BOISE, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
The Boise State football team is seeded No. 12 in the projections based on the first College Football Playoff poll, just where most people figured the top-ranked Group of Five champion would land before the season.
The Broncos have a good chance to climb even higher in the next month, however.
Boise State was ranked No. 12 in the season's first CFP poll, released Tuesday, and projected to play at Ohio State in the first round of the College Football Playoff. But being ranked No. 12 means the Broncos won’t remain at the 12-seed should they climb higher in the rankings.
The expanded 12-team CFP grants automatic bids to the top five conference champions – largely expected to come from the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Big 12 and one of the Group of Five champions. If the lowest-ranked team of those five teams finish ranked lower than 12th, they would be slotted into that 12 seed.
Boise State (7-1, 4-0 Mountain West) controls its destiny to the Mountain West title game and a College Football Playoff spot. The only other Group of Five team ranked in the Top 25 was Army, which was ranked at No. 25.
The Broncos could also be in good position to get a first-round bye into the quarterfinals, which go to the top four conference champions. BYU, ranked at No. 9, is the only Big 12 team ahead of Boise State, with Iowa State at 17 and Kansas State (7-2) at No. 19. A loss by the Cougars could push them down in the rankings behind the Broncos.
There is also just one ACC team currently ahead of the Broncos — No. 4 Miami — although SMU is one spot behind the Broncos at No. 13. However, even if Miami stays high in the rankings and gets upset in the ACC Championship Game, the Hurricanes would not be eligible for the bye.
The Broncos’ ranking is helped by two teams who are also in the initial CFP rankings. Boise State beat No. 21 Washington State 45-28 earlier this season and top-ranked Oregon is the only team to beat the Broncos this season, taking a 37-34 win on a last-second field goal in Eugene.
College Football Playoff rankings – Nov. 5:
- Oregon 9-0
- Ohio St. 7-1
- Georgia 7-1
- Miami 9-0
- Texas 7-1
- Penn St. 7-1
- Tennessee 7-1
- Indiana 9-0
- BYU 8-0
- Notre Dame 7-1
- Alabama 6-2
- Boise St. 7-1
- SMU 8-1
- Texas A&M 7-2
- LSU 6-2
- Ole Miss 7-2
- Iowa St. 7-1
- Pittsburgh 7-1
- Kansas St. 7-2
- Colorado 6-2
- Washington St. 7-1
- Louisville 6-3
- Clemson 6-2
- Missouri 6-2
- Army 8-0
New CFP rankings will be released the next four Tuesdays before the final rankings are released Dec. 8, following the conference championship games.
Boise State will host Nevada (3-7, 0-4) on Saturday.
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.