**Alabama Leads the AP College Football Playoff Bracket: Big Changes in Top Seeds**

The latest projections for The Associated Press' College Football Playoff bracket have brought a mix of excitement and surprises. Alabama, holding the top spot, is joined by Iowa State as a top-four seed, shaking up the playoff picture. Notably, Texas has been awarded a first-round home game rather than a bye, while Utah has been edged out and lost its position in the bracket.

As the presumed Southeastern Conference champion, Alabama claims the No. 1 seed, followed by Ohio State from the Big Ten as the No. 2 seed. Representing the Atlantic Coast Conference, Miami retains its No. 3 seed. Rounding out the top four is Iowa State, now the highest-ranked team from the Big 12.

This week's updates see Iowa State and Michigan making their debut on the bracket, pushing out Mississippi and Utah. SEC teams Texas, Tennessee, and Georgia are projected to host first-round games as the No. 5, No. 6, and No. 7 seeds, respectively, while Oregon takes the No. 8 spot.

The bracket format assigns the top four seeds to the highest-ranked conference champions, guaranteeing spots for the five highest-ranked champions regardless of conference affiliation. There's no restriction on the number of teams from any single conference, allowing for a diverse and competitive field.

This week's notable matchups include No. 9 Penn State facing No. 8 Oregon, with the winner set to play No. 1 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. No. 12 Boise State will challenge No. 5 Texas, aiming for a matchup against No. 4 Iowa State in the Fiesta Bowl. In other first-round games, No. 10 Missouri will compete against No. 7 Georgia for a shot at No. 2 Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, and No. 11 Michigan will take on No. 6 Tennessee, with the victor moving on to play No. 3 Miami in the Peach Bowl.

While Iowa State and Michigan move into the bracket, Southern California, Mississippi, LSU, Notre Dame, and Clemson are the next five teams vying for a spot. The anticipation continues to build as teams jostle for position in this dynamic college football season.