Vaughn DalzellSun, November 30, 2025 at 5:03 AM UTC·10 min readAfter Texas upset Texas A&M and caused a shift in the SEC Championship Game, the College Football Playoff became a little more chaotic. The ACC also had its shakeup with SMU losing to California, making way for Virginia and Duke as the conference title game! The Big 12 and Big Ten went as expected this weekend and as we inch closer to the 12-team field, it's clear who is in and who is on the cusp of making the college football playoff.
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & team props for every matchup this week on the College Football schedule!
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementVaughn Dalzell’s Week 15 College Football Playoff Rankings
Ohio_State.svg1. Ohio State Buckeyes (12-0, 9-0) Next Game: Saturday 8 PM ET vs #2 Indiana Last Game: 27-9 win at #15 Michigan
Ohio State broke the curse! The Buckeyes finally beat Michigan after four-straight losses to the Wolverines. Ohio State rolled 27-9 after falling behind 6-0. Julian Sayin tossed three touchdowns to three different receivers and the Buckeyes' defense held Bryce Underwood to 64 total yards.
The Buckeyes are 3-0 against ranked opponents and will take on a fourth during the Big Ten Championship versus #2 Indiana. Whoever wins between Indiana and Ohio State will be the top overall seed in the college football playoff and likely have the Heisman winner (Julian Sayin vs Fernando Mendoza).
Indiana.svg2. Indiana Hoosiers (12-0, 9-0) Next Game: Saturday 8 PM ET vs #1 Ohio State Last Game: 56-3 win at Purdue
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Indiana Hoosiers erupted for 56 points and earned their bid to the Big Ten Championship. Indiana completed its first-ever undefeated regular season in program history, plus quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the odds on favorite to win the Heisman. Indiana only has two ranked wins over #9 Illinois and #3 Oregon, but won 10 of their 12 games by double-digits, and eight by 24-plus points!
Georgia.png3. Georgia Bulldogs (11-1, 7-1) Next Game: Saturday 4 PM ET vs #10 Alabama Last Game: 16-9 win vs #23 Georgia Tech
Georgia was in a dogfight with interstate rival Georgia Tech, winning 16-9 in Atlanta. Georgia is now 4-1 against ranked opponents this year with a 24-21 loss to Alabama as the only blemish. The Bulldogs enter the SEC Championship with eight consecutive wins. After Texas A&M lost at Texas, Georgia moves up a spot and should be a favorite against Alabama in the SEC Championship game despite Alabama winning the regular season meeting, 24-21 in Athens.
Texas_Tech.svg4. Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-1, 8-1) Next Game: Saturday 12 PM vs #11 BYU Last Game: 49-0 win at West Virginia
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTexas Tech dominated West Virginia, 49-0, earning their second shutout of the season and 10th game of 17 or fewer points. The Red Raiders have won five straight games and earned a bid to the Big 12 championship to take on BYU, who they already beat at home, 29-7. The Red Raiders have only played two ranked opponents (BYU, Utah), but won both games by 24 and 22 points.
Ole_Miss.svg5. Ole Miss Rebels (11-1, 7-1) Next Game: TBD Last Game: 38-19 win at Mississippi State
Ole Miss secured their bag at Mississippi State with a 38-19 win and ended the regular season on a five-game winning streak. The Rebels received some help when Texas A&M lost at Texas on Friday, but it wasn't enough when Alabama beat Auburn.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOle Miss will not be in the SEC Championship and the future of Lane Kiffin as head coach is in doubt for the college football playoff, so the Rebels as a program are trending in the wrong direction entering December despite stacking wins.
Oklahoma.svg6. Oklahoma Sooners (10-2, 6-2) Next Game: TBD Last Game: 17-13 win vs LSU
The Sooners concluded their regular season with a 17-13 slugfest win over LSU. Four of Oklahoma's last five opponents were ranked and the Sooners went 4-1 in that stretch (3-1 vs ranked teams). Oklahoma has five ranked wins on the season and certainly played themselves into the college football playoff.
Texas A&M.png7. Texas A&M Aggies (11-1, 7-1) Next Game: TBD Last Game: 27-17 loss at #16 Texas
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTexas A&M suffered their first loss of the regular season and despite an impressive 11-1 record, their resume is being called into question. In the SEC, Texas A&M beat Auburn, Mississippi State, Florida, and South Carolina at home — none of those teams were ranked, plus Arkansas, LSU, and Missouri on the road.
Both LSU and Missouri were played backup quarterbacks at one point or another in the game, and both were in arguably their worst positions of the season. The Aggies may not be as good as we thought, but we also have to give credit to a Texas team that had their backs against the wall at home.
Alabama.svg8. Alabama Crimson Tide (10-2, 7-1) Next Game: Saturday 4 PM ET vs #3 Georgia Last Game: 27-20 win at Auburn
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAlabama survived the Iron Bowl and secured their spot in the SEC Championship. It will be round for Alabama and Georgia after the Tide won the regular season meeting in Athen, GA, 24-21. A loss to Auburn would have knocked Alabama out of the college football playoff contention, but even a blowout loss to Georgia could still make that happen. The Tide are toeing that line of making or missing the 12-team field.
Notre_Dame.svg9. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-2) Next Game: TBD Last Game: TBD pending score vs Stanford
The Irish don't have the resume that the Big Ten or SEC does, but they have beaten everyone in their way since the heartbreaker at home to Texas A&M. It would be criminal if Notre Dame didn't make the 12-team field and despite only two ranked wins, the Irish should be safely in.
