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11/22 19:52 CST AP Top 25 poll preview: USC's playoff chances plummet, Utah narrowly escapes Kansas State AP Top 25 poll preview: USC's playoff chances plummet, Utah narrowly escapes Kansas State By MAURA CAREY AP Sports Writer Eight of the top 10 teams in The Associated Press poll either had the day off or were given the gift of a late-season cupcake game in Week 13. No. 6 Oregon and No. 8 Oklahoma were exceptions with ranked conference matchups against USC and Missouri. The Ducks and Sooners both maintained positioning for an at-large bid. Oregon beat No. 16 USC 42-27 in the teams' first meeting as members of the Big Ten. Oklahoma improved to 9-2 with a 17-6 win against No. 23 Missouri. Oregon ties with Texas Tech at No. 6 in the AP Top 25 and is No. 7 in the College Football Playoff rankings. Oklahoma ranks No. 8 in both. Other remaining Top 25 games of note include No. 11 BYU's trip to Cincinnati in the Big 12's game of the day and No. 15 Georgia Tech 's outing against Pittsburgh.

Holding steady --- No. 8 Oklahoma took care of business on Saturday, knocking off Missouri 17-6 and inching closer to an at-large bid in the College Football Playoff. Quarterback John Mateer threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Oklahoma's defense had two picks off quarterback Beau Pribula, who was in his first game back after dislocating his ankle in late October, and held standout running back Ahmad Hardy to 57 rushing yards. --- In a series of Week 13 " cupcakes," No. 3 Texas A&M defeated Samford 48-0 and No. 4 Georgia rolled past Charlotte 35-3. Both teams are still favorites for a first-round bye in the playoff, a spot Georgia reached last week after a 35-10 rout of Texas. --- No. 1 Ohio State overcame a slow start and kept its unbeaten record intact on Saturday with a 42-9 victory over Rutgers. The Buckeyes went on a 28-6 run in the second half. --- No. 6 Oregon knocked off No. 16 USC 42-27 on Saturday. The Ducks pulled ahead with a pair of touchdowns before halftime and maintained the lead throughout the third and fourth quarters. --- No. 13 Utah narrowly dodged an upset loss to Kansas State, scoring two touchdowns in the final three minutes of the game to overcome a 47-37 deficit and sealing the deal with a late interception.

Falling out of the picture --- The slide continued for a Louisville team once thought to be on its way to the ACC championship game. The Cardinals lost their third straight, dropping 38-6 to an SMU team on the rise. --- Missouri is at risk of falling out of the rankings after a loss to Oklahoma on Saturday. The 17-6 loss marked the Tigers' fourth of the season. --- USC's playoff chances plummeted after a loss to Oregon which was largely viewed an elimination game. The Trojans fell to 8-3 on the season and 6-2 in conference play.

On the rise --- No. 24 Tulane has three-straight wins and a 9-2 record after beating Temple 37-13. Tulane is a strong contender for a spot in the College Football Playoff, earning the No. 12 seed in the most recent CFP bracket as the highest ranked Group of Five team.

Top games to watch

--- No. 11 BYU (9-1, 6-1 Big 12, No. 11 CFP) at Cincinnati (7-3, 5-2). BYU bounced back quite well from its loss at Texas Tech, hammering TCU at home. The Cougars go on the road for another challenging game against a Bearcats team that was ranked a week ago. BetMGM Sportsbook: BYU by 2 1/2. --- Pittsburgh (7-3, 5-1 ACC) at No. 15 Georgia Tech (9-1, 6-1, No. 16 CFP). The CFP selection committee made it clear the Yellow Jackets are hurt by their strength of schedule. This is a chance for a quality win. Pittsburgh clings to ACC title game hopes. BetMGM Sportsbook: Georgia Tech by 2 1/2. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football