**Texas Takes Top Spot in Latest AP College Football Rankings: Playoff Bracket Revealed**

The AP Top 25 college football poll has delivered another shake-up this week, with Texas taking the No. 1 spot. Sunday’s ranking not only crowned the Longhorns as the leaders but also secured them the top seed in The Associated Press College Football Playoff projection. Notably, this latest bracket forecast features two head-to-head SEC matchups in the first round.

Texas earned the No. 1 seed as the Southeastern Conference (SEC) champion, pushing Ohio State of the Big Ten to No. 2. Miami, representing the Atlantic Coast Conference, landed at No. 3, while Iowa State from the Big 12 secured the No. 4 spot. These four teams would each receive a first-round bye in the anticipated 12-team playoff format.

The significant change at the top came after Alabama, the former No. 1 seed, was upset by Vanderbilt. This led to Texas replacing the Crimson Tide at the pinnacle of the rankings. Meanwhile, Clemson and Mississippi have found their way into the playoff bracket, displacing Missouri and Michigan, who both dropped off following recent defeats.

In the latest bracket projection, SEC teams would face off in two of the initial four first-round games. Two notable matchups are Mississippi at Georgia in a 10 vs. 7 seed game and Tennessee at Alabama in a 9 vs. 8 clash. This format is designed to ensure that the top four seeds go to the highest-ranked conference champions, while the five highest-ranked conference champions are assured playoff spots, regardless of their league affiliations. There’s no limit on the number of teams that can qualify from a single conference.

Here’s a breakdown of the projected first-round games according to the current AP Top 25 rankings:
- No. 9 Tennessee would face No. 8 Alabama with the winner advancing to play against No. 1 Texas in the Sugar Bowl.
- No. 12 Boise State would go up against No. 5 Oregon with the victor set to face No. 4 Iowa State in the Fiesta Bowl.
- No. 10 Mississippi would challenge No. 7 Georgia with the winner moving on to face No. 2 Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.
- No. 11 Clemson would battle No. 6 Penn State with the victorious team taking on No. 3 Miami in the Peach Bowl.

This week, Clemson and Mississippi have moved into the bracket, while Michigan and Missouri are out. Teams on the fringes and hungry for a top spot include No. 11 Notre Dame, No. 13 LSU, No. 14 BYU, No. 15 Texas A&M, and No. 16 Utah.