Bowl projections: Penn State back in, Wisconsin out of College Football Playoff field

The preseason edition of bowl projections had Penn State in the College Football Playoff field. A close scare against Appalachian State led to the Nittany Lions being removed in favor of Wisconsin.

A shocking loss by the Badgers to BYU last week opened the door back up to Penn State, which has posted dominant wins against Pittsburgh and Kent State since its struggles on opening day.

What about Ohio State after its defeat of TCU? The Buckeyes will visit State College in two weeks and the winner looks to be great position to reach the Big Ten title game. For now, the Nittany Lions have a slight edge in what will be the first massive game of the season.

RECORD CHECK:Handing out first-quarter grades to every college football team

RE-RANK:A major shakeup in the 1-130 rankings after surprises in Week 3

WINNERS AND LOSERS:High and lows from the weekend in college football

Alabama, Clemson and Georgia each keep their playoff spots. It continues to look like the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs could be unbeaten by the time the SEC championship game rolls around. A loss wouldn't be disqualifying if expected upsets occur in other conferences.

A reminder: Some conferences may not fulfill their bowl allotment. Asterisks denote a replacement pick.