OXFORD, Miss. — The projected College Football Playoff top 12 did not change much after Week 13, and that stability helped Ole Miss keep its spot in the mix.
The Rebels sit at No. 6 again in ESPN’s projection, remaining close to Oregon for one of the tightest comparisons on the board.
The week brought few major matchups. Only two games involved ranked teams, leaving the field mostly unchanged.
That allowed Ole Miss to stay in place behind Texas Tech and ahead of Oregon, but the margin remains thin.
According to the projection, the Rebels’ win at Oklahoma remains one of the key reasons they are inside the top six.
That road victory carries weight because of its difficulty and because Oklahoma remains one of the highest-rated defensive teams in the field.
The committee has viewed Ole Miss and Oregon as nearly equal in several résumé categories. Their records are the same.
Their strength of record and strength of schedule numbers also sit close together, which keeps Oregon within reach of passing the Rebels.
The projection notes that Ole Miss is safe this week, but the team cannot afford a misstep entering the final stretch.
Even without major movement in the rankings, the conversation around Ole Miss continues to revolve around one question: Is Oklahoma the win that keeps the Rebels ahead, or will Oregon’s momentum give the Ducks a chance to pass them soon?
Rebels remain in top group with steady résumé
The top three spots in the projection stayed unchanged with Ohio State, Indiana and Texas A&M leading the field.
Georgia is projected at No. 4, followed by Texas Tech at No. 5. Ole Miss sits right behind them in a grouping that has held firm since early November.
The Rebels’ 10-1 record remains one of the stronger marks in the SEC, matched only by Georgia and Texas A&M.
Their road win at Oklahoma continues to give the résumé a boost, especially since the Sooners sit in the top eight of the projection and bring one of the best defenses in the field.
The projection notes that the gap between Ole Miss and Oregon may be the closest comparison of the entire top 12.
Oregon is coming off a needed win over USC, one that finally gave the Ducks the kind of game the committee had been waiting to see.
For Ole Miss, the story is less about what happened in Week 13 and more about what could happen next.
The Rebels stay ahead this week because nothing in the results forced a change, but that stability may not hold through rivalry action.
Oregon pressure grows behind the Rebels
Oregon sits just one spot behind Ole Miss and has a strong opportunity to jump them depending on how the final games unfold.
The Ducks’ upcoming matchup at Washington is one of the most meaningful games of the closing weekend.
The projection says Oregon’s win over USC was important, but the Ducks need more to push ahead of the Rebels. A win over Washington could give Oregon the kind of top-level result that could match or surpass what Ole Miss has already done.
Meanwhile, the Rebels’ path is tied to what happens in their own game and elsewhere in the SEC.
Ole Miss must win the Egg Bowl and also depend on Texas A&M and Alabama losing in order to reach the SEC championship game.
While that chase does not directly affect the top-12 projection, it could alter how the committee views the overall résumé.
For now, though, the story is simple: Ole Miss is projected at No. 6, but Oregon is close enough to create real tension going into rivalry week.
Rivalry week raises stakes for SEC contenders
The projection outlines how narrow the margins are for teams grouped together in the middle tier.
Ole Miss, Oregon, Oklahoma and Notre Dame are all within striking distance of each other. One result can shift multiple spots.
Ole Miss benefits from the calm of Week 13, but the coming weekend does not offer the same comfort.
Changes are likely once the rivalry games are finished, and the Rebels may need both a win and stable results behind them to keep their place.
If Ole Miss handles its business, the résumé should be strong enough to hold near the top six regardless of movement around them.
But if Oregon delivers a major win, the committee could look again at how close the numbers are.
Key takeaways
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Ole Miss remains No. 6 in the projected CFP top 12, holding steady after a quiet Week 13.
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Oregon continues to challenge the Rebels for position, with the two teams nearly identical in key résumé metrics.
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Rivalry week could shift the standings, meaning Ole Miss must win and hope other results break in its favor.
