This is not a college basketball bubble watch.

And yet, Indiana, Kentucky and UCLA appearing in the same sentence might make you do a double take. (Oh, and 4-1 Duke is the reigning ACC champ.)

You're still in the right place, college football fans, and so are Kentucky and UCLA -- at least for now.

With Texas, Alabama and LSU losing in Week 6 and undefeated UCLA winning at Oregon, the door opened for some teams to enter the College Football Playoff conversation. Meanwhile, the SEC no longer owns half the bracket, as it is down to four teams that would be in today: Georgia, Texas, Alabama and Ole Miss.

In the ACC, Miami still stands alone. But the Big 12 is a crowded race, with BYU, Utah and Texas Tech all jockeying for position. The Big Ten is a big question mark beyond Ohio State and Indiana, with both Los Angeles schools still in the mix and eight teams with at most one loss.

So, how do they all stack up behind newly No. 1-ranked Georgia?

Below you'll find each of the Power 4 conferences broken up into categories. The dreaded "Out" wishes teams with at least three losses better luck next year. In some cases, it's simply "Too early to tell," so we've also aptly named a category that includes each team that can still technically win its Power 4 conference. You'll also find the true contenders in "Would be in" for teams in this week's projection, and "Wrong side of the bubble" is for those just outside of the bracket.

This will be your weekly snapshot of where each Power 4 conference stands, along with the top Group of 6 contenders and Notre Dame. Reminder: This will change week to week as each team builds -- or busts -- its résumé.

Jump to a conference:
ACC | Big 12 | Big Ten
SEC | Independent | Group of 6
Bracket

ACC

Spotlight: Miami. The Hurricanes have the second-best chance in the country to reach the CFP (94.7%), behind Georgia (95.7%). While it's fair to point out some weaknesses in Miami's No. 64-ranked schedule, the selection committee also would note that its opponents have a winning percentage of 68.4%, which ranks No. 25 in the country. The Canes' biggest asset right now is simply what they're putting on film: the No. 1 scoring offense (49.6 points per game), the No. 1 scoring defense (9.8 PPG), a Heisman Trophy-caliber quarterback in Darian Mensah and some of the nation's most elite skill players around him. Miami had a bye week to prepare for this Saturday's home game against Florida State, but the reality is its place in the pecking order will be determined Nov. 7 at Notre Dame.

The enigma: Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons are 5-1, with their lone loss to Miami. Their schedule has gone undervalued nationally, with three road wins against what is currently the No. 24-most-difficult schedule in the country. Wake Forest is No. 12 in ESPN's strength of record metric, which calculates that the average top-25 team would have a 53.1% chance to achieve the same 5-1 record against the Deacons' schedule. The question is whether Wake Forest can keep it up -- and ESPN's Football Power Index (FPI) says it can, giving the Deacs at least a 50% chance to win each of their remaining games. That's why the most likely matchup in the ACC championship game, according to ESPN Analytics, is a rematch between Miami and Wake Forest.

If the playoff were today

Would be in: Miami

Wrong side of the bubble: None

Too early to tell: Duke, Wake Forest, Pitt, SMU, Clemson, Virginia, North Carolina, Virginia Tech

Out: Syracuse, Boston College, Cal, Stanford, NC State, Florida State, Louisville, Georgia Tech

Big 12

Spotlight: Utah. The Utes are passing the eye test and rank No. 7 nationally in total efficiency -- well above No. 26 Texas Tech, which was a playoff team last season but hasn't looked as formidable this campaign. The more comparable team is BYU, and this will be settled on the field Nov. 7, when the Utes host the Cougars. For now, Utah's biggest obstacle is its No. 114-ranked schedule, which would be glaring in the committee meeting room. Its opponents' winning percentage (47.4%) ranks No. 112 in the country. How much of that is factored into Utah having the nation's No. 6 scoring offense (42.8 PPG) and No. 7 scoring defense (13.0 PPG)? Devon Dampier has helped the Utes separate from some of the other contenders, as he ranks No. 19 in QBR (81.0) and has 12 touchdowns with just two interceptions.

