AP Top 25 poll preview: ACC playoff picture gets messier with Georgia Tech loss and SMU win

Eight of the top 10 teams in the AP Top 25 poll either had the day off or were given the gift of a late-season cupcake game in Week 13. No. 6 Oregon and No. 8 Oklahoma were exceptions, with ranked conference matchups against Southern California and Missouri.

The Ducks and Sooners both maintained positioning for at-large College Football Playoff bids. Oregon beat No. 16 USC 42-27 in the teams' first meeting as members of the Big Ten. Oklahoma improved to 9-2 with a 17-6 win over No. 23 Missouri.

Oregon is tied with Texas Tech at No. 6 in the AP poll and is No. 7 in the CFP rankings. Oklahoma ranks No. 8 in both.

Chaos unfolded in the Atlantic Coast Conference as No. 15 Georgia Tech was upset at home by Pittsburgh on Saturday night. The Yellow Jackets' chances of making the conference championship plummeted, while SMU's odds increased with a win over Louisville. No. 19 Virginia also has a good chance to make the ACC title game.

Holding steady

— Oklahoma took care of business, knocking off Missouri and inching closer to an at-large CFP bid. John Mateer threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Oklahoma's defense had two interceptions of Missouri's Beau Pribula, who was playing for the first time since dislocating his ankle in late October, and held standout running back Ahmad Hardy to 57 rushing yards.

— Among the Week 13 cupcakes, No. 3 Texas A&M defeated Samford 48-0 and No. 4 Georgia rolled past Charlotte 35-3. Both teams are still favorites for a first-round bye in the playoff, a position Georgia began occupying after last week's 35-10 rout of Texas.

— No. 1 Ohio State overcame a slow start and remained unbeaten with a 42-9 victory over Rutgers. The Buckeyes outscored the Scarlet Knights 28-6 in the second half.

— Oregon knocked off USC 42-27. The Ducks pulled ahead with a pair of touchdowns before halftime and maintained their lead throughout the second half.

— No. 13 Utah narrowly dodged an upset loss to Kansas State, scoring two touchdowns in the final 2:47 to overcome a 47-37 deficit and sealing the deal with a late interception.

— No. 11 BYU beat Cincinnati 26-14 in the Big 12's game of the week. LJ Martin rushed for 222 yards and two touchdowns to carry the Cougars.

Falling out of the picture

— The slide continued for a Louisville team once thought to be on its way to the ACC championship game. The Cardinals lost their third straight, 38-6 to an SMU team on the rise.

— Missouri is at risk of falling out of the rankings after losing to Oklahoma, the Tigers' fourth defeat this season.

— USC's playoff chances plummeted after a loss to Oregon that was largely viewed as an elimination game. The Trojans fell to 8-3 on the season and 6-2 in conference play.

— In a game where a win would've clinched a spot in the ACC championship game, the worst-case scenario unfolded for Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets lost 42-28 to Pitt.

On the rise

— No. 24 Tulane has three straight wins and a 9-2 record after beating Temple 37-13. Tulane is a strong contender for a CFP spot, earning the No. 12 seed in the most recent bracket as the highest-ranked Group of Five team.

— SMU's 38-6 rout of Louisville put the Mustangs one win away from their second ACC championship game appearance in two years.

— Pitt's win against Georgia Tech strengthened its playoff chances, but a lot still needs to happen for the Panthers to make their first ACC title game since 2021. Pitt needs to beat Miami next week, along with a loss by either SMU or Virginia.