Rivalry Week in College Football delivered as the final weekend of the regular season was filled with close games and chaos. The expanded College Football Playoff field has only added to the magic of rivalry weekend, as each upset and win means more for the teams still in the hunt for a Playoff bid. This weekend, we only saw one loss that shook the Playoff field, but there was certainly some jockeying for positions.
Predicting the College Football Playoff bracket after Texas A&M's loss
First Round Byes:
- #4 Texas Tech Red Raiders
- #3 Georgia Bulldogs
- #2 Indiana Hoosiers
- #1 Ohio State Buckeyes
First Round Matchups:
#5 Oregon Ducks Vs Group of 5 Champions Tulane Green Wave
The Oregon Ducks picked up another big win this weekend as they held off Washington to move to 11-1 this weekend. The win likely locks Oregon into the Playoff field and gives them a great chance to earn a first-round bye if someone gets knocked off during rivalry weekend.
The Tulane Green Wave needed to beat Charlotte to punch their ticket to the AAC Championship, and they did with a blowout win. Jon Sumrall's team is now a win away from making the College Football Playoff as they'll meet North Texas in the AAC Championship Game.
#6 Ole Miss Rebels Vs ACC Champions Virginia Cavaliers
The Ole Miss Rebels handled business in the Egg Bowl, setting the team up to make their first College Football Playoff. The biggest factor for Ole Miss now is the future of Lane Kiffin which remains uncertain as he's yet to reach a decision.
The Virginia Cavaliers needed to beat Virginia Tech to make the ACC Championship, and they did just that in dominant fashion. Tony Elliott's team has played like the best team in the league all season long, and a win in Charlotte over a mediocre Duke team will complete an incredible season.
#7 Texas A&M Aggies Vs #10 Alabama Crimson tide
Texas A&M was playing with fire all season long as they looked vulnerable several times, and they finally fell against Texas on Friday Night. The loss will certainly cost Texas A&M the automatic bye week, but they're likely in line to host a Playoff game, which may be the better outcome in the long run.
The Alabama Crimson Tide survived the traditional upset in Jordan-Hare Stadium as Ty Simpson found Isaiah Horton for the go-ahead touchdown before the defense stripped Cam Coleman for the win. Kalen DeBoer's team now faces Georgia for the SEC Championship, but Alabama should be locked into the field.
#8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish Vs #9 Oklahoma Sooners
The Oklahoma Sooners struggled mightily, but Brent Venables' team came through when they needed to the most. The Sooners scored on their final possession before stopping LSU on 4th down to secure the victory. Struggling to beat LSU may slide Oklahoma down a place, but they're still in the field.
Notre Dame is currently dominating the Stanford Cardinal 28-0 which will likely lead to the Irish moving ahead of the Sooners in the Top 12 after Oklahoma's struggles with LSU.