Rivalry Week Outlook & CFP Implications

by Jake Lax, November 27, 2025

Source: AP Photo

Ohio State vs Michigan

There is no bigger rivalry in sports than “The Game”, and this season it’s bigger than ever. Ohio State is the number 1-ranked team in the country, and one win away from reaching its first Big Ten Championship game since 2020. Nobody on Ohio State’s roster has ever beaten the Michigan Wolverines either, with the Buckeyes losing the last 4 games. Head Coach Ryan Day has always struggled against Michigan, and going on the road to the Big House won’t help his case.

Michigan is sitting at 9-2 on the season and is currently ranked 15th in the country. Wolverines head coach Sherrone Moore is hoping that a win against Ohio State can help push Michigan into the college football playoff. Michigan still isn’t out of the race for a trip to the Big Ten Championship, but they’ll need some help. Along with a win on Saturday, they’ll be relying on either Washington to knock off Oregon or Purdue to beat Indiana to clinch their spot.

Ohio State hopes to get back its star wide receivers Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith for this Saturday’s game. Tate has been out since November 1st, and Smith was out last week after looking hurt against UCLA the previous week. Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin is still making a push for the Heisman Trophy, and the race will likely come down to a showdown in the Big Ten Championship against Indiana. IU quarterback Fernando Mendoza holds the edge for now, but Sayin will have a chance to shift the conversation in that matchup.

Indiana vs Purdue

A Black Friday Showdown

Indiana enters the rivalry 11–0 and ranked No. 2, pushing for its first-ever Big Ten Championship berth. Purdue, meanwhile, sits at 2–9 and has lost 17 straight conference games — their last Big Ten win came against Indiana in 2023.

Will Indiana Go Full Strength?

Last year’s 66–0 Indiana win still looms, but both teams have evolved. With the conference championship on deck, expect the Hoosiers to:

• Play their starters early to establish control
• Rotate key players out by halftime
• Avoid unnecessary injury ahead of their biggest game in program history

Ole Miss vs Mississippi State

The Egg Bowl between Ole Miss and Mississippi State is filled with drama this year. Ole Miss comes in at 10-1 and is ranked 6th in the country, still alive for the SEC Championship Game and likely to play in the College Football Playoff. For Ole Miss to reach the SEC Championship, they not only need to beat Mississippi State but also need Texas to knock off Texas A&M and Auburn to upset Alabama. Mississippi State comes into the Egg Bowl at 5-6 with 4 of those losses coming against ranked teams (Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M, Tennessee).

The big drama here comes with Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin, who has been pursued by Florida and LSU to become their next head coach. LSU has rumored to offer Kiffin a $90 million offer to become their next head coach. Kiffin has stated that he will make an announcement on his future the Saturday following the matchup with Mississippi State, November 29th. If Kiffin leaves Ole Miss, he wouldn’t be able to coach the team in the Playoff, which could potentially impact their standing in the rankings.

Texas A&M vs Texas

A High-Stakes Revival of a Classic Rivalry

Texas A&M is undefeated and currently sits at No. 3 in the CFP rankings. A win locks the Aggies into the SEC Championship — but a loss opens the door for Alabama or Ole Miss to steal their spot.

Texas, ranked 16th, is the dangerous spoiler. A victory won’t guarantee a playoff push, but combined with weekend chaos, it could place Texas directly into the conversation.

Alabama vs Auburn

The Iron Bowl in Jordan-Hare Stadium, one of the best ways to end the rivalry weekend. A 5-6 Auburn team with nothing to lose takes on the 9-2 Alabama Crimson Tide with everything to lose. Alabama is currently barely hanging onto a playoff spot after losing last week against Oklahoma. If Alabama loses, they allow Georgia to get in the SEC Championship and lose their spot in the Playoff.

Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson has had a great season; however, he’s struggled on the road. We’ve seen crazy Iron Bowl games over the years, and this could be one where the Auburn Tigers remove Alabama from playoff contention.