Top College Football Playoff Predictions After Thrilling Week 11

As the college football season rolls on, the race for the College Football Playoff (CFP) is getting a little wild. This past week, some top contenders got pushed to the edge—Indiana and Oregon both had to grind out tough wins on the road.

Despite some real adversity, both teams managed to pull through and keep their playoff dreams alive. Meanwhile, Alabama flexed their defensive muscles against LSU, just to remind everyone they’re still very much in the mix.

Let’s take a look at what ESPN’s experts are saying about the top 12 teams with their eyes on the CFP.

Contents

1 Indiana’s Gritty Performance Against Penn State
- 1.1 Key Takeaways from Indiana’s Win
2 Oregon’s Narrow Escape Against Iowa
- 2.1 Highlights from Oregon’s Victory
3 Alabama’s Dominant Defense Against LSU
- 3.1 Key Factors in Alabama’s Win
4 Expert Predictions for the College Football Playoff
- 4.1 Top 12 College Football Playoff Picks
5 Conclusion

Indiana’s Gritty Performance Against Penn State

Indiana, sitting at No. 2 in the first CFP rankings, had to dig deep against Penn State. The Hoosiers were up 20-10 in the fourth, but things got dicey fast.

Penn State rallied, scoring twice after an interception from Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza. Still, Mendoza bounced back and found Omar Cooper Jr. for a clutch game-winning touchdown, sealing a 27-24 win.

That win keeps Indiana’s playoff hopes alive, but wow, it was a close call.

Key Takeaways from Indiana’s Win

Fernando Mendoza’s resilience: He threw a pick, sure, but then led the game-winning drive. That’s some serious bounce-back.
Omar Cooper Jr.’s standout performance: His game-winning catch? Honestly, one of the best you’ll see this year.
Indiana’s defensive challenges: The Hoosiers have got to shore up that defense if they want to avoid more nail-biters.

Oregon’s Narrow Escape Against Iowa

Oregon, ranked No. 9, wasn’t having an easy time either. They were on the road at Iowa, battling through some truly miserable weather.

Late in the game, the Ducks were actually trailing. But with less than two minutes left, they managed to string together a drive and set up a game-winning field goal. Final score: 18-16, Oregon.

They’re still in the playoff mix, but the Ducks know they’ve got some work to do.

Highlights from Oregon’s Victory

Clutch kicking: That field goal under pressure? It says a lot about their special teams.
Weather resilience: Playing in those conditions was rough, but Oregon found a way.
Areas for improvement: The offense needs to find more consistency, especially against better teams.

Alabama’s Dominant Defense Against LSU

Alabama took on LSU in their first matchup since Brian Kelly was let go. The Crimson Tide defense looked locked in, forcing two turnovers and holding LSU to under 300 yards.

They won it 20-9. Ty Simpson threw for 277 yards and a touchdown, guiding Alabama to a win that keeps them firmly in the playoff conversation.

Key Factors in Alabama’s Win

Defensive prowess: Alabama’s knack for forcing turnovers changed the game.
Ty Simpson’s performance: Simpson was steady, accurate, and kept the offense moving.
Playoff implications: This win definitely helps Alabama’s playoff case.

Expert Predictions for the College Football Playoff

ESPN’s experts have rolled out their top 12 picks for the College Football Playoff. Ohio State seems to be the near-unanimous favorite, with Indiana and Texas A&M right behind.

Alabama, Georgia, and Texas Tech are all in the mix too. Here’s how the experts see it shaking out:

Top 12 College Football Playoff Picks

1. Ohio State: The Buckeyes are on top—no surprise there.
2. Indiana: Even after that scare against Penn State, they’re still in great shape.
3. Texas A&M: The Aggies just keep hanging around the top three.
4. Alabama: That win over LSU? It matters.
5. Georgia: The Bulldogs are quietly putting together a solid year.
6. Texas Tech: Sneaky good—don’t sleep on them.
7. Ole Miss: The Rebels aren’t out of it yet.
8. Oregon: They made it through Iowa, but bigger tests are coming.
9. Notre Dame: The Irish just keep finding ways to stick around the top ten.
10. BYU: The Cougars have earned their spot, no doubt.
11. Georgia Tech: Bit of a surprise, but they’ve turned some heads.
12. North Texas: Another curveball—nobody saw this coming.

For the full list and more details, check out the ESPN College Football Playoff Picks and Predictions.

Conclusion

The College Football Playoff race is getting wild. Top teams are running into real challenges, and it’s been anything but predictable so far.

Indiana pulled off a dramatic win. Oregon barely made it out alive. Alabama? Their defense just keeps shutting teams down.

Who’s to say what’ll happen next? The season’s got plenty of twists left, and honestly, that’s half the fun.

Want more updates and some honest takes as things heat up? Keep following our [Sports News organization](https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/page/playoffpredictions110825/college-football-playoff-picks-predictions-week-11).