Breaking down what the 12-team CFP field would look like

On Tuesday evening the committee released its second edition of the College Football Playoff top 25 rankings. The Ohio State Buckeyes checked in at No. 2 behind the Georgia Bulldogs and ahead of the Michigan Wolverines and TCU Horned Frogs.

If the playoffs started this week we would see the rivalry kicked up a notch with a shot at the national championship trophy with Ohio State and Michigan locking horns. Georgia would face TCU. With three weeks left in the regular season and the conference title games on the horizon, there is still plenty left to be done.

Buy Buckeyes Tickets

With the field expanding in 2026, we wanted to take a look at how the expanded field would look.

The top four conference champions would take the top seeds and earn the first-round bye. The next two conference champions would also be in the mix among the next eight. This gives six at-large bids to round out the field of 12.

First-Round Byes

1. Georgia Bulldogs
2. Ohio State Buckeyes
3. TCU Horned Frogs
4. Oregon Ducks

First-Round Matchups

• No. 12 Tulane Green Wave vs No. 5 Michigan Wolverines
• No. 11 Ole Miss Rebels vs No. 6 Tennessee Volunteers
• No. 10 Clemson Tigers vs No. 7 LSU Tigers
• No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide vs No. 8 USC Trojans

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Patrick Conn on Twitter.

Let us know your thoughts, and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.