Saturday’s biggest message was simple: the teams with something to prove either answered the bell or got exposed.
Notre Dame landed on the right side of that line with a 31-24 win over Miami, and that was enough to earn the Fighting Irish an A. This was never about pretty football or padding numbers.
It was about surviving a game that could shape the rest of the season, and Marcus Freeman’s team did exactly that. Notre Dame even built a 24-3 lead at one point against the nation’s No. 1 team before Miami clawed back and forced the Irish to make a couple of late stops.
It got tense late, but the result was the point.
The Irish also got the kind of quarterback performance they needed from CJ Carr. He went over 300 passing yards for the first time this season, and Miami’s secondary had no real answer for him.
Notre Dame’s defense did its part early too, especially with a second-quarter goal-line stand that turned a first-and-goal from the 1 into a chip-shot field goal. In a borderline must-win spot, Notre Dame handled the assignment.
Ohio State, on the other hand, walked away with an F after a 41-28 loss to Oregon. The Buckeyes were already dealing with the absence of starting quarterback Julian Sayin, but the bigger problem was on the other side of the ball.
Ohio State’s defense has now allowed 30-plus points in back-to-back regular season losses for the first time since 1990, and Oregon made that look painfully real with three straight long touchdown drives across the second and third quarters. Two late Buckeye scores made the final margin look better than the game felt.
Georgia was the day’s most emphatic winner, rolling to a 42-7 victory at Ole Miss for an A+. The Bulldogs piled up 221 yards in the first quarter alone and jumped to a 21-0 lead one minute into the second quarter, never giving the Rebels a chance to breathe. That kind of road domination in a hostile environment backed up the predictive metrics and reinforced what the numbers had been hinting at: when Georgia shows up like that, it looks like the best team in college football.
Utah earned a B+ in a 28-20 win over BYU, and this one had more twists than the final score suggests. BYU stormed back from an early 14-0 deficit with 20 straight points to close the first half, but Utah’s defense tightened in the second half and stole the momentum back.
The Utes picked off Bear Bachmeier three times after halftime, and Devon Dampier used his legs late in the third quarter to help Utah regain the lead for good. It wasn’t clean, but both sides of the ball made enough plays to get it done.
Alabama checked in with an A after a 31-13 win at LSU. The Crimson Tide defense controlled the red zone, holding LSU to one touchdown on four trips inside the 20, and also made life miserable on key downs by limiting the Tigers to 5 of 19 on third- and fourth-down chances.
Offensively, Alabama only ran 53 plays, but Keelon Russell threw three touchdown passes. Ryan Coleman-Williams, back from injury, added a rushing touchdown and a huge punt return in the fourth quarter.
The run game wasn’t special, but an 18-point road win at LSU is hard to nitpick.
Texas picked up an A- with a 34-20 win at Missouri. Arch Manning stayed clean in the turnover column and threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns while bringing the Longhorns back from a 20-13 deficit.
He was also sacked three times, a reminder that the offensive line still has issues. Even so, with Cam Coleman sidelined by injury, it was a strong day for Manning.
Texas also got a critical defensive play in the fourth quarter, its only sack of the day, which flipped the field and set up the go-ahead touchdown.
Ole Miss came out of the weekend with the harshest grade of all: an F after Georgia’s 42-7 beatdown. Not even Trinidad Chambliss could rescue the Rebels from a game in which Georgia controlled every phase.
The Bulldogs exposed Ole Miss on both sides of the ball, piling up explosive plays and leaving first-year coach Pete Golding with a rough reminder of how far this one got away. The Rebels had beaten Georgia in last year’s CFP quarterfinals, but this time the roles were completely reversed.
LSU’s day wasn’t as brutal on the scoreboard as Ole Miss’s, but the Tigers still took a hit in the grades after Alabama’s road win. Their run defense held up reasonably well, but the secondary gave up too many explosive passing plays in a rare loss as a home favorite.
No. 4 Indiana had a bye. The report card also tracked teams that started or ended the day with national championship odds of +3000 or better, with 2026 odds listed courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
In Other News...
LSU Star Took A Shot At Alabama Even After The Loss
Alabamas 31-13 win over LSU was built in the second half, when the Crimson Tide put together three touchdown drives and steadily pulled away from a game that had been tighter earlier on. The result pushed Alabama to 7-2 and left LSU at 6-3, a setback that did more than just dent the Tigers record.
Afterward, LSU safety Ty Benefield pointed the blame inward, saying the loss came down to his own teams mistakes rather than anything Alabamas offense did. It was the kind of postgame assessment that can linger, especially with LSUs playoff hopes now taking a hit and Alabama continuing to build momentum down the stretch. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama's Playoff Hopes Were Slipping Until One Drive Changed Everything
Alabamas playoff push had started to look shaky when LSU nudged ahead late in the third quarter, but the Tide steadied themselves just in time to keep the conversation alive. Kalen DeBoers team leaned into the kind of simple, disciplined football he has stressed all season, staying focused and executing when the game tightened up.
One drive flipped the feel of the night, sparked by Rico Scotts 57-yard reception and finished with a touchdown pass from Keelon Russell to Josh Ford. Ryan Coleman-Williams also made his presence felt in his return from injury, giving Alabama another needed piece as it found a way to answer LSU and protect its postseason hopes. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Fans Got Another Reason To Enjoy Lane Kiffins Misery
Lane Kiffins latest trip through Tuscaloosa ended the same way so many of the others have, with Alabama leaving him looking for answers. LSUs loss to the Crimson Tide pushed Kiffin to 0-6 against Alabama in his coaching career, and it came in a game where the Tide got enough from quarterback Keelon Russell to keep control even after Russell dealt with an injury. For Alabama fans, it was another satisfying chapter in a long-running storyline that has rarely gone their way when Kiffin is on the opposing sideline.
The biggest moment came late, when Kiffins fourth-and-10 decision turned into a sack and effectively shut the door on LSUs chances. It was the kind of call that invites second-guessing immediately, especially in a game already tilted by Alabamas steadier execution. For the Tide, the win was about more than just another conference result. It was also another reminder that Kiffins frustration against Alabama continues to pile up, one loss at a time. [Read more 🡒]