Week 13 and the College Football Playoff race’s prime 10 video games: USC-Oregon, BYU-Cincy and extra

Let’s be trustworthy: This weekend isn’t an ideal lineup of video games. Some of that is because of bloated conferences leading to much less significant matchups. Some of it’s open weeks. And a few of it’s the SEC’s late-season, nonconference cupcakes. Of the highest 10 groups on this week’s College Football Playoff rankings, three are idle this weekend, two face FCS opponents and three extra are favored by 30-plus factors towards FBS opponents.

It’s not a perfect draw for the second-to-last week of the common season, however — although the Playoff isn’t the be-all and end-all — there are nonetheless a number of conferences with vital postseason implications. And school soccer followers know that is precisely the kind of weekend to count on the sudden.

Here are the highest 10 video games of Week 13 and the CFP image, beginning with just a few honorable mentions and counting down.

Honorable point out: Kansas at Iowa State, Washington State at JMU, Baylor at Arizona, Missouri State at Kennesaw State, Arkansas at No. 17 Texas, Duke at North Carolina, ECU at UTSA, TCU at Houston, No. 20 Tennessee at Florida, North Texas at Rice.

(All level spreads are courtesy of BetMGM. All kickoff instances are Eastern and on Saturday until in any other case famous.)

10. Louisville (7-3) at SMU (7-3), Noon, ESPN2

This sport is simply right here due to the way it might affect the mess on the prime of the ACC standings. SMU has a path, nevertheless it might want to win out towards Louisville and Cal and have both Georgia Tech lose this week or Virginia lose subsequent week. If the Mustangs lose both of their subsequent two video games, they’re out. There’s additionally a through-the-looking-glass state of affairs during which Miami might nonetheless attain the ACC title sport that requires SMU to lose each remaining video games, which we’ll save for subsequent week, if it’s nonetheless in play.

Line: SMU -2.5

9. No. 18 Michigan (8-2) at Maryland (4-6), 4 p.m., BTN

This sport is simply right here due to what it might arrange for subsequent week. If Michigan (with out operating again Justice Haynes) can handle a street win over Maryland — losers of six straight and with out a win since Sept. 20 — it provides a little bit additional to the rivalry sport towards Ohio State on Nov. 29. As if it wants it. Could a 10-2 Michigan squad that knocks off the top-ranked, undefeated Buckeyes within the remaining week of the common season sneak into an at-large Playoff spot? It all feels a little bit far-fetched … however not as a lot as final 12 months’s Wolverines beating the eventual nationwide champions in Columbus.

Line: Michigan -14

8. Kentucky (5-5) at No. 14 Vanderbilt (8-2), 3:30 p.m., ESPN

Vandy is lurking as a possible sixth SEC crew within the CFP discipline, a protracted shot that might make for fairly the narrative spectacle, if it involves go. For the Commodores, that requires caring for enterprise towards a Kentucky crew driving a three-game profitable streak. Simply profitable out towards the Wildcats and Tennessee received’t be sufficient, nevertheless it offers quarterback Diego Pavia and his crew a glimmer of hope — and Pavia enjoying school soccer is value tuning in for whereas we nonetheless can. However lengthy that may be.

Line: Vanderbilt -9.5

7. Kansas State (5-5) at No. 12 Utah (8-2), 4 p.m., ESPN2

On the heels of three straight blowout victories (with freshman backup quarterback Byrd Ficklin topping 150 yards dashing in two of them), the Utes reside that Playoff bubble life. They’re nonetheless alive within the Big 12 title race, however will want BYU and Texas Tech to stumble. They’re at present on the surface of the 12-team discipline as an at-large candidate as effectively, and can be boxed out by the lower-ranked auto-qualifiers. The Athletic’s projection offers Utah a 30-percent likelihood to make the CFP, nevertheless it must win out and get some assist. However, a loss might even have vital ripple results — together with on Miami.

