With groups getting into the back-half of their 2025 schedules, the School Soccer Playoff image is starting to take form.
We’ll get a greater concept of which applications might be taking part in significant video games deep into the 12 months this weekend, headlined by three Related Press high 25 SEC showdowns for the second week in a row.
Beneath, we take a more in-depth have a look at 5 Week 9 video games this Saturday that may have the largest impression on the playoff race.
No. 8 Ole Miss Rebels (6-1, 3-1 in SEC) at No. 13 Oklahoma Sooners (6-1, 2-1 in SEC)
12 p.m. ET • ABC
Ole Miss and Oklahoma each want a win to stay within the SEC title sport dialog. The Rebels have a positive schedule after this weekend, making the ranked SEC showdown their final likelihood to notch a top quality regular-season win. The Sooners, in the meantime, are starting a stretch of 5 consecutive video games towards groups presently ranked within the AP ballot. A loss to Ole Miss would certainly not remove Oklahoma, however it will depart it with none margin of error towards what ranks because the second-toughest remaining power of schedule in response to ESPN’s Football Power Index.
No. 18 South Florida Bulls (6-1, 3-0 in American) at Memphis Tigers (6-1, 2-1 in American)
12 p.m. ET • ESPN2
Count on a playoff ambiance in Memphis. The Tigers could possibly be in a must-win scenario after final weekend’s beautiful loss to UAB (3-4, 1-3 in American). Per ESPN’s FPI, South Florida has one of the best likelihood (46 p.c) of incomes an computerized CFB bid, and a win over Memphis would transfer it nearer to qualifying for the American Convention championship sport, step one in reaching the 12-team playoff.
However the Tigers might open the door for chaos by handing the Bulls their first convention lack of the season. The American championship sport winner would doubtless nonetheless be the favourite to achieve the playoff, however James Madison (6-1, 4-0 in Solar Belt), UNLV (6-1, 2-1 in MWC) and Boise State (5-2, 3-0 in MWC), amongst others, would have a extra viable pathway if the convention continues to beat itself.
No. 15 Missouri Tigers (6-1, 2-1 in SEC) at No. 10 Vanderbilt Commodores (6-1, 2-1 in SEC)
3:30 p.m. ET • ESPN
Vanderbilt inched nearer to an inconceivable CFP berth with final weekend’s win over LSU, this system’s first within the sequence in 35 years. With difficult upcoming highway video games towards No. 22 Texas (5-2, 2-1 in SEC) and No. 17 Tennessee (5-2, 2-2 in SEC), the Commodores might use one other high 25 win to keep away from falling too far with losses towards both (or each).
Per ESPN’s interactive playoff predictor, the Commodores would nonetheless have a greater than 1-in-4 likelihood (26 p.c) of creating the playoff with a win over Missouri and losses to Texas and Tennessee — assuming it additionally wins dwelling video games towards Auburn (3-4, 0-4 in SEC) and Kentucky (2-4, 0-4 in SEC).
Missouri has been slept on within the SEC race, nevertheless it’s the one program to rank within the high 5 within the convention in each scoring offense (39 factors per sport) and protection (16.7 factors per sport). It has different tough remaining video games towards Texas A&M and Oklahoma, and the playoff predictor suggests Mizzou could possibly be a close to lock for a playoff spot with wins in two of its three hardest remaining video games, together with beating Mississippi State (4-3, 0-3 in SEC) and Arkansas (2-5, 0-3 in SEC).
No. 11 BYU Cougars (7-0, 4-0 in Huge 12) vs. Iowa State Cyclones (5-2, 2-2 in Huge 12)
3:30 p.m. ET • Fox
The Huge 12’s dream situation of securing two playoff bids doubtless hinges on BYU operating the desk throughout the common season earlier than falling within the convention title sport. Iowa State, as soon as a high Huge 12 contender, has nosedived with back-to-back losses after dropping its high two cornerbacks for the season, however can flip the convention right into a one-bid league with a house win. In line with ESPN BET, the Cyclones are a 3.5-point favourite.
No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies (7-0, 4-0 in SEC) at No. 20 LSU Tigers (5-2, 2-2 in SEC)
7:30 p.m. ET • ABC
Dying Valley could possibly be the place LSU’s playoff desires go to die if the Tigers are unable to tug off an upset over Texas A&M, which hasn’t received in Baton Rouge since 1994 however stands because the SEC’s final undefeated crew. The Aggies presently have an 84 p.c likelihood of reaching the playoff, and that can solely enhance with win on Saturday. However dropping to LSU, adopted by defeats later this season at Missouri and Texas, would drop their odds to 44 p.c, barring further losses to both South Carolina (3-4, 1-4 in SEC) or FCS Samford (1-6, 1-4 in Southern).
