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CBS Sports Graphic

Prepare yourselves, America: Black Friday might be a dark day for SEC haters.

Let it be known that the CBS Sports Power Rankings believe Texas (8-3) deserves a spot in the College Football Playoff if it beats rival Texas A&M (11-0) in Austin this week. The résumé is strong enough. You can dissect the overtime wins at Kentucky and Mississippi State, but the victories over top-10 foes Oklahoma and Vanderbilt -- plus a one-score loss at No. 1 Ohio State -- warrant a second look.

Losses by Georgia Tech and USC last week cleared part of the path. If Miami falls at Pitt, the Longhorns might be a shoo-in. A Vanderbilt win over Tennessee would help, too.

Of course, this isn't the CFP rankings. And no one should pretend to know what a committee locked in a windowless room with bacon and assorted snacks will decide. Every case has holes; that's part of the fun.

Rivalry Week signals the beginning of the end. We're thankful for this football feast but sad that it ends during Thanksgiving Week. Over the next month, we'll munch on high-quality leftovers -- championship games, the playoffs and various bowl games -- and get drunk on the coaching carousel.

The CBS Sports Power Rankings are thankful for another glorious week.

Biggest Movers
11 Texas
10 Georgia Tech
Rk
Teams
  
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1 Ohio State Ohio State rolled Rutgers 42-9 despite sitting its top two receivers. Bo Jackson logged his fifth 100-yard rushing performance, the most by a Buckeyes freshman since 2017. Next up is The Game against Michigan. The Buckeyes will be heavy favorites to snap their four-game losing streak to the Wolverines -- but we've heard that before. -- 11-0
2 Indiana Indiana was idle and remains fully in control of its own destiny. Beat Purdue, and the Hoosiers secure the first 12-0 season in school history. We're now one step closer to our dream matchup between Indiana and Ohio State. -- 11-0
3 Texas A&M Texas A&M blasted one-win Samford 48-0. Marcel Reed threw for 120 yards and three touchdowns before being pulled after the first quarter. The Black Friday trip to Texas is the Aggies' stiffest test yet, and fittingly, the Longhorns also remain alive in the CFP race despite three losses. -- 11-0
4 Georgia The most interesting part of Georgia's 35-3 win over Charlotte? Kirby Smart is now 0-15 against the spread when favored by 38 or more. Next up is Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate against Georgia Tech inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. A win locks home-field advantage in the first round of the CFP. -- 10-1
5 Ole Miss Lane Kiffin Watch reaches its finale this week. The Ole Miss coach will announce whether he's staying or leaving for Florida or LSU on Saturday - one day after the Rebels visit Mississippi State. A win sends the Rebels to the CFP. A loss complicates everything. -- 10-1
6 Oregon Oregon improved its playoff résumé with a 42-27 win over top-15 USC, pushing the Ducks to four straight 10-win seasons. Dan Lanning's team is now 16-1 in Big Ten play since joining the league and 8-2 at home against ranked opponents. -- 10-1
7 Texas Tech Texas Tech can clinch its first Big 12 Championship Game berth with a win at West Virginia. Staying above the 8-seed line in the CFP rankings is crucial for home-field advantage. -- 10-1
8 Notre Dame Notre Dame doesn't play with its food. The Irish dismantled Syracuse 70-7, scoring three touchdowns before the offense touched the field - two pick-sixes and a blocked punt. They set a school record with 35 first-quarter points. Jeremiyah Love should climb the Heisman charts after posting 171 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries. A win at Stanford would make the Irish the first team since 2011 Georgia to win 10 straight after starting 0-2. -- 9-2
9 Oklahoma Who needs offense? Oklahoma's defense has been lights-out. The Sooners beat Missouri 17-6 for their nation-leading fifth win over an AP-ranked team. John Mateer threw multiple touchdown passes against an FBS foe for the first time this season. Beat LSU, and the Sooners are in. -- 9-2
