CFP Bracket Watch: No. 1 Texas would be among 4 from SEC in 12-team field based on preseason poll

Texas, Penn State, Ohio State and Clemson would be the top four seeds in the College Football Playoff based on The Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll with Georgia, Notre Dame, Oregon and Alabama hosting first-round games.

The first poll-based bracket includes four teams from the Southeastern Conference, three from the Big Ten, two from Atlantic Coast Conference, one from the Big 12, one from the Mountain West and one independent. Based on the preseason Top 25 rankings, the CFP would open like this:

— No. 9 seed LSU at No. 8 seed Alabama. Winner vs. No. 1 Texas in the Sugar Bowl.

— No. 12 seed Boise State at No. 5 seed Georgia. Winner vs. No. 4 Clemson in the Orange Bowl.

— No. 10 seed Miami at No. 7 seed Oregon. Winner vs. No. 2 Penn State in the Rose Bowl.

— No. 11 seed Arizona State at No. 6 seed Notre Dame. Winner vs. No. 3 Ohio State at the Cotton Bowl.

The first three teams outside the bracket: Illinois, South Carolina, Michigan. The Illini are ranked No. 12 by the AP but would get bumped by the fifth conference champion, which in this case would be Boise State, which is No. 25 in the poll.

The AP will publish brackets based on the weekly Top 25 until the CFP selection committee unveils its initial rankings in early November.

The five highest-ranked conference champions will automatically qualify for the CFP, but no longer will the four highest-ranked champions receive a first-round bye. The 12-team bracket is now seeded directly based on the CFP’s final rankings, with the four highest-ranked teams receiving a first-round bye. There still could be the same sort of shuffling seen last season when CFP No. 16 Clemson was seeded 12th in the bracket after winning the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The four highest-ranked teams will be assigned to quarterfinals in ranking order and in consideration of current bowl relationships. For example, if the highest-ranked team is from the SEC, that team would be assigned to the Sugar Bowl. This year, quarterfinal winners advance to the semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl and the Peach Bowl. The No. 1 seed would receive preferential placement based on geography.

Teams ranked Nos. 5-12 by the CFP will play in the first round, with the higher seeds hosting the lower seeds either on campus or at other sites designated by the higher-seeded school. First-round games are Dec. 19 and 20, quarterfinals Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, semifinals Jan. 8 and 9 and the championship game is Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.