College Football Winners and Losers from Week 14
It was make-or-break time for the College Football Playoff hopefuls on championship weekend.
After a fantastic start to the weekend in a Pac-12 title game that went down to the final minutes, the playoff picture got a little bit clearer. But just how clear are things?
It feels murkier than ever with six true threats for the final four spots in the College Football Playoff following Saturday's action.
Alabama shook things up in a MASSIVE way by handing Georgia its first loss in the past three seasons, proving the Crimson Tide belong right in the thick of the playoff conversation. Did that knock the Bulldogs out of the playoff picture? You have to think so.
Texas (which beat the Tide earlier this year) demoralized Oklahoma State to do all it can to get into the playoffs. Michigan and Washington took care of business, so both of them are in. But what do you do with an unbeaten Florida State team that looks mediocre post-Jordan Travis injury now that Alabama, Texas and Georgia remain in the picture?
There are so many ways the committee can go. But several things were settled on the field this weekend. Here are the big winners and losers.
Winner: Washington's Duck Hunting Skills
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Washington punched its ticket to the College Football Playoff in grand fashion—somehow squeezing out its second three-point victory over Oregon this year, 34-31, in an epic Pac-12 title game showdown.
Coach Kalen DeBoer embraced Heisman Trophy hopeful quarterback Michael Penix Jr. at midfield afterward, a touching moment following a career that saw the signal-caller suffer four season-ending injuries. Now, he's got the opportunity to be a title winner.
The unbeaten Huskies were double-digit underdogs this go-round against the Ducks. Throughout the last half of the season following the narrow win over Oregon on October 14, they'd walked plenty of tight ropes.
Single-digit victories over lowly Arizona State and Stanford, tough shootout wins over USC and Utah and nail-biters over Oregon State and Washington State left many questioning the Huskies. Meanwhile, Dan Lanning's Ducks were steamrolling teams.
But Washington proved it's worthy of college football's final four. After blowing an early 17-point lead, the Huskies out-toughed the Ducks.
DeBoer's team grinded out a 10-play, 75-yard drive to pull ahead 27-24 after they'd fallen behind for the first time. While Penix was the catalyst, running back Dillon Johnson's four crucial carries for 15 yards and the go-ahead score set the tone.
Penix and Johnson again played pivotal roles in a 12-play, 82-yard drive that masterfully whittled off 6:20 from the clock and gave the Huskies a 10-point advantage. After a quick-strike Ducks TD made it a three-point game, Johnson willed the Huskies to run out the clock.
"They gave me everything," DeBoer told ABC of his offensive line afterward.
While Penix will get the headlines for out-dueling Bo Nix in a Heisman Trophy grudge match, throwing for 319 yards and a score, Johnson added 152 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Huskies proved the more physical, battle-tested team.
"We just continued to believe that, you know, we have what it takes, and that's all we need," Penix told ABC after the game. "We just had to go out there and execute, and that's what we were able to do at the end of the game."
Loser: The College Football Playoff Committee, Come Sunday
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What now?
If you aren't ready for chaos, gnashing of teeth, endless second guesses and at least one (and probably more) fan bases thinking their team got the absolute shaft and the fix is in, maybe don't turn on your television Sunday.
When the College Football Playoff committee releases its final four teams on Sunday in the final year before we go to a 12-team playoff, somebody–likely a bunch of somebodies–isn't going to be happy.
Michigan's win over Iowa guarantees the Wolverines are in. The same goes for Washington, which remained unbeaten with its second win of the year over Oregon. But what happens after that?
Florida State didn't do the committee any favors against Louisville. Yes, the Seminoles won the game to remain unbeaten and earn the ACC crown, but without starting quarterback Jordan Travis, whose season is over, are the 'Noles one of the top four teams?
Texas is a one-loss conference champion that should deserve heavy consideration, and Alabama's upset win over Georgia makes the Crimson Tide a favorite to get into the playoffs, too. If you have to pick between those two, the Longhorns beat the Tide earlier in the season in Tuscaloosa.
So, do you put in Florida State? Texas? Alabama? They can't all go.
Then there's Georgia, the team that entered the weekend No. 1 and still has just one loss, even if it was to 'Bama. That's not even mentioning Ohio State, which sat at home and watched Saturday's action with a single loss of their own.
