What teams can still make the College Football Playoff entering Week 12?

USC controls its own destiny, but the Trojans have the toughest three games left

As with UNC, USC controls its own playoff destiny. While the Trojans have been the stronger team more consistently throughout the regular season, their pathway into the playoff is a rather difficult one. With the Pac-12 being a beautiful disaster at the top of the conference, USC probably needs to beat crosstown rival UCLA in the Rose Bowl to punch its ticket into the Pac-12 title bout.

Even with a win in Pasadena over the Bruins, USC still has to host traditional rival Notre Dame in the Coliseum. If USC is 11-1 (8-1) before the neutral-site affair in Las Vegas vs. a well-deserving conference foe, the Trojans should make the playoff as a Pac-12 champion. However, there is no margin for error for the Trojans, as they will have to beat three ranked teams in a row to make it in.

If their only loss on the year was by a point to Utah in Salt Lake, you cannot keep the Trojans out.

LSU can make College Football Playoff history by winning the SEC Championship

Not since 2017 Auburn have we seen a team capable of making the playoff with two losses on their resume. Had Gus Malzahn’s Tigers beaten Georgia in Atlanta, they would have made the four-team field for the first time ever. A similar scenario is in play with Brian Kelly’s Bayou Bengals in his first year leading the LSU Tigers. They have already clinched their spot in the SEC title bout.

Despite being 8-2 (6-1) on the season, LSU won the SEC West by virtue of having the head-to-head tiebreakers over quality Alabama and Ole Miss teams. Their only loss in conference play was to Tennessee at home. While losing to Florida State over Labor Day Weekend did not help, the Seminoles are no longer bad, so LSU can still get in. They must beat UAB, Texas A&M and Georgia.

Though wins over UAB and Texas A&M do virtually nothing, stunning Georgia in Atlanta sure does.