Rivalry Week has already seen one upset that will affect a conference championship and College Football Playoff seeding. Ohio State made sure we didn’t get another one to start Saturday.
On Friday, Texas upset Texas A&M to give A&M its first loss of the season and knock the Aggies out of the SEC championship game. The Buckeyes, undefeated and No. 1 in the CFP rankings, overcame a slow start against Michigan and posted some big plays to snap a four-game losing streak in the series.
Those aren’t the only games that will affect the playoff. We’ve got the best moments from Ohio State-Michigan and CFP takeaways for the week’s other big games.
Jump to: CFP takeaways | Top plays
CFP takeaways
Oregon could get a small promotion to No. 5 on Tuesday in the committee’s fifth ranking if the group drops Texas A&M behind the Ducks following the Aggies’ loss to Texas. Regardless, it should be secure in its position of being able to host a first-round home game as the Big Ten’s third playoff team. The committee rewarded Oregon for its convincing win against USC on Nov. 22, and the fact it has been one of the most complete teams in the country. Oregon finished the regular season on a six-game winning streak since its 30-20 home loss to Indiana on Oct. 11. The committee will consider Oregon’s win at Washington another respectable road win, along with the Nov. 8 victory at Iowa and the unique situation of the double-overtime triumph Sept. 27 at Penn State before James Franklin was fired.
The Sooners avoided disaster and likely cemented a spot in the playoff with a come-from-behind win against LSU on Saturday. Oklahoma should remain the committee’s top two-loss team this week, but it didn’t help the Sooners’ résumé that Michigan and Tennessee both lost, as those were two of Oklahoma’s best wins. The order can still move on Selection Day with conference championship game results. If Alabama and BYU win their respective conferences, they could make significant jumps, and OU would lose its first-round home game if it got bumped out of the top eight. The committee will also consider, though, that Oklahoma won at Alabama on Nov. 15, which could be a road win against the eventual SEC champs. By beating LSU, Oklahoma also made it more difficult for bubble teams such as Miami and Texas to inch forward another notch. Texas could’ve used an OU loss because of its head-to-head win against the Sooners — a verdict that has been rendered somewhat moot since the Longhorns have three losses.
With the victory against No. 15 Michigan, the Buckeyes clinched a spot in the Big Ten title game against Indiana and will maintain their No. 1 spot in the committee’s fifth ranking Tuesday. By entering the conference championship game undefeated, Ohio State increased its chances of earning a top-four seed and a first-round bye even if it finishes as the Big Ten runner-up. This also knocked Michigan out of the playoff conversation by ending the Wolverines’ chances of playing for the Big Ten title. Michigan losing should also help Texas move up after its win against Texas A&M. Texas winning continues to help Ohio State’s résumé, as the season-opening win against the Longhorns continues to be valuable. This was Ohio State’s biggest victory, though, since its opener.
The Hurricanes did exactly what the selection committee needed to see: a convincing CFP Top 25 road win at Pitt. Now, barring multiple outcomes in the ACC race, the Canes still need upsets above them Saturday to increase their likelihood of earning an at-large bid as one of the top-10 teams. With BYU pulling away in the second half to beat UCF, it’s unlikely the two-loss Canes leapfrog the one-loss Cougars. A more realistic promotion would come with Alabama losing to Auburn or Notre Dame losing to Stanford on Saturday night. The committee isn’t ignoring Miami’s head-to-head win against the Irish, but it is also comparing the Canes to Alabama and BYU. The committee could also compare Miami to Texas this week after the Longhorns’ win against Texas A&M, but Miami beat Florida — which is the Longhorns’ worst loss — and has one fewer defeat overall.
With another convincing win and Texas A&M’s loss, it’s possible the committee boosts the Red Raiders into the No. 4 spot Tuesday night behind Georgia. Whether they can keep that first-round bye position depends on whether they win the Big 12 title. The Red Raiders will face BYU in the Big 12 championship game and should feel secure in their playoff place whether they win or lose. Texas Tech had no trouble with West Virginia, distancing itself from the Mountaineers easily in the first half. That gives it a cushion to earn a CFP spot even as a two-loss Big 12 runner-up. Nobody else in the country would be able to claim a regular-season win against the eventual Big 12 champs in that scenario.
The Cougars got off to a slow start against 5-7 UCF but pulled away in the second half to avoid what would have been a problematic second loss. BYU has already clinched a spot in the Big 12 championship game against Texas Tech, but it can at least cling to slim hope at earning a spot in the field as a two-loss runner-up if it doesn’t win. That possibility would have been eliminated with an upset to UCF. BYU will need help to earn a bid as the Big 12 runner-up, though, because it’s already in a precarious position and would be out of the field as an at-large team. BYU’s best wins are against Arizona and Utah, which wouldn’t be impressive enough in the committee meeting room to finish in the top 10, but if Alabama finishes as a three-loss SEC runner-up, it could open the door for a debate.
— Heather Dinich
