The College Football Playoff race is heating up as the regular season approaches its final weeks, with multiple questions lingering about potential outcomes. The latest projections for the playoffs, which will be updated weekly following each Saturday”s games, reveal intriguing possibilities for matchups, notably a potential clash between Texas and Texas Tech in Lubbock.
As of now, four of the five Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) teams that appeared in the initial College Football Playoff rankings have suffered defeats against unranked opponents in recent weeks. Georgia Tech lost to NC State, while Miami fell to SMU. In addition, Virginia lost to Wake Forest, and Louisville was defeated by California in overtime. Currently, Georgia Tech stands out as the strongest representative from the ACC, but the situation could shift dramatically with a four-way tie at the top.
The American Athletic Conference is facing a similar scenario, with five teams each holding a single loss in conference play, making it difficult to predict the eventual champion. This week, USF appears to be the most secure choice, but James Madison, leading the Sun Belt, is closing in quickly.
Looking ahead to potential playoff matchups, the idea of a Texas-Texas Tech first-round game is exciting, with the victor set to face Texas A&M in New Orleans. Furthermore, a long-awaited meeting between Notre Dame and Oregon since their last encounter in 1982 could occur, with the winner advancing to the Rose Bowl to challenge Ohio State. A rematch between Alabama and Georgia in the Orange Bowl is also a possibility, along with a showdown between Indiana and Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl.
Several key games this weekend will hold significant implications for the College Football Playoff landscape: Notre Dame will face Pittsburgh at noon on ABC, South Carolina takes on Texas A&M at noon on ESPN, Iowa plays USC at 3:30 PM on CBS or BTN, Oklahoma challenges Alabama at 3:30 PM on ABC, and Texas travels to face Georgia at 7:30 PM on ABC.
