Five games that could impact the Oregon Ducks' potential CFP seeding in Week 12
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The Oregon Ducks landed at No. 8 in the most recent College Football Playoff rankings, slotted right behind Ole Miss and ahead of Notre Dame. They rose one spot from last week after defeating No. 20 Iowa, who fell just a single spot to No. 21 after the close loss to the Ducks.
The ranking puts Oregon in prime position to earn a home game in the first round of the playoff if they win their final three regular-season games. They'll have several chances to bolster their resume in the coming weeks, as they'll take on No. 17 USC and Washington, who was listed in the debut CFP ranking before suffering a loss to Wisconsin last week.
This week, the Ducks will have their focus on Minnesota, who they'll match up with on Friday night.
Though the game is on Friday, there's still much to be figured out on Saturday that could greatly affect Oregon's overall CFP chances and seeding.
We highlighted five games during the Saturday college football slate that Duck fans should be tuned into.
No. 9 Notre Dame vs. No. 22 Pitt
When: 9:00 a.m. PST
Where: Acrisure Stadium | | Pittsburgh, PA
TV: ABC
Why it could matter: The site of College Gameday, there's much anticipation for this matchup. The Fighting Irish, after starting the season 0-2, have clawed their way back and are right behind Oregon in the rankings. A third loss would presumably knock them out of the field, clearing space for the Ducks if they were to slip up in the final three games and suffer their own second loss. While Pitt also has just two losses, they're in the ACC — which is unlikely to get two teams in. Them beating Notre Dame is unlikely to negatively affect the Ducks, other than knocking the Fighting Irish out of the picture.
No. 11 Oklahoma vs. No. 4 Alabama
When: 12:30 p.m. PST
Where: Bryant-Denny Stadium | | Tuscaloosa, AL
TV: ABC
Why it could matter: Despite two losses in the past four weeks, the Playoff Committee clearly thinks highly of Oklahoma. A third loss could be fatal to their CFP chances, potentially something that Ducks fans should be rooting for. However, there is still a slim chance that enough top teams lose around the country over the next three weeks that the Ducks could slide in at No. 4 and be rewarded with a first-round bye. That possibility would be greatly aided with an Alabama loss here.
No. 21 Iowa vs. No. 17 USC
When: 12:30 p.m. PST
Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | | Los Angeles, CA
TV: Big Ten Network
Why it could matter: This one is a double-edged sword as to how it could affect the Ducks. Oregon just took down Iowa, yet the committee thinks very highly of them due to dropping them just one spot to No. 21. If they fall to USC, it'd make the Ducks' win seem less significant. In that case, the Trojans would rise in the rankings, creating a highly-ranked matchup in Week 13 between Oregon and USC. But if the Hawkeyes win, it'd drop the Trojans' ranking. Ideally, this one is a closely-contested matchup where both teams display themselves positively.
Florida vs. No. 7 Ole Miss
When: 4:00 p.m. PST
Where: Vaught-Hemingway Stadium | | Oxford, MS
TV: ESPN
Why it could matter: Though Florida has just three wins this season, they have one of the most imposing defenses in the country. At 9-1, Ole Miss has had an excellent season thus far, suffering their lone loss to Georgia. But the Gators are seen by many as live dogs this week — potentially putting the Rebels on the edge of the CFP if they can hand them a second loss. With Ole Miss right above Oregon, that's exactly what Ducks fans should be rooting for.
No. 10 Texas vs. No. 5 Georgia
When: 4:30 p.m. PST
Where: Sanford Stadium | | Athens, GA
TV: ABC
Why it could matter: This game if rife with CFP implications and seeding. Texas already has a loss; another would likely drop them out of the race. Georgia has one loss to Alabama, meaning they'll still be in if they fall in this game. If the Ducks hope to climb into the top six, a Longhorns victory — despite further muddying up the back-half of the seeding — would go a long way towards helping them achieve that goal.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: 5 games in Week 12 that could impact the Oregon Ducks' CFP seeding
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