The enigma: Texas Tech. The Red Raiders are undefeated, but it's hard to tell if they're a playoff team for the second straight season. They've looked mostly average against subpar teams: Abilene Christian is a 3-4 FCS team, Conference USA's Sam Houston is 1-4, and Colorado is 2-3. The Red Raiders' best win was Sept. 18 against Houston, which is a top-25 opponent. Quarterback Will Hammond has as many passing touchdowns (five) as he does interceptions. Texas Tech doesn't play BYU or Utah during the regular season, though, so its toughest remaining opponent might be Oklahoma State at Stillwater on Nov. 14. The FPI gives the Red Raiders at least a 50% chance to win each of their remaining games. So, even if Texas Tech isn't the best team in the Big 12, it has the easiest path back to the conference championship game.

If the playoff were today

Would be in: BYU, Utah

Wrong side of the bubble: Texas Tech

Too early to tell: Baylor, Oklahoma State, Arizona, Houston, Cincinnati, Arizona State, Kansas State

Out: West Virginia, TCU, Kansas, Colorado, UCF, Iowa State

Big Ten

Spotlight: Ohio State. The Buckeyes' No. 5 spot in this week's projected top 12 is a direct result of Texas losing to Oklahoma -- after the Longhorns beat Ohio State. Yes, anyone watching the film can see that Texas is flawed, but the Longhorns also have found a way to earn what remains one of the best résumés in the country. Because Ohio State and Texas are still one-loss teams -- and because Texas has two wins against top-25 teams, including one on the road against Tennessee -- the committee would likely honor the Week 2 head-to-head result. Texas is No. 7 in ESPN's strength of record, while Ohio State is No. 15. The Longhorns also have played the No. 4-ranked schedule to date, while Ohio State has faced the No. 29 schedule. Those schedule metrics would have some committee members further honoring that head-to-head result, along with the fact that Ohio State and Texas are both in the top eight in total efficiency. If Ohio State wins at Indiana on Saturday, though, and adds a second ranked win to its résumé, that opens the door for the Buckeyes to leap the Longhorns.

The enigma: UCLA. The Bruins are No. 3 in ESPN's strength of record, giving the average top-25 team just a 24.8% chance to achieve the same 5-0 record against the same opponents. UCLA has three road wins, including against Cal, a cross-country 54-3 drubbing of Maryland and versus Oregon on Saturday. The problem is, there are a lot of "yeah buts" to the Bruins' résumé. Maryland coach Mike Locksley is on one of the hottest seats in the country. Oregon was down to its third-string quarterback. And the status of UCLA starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava (lower leg injury) is uncertain. For now, based on what the Bruins have accomplished to date, they've earned a spot in the playoff conversation. And it's not far-fetched to think they might keep it a few weeks as they head into a stretch of three straight home games -- and the FPI projects UCLA to win each one.

If the playoff were today

Would be in: Ohio State, Indiana, UCLA

Wrong side of the bubble: None

Too early to tell: Wisconsin, USC, Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oregon, Michigan, Minnesota

Out: Michigan State, Maryland, Washington, Penn State, Rutgers, Illinois, Purdue

SEC

Spotlight: Georgia. Saturday's win at Alabama catapulted Georgia into the No. 1 spot in this week's projection and earned the Bulldogs the No. 1 ranking in ESPN's strength of record. It drastically improved Georgia's strength of schedule ranking, as well, lifting the Bulldogs to a much more respectable No. 34. Georgia now has the best combination of eye test and résumé. There will continue to be discussion about the missed pass interference call at the end of the Alabama game, but officiating (or lack thereof) has impacted games throughout the duration of the CFP. The committee members -- many of whom are former coaches and players -- will know about it and have opinions about it, but their job isn't to determine if an official got the call right. They'll look at everything that unfolded during the game, who controlled it, player availability and all of the other relevant factors to rank the teams involved.

