Rivalry weekend was expected to deliver some drama, and that was about what was delivered; there was some, if not much. There was only one real top of the poll impact, with a number of schools on the bubble now looking to catch the eye of the playoff committee.
The conference finals are going to be the final determining factor. Would an Alabama loss in the SEC final see them bounced? Will James Madison or North Texas come in from the outside? And can Duke actually go to the playoffs over Miami if they manage to upset Virginia? These are the migraine-inducing questions the Playoff Committee will be contending with in the coming weeks
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The Lane Kiffin drama comes to a conclusion, with reports that he will jump ship and go to LSU. How this impacts Ole Miss in the postseason is a question mark. He was told by athletic director Keith Carter that he would not be coaching for the playoffs. Meanwhile, Tulane coach Jon Sumrall will remain on staff for the American Conference title game and a possible playoff slot, despite being named the new head of the Florida Gators program.
Lane Kiffin speaks with ESPN’s Marty Smith about the decision to leave Ole Miss for LSU as he’s about to get on the plane. 🏈🎙️ #CFB https://t.co/wH3EcY6NcC pic.twitter.com/Suvet4bqNU
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 30, 2025
- While social media trolling after a victory is perfunctory, the Longhorns trolled the Aggies in real time, playing a clip of A&M coach Mike Elko declaring his team the flagship program in Texas on the stadium scoreboard following their loss.
- Michigan defender Jaishawn Barham appeared to head-butt an official but only drew a penalty and was not ejected.
THESE MICHIGAN GOONS ARE CLASSLESS HE JUST HEADBUTTED A REF pic.twitter.com/MZcNt2tO8E
— wok (@dontsipwok) November 29, 2025
- Since the playoff format, Texas Tech is just the third team to have 11 wins by 20 points or greater. The other two: Alabama in 2018, and Ohio State in 2019.
- After a loss to the Wolfpack, Bill Belichick’s first season ended without a bowl bid, as the Tar Heels went 0-8 against teams with at least five wins.
- While Clemson went 7-5, there are postseason questions for Dabo and his program at Clemson. Duke is at 7-5 and playing for the ACC Championship.
Ohio State 27 – Michigan 9
The Buckeyes have been a dominant force for years, and even as defending champions, they had one smudge on their resume. Much talk was of it being over 2,000 days since they beat the Wolverines, and in frigid conditions in Ann Arbor, the first quarter almost seemed to extend that misery, but then the expected took place. Ohio State outscored Michigan 24-3 for the remaining three quarters, holding the home team to just 163 total yards and doubling the time of possession. The Buckeyes were monstrous with conversions, going 10/17 on third downs, and 2/3 on 4th down as they cruised over their rival.
Texas 27 – Texas A&M 17
The Lone Star matchup in Austin on Friday was a tight one, with the Aggies leading at the half but spinning their wheels coming out of halftime. A&M punted on three consecutive possessions, and then, while rallying in the 4th, Marcel Reed had a pair of interceptions, with one inside the 5-yard line. Arch Manning delivered the dagger with a 35-yard touchdown run with seven minutes to play.
Oklahoma 17 – LSU 13
In a game where the first half was nearly unwatchable (3-3 at the break), it was only marginally better later. The Sooners have probably secured a playoff slot despite a sputtering offense that relied on two big touchdowns, with passes of 48 and 58 yards for scores. Otherwise, it was a smothering defense that held the Tigers to under 200 yards of total offense, despite three interceptions from John Mateer.
Miami 38 – Pitt 7
The Hurricanes continue to deliver problems for the selection committee as they went into a cold Acrisure Stadium and dominated the ranked Panthers. Carson Beck continued his strong November, passing for 267 yards and three TDs, and freshman sensation Malichi Toney caught 13 passes, one for a touchdown, and made another score on a passing play.
Vanderbilt 45 – Tennessee 24
It looked like doom for the Commodores’ postseason chances when turnovers staked the Vols with a 14-0 lead, but Diego Pavia turned up the heat, and the score was tied at 21 by halftime. Pavia managed 423 total yards, including 165 rushing with a passing and rushing TD. Sedrick Alexander compounded the problems as he gave Vanderbilt another 115 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
CONFERENCE FINALS
Friday, Dec. 5
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SUN BELT – Troy at James Madison 7 p.m. on ESPN
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AMERICAN ATHLETIC – North Texas vs. Tulane 8 p.m. on ABC
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MOUNTAIN WEST Boise State vs. UNLV 8 p.m. on FOX
Saturday, Dec. 6
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BIG 12 – BYU vs. Texas Tech 12 p.m. on ABC
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MID ATLANTIC Western Michigan vs. Miami (OH) 12 p.m. on ESPN
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SEC – Georgia vs. Alabama 4 p.m. on ABC
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ACC – Virginia vs. Duke 8 p.m. on ABC
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BIG 10 – Ohio State vs. Indiana 8 p.m. on FOX
The new AP top-25 (First place votes): Tennessee, Arizona State, and SMU fall off the chart as Arizona, Navy, and Missouri enter the poll.
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Ohio State (61)
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Indiana (5)
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Georgia
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Oregon
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Texas Tech
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Ole Miss
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Texas A&M
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Oklahoma
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Notre Dame
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Alabama
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BYU
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Miami
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Vanderbilt
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Texas
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Utah
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Virginai
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USC
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Michigan
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James Madison
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North Texas
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Tulane
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Arizona
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Navy
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Georgia Tech
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Missouri
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