null,
        "games": []
    },
    "bracket": [
        {
            "round": "First Round",
            "onCampus": true,
            "games": [
                {
                    "top": "Tennessee",
                    "bottom": "Notre Dame",
                    "host": "Notre Dame",
                    "neutralSite": false,
                    "favorite": "Notre Dame",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 73
                },
                {
                    "top": "James Madison",
                    "bottom": "Kentucky",
                    "host": "Kentucky",
                    "neutralSite": false,
                    "favorite": "Kentucky",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 75
                },
                {
                    "top": "Mississippi",
                    "bottom": "Ohio State",
                    "host": "Ohio State",
                    "neutralSite": false,
                    "favorite": "Ohio State",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 71
                },
                {
                    "top": "Houston",
                    "bottom": "Utah",
                    "host": "Utah",
                    "neutralSite": false,
                    "favorite": "Utah",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 59
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "round": "Quarterfinals",
            "onCampus": false,
            "games": [
                {
                    "top": "Brigham Young",
                    "bottom": "Notre Dame",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Notre Dame",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 74
                },
                {
                    "top": "Miami FL",
                    "bottom": "Kentucky",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Miami FL",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 65
                },
                {
                    "top": "Texas Tech",
                    "bottom": "Ohio State",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Ohio State",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 71
                },
                {
                    "top": "UCLA",
                    "bottom": "Utah",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "UCLA",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 55
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "round": "Semifinals",
            "onCampus": false,
            "games": [
                {
                    "top": "Notre Dame",
                    "bottom": "Miami FL",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Notre Dame",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 60
                },
                {
                    "top": "Ohio State",
                    "bottom": "UCLA",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Ohio State",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 62
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "round": "National Championship",
            "onCampus": false,
            "games": [
                {
                    "top": "Notre Dame",
                    "bottom": "Ohio State",
                    "host": null,
                    "neutralSite": true,
                    "favorite": "Notre Dame",
                    "favoriteWinChance": 55
                }
            ]
        }
    ]
}