College Football Playoff: CBS Sports projects 12-team field, full bowl slate after Week 13

One more week remains in the 2025 regular season. With that, the College Football Playoff race is coming down to the final stretch.

Some of the notable outcomes this week include No. 8 Oklahoma defeating No. 22 Missouri at home, as well as No. 7 Oregon besting No. 15 USC in Eugene. Those were the only two ranked battles, but that doesn’t mean the action stopped there.

In addition, No. 16 Georgia Tech, No. 21 Illinois and No. 23 Houston were beat by unranked teams. No. 12 Utah also kept its CFP hopes alive with a thrilling 51-47 win over Kansas State.

In turn, CBS Sports has shaken up their predictions for the College Football Playoff. Here are the updated projections, along with a projection list of every bowl game:

College Football Playoff First Round Game #1

No. 12 North Texas at No. 5 Texas Tech

Texas Tech enjoyed its by week after blowing out UCF at home 48-9 during their last matchup. The Red Raiders improved to 10-1 on the year after the UCF win, Texas Tech’s first 10-win season since 2008. 

North Texas defeated Rice 56-24 on Saturday, improving to 10-1 on the year. They need to take care of business against Temple next week and then win against likely Tulane or Navy in the American Conference championship game to secure the last spot in the field of 12.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #2

No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Oregon

Defeating No. 15 USC 42-27 at home, Oregon is now 10-1 with its only loss coming to Indiana in early October. Looking ahead, the Ducks round out the regular season against Washington in Week 14, and a win likely secures Oregon’s spot in the playoffs.

SMU is new to CBS Sports’ projections, taking the place of Georgia Tech after it lost to unranked Pitt during Week 13. The Mustangs made the College Football Playoff as an at-large bid last season after falling to Clemson in the ACC Championship game.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #3

No. 10 Alabama at No. 7 Oklahoma

The Crimson Tide bounced back from its 23-21 loss to Oklahoma at home during Week 12, defeating E Illinois 56-0. Alabama now turns its attention toward the Iron Bowl, which will feature a five-win Auburn team hungry for bowl eligibility.

Oklahoma has won three games in a row over ranked SEC teams, including impressive road wins at Tennessee and Alabama, as well as a 17-6 win over Missouri at home on Saturday. They can secure a 10-win regular season if they can survive LSU in Norman next week.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #4

No. 9 Ole Miss at No. 8 Notre Dame

What happens with Ole Miss between now and the first round of the College Football Playoff is anyone’s guess. As of now, they’re trying to play their way into a first-round home game. However, CBS Sports’ latest projection has them just outside that mark.

Notre Dame ran over Syracuse 70-7 on Saturday, earning the Irish their ninth win in a row after beginning the season 0-2. They’ll face Stanford (4-7) during Week 14 to try and improve to 10-2 — a mark which likely cements their spot in the CFP.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl

No. 1 Ohio State vs. TBA

Michigan is the final hurdle separating Ohio State from an undefeated regular season. No one need to tell the Buckeyes that the Wolverines have won four-straight against them. They know, and they’re going to Ann Arbor with the lone goal of emerging victorious.

The last time Ohio State suffered defeat in general was during last year’s regular season finale against the Wolverines. They went on to win a national championship just over a month later.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl

No. 2 Texas A&M vs. TBA

Texas A&M is looking to complete its first undefeated regular season since 1992 with a win over Texas on Saturday. They’ll be playing the rivalry matchup in Austin for the first time since 2010 when both programs were part of the Big 12 Conference.

Most recently defeating Samford 48-0, the Aggies have built an impressive resume this season. All while being one of the highest-scoring offenses in the SEC this season.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl

No. 3 Indiana vs. TBA

Indiana’s meteoric rise under head coach Curt Cignetti has seen the Hoosiers turn into a legitimate national championship contender in year two. Last season seemed too good to be true, and one year later Cignetti’s squad is proving each week why they belong.

All Indiana has to do to secure an undefeated regular season is beat a 2-9 Purdue Boilermakers on Friday. They most recently defeated Wisconsin 31-7.

