College Football Playoffs 2025-26 Bracket Elimination Scenarios in Week 11 After Poll

The bottom half of the top 12 raised more eyebrows in the first College Football Playoff rankings release.

The Oregon Ducks were listed behind both Big 12 teams in the top 10, the BYU Cougars and Texas Tech Red Raiders.

BYU and Texas Tech play in Lubbock on Saturday in a game that will decide the front-runner to earn the Big 12's automatic playoff berth.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish rounded out the top 10, a spot that serves as the cut off for the playoff teams due to the ACC teams outside the top 10 and the top Group of Five team included in the bracket.

The Texas Longhorns are the first team outside the cut line at No. 11. Arch Manning and Co. might be the most intriguing team in the rankings in November because of what their schedule looks like.

Big 12 Will Be Sorted Out on Saturday

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BYU and Texas Tech landed at Nos. 7 and 8 in Tuesday's rankings.

Only one of those teams will be in the top eight next Tuesday since the Cougars and Red Raiders meet in Lubbock on Saturday.

There's a chance that is the first of two meetings in the next five weeks between the two teams. They could also meet in the Big 12 Championship Game.

Saturday's winner will likely reside in the top seven next week, but the real question to come from the weekend will be how far the loser drops in the poll.

If the result is lopsided in one favor, it could open the door for another SEC team or a second ACC program to get into the field depending on results shake out in November.

Texas Resides In Position to Land Playoff Spot

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Texas has the potential to be the most influential team in regard to the CFB Playoff in November.

The Longhorns visit the Georgia Bulldogs on November 15 and then host the Texas A&M Aggies on Thanksgiving weekend.

Arch Manning and Co. just knocked off the Vanderbilt Commodores in Week 10 to earn the No. 11 spot in Tuesday's rankings.

At 7-2, Texas likely needs to win out to feel safe about its playoff prospects. Upsets over UGA and A&M would also send the top 10 into chaos. A&M is No. 3 and Georgia is No. 5.

A 9-3 Texas with a win over either UGA or A&M would make for an interesting conversation, especially if the Oklahoma Sooners are still in the mix.

Texas' head-to-head over Oklahoma has it one spot ahead of the Sooners in the CFB Playoff rankings.

Wins over Oklahoma, Vanderbilt and either UGA or A&M might also be enough to keep Texas in front of the chasing pack, which includes teams from the Big 12 and ACC, conferences that don't provide as many chances to knock off top-10 teams as the SEC.