Projecting the College Football Playoff top 12 after Week 1 - ESPN

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Following his team's 14-7 loss at Ohio State on Saturday, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian summed up one of the biggest changes in competing for a national title in the era of the 12-team College Football Playoff.

«The days of a national champion being undefeated are over,» he said, «especially when you play in games like this and you play in the conference we play in.»

Week 1's blockbuster matchups guaranteed at least one playoff contender was going down, but the Longhorns weren't alone. Alabama lost. Clemson lost. Boise State lost. Notre Dame lost. And though there's plenty of time to recover, the early results already shook up the playoff pecking order. Here's a prediction of what the selection committee's top 12 would look like if it were released today.

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Why they could be here: Throw out the preseason rankings and everything you thought you knew about the best teams in college football. Nobody made a bigger Week 1 statement, on the road against a team capable of winning the ACC and competing for a spot in the playoff. The committee starts from scratch, and LSU showed all of the components it looks for — from a Heisman hopeful in quarterback Garrett Nussmeier to a defense that proved it can play at an elite level.

Why they could be lower: While the committee insists it starts from scratch, some might give the reigning national champion Ohio State the benefit of the doubt — whether it's intentional or not. The Buckeyes played a complete game under first-year starting quarterback Julian Sayin. It was also a clean game, with only two penalties and no turnovers, plus a defensive effort that was the difference in the game.

Need to know: If LSU and Clemson don't lock up playoff spots