Mass hysteria. Who do you pick? What's going to happen? The suspense is killing us.
Winner: Texas' College Football Playoff Statement
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Texas couldn't help that its Big 12 Championship Game foe was a mediocre Oklahoma State team that lost by a combined 68 points to South Alabama and UCF.
The Longhorns just took care of business in resounding fashion against the Cowboys on Saturday afternoon, waltzing past Mike Gundy's team 49-21 in a game that wasn't ever close. Now, they wait on the playoff picture to clear up.
While it's anybody's guess what the committee decides, the one-loss Longhorns' only setback of the season was a four-point, last-minute loss to Oklahoma. They also went on the road and upset an Alabama team that was seemingly everybody's sleeper darling heading into the weekend.
With its win, is Texas now in? There are several factors still in play, but the Horns did everything they could Saturday to cement their first appearance in the playoffs. Now, everybody now truly can say "Texas is back" and have it mean something.
Quinn Ewers was simply outstanding against the Cowboys, tying a Big 12 title game record with four touchdown tosses (all in the first half) and set a record with 452 passing yards. Backup running back Keilan Robinson added 75 rushing yards and a pair of scores, and the trio of top-tier pass-catchers—Adonai Mitchell, tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders and Xavier Worthy—had at least 86 receiving yards.
Now, (other than the committee's whims) the worry becomes Worthy, who suffered a lower-body injury against the Cowboys and was shown on camera on crutches late in the game.
They'll certainly need him if they get in the playoffs. The SEC awaits next year and Horns fans are ready for it, but there are more important possibilities in front of them this year. Saturday was the window dressing needed to show they belong.
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Loser: Georgia, For the First Time in 30 Tries
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The last time the Georgia Bulldogs lost a college football game was the 2021 SEC Championship Game to the Alabama Crimson Tide.
It was deja vu all over again on Saturday, as an Alabama team left-for-dead early in the season continued to improve and then thrive as the season progressed, ultimately smothering the Bulldogs with a devastating defense in this year's conference title game, winning 27-24 in a game that wasn't that close.
It was the first time the two-time defending national champion Dawgs have lost in 30 tries. Now with UGA's 29-game winning streak snapped, the question spins forward: Is it enough to get Alabama in the College Football Playoff?
That's going to be a huge part of the debate before tomorrow's announcement. Also, if you're going to start considering one-loss teams, is Georgia completely out of the conversation?
At this point, it feels like the Dawgs have lost at an such an inopportune time that it would be a shock to see them get in.
UGA has started off sluggishly too often this season, and while the Bulldogs looked dominant on their first drive with a quick touchdown, the offense stagnated afterward until a frenetic fourth quarter.
By then, Alabama's defense had set the tone, pressuring Carson Beck into poor decisions, stifling UGA's running game (2.5 yards per carry) and exposing the fact that the Dawgs' two biggest receiving weapons—Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey—were far from healthy and limped all over the field.
Jalen Milroe did the rest, completing his full-circle response from being benched early in the year to making massive play after massive play to secure the win and stun the Dawgs.
Winner: Michigan's Manufacturing
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The rugged Iowa defense has made a lot of teams look pretty paltry this season, and it was No. 2-ranked Michigan's turn on Saturday night in the Big Ten championship game.
Thankfully for the Wolverines, they found a way to generate points in other ways, as the Hawkeyes swallowed up Big Blue's vaunted rushing attack and their tightly packed zone coverage made things impossible on quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
With sustaining drives a foreign concept for Michigan, they squeezed important touchdowns by capitalizing on a Big Ten title game record punt return by a freshman and a controversial turnover on their way to a 26-0 win.
Semaj Morgan's electrifying 84-yard punt return to the Iowa 5-yard line where he side-stepped two defenders, reversed his field and then accelerated through the mass of humanity set up Blake Corum's first short rushing touchdown to make it 10-0.
That score stuck as Michigan's offense stalled and Iowa mustered just two total first downs until the 8-minute mark of the third quarter. But the Wolverines' defense made a massive play and benefited from a little controversy to increase their advantage.