10 Alabama Win and you're in. Alabama can secure an SEC Championship berth -- and a CFP spot -- by beating Auburn in the Iron Bowl. The Tide routed FCS Eastern Illinois 56-0, though Ty Simpson doubled his interception total with two picks. -- 9-2
11 Vanderbilt The best Vanderbilt team in the modern era crushed Kentucky 45-17. Diego Pavia set career highs in total yards (532), touchdowns (6), passing touchdowns (5) and completion percentage (84.6%). Beat Tennessee, and the Commodores reach 10 wins for the first time ever. -- 9-2
12 BYU Kalani Sitake has quietly authored four 10-win seasons in six years. BYU got there again thanks to LJ Martin's career-high 222 rushing yards in a 26-14 win at Cincinnati. A win over UCF secures a Big 12 Championship Game berth. -- 10-1
13 Miami (Fla.) Miami needs style points, and a 34-17 win at Virginia Tech won't wow the committee - though it was the Hurricanes' largest ACC road win in two years. Next up is Pitt, a legitimate top-25 opponent. Win there, plus the season-opening upset of Notre Dame, and Miami's case gets interesting. 2 9-2
14 Michigan Michigan handled Maryland 45-20 despite thin depth at running back. Next is Ohio State, whom the Wolverines have beaten four straight times, including last year's upset in Columbus. A fifth straight might push Michigan into the CFP. 3 9-2
15 Texas Can Texas derail the CFP by upsetting A&M? The Longhorns have just two wins over teams with winning records (Oklahoma and Vanderbilt), but both are legitimate top-10 opponents, and the close loss at No. 1 Ohio State helps. Texas' defense, however, has allowed 35 points per game over the last four. NR 8-3
16 Utah Utah overcame a 10-point deficit in the final three minutes -- despite giving up a school-record 472 rushing yards -- to beat Kansas State 51-47. Utah has scored 45-plus in four straight games for the first time since the Urban Meyer era. Bad news: DE John Henry Daley, No. 2 nationally in sacks, is feared lost for the season. -- 9-2
17 Virginia Virginia controls its ACC destiny entering the Commonwealth Clash against Virginia Tech. The Cavaliers have lost 19 of the last 20 in the series. Win, and they're in the ACC title game. 1 9-2
18 Tennessee Tennessee snapped its 10-game losing streak at The Swamp with a 31-11 rout of Florida. The Vols have beaten the Gators in consecutive years for the first time since 2003-04. Next is Vanderbilt at home; a win knocks the Commodores out of the CFP picture. 1 8-3
19 James Madison James Madison needed a late Wayne Knight touchdown to beat Washington State 24-20. The Cougars have been tough on the road, losing by just three at Ole Miss and two at Virginia. The Dukes still need help to reach the CFP but remain our highest-ranked G6 team. 1 10-1
20 USC Lincoln Riley still lacks a signature win. USC fell 42-27 at Oregon, dropping to 0-5 against top-10 teams under Riley. Jayden Maiava now has eight interceptions in his last seven games. 7 8-3
21 North Texas If not for the turnover-fest against Tulane earlier this year, undefeated North Texas might be in the CFP conversation. As is, the Mean Green can still make the playoff with a win over Temple and a victory in the American Championship Game. They crushed Rice 56-24. 1 10-1
22 SMU SMU sits back in the ACC driver's seat after a 38-6 win over a shorthanded Louisville team. The Mustangs can reach the ACC Championship Game for the second straight year with a win at Cal. Only Clemson (2015-20) has reached consecutive ACC title games since SMU joined the league. 1 8-3
23 Pittsburgh Pitt enters the rankings after upsetting Georgia Tech 42-28 in Atlanta. The Panthers can make the ACC title game with a win over Miami plus a loss by either Virginia or SMU. NR 8-3
24 Georgia Tech Georgia Tech's defense has unraveled down the stretch, allowing 37.3 points per game over the last three contests (1-2). Next is Georgia, which has won seven straight in the rivalry. 10 9-2
25 Tulane Tulane has won three straight since its puzzling loss to UTSA and can clinch a spot in the American Conference Championship Game by beating 1-10 Charlotte. The Green Wave kicked five field goals in a 37-13 win at Temple. -- 9-2