Line: Utah -17.5

Can quarterback Byrd Ficklin assist preserve the Utes’ Playoff hopes alive? (Chris Jones / USA Today through Imagn Images)

6. No. 13 Miami (8-2) at Virginia Tech (3-7), Noon, ESPN

The most contentious debate of the CFP rankings has been the disparity between Notre Dame and Miami. The two-loss Irish (who host reeling Syracuse) are at No. 9 within the rankings, 4 spots forward of the two-loss Hurricanes, which beat Notre Dame within the season-opener in South Beach. Hunter Yurachek, chair of the CFP choice committee, mentioned the 2 groups haven’t been shut sufficient within the committee’s rankings to immediately evaluate and contemplate the head-to-head end result, an argument we don’t have the house to correctly parse right here. But if each Miami and Notre Dame win as anticipated this weekend, and both Utah, BYU or Alabama loses (the Tide play Eastern Illinois), it might pressure the committee to lastly reckon with a debate it has punted on so far.

Line: Miami -17.5

5. No. 24 Tulane (8-2) at Temple (5-5), 3:45 p.m., ESPNU

Tulane strikes into pole place for that unofficial Group of 5 Playoff spot as the one G5 crew within the CFP Top 25 rankings. Still, it’s a cluster on the prime of the American, and the Green Wave nonetheless must win the convention championship to qualify for one of many 5 computerized bids. Navy, Tulane, North Texas and ECU every have one league loss and none of them face one another over the following two weeks, that means the title-game members might come right down to the highest-ranked groups in line with the CFP and/or laptop metrics. Tulane profitable out ought to safe it a spot within the American championship, however Temple is not any pushover, with a plus-11 turnover margin that ranks prime 10 in FBS. The remainder of the G5 wants Tulane to slide up.

Line: Tulane -8.5

4. No. 22 Missouri (7-3) at No. 8 Oklahoma (8-2), Noon, ABC

Oklahoma was the massive winner final week by way of the Playoff image, with the street win over Alabama vaulting the Sooners into at-large vary. They did it with protection, as they’ve for a lot of the season, nearly getting doubled-up in yards (406 to 212) however forcing three turnovers, together with a decide six. Oklahoma nonetheless must knock off Missouri and LSU to make the CFP, which would require slowing down Mizzou operating again Ahmad Hardy after his 300-yard efficiency towards Mississippi State. (Though Tigers quarterback Beau Pribula is questionable with an ankle damage.) The Sooners enter the weekend with a 52-percent likelihood to make the Playoff, in line with The Athletic’s projections, nevertheless it jumps to 75 p.c with a victory on Saturday.

Line: Oklahoma -7.5

3. Pittsburgh (7-3) at No. 16 Georgia Tech (9-1), 7 p.m., ESPN

This one will both carry a way of order to the ACC or sprinkle extra chaos into the combination. Georgia Tech, enjoying its remaining convention sport of the season, locks up a spot within the ACC championship with a win, in addition to the college’s first 10-win season since 2014. Pitt wants a win to remain in competition and will lend some hope to a couple others with a victory. It must decelerate Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King and the highest offense in school soccer (7.5 yards per play), although Georgia Tech’s shut name towards Boston College final week — and a protection within the backside 25 of the FBS — ought to present Pitt some encouragement.

Line: Georgia Tech -2.5

2. No. 11 BYU (9-1) at Cincinnati (7-3), 8 p.m., Fox

Cincinnati’s residence loss to Arizona final week took some air out of this one, which might have been a primetime showdown between two groups with one convention loss and management of their very own future within the Big 12 title race. Instead, Cincinnati will try to play spoiler with a house win over BYU that might preserve its convention probabilities alive. It’ll be powerful towards a crew that runs for practically 200 yards per sport and holds opposing offenses to only 31 p.c on third-down conversions. A win for the Cougars places a title rematch towards Texas Tech into clearer view and will carry consideration to BYU’s (underrated?) at-large credentials.

Line: BYU -2.5

1. No. 15 USC (8-2) at No. 7 Oregon (9-1), 3:30 p.m., CBS

This one is definitely the most important sport of the weekend. Oregon is safely within the discipline in the meanwhile regardless of an more and more flimsy resume. Its greatest wins — at six-loss Penn State and four-loss Iowa — are now not as spectacular as they appeared within the second. But the Ducks do have a top-three offense and protection by way of yards per play and may quiet the doubters with a win towards a resilient USC crew that boasts the second-rated offense within the FBS. The similar alternative is there for the Trojans, who desperately want this one to have a shot at an at-large bid. A win boosts Oregon to a 93 p.c Playoff likelihood in The Athletic’s projections; an upset would bump USC from 20 p.c as much as 79 p.c. Long dwell the Pac-12.

Line: Oregon -9.5