With Iowa backed up inside its own 10-yard line, quarterback Deacon Hill dropped back to pass. As he was throwing, his arm was pulled back setting the ball loose. It was originally considered an incomplete pass but after a review, it was overturned and ruled a fumble, recovered by Michigan.
One play later, Corum rushed for another score, and they added three more points on another Hill turnover in the fourth quarter. Those miscues were too much to overcome for Iowa's inept offense, as the Wolverines punched their ticket to the playoff in an ugly but effective way.
Loser: Toledo's Repeat Hopes in the MAC
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Jason Candle's Toledo Rockets hadn't lost since a narrow, two-point setback to Illinois in the season opener, and they came into Saturday's MAC championship a touchdown favorite over Miami (Ohio).
But the RedHawks dominated on defense and special teams to keep the Rockets from repeating as MAC champs and capturing their first conference championship since 2019 with a 23-14 win.
Miami blocked two field goals and forced two turnovers, allowed just 4-of-14 third-down conversions, and while Toledo quarterback Dequan Finn was the best player on either side of the ball, the RedHawks did a great job limiting him. Though he accounted for 306 total yards and had two total touchdowns, his supporting cast didn't help.
The last of Miami's blocked field goals and turnovers culminated in a bizarre sequence. With Toledo down nine, it tried to kick a late field goal to set up an onside kick recovery to score twice. The RedHawks blocked the kick, but Toledo recovered, advanced the ball for a first down and retained possession.
But Finn then was picked off by Yahsyn McKee in the end zone to secure the Miami win.
Candle's high-powered offense was stuck in neutral much of the day, and while the RedHawks plodded along, quarterback Aveon Smith came up with the biggest play of the day when he scrambled for 50 yards on 3rd-and-3 with 4:16 left in the game to set up the final score.
At the time, Miami was only up 16-14, and Toledo was going to get the ball back with a stop on that play. Instead, Smith had the big run, the RedHawks capitalized with a touchdown and they got a big win to hand Toledo its second loss and move their own record to 11-2.
Winner: Florida State, But Was it Enough?
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On its face, leaving a blue blood like Florida State out of the College Football Playoff when it's an undefeated ACC champion seems like it would be an absolute travesty.
But after star quarterback Jordan Travis was lost for the season a couple of weeks ago against North Alabama, the Seminoles looked like a middling program in a win over rival Florida a week ago and then again in a 16-6 victory over Louisville in the ACC title game.
On one hand, the Seminoles rode a nasty defense that made things difficult on Cardinals quarterback Jack Plummer all night, sacking him seven times and keeping them out of the end zone. But after losing to Kentucky a week ago, Louisville wasn't scaring anybody.
On the other, third-string quarterback Brock Glenn completed just eight passes for 55 yards, and FSU had to capitalize on well-timed big plays like a long Lawrance Toafili scamper from the wildcat formation to set up a touchdown and an interception of Plummer in the end zone to stave off Louisville in another situation.
The 'Noles have been resilient, but are they a threat to win the title? Are they one of the four best teams? Saturday's sluggish win, no matter the circumstances, makes that a difficult pitch.
"There are a lot of great teams out there, a lot of talented team and there's a lot of teams with ability. But a lot of those teams have shown the ability and they've lost games," FSU coach Mike Norvell told the ABC crew after the game. "This team has not. This team has responded to all situations. This team has fought no matter what the circumstance was. They continue to believe in who they were, and that's what football is all about.
"It's hard to win a game, but these guys have found a way in every situation."
Is it enough, though? It felt like after wins by Alabama and Texas and Georgia falling to a one-loss team, Florida State—though unbeaten—needed some style points. They didn't get them at all.
Loser: College Football Fans as We Say Peace to the Pac-12
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The best conference in college football all year long has been the Pac-12, after so many frustrating years of futility.
Now, poof, it's gone.
After Friday night's made-for-primetime classic, 34-31 win by Washington over Oregon in the conference championship game in Las Vegas, we'll all give the Pac-12 (as we know it) one last, longing look in the rearview.
Boy, what a gift it gave us all in the finale. Not only did we witness two College Football Playoff-worthy programs go toe-to-toe in their second brilliant showdown of the season, but the game also featured a battle between two Heisman Trophy finalists in signal-callers Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix.
