After yet another shakeup in the rankings, the College Football Playoff picture is beginning to come into focus. Kentucky tumbled from the verge of a first-round bye to the edge of the bracket, while Notre Dame locked down its position by beating then-No. 1 Miami.
A week ago, No. 19 Ole Miss and No. 20 Ohio State most likely played their way out of contention with losses, and No. 21 LSU is barely hanging on. More movement is surely coming. Here are seven Week 11 games carrying major playoff consequences.
No. 18 USC at No. 9 Indiana shapes up as a straight elimination game. The Trojans climbed the rankings after upsetting Ohio State and sit in strong position with only two losses, though they are just a few weeks removed from an ugly 24-7 defeat against Wisconsin. The Hoosiers field one of the best defenses in the country, holding their last five opponents under 20 points, yet they still slid five spots in the CFP Rankings coming off a bye. With USC the final ranked opponent on Indiana's schedule, Saturday is a must-win.
No. 6 Texas heads to No. 21 LSU for a pivotal road test as it tries to remain in line for a potential first-round home game. The Longhorns are unbeaten against ranked opponents this season and could push for a spot ahead of Alabama with a victory. The Tigers are fighting for their postseason lives after dropping a third straight game to a ranked foe. LSU still has No. 6 Texas and No. 8 Tennessee on the schedule in the closing weeks, but even that may not be enough unless the wins are dominant.
No. 12 Texas Tech visits No. 25 Oklahoma State in a dangerous spot. The Red Raiders have flirted with disaster seemingly every week, and the Cowboys are a prime candidate to burn them behind the Big 12's best offense and superstar quarterback Drew Mestemaker. Texas Tech is the first team out of the playoff field and needs to deliver. Oklahoma State is probably too far back at No. 25 with three losses, but beating the nation's No. 12 team could move it closer to the Oregon tier, where head-to-head results would suddenly carry more weight.
No. 13 Wake Forest travels to SMU in a game that could have been a CFP play-in had the Mustangs taken care of business against Syracuse earlier this year. It remains a significant matchup, as Wake Forest looks to solidify its path to the postseason. Demon Deacons quarterback Gio Lopez is one of the most underrated players in the sport, but he faces another ACC star in SMU's Kevin Jennings. The winner claims the inside position in the race to face Miami in the ACC Championship Game.
No. 7 Miami hosts a surging Duke team in what could be a tricky spot. The Hurricanes looked vastly diminished on offense against Notre Dame, though the Fighting Irish defense had plenty to do with that. Miami must regroup quickly, because the Blue Devils won the ACC last season thanks to a favorable tiebreaker and could crash the league race again with victories over No. 7 Miami and No. 13 Wake Forest. Both of those games, however, come on the road.
No. 24 Boise State faces Oregon State in the marquee Group of Six matchup of the week, though the game lost some luster when Beavers quarterback Braden Atkinson was ruled out with an injury. It remains a season-defining contest for the Broncos as they chase the Group of Six's lone automatic playoff bid. Boise State's defense has regressed lately, surrendering a combined 73 points against Texas State and Colorado State, and Oregon State can score in bunches behind superstar wide receiver Jesse Legree.
No. 10 BYU wraps up the slate against Baylor. The Cougars breathed a sigh of relief after falling only one spot in the rankings following a loss to No. 2 Utah, and thanks to their earlier win over Notre Dame, they remain in the field if they win out. The 6-3 Bears arrive Saturday as the biggest potential stumbling block left on the schedule. Baylor has won its last two games by a combined 43 points under interim coach Joe Klanderman, but BYU is the best team it has faced all season.
