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 thought of which packages will probably be enjoying significant video games deep into the yr this weekend, headlined by three Related Press prime 25 SEC showdowns for the second week in a row.
Under, we take a better have a look at 5 Week 9 video games this Saturday that may have the most important 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 recreation 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 in opposition to groups at the moment ranked within the AP ballot. A loss to Ole Miss would under no circumstances remove Oklahoma, however it might go away it with none margin of error in opposition to what ranks because the second-toughest remaining energy of schedule based on ESPN’s Soccer Energy 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 environment in Memphis. The Tigers could possibly be in a must-win state of affairs after final weekend’s gorgeous loss to UAB (3-4, 1-3 in American). Per ESPN’s FPI, South Florida has the very best likelihood (46 p.c) of incomes an automated CFB bid, and a win over Memphis would transfer it nearer to qualifying for the American Convention championship recreation, 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 recreation winner would possible 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 in opposition to 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 prime 25 win to keep away from falling too far with losses in opposition to 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 constructing the playoff with a win over Missouri and losses to Texas and Tennessee — assuming it additionally wins dwelling video games in opposition to Auburn (3-4, 0-4 in SEC) and Kentucky (2-4, 0-4 in SEC).
Missouri has been slept on within the SEC race, however it’s the one program to rank within the prime 5 within the convention in each scoring offense (39 factors per recreation) and protection (16.7 factors per recreation). It has different tough remaining video games in opposition to 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 Large 12) vs. Iowa State Cyclones (5-2, 2-2 in Large 12)
3:30 p.m. ET • Fox
The Large 12’s dream state of affairs of securing two playoff bids possible hinges on BYU working the desk in the course of the common season earlier than falling within the convention title recreation. Iowa State, as soon as a prime Large 12 contender, has nosedived with back-to-back losses after shedding its prime two cornerbacks for the season, however can flip the convention right into a one-bid league with a house win. In response to 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
Demise 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 at the moment have an 84 p.c likelihood of reaching the playoff, and that can solely enhance with win on Saturday. However shedding to LSU, adopted by defeats later this season at Missouri and Texas, would drop their odds to 44 p.c, barring extra losses to both South Carolina (3-4, 1-4 in SEC) or FCS Samford (1-6, 1-4 in Southern).
