Winners and Losers from Week 12 of College Football
Yes, Week 11 of the college football season was billed as arguably the best all year long. However, this Saturday, Week 12, proved to have its own share of upsets, thrilling finishes and statement wins.
From Alabama knocking off No. 1 Mississippi State, to Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon's career day, Week 12 brought fans another eventful few days of football. And, of course, Florida State survived another scare.
Come Tuesday when the new playoff rankings are released, there are sure to be some interesting results.
But there's no use worrying about that just yet. It's time to look back at another great day of college football.
Which teams, players and coaches came out of Week 12 as winners? Which ones didn't?
Winner: USC Wide Receiver Nelson Agholor
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When presented with a short list of the best receivers in college football, you'd expect to see names like Alabama's Amari Cooper and West Virginia's Kevin White. It's officially time to add USC's Nelson Agholor to that list, if he wasn't on it already.
In a 38-30 win over Cal on Thursday, Agholor had a career-high 16 catches for 216 yards and a pair of touchdowns. For context, that accounted for more than 50 percent of quarterback Cody Kessler's 32 completions and 58 percent of his 371 passing yards.
"He continued to show that he is, in my opinion, one of the best receivers in the country. If not the best," Kessler told B/R's Kyle Kensing.
On the season, Agholor has 82 receptions for 1,079 yards and 10 touchdowns.
In other breaking news, Cal's pass defense remains terrible.
Loser: Cal's Fake Punt vs. USC
2 of 18Down 28-2 to USC in Thursday's loss to the Trojans, Cal, apparently wondering what it had to lose, attempted a fake punt deep in its own territory.
The results were...not good. And hilarious.
Bears punter Cole Leininger took two miraculous marches in place before shot-putting the ball for a failed fourth-down conversion. The form on the leg stomps, though? Perfect.
There's not much else to say. Just watch the video. It's hypnotic and I still haven't stopped giggling.
Winner: Ohio State Coach Urban Meyer
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Yes, Ohio State is almost always supposed to be good, but don't let that overshadow the coaching job Urban Meyer and his staff have done.
With a 31-24 win over Minnesota in arctic conditions, the Buckeyes have now reeled off eight straight wins since a tough early-season loss to Virginia Tech. Helping matters, even if only a little, was Virginia Tech's 17-16 win over Duke. It's not just that Ohio State lost to Virginia Tech; it's that the Hokies have gone belly-up ever since.
More than all of that, though, Ohio State's offense has completely transformed over the course of the year. It's not just the development of quarterback J.T. Barrett, either, though he will get most of the attention. Against Minnesota, Barrett set a single-season school record for touchdowns accounted for (37), and single-game records for the longest touchdown run by a quarterback (86 yards) and rushing yards by a quarterback (189).
But it's also the development of the offensive line, once porous, and the skill talent around Barrett. Simply put, this has been one of Meyer's best coaching jobs, if not the best, in recent memory.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Loser: Clemson
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Some days, it's just not your day. And Saturday's 28-6 loss to Georgia Tech was not Clemson's day.
It started when freshman quarterback Deshaun Watson, returning for the first time after missing the past three games with a hand injury, left the game in the first quarter with a knee injury. Three plays later, backup Cole Stoudt threw a pick-six on a screen pass.
It only got worse from there. Stoudt ended the day 3-of-11 for 19 yards and a total of three INTs. Third-string quarterback Nick Schuessler finished the game.
The loss will surely knock Clemson out of the Top 25, and an Orange Bowl berth now seems unlikely. Furthermore, not that it was much of a story, but Florida State has officially clinched the ACC Atlantic.
There's no official word on Watson's injury yet, but Clemson could stumble down the stretch without him. The Tigers offense simply isn't the same without Watson.
Winner: Wisconsin Running Back Melvin Gordon
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What Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon did in a 59-24 rout over Nebraska is truly remarkable.
Heading into Saturday's game, former TCU running back LaDainian Tomlinson held the FBS single-game record with 406 rushing yards. Upon rushing for his fourth touchdown of the day, Gordon surpassed that record with 408 yards of his own.
That was at the end of the third quarter. On 25 carries. Of course, it helped that Nebraska refused, perhaps on some unknown moral standing, to tackle.
Gordon was having a spectacular season even before the Nebraska game with three 200-yard performances. Through 10 games, Gordon has 1,909 yards and 23 rushing touchdowns. Barring injury or a substantial drop-off to end the season, Gordon has all but officially punched his ticket to the Heisman ceremony in New York.
Then again, every player has their bad moments. The only team to hold Gordon to under 100 yards this season? FCS powerhouse Western Illinois.
Loser: Florida
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Just when you think Florida coach Will Muschamp has run out of inventive ways to lose a game, you get what happened on Saturday against South Carolina.
The Gators, with an opportunity to go up 20-10 midway through the fourth quarter, had a 32-yard field goal attempt blocked. Then, on Florida's next possession, a Kyle Christy punt was blocked, giving South Carolina the ball, down one touchdown, at the Gators 34-yard line.
On the ensuing drive, the Gamecocks scored the tying touchdown with just seconds remaining. South Carolina would go on to win in overtime, 23-20.
