Week 12 College Football Playoff Bracket: Key Matchups and Rankings

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As the college football regular season creeps toward its end, the playoff picture is starting to snap into focus. There are just a few weeks left, and teams are scrambling to make their final moves for a postseason spot.

This article digs into the biggest updates from Week 12—key performances, upsets that raised eyebrows, and a look at the current playoff bracket based on PFF’s top-25 rankings. If you want the deep dive, check out the full article on PFF’s website.

Table of Contents

Miami Joins the 12-Team Field

Miami Hurricanes have elbowed their way into the 12-team playoff field. They’re the highest-ranked squad in the ACC, but the path to the conference title game isn’t exactly a cakewalk.

They just handled Syracuse, 38-10, which was a bit of a statement. Akheem Mesidor, their edge defender, put on a show—he finished with an 87.1 PFF grade, a forced fumble, two tackles for loss/no gain, and two sacks. Still, Miami sits at 3-2 in ACC play, which puts them seventh in the conference, so they’ve got some climbing to do.

USF: The New Group of Six Favorite

With Memphis falling to Tulane, USF is now the favorite for the Group of Six playoff spot. The Bulls just rolled over UTSA, 55-23, and quarterback Byrum Brown was the star of the show.

Brown posted an eye-popping 94.3 PFF grade in that game. His season grade is now up to 90.7, which is third-best among all quarterbacks in America. Not too shabby.

Key Performances in Week 12

Ohio State: The Buckeyes took down Purdue, 34-10. Julian Sayin, who’s been getting Heisman buzz, earned an 89.2 PFF grade and completed 87.5% of his passes (adjusted).
Indiana: The Hoosiers barely dodged an upset against Penn State, squeezing out a 27-24 win. Fernando Mendoza led an 80-yard touchdown drive in the final minutes and finished with an 87.0 PFF passing grade.
Texas A&M: The Aggies stayed unbeaten with a 38-17 win over No. 22 Missouri. Their secondary was lights out, allowing just -0.864 EPA per pass.

Alabama’s Dominant Defense

Alabama beat LSU 20-9 in their rivalry game, and their secondary really stepped up with a 90.6 PFF coverage grade. Now, Alabama is gearing up for a huge Week 12 matchup as they host Oklahoma, a top-15 team.

The Crimson Tide’s defense will need to be sharp in what’s shaping up to be a high-stakes game. Not sure anyone’s sleeping on this one.

Georgia’s Convincing Victory

Georgia Bulldogs took care of business against Mississippi State, winning 41-21. Gunner Stockton, their quarterback, played a big part—he earned an 80.5 PFF passing grade and made three big-time throws.

Next up, Georgia faces Texas in a game that’s already getting plenty of hype. That should be interesting, right?

Other Notable Performances

Ole Miss: The Rebels blanked The Citadel 49-0. They averaged 7.6 yards per play and gave up just 2.1 yards per play. That’s about as one-sided as it gets.
Texas Tech: The Red Raiders rolled over BYU, 29-7. BYU only managed nine offensive plays in Red Raider territory the whole game.
Oregon: The Ducks barely escaped an upset from No. 20 Iowa, pulling out an 18-16 win. Oregon’s ground game was the difference—they averaged 7.3 yards per carry, while Iowa managed just 3.5.

Texas’ Playoff Aspirations

Texas Longhorns are still in the top 10 after their bye week. For a shot at their third-straight playoff, they’ll probably have to win their last three games, including tough ones against Georgia and Texas A&M.

BYU’s Struggles

BYU Cougars, even after losing to Texas Tech, are still hanging onto a top 10 spot. Their offensive line really had a rough night against the Red Raiders’ pass rush.

They posted a 31.8 PFF pass-blocking grade—easily their worst since 2014. That’s a pretty glaring issue if they want to keep any playoff dreams alive.

The regular season’s winding down, and it feels like every game matters more than the last. Teams are fighting for more than just another win; there’s legacy at stake, and honestly, you can sense the nerves.

If you’re curious about the full playoff bracket or want to dig into the numbers, check out PFF’s full article.

Joe Hughes is the founder of CollegeNetWorth.com, a comprehensive resource on college athletes' earnings potential in the NIL era. Combining his passion for sports with expertise in collegiate athletics, Joe provides valuable insights for athletes, fans, and institutions navigating this new landscape.

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