College Football Playoff Picture โขIntensifies with High-Stakes Week 14 Slate
November โ24, 2023 – The College football Playoff race enters a critical juncture this week with several pivotal matchups โpoised to reshape the postseason landscape. Threeโค games stand out as especially impactful, headlined by top-10 clashes thatโ will determineโ conference championship game berths and โat-large contention.
3.No.14 Vanderbilt (9-2) at No. 19 Tennessee (8-3), 3:30 p.m., ESPN
Inโ a historic rivalry meeting, Vanderbilt travelsโ to Tennessee with both teams ranked for the first time in 119 series โฃencounters.โค The Commodores, led by Heisman hopeful quarterback Diego Pavia, need a road โupset andโ favorable โoutcomes elsewhere to remain in the CFP conversation. Tennessee aims forโ a seventh consecutive โvictory over Vanderbilt and seeks momentum heading into the postseason. Vanderbilt has a 29 percent chance of reaching theโ CFP,while a win would secure theโ program’s first โ10-win season.
Line: Tennessee -2.5
2. No. โข3 Texas A&M (11-0)โค at no.โ 16 Texas (8-3), โFri., 7:30 p.m., ABC
Undefeated Texas A&M can clinch a spot in theโ SECโ Championship Game with a victory over Texas on Black โขFriday. Aโ win wouldโ also mark the Aggies’ first undefeatedโ regular season as 1994 (though that season included a โคtie and NCAA sanctions). Their last undefeatedโ season without a tie was โ1939. Whileโฃ a โCFP berth is a longshot for Texas even with an upset,โข they can spoil A&M’s perfect season โand potentially alter the conference โขtitle game picture. Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning is โcoming off aโ six-total-touchdown performance against Arkansas.
Line: Texas A&M -2.5
1. No.โข 1 โOhio Stateโ (11-0) at โno. 15 Michigan (9-2), Noon,โ Fox
“The Game” takes center stage as Ohio State visits Michigan. The Wolverines have โขwon four straight in the series, including a stunningโ upset in Columbusโ last year. Ohio State, a โdouble-digit favorite, seeks to โend the losing streak and exorciseโข the demons of โpast defeats. โขMichigan, playing its best football of โthe season, coudl potentially play its way into the CFPโข and the Big Ten โฃtitle gameโ withโฃ a fifth consecutive win. The Buckeyes hopeโฃ to have their two stud receivers โback and โare projected to reach the Playoff regardlessโ of the outcome, but a victory over michigan would be a significant step.
Line: Ohio State -10
additional CFP Implications:
Alabama (10-1) is on the CFP cut line, vying for the final at-large โคspot. An Iron Bowl victory should be enough to โsecure a Playoff spot,โข but teams below โAlabama in the โขrankings are โhoping for a โmisstepโข by the Tide. Auburn (6-5), facing Alabama, has lost six โof โits last seven โconference โgames and is playing under an interim head coach, but is less than aโ touchdown underdog at home.