In an era of gut punches, that might have been the hardest one for Muschamp and Co. Back-to-back wins against Georgia and Vanderbilt seemed to indicate Florida could finish the season strong. Instead, the Gators coughed up a lead in the worst way possible.
"I'm getting old when you start feeling for the other coach," South Carolina Steve Spurrier said afterward, per Josh Kendall of The State.
And, now, Muschamp likely finds himself squarely on the hot seat again.
Winner: Alabama
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A week ago Sunday, there was a debate—or, a conversation at least—about which team, Alabama or TCU, was worthy of the final playoff spot if the season were to end that day.
That discussion was going to be short-lived anyway. If Alabama beat Mississippi State in Week 12, it created its own path to the four-team field. What happened with TCU from that point forward was going to be irrelevant.
That's exactly what happened in the Tide's 25-20 win over the top-ranked Bulldogs. Even though Mississippi State outgained Alabama 428 to 335 in total yards, the Tide recorded three turnovers—all interceptions from quarterback Dak Prescott.
With the stat sheet as even as it was, there's no doubt Mississippi State's turnovers were the difference. The Bulldogs were able to rally and get going on offense in the second half, but it was too little too late.
Whether you think Mississippi State was actually the No. 1 team or not, it was Alabama's best win of the year. A glorified bye against Western Carolina awaits Alabama next week before a season-ending game against Auburn, also at home.
Rest assured plenty of eyes will be on that one, too.
Loser: TCU
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Yes, TCU won, which is always a good thing. The Horned Frogs beat Kansas 34-30 in Lawrence. Yes, conference play is tricky, even against the teams that dwell at the bottom of the standings. Just about everyone has had to survive and advance at least once this season. It happens.
But having to rally and then hold on against one of the worst teams in your conference isn't exactly the best way to make an impression on the playoff committee—especially when there are no automatic bids. TCU didn't play great, but it was mostly hurt by turnovers. That, and Kansas did a good job early of controlling the clock and keeping the Frogs offense off the field.
The Jayhawks just couldn't sustain it for the whole game.
How this win is viewed three days from now, and three weeks from now, could be interesting if TCU and Baylor are still locked in a co-champion situation.
Winner: Indiana Running Back Tevin Coleman
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The performance by Indiana running back Tevin Coleman is likely going to get overlooked, even though it shouldn't.
Quietly, if you can believe it, Coleman rushed for 307 yards on Saturday, at nearly 10 yards per carry.
For one, the Hoosiers lost 45-23 to Rutgers, effectively knocking Indiana out of bowl eligibility. Secondly, Coleman's performance is going to get overshadowed by Melvin Gordon's record-setting day.
That's sort of been the unfortunate theme for Coleman all year: He performs like a champ but gets less publicity than other Big Ten counterparts.
Such is the life of a guy who plays on a team with a losing record.
Loser: Mississippi State Quarterback Dak Prescott
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The quarterback is probably going to get more praise than he deserves when his team wins, and more blame than he should after a loss. That said, Mississippi State's Dak Prescott didn't have his best performance in Saturday's loss to Alabama.
Prescott did have 290 passing yards and a pair of touchdowns, but also three interceptions. Two of those picks were clearly bad throws. Additionally, he missed on other key passes, overthrowing a wide-open receiver in the end zone that would have given Mississippi State a touchdown before the half.
To be clear, Prescott is a big reason why Mississippi State was undefeated and in the playoff conversation. For all anyone knows, the Bulldogs could still be in the thick of that conversation come Tuesday when the new rankings are released.
Certainly, a season-ending victory over Ole Miss would help. However, losses by Auburn, Texas A&M and LSU have taken some shine off the resume.
Winner: Georgia Running Back Nick Chubb
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Georgia scoring 34 points in a win over Auburn? That was to be expected, as Vegas predicted there would be a lot of points.
But Georgia downright hurting Auburn's feelings in a 34-7 win? That part couldn't be predicted.
Interestingly, it wasn't the return of star running back Todd Gurley that sparked the rout. Gurley, coming off of a four-game suspension for signing autographs, had a solid night with 138 yards and a touchdown. However, he left the game late in the fourth with an apparent knee injury.
Even still, the star of the night was freshman Nick Chubb, who finished with 144 yards and a pair of touchdowns—and on 10 fewer carries than Gurley.
Gurley didn't have to be the X-factor for the Bulldogs; Chubb has filled in admirably in Gurley's absence. But it was interesting to see Chubb be the breakout star on the night of Gurley's much-anticipated return.
Loser: Notre Dame
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There have been some major disappointments this season. Oklahoma and South Carolina come to mind, but Notre Dame is right up there.
The latest loss for the Irish, the third in the past four games, came to Northwestern in overtime, 43-40.
It's been the same old story for Notre Dame, which is capable of racking up yards and points. However, four more turnovers plagued the Irish at the worst possible times. (Northwestern had four turnovers as well.) For the fifth straight game, the Irish gave up more than 30 points.
A few weeks ago, Notre Dame was a team still in the playoff hunt with arguably the best loss in the country (31-27 to Florida State), but the only win for Notre Dame since then came in a shootout against Navy.
