30 games that will eventually decide the 12-team College Football Playoff

6. Texas vs. Oklahoma: Oct. 12

No matter how much everything changes, the more it stays the same. Both Oklahoma and Texas moved to new conferences in 2024, but they are the same conference, keeping the Red River Rivalry alive and well. In four of the last nine iterations of this matchup, the lower-ranked team upset their rivals, including last year when No. 12 Oklahoma beat No. 3 Texas in Dallas. The Longhorns recovered enough to make the College Football Playoff, but they needed a forgiving committee and a lot of luck to make it there. 

This year, both teams are trying to prove they belong in the SEC, but at the same time, this rivalry could define their season and produce a spot in the Playoff, or it could remove them from consideration entirely. Think about it, both these teams have much harder schedules this season. This loss would essentially make their respective games against Georgia (Texas) and Alabama (Oklahoma) must wins. That’s not an enviable position to be in.

So, it comes down to Oklahoma versus Texas. It’s a quarterback battle of Jackson Arnold versus Quinn Ewers. These offenses can be explosive, and this game could end up scoring 100 points or more. 

As good as this game could be, it could just as easily be a blowout. Honestly, both these teams are facing incredible pressure to perform this season. This isn’t Big 12 football anymore. Yes, the influx of money will be nice over the long term, but this could be an adjustment period for both teams. Don’t be surprised if that hits a fever pitch during Rivalry Week.