College Football Playoff Bubble Watch: Notre Dame vs. Pitt among potential elimination games in Week 12

Week 12 of the 2025 college football season is stacking up as the most important slate since the initial College Football Playoff Rankings were unveiled. Saturday alone is home to litany of games that will have a major impact on the final standings. 

That includes a few matchups with elimination implications. Take No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 22 Pitt, for example. Both are still in the conversation, but neither can really afford another loss at this point. 

So that adds some considerable spice to Notre Dame's road trip to Pittsburgh this weekend. Other two-loss teams like No. 11 Oklahoma, No. 10 Texas and No. 17 USC face potential elimination against tough opponents. 

There's a lot on the line for a lot of prominent teams as the 2025 season nears its conclusion. Here's a look at the Week 12 contests that matter in the College Football Playoff race and the implications for both teams involved.   

No. 9 Notre Dame at No. 22 Pittsburgh 

This is a make-or-break game for both teams involved. Notre Dame's current seven-game winning streak has distracted from the fact that the Fighting Irish started the year with two losses against top-25 opponents. Notre Dame's wins since have come against three opponents with a losing record and two Group of Six programs -- albeit very good ones -- in Boise State and Navy. The Irish do have one solid victory over USC, but they need to do more to feel good about their playoff chances, no matter what the current rankings may suggest. 

Opportunity is staring Pittsburgh in the face, but so is a tough end-of-season slate. This is the first of three-straight games against ranked opponents for the Panthers, who are right in the thick of the ACC race. So that means there's no shortage of potential quality wins.  It also means that Pittsburgh doesn't have any margin for error, especially with two losses -- including a very bad one against West Virginia -- on the ledger. 

No. 11 Oklahoma at No. 4 Alabama 

What once looked like a brutal final month for Oklahoma looks a tad easier thanks to the declining level of play at Missouri and LSU. Regardless, the Sooners have navigated it well thus far. They cleared a major Week 10 hurdle by beating Tennessee on the road and, fresh off a bye, they face a tall task at Alabama. As is the case with every other two-loss team at this point, Oklahoma cannot afford a setback, even if it comes against a team of Alabama's caliber. 

Outside of its baffling season-opening loss to Florida State, Alabama has looked like one of the best teams in the country. Coach Kalen DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb have veteran quarterback Ty Simpson playing at a Heisman level and the defense has taken significant strides after a shaky start. As such, Alabama is currently unblemished in conference play with an open path to the SEC Championship Game. Oklahoma is its last ranked opponent until the postseason. 

No. 10 Texas at No. 5 Georgia

There's still some questions about Texas' legitimacy. The Longhorns have a glaringly bad loss to Florida on their record and they struggled mightily against a pair of hapless opponents in Kentucky and Mississippi State. Beating Vanderbilt has them back on the upswing. Downing Georgia for the first time since they joined the SEC would re-solidify their status as a legitimate College Football Playoff contender. 

Georgia doesn't appear to be a juggernaut like years past, but the Bulldogs are once again among the sport's top teams. The Bulldogs are still in the hunt for a repeat appearance in the SEC Championship Game, though they will need some help in the form of losses from Alabama and Texas A&M, at the very least. They also, obviously, must tend to their own crop. Two out of their last three opponents are ranked, which could make for an interesting few weeks for the Bulldogs. 

Dark Horse Game of the Week 

No. 21 Iowa at No. 17 USC 

Iowa is basically out of the race at this point. The Hawkeyes had their moment in Week 11 but fell painfully short of a statement home win against Oregon. They can still play spoiler, though. Their two Big Ten losses have come against Indiana and Oregon -- a pair of top-10 teams -- by a combined seven points. The defense is as good as ever, but the offense is playing at least slightly better with a mobile quarterback like Mark Gronowski at the helm. This is not a team that USC can take lightly. 

Especially since a loss to the Hawkeyes would, in turn, knock the Trojans out of the race. They've quietly climbed into the conversation thanks to a 5-1 record in the Big Ten, though that includes just one ranked win. That means they're still searching for solid résumé pieces as the year winds down. Iowa somewhat fits that bill. USC will get an opportunity against Oregon on Nov. 22, as well.