Now, instead of a possible playoff or New Year's Day bowl, Notre Dame will undoubtedly slide out of the Top 25 and into a lower-tier bowl conversation.
Winner: Texas
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Wouldn't you know it, but Texas, which started 2-4, has reached six wins to become bowl eligible thanks to a dominating 28-7 victory over Oklahoma State.
The Longhorns have now won three games in a row and four of their last five. Granted, Iowa State, Texas Tech, West Virginia and the Pokes are middle-to-lower tier Big 12 teams, but the Horns looked dead in the water in September and October.
Specifically, this is not the type of high-scoring Oklahoma State team we've come to know from head coach Mike Gundy in recent years.
Still, these are the types of wins that build confidence for a program. It's not always flashy with Charlie Strong's team—OK, it's rarely, if ever, flashy—but Texas plays solid defense and forces opponents to work for everything.
From the dismissals and suspensions to the injuries, head coach Charlie Strong had a lot working against him right away. But he's rallied this team to a respectable second half of the season.
Loser: Auburn
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Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall's return to Georgia, where he started his college career, wasn't a pleasant one.
Actually, it resulted in the Tigers' worst loss of the season, a 34-7 rout at the hands of the Bulldogs. Auburn had absolutely no answer for Georgia's running game, which racked up 289 yards and 5.6 yards per rush. Whether it was Nick Chubb or Todd Gurley, Auburn could not slow the ground attack.
Marshall's day was quiet, going 11-of-23 for 112 yards and a pick. The only touchdown of the night came from running back Cameron Artis-Payne.
The loss effectively knocks Auburn out of the SEC West title conversation, as well as the playoff conversation if it wasn't already.
Heading into the season, Auburn's schedule was visibly tough with road games at Kansas State, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Georgia and Alabama. That, among myriad problems, has taken its toll.
Winner: Arkansas
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It felt like it was only a matter of time before Arkansas' winless streak in SEC play came to an end. That streak, dating all the way back to Oct. 13, 2012, was broken with a 17-0 win over LSU on Saturday.
The game was about what you'd expect: low-scoring and not a lot of prolific offense to be had by anyone. Neither team tallied more than 100 yards rushing, a problem considering that's what both offenses do best.
Of the two, LSU's offense was far worse, recording just 123 total yards. It's not like the Hogs have a stout defense, either, but the Tigers have had problems all year at quarterback. Anthony Jennings went 12-of-22 for 87 yards.
Stats aside, this has to be a great feeling for head coach Bret Bielema and this Arkansas team. Not only did the Razorbacks break their conference losing streak, but they're one win away from bowl eligibility. Arkansas finishes the season against Ole Miss and Missouri.
Loser: SMU
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Stunning, isn't it?
SMU was close—oh-so-agonizingly close—to getting its first win of the year against South Florida. Up 13-0 at halftime, the Mustangs allowed the Bulls to come all the way back in the second half and surrendered the game-winning touchdown with just four seconds left.
USF won 14-13. To make matters worse, USF's game-winning drive went as follows: 21 plays, 75 yards, three fourth-down conversions, taking 5:58 off the clock.
What else can be said at this point? This has been a miserable season for the ages in Dallas.
Winner and Loser: Florida State
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Love Florida State or hate Florida State, the Seminoles are a second-half team that keeps on winning.
And for the fifth time this season, Florida State trailed at the half only to come roaring back and crush its opponent’s hopes and dreams of a win.
The Seminoles' 30-26 come-from-behind win over Miami was just the latest installment in what has been a wild 26-game winning streak. Last season, Florida State torched opponents on a weekly basis. This time around, FSU isn’t as sharp on either side of the ball.
But whether it's quarterback Jameis Winston or defensive back Jalen Ramsey, someone has always come up big when this team has had its back against the wall.
On one hand, this team is frustrating to watch because it's clearly talented and filled with future NFL players. Teams that "find a way to win" are going to eventually pay for their inconsistencies. On the other hand, winning week after week for the better part of two years is incredible, especially given all of the off-the-field stories surrounding the program.
It definitively feels like Florida State is skating on thin ice. One loss and the Seminoles could be on the outside looking in on the playoff discussion. Keep in mind that three key wins for Florida State—Oklahoma State, Clemson and Notre Dame—have become disappointments.
Loser: Arizona State's Playoff Hopes
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Or, UCLA is a winner despite not even playing this week. Either one.
And, either way, Arizona State got a double dose of #Pac12AfterDark and Corvallis trickery in a 35-27 upset at the hands of Oregon State.
The Sun Devils appeared to have things under control up 24-14 at halftime, but the Beavers rallied to outscore them 21-3 in the second half.
Arizona State now has two losses and is all but officially out of the playoff race. Furthermore, the Pac-12 South has opened back up with UCLA controlling its destiny, according to Stewart Mandel of Fox Sports (just like we all predicted in the preseason).
No team in the Pac-12 South has fewer than two conference losses and five teams are within two games of each other. In other words, everyone has a chance. (Except you, Colorado.)
Arizona State could have created some distance between itself and the rest of the division. Instead, it has been shuffled into the pack.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
