Josh Pate updates bracket, predictions for College Football Playoff after Week 13

It was a relatively ho-hum weekend in college football, perhaps the calm before the storm of rivalry weekend. And the College Football Playoff rankings remained largely unchanged at the top.

But what about some of the teams clawing for spots toward the bottom of the top 12? There was definitely some movement there this week.

To that end, college football analyst Josh Pate adjusted his playoff predictions again on Josh Pate’s College Football Show. Some of his moves might surprise you, so let’s take a deep dive into Pate’s playoff predictions following the latest action in the sport.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #1

12. Tulane Green Wave vs. 5 Texas Tech Red Raiders

This projection hasn’t changed since Pate last predicted the College Football Playoff bracket. He still has Tulane winning its conference and checking in as the highest-ranked Group of Six conference champion.

Texas Tech, on the other hand, remains projected just outside the first-round bye slots. There are a handful of things that could change that in the final week, where the Red Raiders might instead earn a bye. That’ll be something to watch going forward.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #2

11. SMU Mustangs vs. 6. Georgia Bulldogs

While Georgia remains at the No. 6 spot in Pate’s projections, SMU has now replaced Georgia Tech as the likely ACC champion. Of course, if the ACC keeps shooting itself in the foot anything could happen. Regardless, it seems likely at this point that the ACC champ is ranked outside the top 12.

Georgia, on the other hand, is in a tricky spot. If Alabama and Texas A&M win out, they’re in Atlanta. At that point, Georgia could potentially move up if Alabama were to lose… but how much is anyone’s guess.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #3

10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. 7. Oregon Ducks

Notre Dame remains in the No. 10 spot for Pate, no change from the last projections. However, the opponent has changed at this point. Instead of Ole Miss, Oregon is now in this spot.

Expect that spot to be fluid, as there has already been some flip-flopping of the No. 6 and No. 7 spots by the committee in recent weeks. Still, we should get a juicy matchup in this spot in particular.

College Football Playoff First Round Game #4

9. Oklahoma Sooners vs. 8. Ole Miss Rebels

There’s potential for some conference games in the first-round of the playoffs, as the committee has noted they will not avoid those just to do so. Oklahoma and Ole Miss are both in position where they could potentially face a conference foe (maybe Alabama, too?).

In any case, this one would be a thrilling showdown. We already got the matchup once, with Ole Miss winning on the road 34-26. Could a second meeting go the opposite direction? It’s worth noting this one would be played at Ole Miss in Pate’s projections.

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal #1

1. Ohio State Buckeyes vs. 8. Ole Miss Rebels

Ohio State will lie in wait for whoever comes out of the No. 8 vs. No. 9 matchup. Pate likes Ole Miss to win that game and emerge as the contender the Buckeyes must face. It would be quite the matchup.

Ole Miss’ offense against a very good Ohio State defense would be a treat for viewers. The Rebels haven’t been quite as good defensively and would have their hands full stopping the Buckeyes, in all probability.

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal #2

2. Indiana Hoosiers vs. 7. Oregon Ducks

Pate once again has chalk winning out in the No. 7 vs. No. 10 matchup, with Oregon getting by Notre Dame to take on the emerging Big Ten power. This would be the second rematch of a game played this season.

Indiana, of course, took the first meeting 30-20 in Eugene, Ore. Would a neutral-site venue even things up, even with the Hoosiers proving they could handle a more hostile environment? It’s always hard to beat the same team twice in a year.

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal #3

3. Alabama Crimson Tide vs. 7. Georgia Bulldogs

At this point we’re sensing a theme in the matchups, with a third rematch on the way in Pate’s projections. Alabama got the better of Georgia earlier this season, once again on the road. This meeting would be at a neutral site venue.

It’d be interesting to see if Alabama’s lack of a run game is something the Georgia defense can find a way to exploit more definitively in this contest. That’s a more recent development for the Crimson Tide and could be a change from the first meeting.

College Football Playoff Quarterfinal #4

4. Texas A&M Aggies vs. 5. Texas Tech Red Raiders

The final quarterfinal matchup features another chalk matchup, with Pate’s projections mostly sticking with the top-seeded teams to this point in the exercise. Texas A&M would presumably have lost a close game to Alabama in the SEC title game to end up here.

This one would be a fun one for the fans, who would get to see two of the state of Texas’ powers duke it out. Both teams have spent a ton on their rosters, so who is getting better bang for their buck?

College Football Playoff Semifinal #1

1. Ohio State Buckeyes vs. 4 Texas A&M Aggies

Another chalk matchup in the first semifinal, but this one should provide some definite excitement for the fans. It would be one of the SEC’s best, with a mobile quarterback, up against the college football juggernaut in Ohio State.

This one has the feel of a game where turnovers would be incredibly important. Both quarterbacks have given one away here or there, but how would they respond to doing so on a huge national stage? It would definitely be fun to find out.

College Football Playoff Semifinal #2

7. Oregon Ducks vs. 3. Alabama Crimson Tide

Our first upset of the bracket has arrived, as Oregon is projected to take down No. 2 Indiana by Pate. That would present a matchup of interesting and contrasting styles in the semifinal matchup.

It’s also a meeting between two of the quarterbacks running near the top of the Heisman Trophy polling at this point in time. That typically makes for an excellent spectacle for the fans, even though the award would be decided by then.

College Football Playoff National Championship

3. Alabama Crimson Tide over 1. Ohio State Buckeyes

In a matchup for the ages, Alabama would take on Ohio State. Pate has been consistent that he picked the Crimson Tide to win it all early in the year and refuses to come off that pick unless there is compelling evidence to do so.

“I would take Alabama over Oregon. That mainly is because, like I’ve told you, I predicted Alabama to win the national title in the preseason,” Pate said. “I have to, like, definitively be convinced that I’m wrong to come off of that. If I had to pick this thing from scratch, probably wouldn’t have ‘Bama over Georgia right now. Probably wouldn’t have ‘Bama over Oregon right now. But I’m not picking it from scratch. … Give me Ohio State over Texas A&M. And I’ll keep Alabama over Ohio State national title, although I will fully admit, if Ohio State’s good enough to get to the national title game it’s going to be really tough to see anyone beating them.”