CFP Quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl

No. 4 Georgia vs. TBA

Georgia’s regular season finale against Georgia Tech won’t be a top 10 matchup like it once looked like. The Yellow Jackets were ranked as high as No. 7 this season but has lost two of its last three games, while the Bulldogs are riding a seven-game win streak.

At 10-1 overall, the Bulldogs are three seasons removed from its back-to-back national championship run. They’ll look to change that this season, and do so by having a first-round bye in the CFP.

CBS Bowl Projections after Week 13

Saturday, Dec. 13

LA Bowl
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California)
9 p.m., ESPN
San Diego State vs. Arizona

Tuesday, Dec. 16

IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
9 p.m., ESPN
Western Michigan vs. East Carolina

Wednesday, Dec. 17

StaffDNA Cure Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
5 p.m., ESPN
Arkansas State vs. Central Michigan

68 Ventures Bowl
Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
8:30 p.m., ESPN
Buffalo vs. Coastal Carolina

Friday, Dec. 19

Myrtle Beach Bowl
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
Noon, ESPN
Troy vs. Marshall

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Tulane vs. NC State

Monday, Dec. 22

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
2 p.m., ESPN
Toledo vs. UNLV

Tuesday, Dec. 23

Boca Raton Bowl
Flagler Credit Union Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
2 p.m., ESPN
Southern Miss vs. Louisiana

New Orleans Bowl
Caesars Superdome (New Orleans)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Western Kentucky vs. Old Dominion

Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl
Frisco, Texas
9 p.m., ESPN
UTSA vs. Hawaii

Wednesday, Dec. 24

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (Honolulu)
8 p.m., ESPN
Boise State vs. Cal

Friday, Dec. 26

GameAbove Sports Bowl
Ford Field (Detroit)
1 p.m., ESPN
Ohio vs. Penn State

Rate Bowl
Chase Field (Phoenix)
4:30 p.m., ESPN
TCU vs. Northwestern

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
8 p.m., ESPN
Texas State vs. Utah State

Saturday, Dec. 27

Go Bowling Military Bowl
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
11 a.m., ESPN
USF vs. Duke

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl
Yankee Stadium (Bronx, New York)
Noon, ABC
Minnesota vs. Wake Forest

Wasabi Fenway Bowl
Fenway Park (Boston)
2:15 p.m., ESPN
Clemson vs. Army

Pop-Tarts Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3:30 p.m., ABC
BYU vs. Miami

Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
4:30 p.m., CW Network
Fresno State vs. Miami (OH)

Isleta New Mexico Bowl
University Stadium (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
5:45 p.m., ESPN
New Mexico vs. Washington State

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
EverBank Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)
7:30 p.m. ABC
Virginia vs. Tennessee

Kinder’s Texas Bowl
NRG Stadium (Houston)
9:15 p.m., ESPN
Cincinnati vs. Kentucky

Monday, Dec. 29

Birmingham Bowl
Protective Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
2 p.m., ESPN
James Madison vs. Florida State

Tuesday, Dec. 30

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
2 p.m., ESPN
Baylor vs. Kennesaw State

Music City Bowl
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
5:30 p.m., ESPN
Iowa vs. LSU

Valero Alamo Bowl
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9 p.m., ESPN
USC vs. Houston

Wednesday, Dec. 31

ReliaQuest Bowl
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon, ESPN
Illinois vs. Vanderbilt

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl Stadium (El Paso, Texas)
2 p.m., CBS
Georgia Tech vs. Arizona State

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
3 p.m., ABC
Texas vs. Michigan

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
3:30 p.m., ESPN
Nebraska vs. Utah

Friday, Jan. 2

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
1 p.m., ESPN
Navy vs. Kansas State

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
4:30 p.m., ESPN
Iowa State vs. Memphis

Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
8 p.m., ESPN
Louisville vs. Missouri

Holiday Bowl
Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego)
8 p.m., Fox
Pitt vs. Washington