Oklahoma v Alabama
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The penultimate week of the college football season is typically quiet, especially in comparison to the intense rivalry clashes that Week 14 often brings. But the expanded College Football Playoff, which has created an opportunity at meaningful postseason football for a greater number of teams, definitely adds some heat to this weekend's slate. 

For instance, all eyes will be on No. 15 USC's trip to No. 7 Oregon. For the Trojans, this is a make-or-break game. They've already collected two losses, which is typically the threshold for an at-large Power Four program. Playing in the Big Ten has its perks. 

There are major implications for Oregon, as well. The Ducks are 9-1, but they finish the year with a trip to rival Washington. It's never wise to let ranked home games slip by, either, especially when Oregon is in the conversation to host a first-round playoff game. 

There are a few impactful games beyond that to dive into, though it is the only matchup between top-25 opponents on Saturday's schedule. 

We here at CBS Sports have been overreacting to each college football weekend for a while now. Let's try and manifest some into existence for a change ahead of the 13th week of the season. 

USC solidifies an at-large bid 

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It's been almost five years since Lincoln Riley made his last College Football Playoff appearance. He's never even come close to reaching that benchmark with the Trojans. That will change on Saturday. 

USC has, quietly, been one of the hottest teams in the nation over the last month and change. The Trojans are 4-1 since Oct. 11, with the lone loss in that span coming on the road against Notre Dame. That includes victories over a pair of top-25 opponents in Michigan and Iowa (the Hawkeyes were No. 21 in the College Football Playoff rankings on Nov. 15). 

Riley's USC tenure will reach new heights Saturday when the Trojans down Oregon, an old Pac-12 foe that is 0-1 in its only game against a currently ranked opponent. The Trojans have the talent to win outside against Oregon's defense, which currently leads the Big Ten against the pass (127.3 yards per game). 

Running back King Miller could be the key to USC's victory, though. He's had great rushing performances against some staunch fronts like Michigan, Notre Dame and Iowa. USC will have to limit Oregon, as well, but the Trojans are built to win a shootout. 

A Week 13 win virtually guarantees an at-large bid for USC, provided it takes care of business in its regular season finale versus UCLA. 

Oklahoma can smother its way to a title 

Realistically speaking, it's hard to think of Oklahoma as a legitimate national title contender. The Sooners do not have the offensive output to consistently keep up with high-level programs like Ohio State, Indiana and Texas A&M. Their struggle to consistently move the ball will ultimately doom them, as it did in a loss to Texas. 

But the recipe for a title run is there, thanks in large part to a stifling defense that -- on a perfect day -- can take total control of a game. Oklahoma's win against Alabama in Week 12 was a perfect day. 

The Sooners put star Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson in a bind with a ferocious pass rush and some confounding coverage looks. They also continued their trend of manufacturing impactful turnovers, as they forced Simpson to throw just his second interception of the year -- which they returned for a touchdown -- and also got to Simpson for a strip-sack. 

Oklahoma also held Alabama's offense scoreless for the final 22:27 of gametime. They're going to put up a similar performance against Missouri Saturday. Here's another bold prediction, wrapped inside a predicted overreaction: Oklahoma will hold star Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy under 60 yards rushing. 

The Sooners are very good at identifying an offense's strength and taking that off the board. That strategy from Brent Venables could take his team far. 

The ACC gets turned on its head (again) 

The ACC has been one of college football's more chaotic conferences this offseason. Preseason favorites like Clemson and Florida State have dropped off of a proverbial cliff while the likes of Georgia Tech and Virginia make a push for the conference championship game. 

Expect more major change this weekend. No. 16 Georgia Tech hosts a Pittsburgh team reeling from a blowout loss to classic rival Notre Dame. The Panthers are still in the thick of the ACC hunt with a 5-1 conference record. 

If they win, they'll enter the driver's seat. That would also open the door for teams like SMU and even Miami to reenter the fray. The Mustangs have a big home game against Louisville while the Hurricanes are at Virginia Tech. 

Bob Chesney is the next Curt Cignetti 

Everyone is searching for the next Curt Cignetti, especially during a 2025-26 coaching carousel that has already seen several major jobs open up -- with likely more on the way. Well, interested parties may not have to look very far. 

James Madison itself has another Cignetti-like coach on the payroll. Bob Chesney's Dukes are 9-1 and they're right in the thick of the College Football Playoff race. If they beat Washington State Saturday, there's a chance that they'll enter pole position for the Group of Six's playoff bid, though there is stiff competition from the American Conference. 

Chesney's résumé is very similar to Cignetti's. Like Cignetti, he started at the lower levels of NCAA football (in his case, Division III) and steadily worked his way up to an FCS opportunity at Holy Cross, where he won five-straight Patriot League titles from 2019-23. 

He's had just one losing season as a head coach and that was way back in 2018, his first year with Holy Cross. Bob Chesney will almost certainly find his way to a new job this offseason.