TEXAS.png10. Texas Longhorns (9-3, 6-2) Next Game: TBD Last Game: 27-17 win vs #3 Texas A&M
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWoooooo! Texas earned the home win over #3 Texas A&M and suddenly, the college football playoff conversation heated up. Texas may very well have played themselves into the field with six wins over the last seven games. The Longhorns are 3-2 versus ranked teams and all five teams were ranked in the top 10 when Texas played them! Their three top 10 wins are the most in the country.
Oregon.png11. Oregon Ducks (11-1, 8-1) Next Game: TBD Last Game: 26-14 win at Washington
The Oregon Ducks finished the regular season on a six-game winning streak after suffering a 10-point home loss against Indiana. That was the only loss on the year for the Ducks as they went 3-1 against ranked opponents and 2-0 since. Oregon may have done enough to host a playoff game, but the odds are the SEC will get a team or two ahead of the Ducks.
Vanderbilt.svg12. Vanderbilt Commodores (10-2, 6-2) Next Game: TBD Last Game: 45-24 win at #19 Tennessee
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementVanderbilt reached their first-ever 10-win season and Diego Pavia is a shoe-in to finish top five in the Heisman following a dominant win at Tennessee. This Commodores team has been a cinderella and if they sneak into the college football playoff — watch out. Vanderbilt has four ranked wins on the year over #11 South Carolina, #10 LSU, #15 Missouri, and #19 Tennessee.
Rest of the Field breakdown
The ACC is bananas! Virginia versus Duke is the matchup and that all but secures only team making the college football playoff. Miami will have a hard time swallowing that pill, but it's their own fault as a result of two conference losses.
The Big 10 Championship game is Indiana and Ohio State we all expected from Week 7 on. With Ohio State beating Michigan, three teams will make the College Football Playoff out of the Big 10: Ohio State, Indiana, and Oregon,
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Big 12 Championship is set between Texas Tech and BYU — a rematch of the Red Raiders' 29-7 win. If the Red Raiders win the rematch, then it's safe to say only one team will make the College Football Playoff out of the Big 12 — clearing way for the SEC.
I want six teams in the field from the SEC! Georgia, Alabama, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Texas, and Vanderbilt should all make the playoff, in my opinion. However, the two question marks are Texas and Vanderbilt since the committee will take the winner of Virginia vs Duke and Tulane vs North Texas.
Texas has an NCAA-best three top-10 wins this season, while Vanderbilt reached 10 wins for the first time in program history to go along with four ranked wins. I'd rather have Texas and Vanderbilt over any second option in the ACC or Big 12, but it will really come down to should they be in over Alabama, Notre Dame, or Oregon?
It actually might be a shame this year that we have to take Virginia or Duke in this field, and the same can be said for Tulane and North Texas.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMy playoff field would be the following as of now, but man, I would rather have Texas and Vanderbilt in those 11 and 12 spots.
1. Ohio State 2. Indiana 3. Georgia 4. Texas Tech 5. Ole Miss 6. Oklahoma 7. Texas A&M 8. Alabama 9. Notre Dame 10. Oregon 11. Virginia or Duke 12. Tulane or North Texas
BYU.svg13. BYU Cougars (11-1, 8-1) Next Game: Saturday 12 PM ET vs #4 Texas Tech Last Game: 41-21 win vs UCF
MIAMI.png14. Miami Hurricanes (10-2, 6-2) Next Game: TBD Last Game: 38-7 win vs #22 Pitt
Utah.svg15. Utah Utes (10-2, 7-2) Next Game: TBD Last Game: 31-21 win at Kansas
ACC/Virginia.svg16. Virgina Cavaliers (10-2, 7-1) Next Game: Saturday 8 PM ET vs Duke Last Game: 27-7 win vs Virginia Tech
Arizona.svg17. Arizona Wildcats (9-3, 6-3) Next Game: TBD Last Game: 23-7 win at #20 Arizona State
USC.svg18. USC Trojans (9-3, 7-2) Next Game: TBD Last Game: 29-10 win vs UCLA
Michigan Wolverines Logo19. Michigan Wolverines (9-3, 7-2) Next Game: TBD Last Game: 27-9 loss vs #1 Ohio State
North Texas.png20. North Texas Mean Green (11-1, 7-1) Next Game: Friday 8 PM ET vs #24 Tulane Last Game: 52-25 win vs Temple
ACC/SMU.svg21. SMU Mustangs (8-4, 6-2) Next Game: TBD Last Game: 38-35 loss at California
Tennessee.svg22. Tennessee Volunteers (8-4, 4-4) Next Game: TBD Last Game: 45-24 loss vs #14 Vanderbilt
James_Madison.svg23. James Madison Dukes (11-1, 8-0) Next Game: Friday 7 PM ET vs Troy Last Game: 59-10 win at Coastal Carolina
Tulane.svg24. Tulane Green Wave (10-2, 7-1) Next Game: Friday 8 PM ET vs North Texas Last Game: 27-0 win vs Charlotte
ACC/Duke.svg25. Duke Blue Devils (7-5, 6-2) Next Game: Saturday 8 PM ET vs #18 Virginia Last Game: 49-32 win vs Wake Forest
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