The landscape of the College Football Playoff is heating up as we approach Week 12 of the college football season, especially for teams from Texas. With three contenders in the mix, the Lone Star State is poised to make a significant impact, as predicted by the influence of Name, Image, and Likeness.
Texas A&M solidified its position among the top four teams in the latest College Football Playoff rankings following a dominant 38-17 victory over Missouri. The Aggies are also inching closer to securing a spot in the SEC Championship game this season.
Texas Tech continued to impress, notching a 29-7 win against BYU in a critical Big 12 matchup. Although the Red Raiders hold one loss this season, their investment in NIL deals has shown returns, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
The Texas Longhorns, who enjoyed a bye week, remain in contention for a third consecutive CFP berth. They are set for a pivotal game against Georgia in Week 12, a rematch of last year”s SEC Championship game. With two losses on their record, a split against Georgia and Texas A&M in their final games could strengthen their case as a three-loss team.
As we delve into this week”s playoff projections, we also examine the potential first-round matchups and the teams currently on the bubble for playoff consideration. Notably, Memphis, BYU, and Virginia have dropped out, while South Florida, Texas, and Georgia Tech have moved into contention.
Projected Top Teams and Matchups
In the current playoff landscape, the contenders are as follows:
- SEC (7 teams): Texas A&M (9-0), Ole Miss (9-1), Alabama (8-1), Georgia (8-1), Texas (7-2), Oklahoma (7-2), Vanderbilt (8-2)
- BIG TEN (5 teams): Indiana (10-0), Ohio State (9-0), Michigan (7-2), USC (7-2), Maryland (7-2)
- BIG 12 (5 teams): Texas Tech (8-1), BYU (8-1), Oklahoma (7-2), Houston (8-2)
- ACC (5 teams): Georgia Tech (8-1), Virginia (8-2), Louisville (7-2)
The projected first-round byes include:
- No. 1 Ohio State
- No. 2 Alabama
- No. 3 Indiana
- No. 4 Texas A&M
As the playoff picture continues to evolve, the following first-round matchups are anticipated:
- No. 12 South Florida at No. 5 Georgia
- No. 11 Texas at No. 6 Texas Tech
- No. 10 Notre Dame at No. 7 Ole Miss
- No. 9 Georgia Tech at No. 8 Oregon
Bubble Teams and Their Prospects
Several teams remain on the playoff bubble:
- Vanderbilt (8-2) is battling for its first 10-win season, having recently defeated Auburn.
- Oklahoma (7-2) has potential to move up, facing a challenging schedule ahead.
- BYU (8-1) still has a shot as a second Big 12 representative but must avoid further losses.
- Virginia (8-2) needs to recover from a recent loss to maintain its playoff hopes.
As the excitement builds for Week 12, all eyes will be on how these Texas teams perform and whether they can secure their paths to the College Football Playoff.
