The Road to Las Vegas: Review-Journal’s Week 2 CFP projections

Title: The Road to Las Vegas: Review‑Journal’s Week 2 CFP projections Each Sunday the Las Vegas Review‑Journal will prime the four teams most likely to reach the CFP semifinals ahead of the championship game in Las Vegas on Jan. 25. The spotlight on star quarterback Arch Manning appeared too bright for some of his teammates on Saturday. Once Manning finally received help, he and the Longhorns flexed their muscle and secured the program’s biggest win to date—a dramatic 24‑23 late‑night victory over Ohio State in Austin. That result marked the first major shakeup in the Review‑Journal’s CFP top‑4 projections. The Buckeyes, previously ranked No. 2, fell out of the rankings entirely after a loss already in hand and a slate of difficult games ahead, including a possible Big Ten title game. Texas, meanwhile, remains just shy of the cut because of its own brutal upcoming schedule. Nevertheless, Manning sent a clear message that the Longhorns are legitimate. He had a wide‑open touchdown pass dropped and another deep completion bobbled into an interception as they dug a large hole, but the team stayed resilient. The receivers and running game bounced back in the second half, while the defense took over completely to spark a rally from a 20‑point deficit. Ohio State became the second top‑10 Big Ten team to lose on the road Saturday, hours after Oregon may have played its way out of top‑four contention with a stunning loss to Oklahoma State. It was undoubtedly the most eventful day of the season so far. Here are this week’s Review‑Journal CFP Las Vegas Top Four projections: **1. Notre Dame** The Irish rolled again with a 52‑0 shutout of Rice. If you’re waiting for the week when they are finally challenged to discover just how good they are, you may want to nap through most Saturdays for a while. Notre Dame faces several strong conference opponents in the coming weeks, but none look especially daunting until perhaps Oct. 17 at BYU. Michigan State is up next. **2. Georgia** The Bulldogs cruised past Western Kentucky 70‑20. The SEC is in a tight spot where several teams could knock each other out and leave just one squad standing in the CFP top four. It’s tempting to pick LSU as that team, but the Bulldogs’ tough schedule combined with some worrying Sam Leavitt turnovers on Saturday keeps them alone for now. The Tigers have a chance to make a case next week at Ole Miss. **3. Miami** The Hurricanes set a school record with 856 yards of offense in a 77‑7 win over Florida A&M. The biggest question surrounding Miami is whether its relatively light schedule will allow it to absorb a possible loss at Notre Dame and still sneak into the top four. **4. Indiana** Curt Cignetti’s squad hasn’t truly been tested yet, but it remains stout on defense and potent on offense even after losing Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders. The Hoosiers host Ohio State and USC and travel to Washington.