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    Coaches Poll predicting college football rankings after Week 13 upsets

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    Three big results in the Big Ten and SEC will shake up the top tier of this week’s American LBM Coaches Poll.

    First, No. 2 Ohio State saw No. 5 Indiana score a touchdown, but dominated from there with a huge punt return for a touchdown from Caleb Downs early in the second half to a 38-15 victory. That puts the Buckeyes one win away from a trip back to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020.

    In the SEC, Mississippi suffered an inexplicable loss to Florida, dumping the Rebels out of overall College Football Playoff contention. Alabama was smothered by Oklahoma in a 24-3 loss that could mean the same for the Crimson Tide’s postseason destiny.

    These losses will land the Tide and Rebels in this week’s Top 25. Where will the Hoosiers land? Here’s our projection for the top 10 of the Coaches Poll, which will be released later on Sunday:

    1. Oregon (11-0)

    The Ducks have already clinched a Big Ten championship game heading into Saturday’s rivalry game against Washington. Oregon is in position to reach the playoffs even with two straight losses to end the regular season.

    UP AND DOWN: Week 13 winners and losers in college football

    2. Ohio State (10-1)

    Beating the Hoosiers will keep the Buckeyes in the playoffs, but it won’t guarantee a rematch with the Ducks. That requires a win against Michigan, snapping the Wolverines’ three-game winning streak in the series. Michigan’s offense finally came alive with a 50-6 win against Northwestern.

    3. Texas (10-1)

    There was nothing pretty about a 31-14 win against Kentucky, just as there was nothing aesthetically pleasing about last weekend’s 20-10 win against Arkansas. But Texas continues to rack up wins against outmatched competition on its way to rekindling its rivalry against Texas A&M. A win there sends the Longhorns to the SEC championship game and likely puts them in the field regardless of what happens in Atlanta.

    4. Penn State (10-1)

    Penn State avoided what would have been a crippling loss to Minnesota with some late heroics, including a pair of gutsy four-down conversions late to seal the 26-25 victory. The Nittany Lions end the regular season as heavy favorites against Maryland after being eliminated from Big Ten contention with the Buckeyes’ win.

    5. Notre Dame (10-1)

    For the second time this season, Notre Dame took a sledgehammer to a service academy opponent. After outscoring Navy 51-14 in late October, the Fighting Irish defeated Army 49-14 after a dominant game from arguably the nation’s best defense. Next up is rival Southern California, with a win likely guaranteeing a home playoff game.

    6. Georgia (9-2)

    It was a great day for the Bulldogs, who secured a spot in the SEC title game with the SEC loss. After beating Massachusetts 59-21, Georgia turns to rival Georgia Tech with a chance for an at-large playoff bid. The Yellow Jackets are feisty and have a knack for winning close games, going 5-1 in games decided by 10 or fewer points.

    7. Miami (10-1)

    Miami got back on track after a rough start to November by scoring the final 25 points in a 42-14 win against Wake Forest. The Hurricanes move to 6-1 in ACC play and must win at Syracuse next Saturday to finish ahead of Clemson and meet SMU for the national title. The Dutch won three in a row and recorded eight victories for the first time since 2018.

    8. Indiana (10-1)

    The Hoosiers could still pull ahead of the Bulldogs and Hurricanes, but will struggle to gain traction with voters due to a weak resume of wins. Indiana has recorded three wins against teams with a winning record, but just barely: Washington, Nebraska and Michigan are 6-5. Despite the defeat, they are still in good shape for the play-offs.

    9. Tennessee (10-1)

    Tennessee had a great Saturday, starting with a 56-0 whitewash of Texas-El Paso. Better yet, the Volunteers will bounce back into this week’s hypothetical playoff field after Mississippi’s loss to Florida. They just need to avoid a stumble to Vanderbilt next week.

    10. SMU (10-1)

    Finally, SMU should break into the top 10 after dominating Virginia in a 33-7 win. The Mustangs have won eight in a row since losing to Brigham Young by field goal in non-conference play. After this weekend, the ACC should feel good about getting two teams into the playoffs if both Miami and SMU yield just one loss in the conference title game.

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