If there were any doubters about the 12-team College Football Playoff, they may have to reevaluate. The carnage unfolded in Week 13, with several teams failing to stand up when it mattered most. The SEC was the biggest casualty, including Ole Miss, but several teams on the outside looking in could still crash the party before the regular season ends.
2024 College Football Playoff Predictions after Week 13
My predictions from last week took a severe hit, with several SEC teams not surviving their road trips. Who could take their places in my Week 13 playoff prediction?
Rank | Team | Why are they here | Previous rank |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ohio State | Big Ten Champion | 1 |
2 | Georgia | SEC Champion | 11 |
3 | Miami | ACC Champion | 3 |
4 | Arizona State | Big 12 Champion | 4 |
5 | Oregon | At-large | 5 |
6 | Texas | At-large | 2 |
7 | Penn State | At-large | 6 |
8 | Notre Dame | At-large | 8 |
9 | Tennessee | At-large | N/A |
10 | SMU | At-large | N/A |
11 | Indiana | At-large | 7 |
12 | Boise State | Mountain West Champion | 12 |
Ohio State handles business, unlike several SEC teams
The big noon kickoff in the Big Ten was my No.2 ranked Ohio State vs. my No.7 ranked Indiana. The Buckeyes, after an early scare, handled the Hoosiers comfortably on paper, but with a few plays going the other way, this would have been a close game.
Indiana survived dropping out of the 12-team field, with the game being in Columbus and the road team playing well. Ohio State has 12 teams that have been my Big Ten Champions, even after the loss to Oregon.
Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas A&M failed to win on the road, with the Rebels and Crimson Tide tumbling out of the top-12. Texas A&M had a chance to capitalize on others' losses but was taken down by Auburn in the fourth overtime, meaning they are all but eliminated.
If the CFP committee ranks Alabama and Ole Miss in the same spots as the AP Poll, their hopes are a little better but still slim.
Tennessee jumped back into the top 12, making it just three SEC teams in the top 12 after Week 13. SMU was the other team to take advantage of Alabama and Ole Miss's failures. They beat Virginia 33-7, securing a place in the ACC Championship game.
Arizona State has continued to defy expectations since the beginning of the season, holding off BYU in the final seconds for a 28-23 win. If they beat Arizona in Week 14, they will be one Big 12 Championship win away from the playoffs.
Boise State continues to lead the pack of Group of 5 teams, with Tulane and ULNV looking like their only challenges with one regular season game left and championship weekend.