Be careful what you wish for, Illinois fans. Very, very careful. A theme has emerged from the latest round of college football bowl projections, and it’s both exciting and terrifying if viewed from the perspective of the 6-3 Illini,

The previous version incorrectly listed Georgia as the No. 2 seed in the quarterfinal bracket instead of Texas.) The College Football Playoff and its newfangled 12-team format is nearly here.

Three weeks remain in college football's regular season, and things continue to feel as delightfully messy as ever. The SEC could end up with anywhere from three to five teams in the College Football Playoff (though the CFP committee's most recent rankings suggest three or four is more likely than five).