CFB Playoff Picture, Standings and Bracket Predictions After Week 13 of 2025-26 Season
The Oregon Ducks passed their final major test to all but confirm their position in the College Football Playoff.
Oregon took down the USC Trojans on Saturday to remain inside the top seven of the CFB Playoff rankings with one regular-season game left.
Dan Lanning's team still has to beat the Washington Huskies next weekend, but the Week 13 clash with USC was viewed as its toughest test left.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish moved one step closer to confirming their playoff position with a thumping of Syracuse Orange in which Jeremiyah Love made his best case to win the Heisman trophy.
While Oregon and Notre Dame appear safe in the race for at-large bids, other teams are still in peril because there aren't many tough matchups left for the teams in the bottom half of the top 10.
The most significant change to the projected playoff bracket came from ACC, where the Pittsburgh Panthers knocked off the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Pitt's victory put the Virginia Cavaliers and SMU Mustangs into position to clinch spots in the ACC Championship Game with wins next week.
Oregon Passes Home Test Against USC
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Oregon felt like it clinched a CFB Playoff berth on Saturday.
USC was the toughest remaining opponent on the Ducks' schedule. Oregon beat the Trojans 42-27 at Autzen Stadium.
Oregon is now up to 10-1 with one game left against a 7-3 Washington team that was held to single digits in two of its losses to the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines, two of the Big Ten's current ranked teams.
At No. 7, Oregon is in line to host a first-round playoff game in Eugene, as long as it beats Washington.
The Ducks, Ohio State and Indiana Hoosiers should be the Big Ten's playoff representative.
The Big Ten likely will not get a fourth team into the playoff unless the Michigan Wolverines upset Ohio State next week and win the Big Ten Championship Game.
Jeremiyah Love Leads Notre Dame's Walloping of Syracuse
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Jeremiyah Love's three rushing touchdowns headlined Notre Dame's 70-7 win over Syracuse.
Love also ran for 171 yards in his latest case to be included as a Heisman Trophy finalist.
Marcus Freeman's team just needs to beat the Stanford Cardinal next week to lock in a 10-2 record and a playoff berth.
The biggest question surrounding Notre Dame right now is whether or it not it will be ranked in the top eight and host a first-round game.
Notre Dame needs at least one of the teams in front of it to lose, but that seems unlikely given who Oregon, the Ole Miss Rebels and Oklahoma Sooners have left on their schedules.
Pitt Beats Georgia Tech, Adds Another Wrinkle to ACC Title Race
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Pittsburgh took away Georgia Tech's chance to compete in the ACC Championship Game.
The Panthers went into Atlanta and beat the Yellow Jackets, who just needed a win on Saturday to clinch a spot in the ACC title game.
Pitt now needs a win over the Miami Hurricanes next week plus some help to reach Charlotte.
The Virginia Cavaliers and SMU Mustangs control their own fate next week. Virginia hosts the Virginia Tech Hokies next week, while SMU visits the California Golden Bears.
Virginia was the only ranked team of the duo going into Week 13. Virginia or SMU would get into the playoff over Miami if they earn the ACC's automatic bid.
Miami needs to Pitt and receive a lot of help to earn a spot in Charlotte. The Hurricanes' more realistic path to the playoff is through an at-large berth, but that also requires multiple teams in front of it to lose in a short window.
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