# Week 11 College Football Playoff Impact Games and Elimination Scenarios

High-stakes matchups for USC, Indiana, Texas, and LSU define the playoff race.

- **Source:** [CBS Sports – Headlines](https://www.cbssports.com)
- **Published:** 2026-11-12
- **Topic:** [sports](https://brifing.si/c/sports)
- **Original article:** <
                                                https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/week-11-college-football-playoff-impact-games-usc-indiana-texas-lsu/
                    >
- **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/f8194188-3345-4064-8018-0258ffffa7be

## Playoff Field Taking Shape

The College Football Playoff landscape is shifting rapidly following recent upsets. Kentucky has slipped from bye contention, while Notre Dame solidified its position after defeating Miami. With Ole Miss and Ohio State likely eliminated after recent losses, Week 11 features critical matchups that will determine the final bracket participants for the postseason.

## USC and Indiana Showdown

USC and Indiana face a de facto elimination game this Saturday. The Trojans are surging after upsetting Ohio State, despite an earlier loss to Wisconsin. Indiana boasts a top-tier defense, holding five consecutive opponents under 20 points, but they dropped five spots in the rankings and must win to maintain their playoff viability.

## Texas Faces LSU Pressure

Texas travels to face LSU in a pivotal road test for their playoff hopes. The undefeated Longhorns aim to secure a first-round host spot, while the Tigers are fighting for survival after three straight losses to ranked teams. LSU needs dominant victories against Texas and Tennessee to potentially salvage their postseason aspirations.

## Big 12 Playoff Path

Texas Tech sits just outside the playoff field and faces a dangerous Oklahoma State offense led by quarterback Drew Mestemaker. While Oklahoma State is ranked 25th with three losses, a victory over the 12th-ranked Red Raiders could provide a narrow path to re-enter the conversation as head-to-head tiebreakers become increasingly vital for teams.

## ACC Championship Implications

Wake Forest and SMU meet in a matchup that will decide the inside track for the ACC Championship Game against Miami. Quarterbacks Gio Lopez and Kevin Jennings lead their respective teams in a contest that could have been a play-in game had SMU not lost to Syracuse earlier in the current season.

## Miami and Duke Rivalry

Miami looks to rebound offensively after a difficult loss to Notre Dame. They face a surging Duke team that won the ACC last season. Duke remains a threat to crash the playoff party, but they must secure road victories against both No. 7 Miami and No. 13 Wake Forest to remain in contention.

## Boise State Auto-Bid Chase

Boise State faces a season-defining game against Oregon State in the Group of Six race. Despite Oregon State losing quarterback Braden Atkinson to injury, the Broncos must improve a defense that allowed 73 combined points in their last two games to secure the lone playoff automatic bid available for their specific group.

## BYU and Baylor Stakes

BYU remains in the playoff field if they win out following their victory over Notre Dame. They host a 6-3 Baylor team that has outscored opponents by 43 points in their last two games under interim coach Joe Klanderman. This represents the most significant remaining challenge for BYU to close the year.

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_Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._