The Inside the Lines team examines the latest CFP projections for Week 2 of the 2025 college football season. Here are some observations based on our simulated championship game setting:

• Notre Dame and Texas Still Elite: Despite a non-conference loss, Texas remains in the top 5. However, a significant drop in playoff chances was noted for both Texas and Notre Dame.

• Playoff Projections: The rankings show significant shifts among several teams with Iowa State gaining leverage with a favorable schedule.

  Key Rankings:

  Rank	Team	SIM Win%	Playoff Chances
  1	Penn State Nittany Lions	89.0%	28.7%
  2	Georgia Bulldogs	88.3%	17.3%
  3	Ohio State Buckeyes	87.9%	23.9%
  5	Texas Longhorns	86.5%	16.0%
  6	Notre Dame Fighting Irish	85.5%	–

For a deeper analysis on team projections, check out the blog here.