The enigma: Texas. The Longhorns have issues on offense, but they've still mustered enough to earn two of the better wins in the country: against Ohio State and at Tennessee. The Longhorns' opponents have a winning percentage of 82.6%, which ranks third nationally. Texas is averaging just 5.4 yards per play (No. 104 ranking), however, and 3.7 yards per carry (No. 117). Penalties and turnovers have been liabilities. The Longhorns are struggling in basic football areas that typically translate into national title contenders. This is only a problem if Texas doesn't get better quickly. There are plenty of opportunities looming to impress the committee, starting Oct. 24 with a string of four straight ranked opponents in Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Missouri and LSU. The committee's view of the loss to Oklahoma also depends on how the Sooners fare the rest of the way. Will that ultimately be a three-point loss to a ranked rival? The Longhorns don't face Georgia or Alabama during the regular season but still have a path to qualify for the SEC championship game, where the winner is guaranteed a spot in the CFP.

If the playoff were today

Would be in: Georgia, Texas, Alabama, Ole Miss

Wrong side of the bubble: Kentucky, Missouri

Too early to tell: Mississippi State, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Florida, LSU, Auburn

Out: Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, South Carolina

Independent

Would be in: Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish have the third-best chance (93.3%) to reach the playoff, according to ESPN Analytics, behind Georgia (95.7%) and Miami (94.7%). Notre Dame leads the country in total efficiency and has won three games outside of South Bend, Indiana, including the season opener against Wisconsin at Green Bay's Lambeau Field. That first one is the best win of the season for the Irish, as Wisconsin hasn't lost since and is 4-1. Notre Dame has looked like a better team than BYU, but that will be tested Saturday, when the Irish play their first away game against a ranked opponent. Notre Dame has some margin for error; as long as it's ranked in the committee's top 12 on Selection Day, Notre Dame is guaranteed a spot in the field. If the Irish lose at BYU, though, they'll be in must-win mode Nov. 7 versus Miami. While there's a guarantee in place for the Irish, there's no guarantee they'll finish in the top 12 if they have two losses.

Group of 6

Spotlight: Boise State. The Broncos have reeled off five straight wins since their season-opening loss at Oregon, but that defeat also now looks worse. The Ducks had seven turnovers in falling to UCLA on Saturday and might not be a CFP top-25 team. While it's not a problem for Boise State, it could have helped the Broncos if Oregon were again a CFP contender and Boise State entered a debate with another one-loss team. It's still probably a better loss than what most other Group of 6 contenders can claim. Road wins against Western Michigan and Fresno State, both respectable opponents with winning records, are helping carry the Broncos now. According to ESPN Analytics, no team in the country has a better chance to win out than Boise State (53.5%).

Enigma: James Madison. The Dukes have the second-best chance (27.1%) in the Group of 6 to reach the CFP, behind Boise State (46.6%), according to ESPN Analytics. What's separating undefeated James Madison from the one-loss Broncos? Schedule strength. James Madison's is ranked No. 133 in the country, while Boise State's is No. 51, and that is a glaring difference in the committee meeting room. For JMU to take the lead in this race, it needs to run the table with style and hope Boise State loses. It has historically been extremely difficult for Group of 6 teams to appear in the committee's top 25 with a schedule as weak as that of the Dukes.

If the playoff were today

Would be in: Boise State

Wrong side of the bubble: JMU

Bracket

Based on the rankings in this week's projection, the seeding would be:

First-round byes

No. 1 Georgia (SEC champ)
No. 2 Miami (ACC champ)
No. 3 Notre Dame
No. 4 Texas

First-round games

On campus, Dec. 18 and 19

No. 12 Boise State (highest Group of 6) at No. 5 Ohio State (Big Ten champ)
No. 11 Utah at No. 6 Alabama
No. 10 UCLA at No. 7 Indiana
No. 9 Ole Miss at No. 8 BYU (Big 12 champ)

Quarterfinal games

Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 30, and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential on Jan. 1.

No. 12 Boise State/No. 5 Ohio State winner vs. No. 4 Texas
No. 11 Utah/No. 6 Alabama winner vs. No. 3 Notre Dame
No. 10 UCLA/No. 7 Indiana winner vs. No. 2 Miami
No. 9 Ole Miss/No. 8 BYU winner vs. No. 1 Georgia