What a wild ride to wrap up the college football regular season - and if this weekend was any indication, buckle up for a chaotic conference championship week.
Let’s start with the headliners. Texas pulled off a statement win over Texas A&M, shaking up the postseason picture and giving Longhorn fans something to shout about heading into December.
That win not only boosts Texas’ bowl positioning but also throws a wrench into the SEC’s playoff hopes. Meanwhile, Auburn nearly flipped the Iron Bowl on its head, pushing Alabama to the brink in a rivalry game that lived up to its name.
The Tigers came close to pulling off one of the season’s biggest upsets, but the Crimson Tide held on just long enough to avoid disaster.
Oklahoma, on the other hand, is still very much in the playoff hunt - but just barely. The Sooners needed every ounce of grit to escape LSU with a narrow win, keeping their postseason dreams alive for at least one more week.
It wasn’t pretty, but it was enough. And in a rivalry that always delivers, Ohio State got the better of Michigan in The Game, with Ryan Day picking up his second career win over the Wolverines.
That victory could prove pivotal not only for Day’s standing in Columbus but also in shaping the top of the playoff bracket.
Elsewhere around the country, New Mexico State’s Diego Pavia continued his under-the-radar Heisman campaign with another strong outing, this time against Tennessee. Pavia might not be a household name just yet, but he's forcing his way into the conversation with performances that demand attention.
In the coaching carousel, things are moving fast. Tulane’s Jon Sumrall is on his way to Florida, a move that could have ripple effects across the Group of Five landscape.
Meanwhile, Alex Golesh is leaving South Florida to take the Auburn job - a big leap for a coach who’s quickly climbed the ranks. Expect Auburn to lean into Golesh’s offensive mind as they look to retool in the always-competitive SEC.
And perhaps the most surprising development of the weekend? SMU’s upset loss to Cal.
That result could have major implications for the ACC, which now faces the very real possibility of being left out of the College Football Playoff altogether. It’s a tough pill to swallow for a conference that’s struggled to find consistency at the top this season.
With all that chaos in the rearview, the AP Top 25 saw some notable shakeups. Texas Tech, Notre Dame, and North Texas all made their way into the rankings, while Georgia Tech also cracked the Top 25 for the first time this season. As teams jockey for final playoff positioning and bowl invites, these rankings will be under a microscope heading into championship weekend.
College football delivered drama, upsets, and playoff-shifting moments - and we haven’t even reached December yet. Conference titles are on the line next week, and if this past weekend taught us anything, it’s that absolutely nothing is off the table.