Week 13 of the College Football season wasn't all that exciting as a bunch of the Nation's top teams were on the bye week, while others faced off against far inferior opponents. This weekend only brought a few games with true Playoff implications, while other games were more exciting than anyone expected.
This weekend only had two key ranked matchups and a pivotal game in the race for the ACC Championship. Oregon and Oklahoma picked up key Top 25 wins, building their resume while Pitt knocked off Georgia Tech, reshaping the race for the ACC Championship Game.
Predicting the College Football Playoff bracket after Oregon's big win
First Round Byes:
- #4 Georgia Bulldogs
- #3 Texas A&M Aggies
- #2 Indiana Hoosiers
- #1 Ohio State Buckeyes
First Round Matchups:
#5 Texas Tech Red Raiders Vs Group of 5 winner Tulane Green Wave
The Texas Tech Red Raiders spent the weekend on the bye ahead of their regular season finale against a subpar West Virginia team. The Red Raiders should cruise to victory next weekend and with the strength of the Big 12 this season making the game may land them in the College Football Playoff.
Tulane was ranked as the only Group of 5 team in the Top 25 last weekend, giving them a great chance to earn a College Football Playoff bid. After beating Temple this weekend, all that stands in Jon Sumrall's team's path is a game against Charlotte.
#6 Ole Miss Rebels Vs ACC Champion Virginia Cavaliers
The Ole Miss Rebels spent the weekend on the bye week ahead of their regular-season finale in the Egg Bowl. The Rebels seem playoff-bound unless chaos ensues surrounding Lane Kiffin, affecting how the committee views this team.
The ACC continues to be the conference of chaos as the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets were knocked off in a win-and-in game against Pitt. The Virginia Cavaliers have the clearest path to the ACC Championship, which is either a blessing or a curse in this conference.
#7 Oregon Ducks Vs #10 Alabama Crimson Tide
The Oregon Ducks picked up their biggest win of the season this weekend as they knocked the USC Trojans out of the Playoff race. The Ducks have one game left on the season against Washington and a win would lock them into the College Football Playoff field.
Alabama followed up its loss to Oklahoma with a blowout win over Eastern Illinois in the final tune-up game of the season. Next weekend brings a pivotal Iron Bowl as Auburn will have a chance to knock Alabama out of the Playoff race.
#8 Oklahoma Sooners Vs #9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
The Oklahoma Sooners only strengthened their resume this weekend, adding another ranked win this time against Missouri. The Sooners have one last test against an LSU team that's playing lights out on defense, but has struggled all season long on offense. Having a win over Alabama is great for the Sooners, especially if the Crimson Tide can win the SEC Championship.
Notre Dame continues to run through its opponents like a buzzsaw as it demolished Syracuse on Saturday. This final stretch is perfect for Notre Dame as they'll play a weaker Stanford team next weekend with a chance to clinch their place in the Playoff. The only concern for Notre Dame is that they're on that bubble, which could hurt them if Conference Championship weekend brings some chaos.