The architects of the 12-team College Football Playoff format had a lot of goals in mind when they spent several months creating the thing in 2020 and 2021.

They wanted to increase the value of a conference championship (five league title winners receive an automatic bid and the top four are eligible for a first-round bye). They wanted to hold playoff games on campus (seeds 5-8 host first round games). And perhaps most importantly, they wanted to increase the relevance of more late-season games by involving more teams (they added eight teams to the field).

Goals achieved!

Chaos in Saturday’s play-offs? It wouldn’t have made much difference in a four-team playoff world. More than half a dozen games, which were irrelevant under the old system, were important for the chase in the play-offs.

Take for example the madness in the SEC. The home underdogs essentially knocked two teams out of playoff contention with exciting upsets: Florida over Ole Miss and Oklahoma over Alabama. And a third setback — Auburn vs. Texas A&M in four overtimes — could send a three-loss team to the SEC championship game if the Aggies upset Texas next week.

What’s with all the chaotic games in the Big 12? Colorado’s upset over Kansas has huge implications for the automatic bidding process in the hunt for the Big 12 crown, and Arizona State’s win over BYU did the same. In fact, four teams – Colorado, ASU, Iowa State and BYU – are tied at the top of the Big 12 standings.

Many or all of these games don’t matter in a four-team playoff field. Only 12 teams? They have an incredible impact.

The same goes for Penn State-Minnesota, where the Nittany Lions, fake punt and all, survived cold Minneapolis by one point. Boise State’s game against Wyoming had significant implications for an expanded playoff, as the Broncos survived to keep their way to the Group of Five bid alive. The same goes for Notre Dame-Army – a matchup that wouldn’t have been relevant last year when choosing the four teams.

The losses to Ole Miss and Alabama — both within the CFP Committee’s playoff projection last week — open the door for a host of others. The big winners of Saturday’s chaotic day?

(1) The ACC, whose number two seed in the title game (Miami or SMU?) and the third-place team (Clemson?) are back in contention for one of seven at-large bids.

(2) Georgia, which secured a bid to the SEC championship game with the Tide and A&M losses (they will play the winner of Texas vs. Texas A&M).

(3) Notre Dame, which will likely secure not only a playoff berth but also a first-round home game in South Bend if the Irish beat USC next week.

(4) Indiana and Tennessee, two bubble teams whose path to the CFP opened with all odds.

Another big winner: the Top 10, which received quite a stir. Let’s get started!

1. Oregon ducks

This week: Goodbye

Next week: vs. Washington

Few teams punch their ticket to a conference championship game on Tuesday afternoon while not playing. But that’s exactly what happened to Oregon earlier this week when, three days after the Ducks beat Wisconsin to go 11-0, the Big Ten found out that Dan Lanning’s team won every possible tiebreaker even if they lost to Washington . To be clear, they don’t want to lose to the rival Huskies!

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

This week: Defeated Indiana 38-15

Next week: vs. Michigan

The Buckeyes are in position with a win over Michigan to advance to the Big Ten championship game for a rematch with the Ducks. The competition in Indianapolis is not just for a championship. The winner will almost certainly get the No. 1 seed in the playoffs and get a bye in the first round. And the loser? It will probably be seeded fifth or sixth and have to play in the first round.

3. Georgia Bulldogs

This week: Beat UMass 59-21

Next week: vs. Georgia Tech

This was a strange one. The Minutemen ran for more than 225 yards against Kirby Smart’s defense, a shocking result and one that might catch the attention of a few CFP committee members, as the Bulldogs were one of the last great teams in the field, according to the last week’s rankings. . However, Georgia is still coming off two of its best wins of the season: at Texas and against Tennessee – two programs that are in the playoff field for now.

4. Penn State Nittany Lions

This week: defeated Minnesota 26-25

Next week: vs. Maryland

With his team on the ropes and a playoff berth potentially on the line, James Franklin ripped a fake punt from his bag of tricks in the final minutes to secure the victory over the Gophers. The Nittany Lions got another magical performance from their star tight end, Tyler Warren (eight catches for 102 yards), and appear set to control their destiny. Beat the skidding Terps next week and punch your ticket not only to the playoff, but possibly to a first-round game in Happy Valley.

5. Texas Longhorns

This week: defeated Kentucky 31-14

Next week: at Texas A&M

In Year 1 of the SEC, Steve Sarkisian has the Longhorns in position to advance to the conference title game with a win at Aggieland. However, there is concern. Quarterback Quinn Ewers, who battled injuries for much of the season, injured his ankle in the win over the Wildcats but finished the game. His health is at risk for the confrontation in College Station.

6. Notre Dame fights the Irish

This week: Defeat Army 49-14

Next week: at USC

The only thing standing between the Irish and a playoff berth is their old rival, the USC Trojans. Notre Dame has won nine straight since that stunning loss to Northern Illinois, and this one has never been closer. Notre Dame took a 14-0 lead within the first minutes and recorded a victory at Yankee Stadium.

7. SMU Mustangs

This week: Defeated Virginia 33-7

Next week: vs. Cal

Has any coach done better than Rhett Lashlee this season? In their first year in the ACC and after a mid-season QB change, the Mustangs punched their ticket to the championship game to play either Miami or Clemson. The path to an unlikely playoff berth – and possibly a first-round bye – lies ahead of QB Kevin Jennings and his team.

8. Miami Hurricanes

This week: Beat Wake Forest 42-14

Next week: in Syracuse

Is there a team more explosive than Miami? If the Hurricanes and QB Cam Ward get hot, they can score in bunches. On Saturday, in a thrilling match with the Demon Deacons, Mario Cristobal’s group scored 25 unanswered from late in the second quarter. The Canes can head to Charlotte for the ACC title game next week with a win.

9. Indiana Hoosiers

This week: Lost to Ohio State 38-15

Next week: vs. Purdue

The Hoosiers probably didn’t help themselves in the Horseshoe (151 yards of offense) on Saturday, but got help from other places. They remain in our Top 10, barely after the Rebels lost in Gainesville. But our rankings don’t really matter. How far will Curt Cignetti’s team fall in the CFP Commission rankings? They will likely be in the top 12 with the likes of Tennessee, SMU and Boise State.

10. Tennessee Volunteers

This week: Beat UTEP 56-0

Next week: at Vanderbilt

Welcome back to the Top 10, Vols, the beneficiaries of their SEC brethren (Ole Miss) losses. Tennessee’s resume took a big hit with Alabama’s loss in Oklahoma, but Josh Heupel’s team has one of the toughest schedules in the country, barely above South Carolina, Boise State and Clemson in our rankings.

Dropped out: Ole Miss (7)