Both supporting casts were brilliant, with Dillon Johnson delivering haymakers running the ball for Washington and Jordan James shifting his way through defenders on the other side, enough elite receivers to outfit NFL rosters for years to come and big-boy battles along the lines of scrimmage.
Now, everybody takes their ball and goes in opposite directions. Oregon and Washington will join USC and UCLA in the new-look Big Ten. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah are heading to the Big 12, while California and Stanford will play in the Atlantic Coast Conference...despite being on the Pacific side.
The news also came Friday that the two Pac-12 programs left standing—Oregon State and Washington State—will play six Mountain West opponents and five Power Five opponents in '24.
For those who think conference realignment has ruined college football, that may be a stretch. But things are definitely going to be weird and a bit sad, especially after such a superb swan song at Allegiant Stadium.
Winner: Nick Saban With Another Gold Standard
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Alabama future Hall of Fame coach Nick Saban has seven national championships. So, while the Crimson Tide await the College Football Playoff committee's decision on whether or not the one-loss team will get into the final four, it may sound crazy to say it, but...
The 2023 season is Saban's best coaching job in his storied career.
Simply put, this Alabama team wasn't very good at all early in the season. The Tide had to replace quarterback Bryce Young and both the offensive and defensive coordinators. They lost by 10 to Texas, benched quarterback Jalen Milroe and were in a one-score game with South Florida before winning 17-3 on September 16.
The offensive line was in shambles, and the whispers got louder about whether Saban was in the twilight of his career, especially considering how dominant Georgia had become.
Still, Alabama made adjustments. Tommy Rees began to get in a flow calling games, and Milroe was re-inserted and thrived. Veteran coordinator Kevin Steele's defense carried the team, and Saban built confidence.
Then, on Saturday, the Tide faced mighty Georgia on a gargantuan stage, and they outplayed the Dawgs in every facet of the game.
"I guess they wanted to prove to all the naysayers out there that we could do it," Saban told CBS afterward. "This is great. Man, I'm so proud of this team, proud of our players, proud of our fans. Winning the SEC is big."
Milroe was the catalyst, and Saban's elite recruiting proved key throughout a game where the Tide showed they were every bit as talented. Shrewd portal plugs made big plays, including two former UGA players—Trezmen Marshall recovered a fumble that set up a field goal and receiver Jermaine Burton caught a touchdown pass.
Those early season weaknesses? They were strengths against the Dawgs. And Saban proved he's still the best coach around with his best job so far.
Loser: Barry Odom's Storybook Season at UNLV
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There's no questioning what Barry Odom has done in one season at UNLV, as he's overseen a remarkable turnaround for the Runnin' Rebels.
After they fired Marcus Arroyo a season ago after he'd amassed a 7-23 record, they made a hire that didn't really register much on the national radar by getting Odom, an Arkansas coordinator who was fired from his last head coaching job at Missouri.
Sometimes, the quiet hires are the best ones, as Odom won the Mountain West Conference coach of the year. But as good as the Runnin' Rebs have been all year, they hit a wall the past two weekends.
After finishing the year with a loss to San Jose State, UNLV still made the title game against Boise State, but got pounded 44-20, souring some of those good vibes as the Rebels fell to 9-4.
Despite firing coach Andy Avalos on November 12, Boise has been improving as the season progressed and won the title, despite just an 8-5 record overall.
The difference on Saturday was quarterback Taylen Green, for which UNLV had zero answers. He was elusive when he ran, gaining 90 yards and scoring twice. He was dynamic with his big arm, throwing for 226 yards and two scores. Running back Ashton Jeanty added 153 more rushing yards as Boise controlled the game.
Three costly turnovers kept UNLV from ever really closing the gap and allowed Green and the Broncos to pull away and win easily. What Odom is building in Vegas is strong, but it wasn't ready for the big stage.
Winner: Perfect Liberty's New Year's Six Audition
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It was cold, spitting rain and miserable in Lynchburg, Virginia, on Friday night for the Conference USA championship game.
But it was perfect conditions for Liberty.
The Flames remained spotless on the season after pulling away from upstart New Mexico State in the fourth quarter to win 49-35 in a home game for the conference title, moving to 13-0.
