Coaches Poll college football ranking prediction after Week 13 upsets

On By Littum

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Three big results in the Big Ten and SEC will shake the top off this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll.

First discovered no. 2, Ohio State, no. 5 Indiana a touchdown, but dominated from there, riding a huge punt return for a touchdown by Caleb Downs early in the second half for a 38-15 victory. That moves the Buckeyes one win away from a trip back to the Big Ten championship for the first time since 2020.

Over in the SEC, Mississippi suffered an inexplicable loss to Florida that dumps the Rebels out of major College Football Playoff contention. Alabama was stifled by Oklahoma in a 24-3 loss that could mean the same for the Crimson Tide’s postseason destination.

Those losses will drop the Tide and Rebels in this week’s Top 25. Where do the Hoosiers land? Here’s our projection of the top 10 in the Coaches Poll, to be released later on Sunday:

1. Oregon (11-0)

The Ducks have already won a Big Ten championship game heading into Saturday’s rivalry game against Washington. Oregon is in position to make the playoff even with two straight losses to end the regular season.

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2. Ohio State (10-1)

Beating the Hoosiers locks the Buckeyes into the playoffs, but doesn’t guarantee a rematch with the Ducks. It requires a win against Michigan and snaps the Wolverines’ three-game winning streak in the series. Michigan’s offense finally came alive with a 50-6 win against Northwestern.

3. Texas (10-1)

There was nothing pretty about a 31-14 win against Kentucky, just as there was nothing aesthetically pleasing about last weekend’s 20-10 win against Arkansas. But Texas continues to string together wins against overmatched competition heading into the revived rivalry against Texas A&M. A win that sends the Longhorns to the SEC Championship Game and likely puts them in the field regardless of what happens in Atlanta.

4. Penn State (10-1)

Penn State avoided what would have been a crippling loss to Minnesota with some late heroics, including a pair of gutsy fourth-down conversions late to seal the 26-25 victory. The Nittany Lions close the regular season as heavy favorites against Maryland after being eliminated from Big Ten play by the Buckeyes’ win.

5. Notre Dame (10-1)

For the second time this season, Notre Dame took a sledgehammer to a ranked service academy opponent. After topping Navy 51-14 in late October, the Fighting Irish outscored Army 49-14 behind a dominating game from perhaps the best defense in the country. Next up is rival Southern California with a win likely guaranteeing a home game in the playoffs.

6. Georgia (9-2)

It was a great day for the Bulldogs, who clinched a spot in the SEC title game with the SEC losses. After beating Massachusetts 59-21, Georgia turns to rival Georgia Tech with a chance to secure an at-large playoff bid. The Yellow Jackets have been hot and have a flair for winning close games with a 5-1 mark in games decided by 10 or fewer points.

7. Miami (10-1)

Miami got back on track after a rough start to November by scoring the final 25 points in a 42-14 win against Wake Forest. The Hurricanes move to 6-1 in ACC play and must win at Syracuse next Saturday to finish ahead of Clemson and face SMU for the league title. The Orange have won three in a row to reach eight wins for the first time since 2018.

8. Indiana (10-1)

The Hoosiers can still get ahead of the Bulldogs and Hurricanes, but will struggle to gain traction with the voters due to a weak resume of wins. Indiana has three wins against teams with a winning record, but just barely: Washington, Nebraska and Michigan are 6-5. They are still in good shape for the playoffs despite the loss.

9. Tennessee (10-1)

Tennessee had a great Saturday, starting with a 56-0 whitewash of Texas-El Paso. Even better, the Volunteers will jump back into this week’s hypothetical playoff field after Mississippi’s loss to Florida. They just need to avoid stumbling to Vanderbilt next week.

10. SMU (10-1)

At long last, SMU should break into the top 10 after dominating Virginia in a 33-7 victory. The Mustangs have won eight in a row since losing to Brigham Young by a field goal in non-conference play. After this weekend, the ACC will have to feel pretty good about getting two teams in the playoffs if both Miami and SMU bring just one loss to the conference title game.