The Missouri Tigers (2-0) opened the season with back-to-back shutouts against Murray State and Buffalo, the only FBS team to do so this season and the first FBS team since 2019.

Due to Notre Dame’s unexpected loss to Northern Illinois and Penn State’s laborious 34-24 win over Bowling Green, Mizzou rose to No. 6 in the latest AP Top 25 poll.

Missouri isn’t ranked quite as high in the latest edition of the Race for the CFP, but the Tigers are ranked No. 8 – meaning they’re currently in position to host a first-round playoff game.

Let’s look at the latest predictions for the third week of the season.

Top 4 seedings (conference champions):

Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

1. Georgia (projected SEC champion): With a 48-3 win over Tennessee Tech, Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs are still the best team in the country, unless proven otherwise. Georgia plays at Kentucky in its SEC opener on Saturday.
2. Ohio State (Prospective Big Ten Champion): The Buckeyes are averaging 54 points per game and have not allowed a touchdown in the first two weeks.
3. Miami (projected ACC champion): No problems in Saturday’s 56-9 win over Florida A&M as Cam Ward continues to put up strong numbers. The schedule looks favorable for the Canes.
4. Utah (projected Big 12 champion): The Utes’ defense looks strong after a 23-12 win last week over Baylor. Kyle Wittingham’s team has looked like a well-oiled machine so far. Utah plays Utah State in a rivalry game on Saturday.

Top contenders (seeds 5-8):

Photo by Aaron J. Thornton/Getty Images

5. Texas: The Longhorns definitely look like an elite team after their convincing 31-12 road win at Michigan. They will certainly be a contender for the SEC title and Quinn Ewers has already made an early bid for the Heisman Trophy. They host UTSA on Saturday.

6. Ole Miss: The Rebels won 52-3 against Middle Tennessee. Their first real test of the season is on Saturday against ACC opponent Wake Forest.

7: Alabama: The Crimson Tide only had a 14-13 lead over South Florida after the third quarter, but were able to eke out a 42-16 victory. Alabama travels north to Wisconsin on Saturday.

8: Missouri: The Mizzou football program opened the season with two consecutive shutouts for the first time since 1935.

The Tigers host No. 24 Boston College on Saturday for their first real test of the season.

Bubble Teams (IN):

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

9. Penn State: The Nittany Lions are in the mix right now, but they took a step back in Week 2 after a less-than-stellar 34-24 win over former Mizzou quarterback Connor Bazelak and Bowling Green.

10. Oregon: After struggling to beat FCS Idaho in Week 1, a 37-34 win over a good Boise State team on Saturday is an improvement. The Ducks play Oregon State in a heated rivalry game on Saturday.

11: Tennessee: Freshman quarterback Iamaleava and the Vols appeared unstoppable in a 51-10 victory over NC State in Charlotte. The Volunteers host Kent State on Saturday before playing their SEC opener at Oklahoma on Sept. 21.

Group of Five team:

Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images

12. Boise State: Despite the 37-34 loss, the Broncos played at a high level against Oregon and showed why they are the best G5 team right now. Ashton Jeanty had another big night, currently leading the nation in rushing yards, and Boise looks to be the clear favorite to win the Mountain West.

(Northern Illinois is also included here after its surprising win against Notre Dame).

Bubble teams (looking from the outside in):

William Purnell-Images

State of Oklahoma: Good teams find a way to win, and the Cowboys beat an improved Razorbacks team 39-31 in double overtime at home. The Pokes are 2-0 and play at home state opponent Tulsa on Saturday, but they have a little more to prove if they’re playoff worthy.

Oklahoma: Brett Venables’ team struggled in a 16-12 win over Houston last week, and the upcoming SEC schedule is brutal for the Sooners, but they will have some great opportunities.

State of Kansas: The 14th-ranked Wildcats will host the 20th-ranked Arizona Wildcats in Manhattan on Friday night. The winner of this game will move ever closer to playoff participation.

USC: The Trojans are 2-0 after a 48-0 victory over Utah State late Saturday night. Lincoln Riley’s team has a week off before traveling to Michigan for its Big Ten Conference debut on Sept. 21.

Insider tips/sleepers:

Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

Nebraska: The Huskers are ranked 23rd in the country after a 28-10 win over Colorado to improve their record to 2-0. Matt Rhule has taken the program in the right direction and star freshman Dylan Raiola seems to be the right fit.

Syracuse: Kyle McCord, who transferred from Ohio State, had a great day (381 yards and 4 TDs) in a 31-28 win over a top-ranked Georgia Tech team. He is currently third in the country with 735 passing yards after two weeks while the Orange are 2-0 on the season.

State of Iowa: The Cyclones are 2-0 and ranked 21st in the country after a 20-19 comeback road win over Iowa at the Cy-Hawk on Saturday. Matt Campbell’s team could be a surprise contender in the Big 12.

Boston College: Mizzou’s next opponent is 2-0 and ranked 24th in the country. Junior quarterback Thomas Castellanos is off to an impressive start in the first two games this season.

Here is my projected 12-team playoff bracket for the third week of the season:

1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. Miami
4. Utah

5. Texas vs. 12. Boise State

6. Ole Miss vs. 11. Tennessee

7. Alabama vs. 10. Oregon

8. Missouri vs. 9. Penn State

CFP Final Four: Texas vs. Georgia, Ole Miss vs. Ohio State

CFP National Championship: Georgia vs. Ohio State

National Champion: Georgia