College Football Week 13 Recap: Oregon and Oklahoma Secure Wins, Playoff Picture Takes Shape
In Week 13, several top-ranked teams had easy matchups or were on a bye, but No. 6 Oregon and No. 8 Oklahoma faced tough conference opponents in USC and Missouri. Oregon secured a 42-27 victory over USC, while Oklahoma defeated Missouri 17-6, positioning themselves for an at-large bid in the College Football Playoff. Oregon is tied at No. 6 in the AP Top 25 and ranked No. 7 in the CFP rankings, while Oklahoma holds the No. 8 spot in both rankings.
Oklahoma's win over Missouri was highlighted by quarterback John Mateer's performance, throwing for 173 yards and two touchdowns. The defense also played a crucial role, intercepting quarterback Beau Pribula twice and limiting standout running back Ahmad Hardy to 57 rushing yards. With this victory, Oklahoma moves closer to securing a spot in the College Football Playoff.
In other Week 13 matchups, No. 3 Texas A&M dominated Samford with a 48-0 win, and No. 4 Georgia cruised past Charlotte with a 35-3 victory. Both teams remain strong contenders for a first-round bye in the playoff. No. 1 Ohio State overcame a slow start to defeat Rutgers 42-9, maintaining their unbeaten record.
No. 6 Oregon emerged victorious against No. 16 USC with a 42-27 win, solidifying their position in the rankings. No. 13 Utah staged a late comeback to defeat Kansas State, securing a 47-37 victory with two touchdowns in the final minutes of the game. However, Louisville suffered their third consecutive loss, falling 38-6 to an ascending SMU team.
Missouri's loss to Oklahoma puts them at risk of dropping out of the rankings, while USC's playoff hopes took a hit after their defeat to Oregon. No. 24 Tulane extended their winning streak to three games with a 37-13 victory over Temple, positioning themselves as a strong contender for a playoff spot.
Upcoming games to watch include No. 11 BYU facing Cincinnati and Pittsburgh taking on No. 15 Georgia Tech. BYU aims to bounce back from a loss to Texas Tech, while Georgia Tech looks to strengthen their resume against Pittsburgh. These matchups will play a crucial role in shaping the playoff picture as the season progresses.