"If you've watched us for 13 weeks, we're the best G5 team in this country," Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell told the Associated Press after the game. "Six wins over bowl teams. Our average margin of victory is 17 points. We have dominated our opponents. We belong in that New Year's Six."
With Tulane's loss to SMU, Liberty may be the odds-on favorite for the Group of Five's recipient of a New Year's Six bowl bid.
Following former coach Hugh Freeze's exit to Auburn, Liberty hired Chadwell away from Coastal Carolina, a team he made a mid-major darling back in 2020. His eye-candy offense with pre-snap shifts, a wide-open attack and a little option sprinkled in had the ideal maestro in starting quarterback Kaidon Salter, who started his career at Tennessee but blossomed into a star this year.
Against the Aggies, he was almost perfect, mirroring his team's spotlessness. Salter completed 20-of-25 passes for 319 yards, ran 12 times for 165 yards and accounted for three touchdowns.
Even with Salter's exceptional effort, the game was back-and-forth until New Mexico State star quarterback Diego Pavia sat during crunch time after apparently re-aggravating a shoulder injury that kept him from practicing most of the week.
Freshman Blaze Berlowitz entered and had some nice moments, but the Flames dialed up pressure on him on the final two drives, forced him into mistakes and built their lead to two scores on their way to a big win to stay unbeaten.
Loser: Tulane's New Year's Six Hopes
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Last year, Tulane gave the college football world a thrill by beating USC in the Cotton Bowl 46-45 after the Green Wave won the AAC and represented the Group of Five in the New Year's Six bowl game.
There won't be a repeat, however, as a more talented SMU team gave Willie Fritz's Green Wave fits on both sides of the ball in a 26-14 win.
For Tulane, it was an offensive effort in futility in a season that has been so uneven after losing running back Tyjae Spears. Quarterback Michael Pratt has led the Wave when healthy all year, but he was unable to get any drive consistency against the Mustangs.
Tulane was just 2-for-15 on third-down conversions and mustered 269 total yards. On the ground, just 31 rushing yards made the Wave one-dimensional, and SMU's incredible improvement on the back end of the defense showed as they shut down Pratt's passing, too.
While Fritz's defense did its own good work against SMU's high-powered offensive attack, the Mustangs found life after star quarterback Preston Stone's season-ending injury last week, as freshman Kevin Jennings passed for 203 yards, ran for 63 more and did just enough to keep SMU ahead all day.
Tulane found ways to win all year but was never the same dominant mid-major program it was a year ago. Fritz's terrific coaching found a way to win 11 games, but the luck ran out on Saturday against another quality team that won its 11th with the victory.
Rhett Lashlee's team finishes unbeaten in the conference and now becomes Liberty's biggest threat to represent the Group of Five in a New Year's Day bowl.
Winner: Troy's Sun Belt Ownership, Via Vidal
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When the coaching carousel heats up here pretty soon, several private planes should have Troy, Alabama, on the itinerary.
That's where coach Jon Sumrall leads the Trojans, and while you may not keep tabs on the Sun Belt Conference, Troy has claimed ownership of that league the past two years.
They did again Saturday with their second consecutive conference championship win, this time over Appalachian State by the score of 49-23. The reason why is because of Sumrall's ability to develop stars like junior running back Kimani Vidal, who is one of college football's best players you don't know about.
He posted one of the best title game showings you'll ever see against Appalachian State.
The junior from Marietta, Georgia, entered the game seventh in the nation with 1,349 rushing yards, and he torched the Mountaineers as the rain poured down in Troy's home stadium. He wound up finishing for 241 yards and five scores.
This season's Troy title needs an asterisks beside it. James Madison should have gotten to play for it but didn't because of an archaic NCAA rule that precludes the Dukes from playing for a conference championship as they transition from the FCS. But the Trojans took advantage and whipped a Mountaineers team that handed JMU its only loss a week ago.
Troy has won 10 games in a row after starting the season 1-2.
The biggest catalyst in the win was Vidal, which is no surprise to anybody who has watched the Trojans play this year. While JMU signal-caller Jordan McCloud won the league's player of the year, Vidal took home the offensive player of the year.
That's a third of his total TDs for the year entering the game. He carried the team, just like he has all year, and a dominant defense did the rest to help Troy pull away.
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