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We've reached the point of the college football season where teams are just beating up on each other in the SEC and Big Ten, and that's been the trend again so far in Week 11.
If last week was Separation Saturday, this is the week where some of those separators surged and others joined them, imposing their established outlines for wins.
For top-ranked Georgia, it was about demolition in dispatching No. 22 Missouri. No. 9 Indiana played poorly again but made monster plays when it mattered most to beat USC. Third-ranked Alabama and eighth-ranked Tennessee dialed up defense in rugged SEC wins, while Wake Forest turned on the afterburners in proving it belongs in the playoffs.
Pretty much everybody held serve, and there are still marquee matchups on tap for tonight. Keep it right here as we'll update throughout the evening, but here are the winners and losers so far for CFB Week 11.
Winner: Wake Waves Bye-Bye To Bubble
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If you weren't a believer in the Demon Deacons, Saturday was probably an a-WAKE-ning for you. It certainly should have been a national coming-out party, and they no longer belong on the College Football Playoff bubble.
On the road against a good SMU team, Wake Forest and underrated star quarterback Gio Lopez and the Deacs busted out in the first half for 42 unanswered points on their way to blitzing the Mustangs, 49-7.
There was a lot of quieting the crowd in Dallas, especially after Lopez's 44-yard touchdown toss to Carlos Hernandez gave Wake its third score. There was even more quieting of any doubters remaining. The Deacs don't deserve to be No. 13 and just out of the playoff. This looks like a team worthy of being in the top 12.
Right now, it may not even be a stretch to say they're the ACC's best – certainly showing better than a Miami team that beat them earlier this year by 13 now that the Hurricanes are without Malachi Toney for the rest of the regular season.
Over the past four games, Wake has outscored opponents 145-0 in the first half. This is a good and very dangerous team.
Loser: Houston's Hopes
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Willie Fritz is a noted program-builder who's already proven his terrific turnaround chops at Georgia Southern and Tulane, and he's working wonders at Houston, too. This year, high hopes abounded for the Cougars, too, in his third season at the helm.
While they'll still have a strong season, it won't finish the way they'd hoped after Friday night's stunning 42-32 road loss to Colorado. The setback virtually ended Houston's Big 12 and College Football Playoff aspirations, dropping the Cougars to 7-3, 4-3 in the league.
It was a much-needed victory for a Buffaloes team that must win out to go to a bowl. Down 20-7 just before halftime, Colorado scored twice and used a barrage of big scoring plays to pull away.
A DeKalon Taylor 67-yard run got things started, and JaQuail Smith's 32-yard scoring scamper with 36 seconds left to give the Buffs a halftime lead. Coming out of the break, Isaac Wilson found Joseph Williams for a 53-yard breakaway passing play, and backup quarterback Kaneal Sweetwyne's 14-yard run gave them a 15-point cushion that was enough.
Now the only remaining question is where Houston's bowl destination will be.
Winner: UCLA's Loss-less Ledger
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Whatever is thrown at the UCLA Bruins, they just keep winning.
It ain't always pretty, but it's effective. All that matters is the Bruins are spotless through 10 games and surging up the College Football Playoff rankings, and that won't stop after Friday night's 22-14 win over a red-hot Illinois team in the Rose Bowl.
Despite a driving rain, despite losing starting quarterback Ty Dieffenbach for a swath of the game with an injury and despite not having its "A" game, UCLA prevailed.
They did so thanks to a defense that allowed just 71 rushing yards, intercepted Katin Houser three times and sacked him (Aiden Gobaira) for a safety. That two-point play gave the Bruins a 12-0 lead before Illinois scored on a short field after UCLA's turnover on downs.
On the next drive after that botched 4th-and-2 though, Dieffenbach returned to the field and led the Bruins on a touchdown drive. The Illini fought back with a score of their own and had a chance to go ahead at the end, but Houser's third interception, corralled by Scooter Jackson sealed the win.
There's work to be done with Michigan and USC remaining on the schedule, but UCLA just keeps winning. And the playoffs appear to be a lock after its first 10-0 start since 1998.
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Loser: Defenders When Aiden Flora's On the Field
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If you've not watched Aiden Flora play, do yourself a favor and turn on an Iowa State game to watch the super sophomore.
He's electric, and he's a former walk-on who's fueling the Cyclones' improbable run to potential bowl eligibility this year after losing more than half their team to the transfer portal and coach Matt Campbell to Penn State.
On Saturday, Flora padded his Big 12-leading rushing total with 216 yards and a trio of scores as Iowa State trounced Cincinnati 41-13 in Ames to improbably move to 5-5. The Bearcats continued their free-fall with their fifth loss in six games – the only win coming over No. 8 Texas Tech.
They had no answers for Flora, who churned out three first-half touchdowns, including a beautiful stop-and-surge, 77-yard sprint that showed his patience, speed and elite athleticism.
The generously listed 6'1", 195-pound Adel, Iowa, native is one of the biggest sleeper prospects in the sport right now, and he teams with Jaylen Raynor to make the Cyclones a fun watch in a year where nobody gave them a chance.
Winner: Georgia Playing Like No. 1
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When Georgia is at its best and competing for championships, the Bulldogs simply impose their physicality and will on opponents.
The bad news for the rest of the nation is that's happening again.
They hosted No. 22 Missouri on Saturday, and the Tigers never were in the game, falling behind by three touchdowns at the end of the first quarter on their way to a 48-21 loss.
For the Dawgs, it was all about offensive balance and defensive dominance. Just when you think the rushing attack looks great, quarterback Gunner Stockton does what he did against Mizzou, completing 18-of-24 passes for 252 yards and a score.
Oh by the way, they still had 182 rushing yards. And even though Tigers quarterback Austin Simmons throws one of the prettiest balls in the nation and running back Jamal Roberts is one of the best stories in the SEC, neither of them did anything in Athens.
This was never competitive, and there's a reason why UGA is the top-ranked team in the nation right now. Simply put: Nobody looks better more consistently right now.
Loser: Clemson Without Tait Reynolds
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Pretty much everybody out there believes with all the goodwill Dabo Swinney has built over the years by taking Clemson to the top of the college football universe, that his job is safe.
But how long will the Tigers let mediocrity – or outright bad football – be present on that proud program's field each Saturday? Saturday, after starting quarterback Tait Reynolds left the Georgia Tech game early with a leg injury, they had no offensive answers in a hapless 20-6 loss.
The Yellow Jackets are arguably the worst team in the ACC, and they entered 2-7 after firing four coaches this week. But they but trounced a Clemson team that played three signal-callers, couldn't muster any help on the ground and fell to 6-4 for the season.
Swinney's team had been playing better more recently, but the Tigers simply haven't recruited the depth or developed enough talent in their classes to overcome. When that happens against the hapless Yellow Jackets, it's a colossal indictment.
A few weeks ago Swinney spoke out against a plane flying a banner at the Florida State game calling for Mike Norvell to be fired. He ultimately lost his job, regardless of Swinney's support. It may not be long until Swinney needs somebody to come to his aid, as well.
Winner: Tennessee's Blueprint
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Josh Heupel is known for churning out some of the most prolific offenses over the past decade.
The 2026 Vols are far from that team. But their blueprint for victory just continues to produce, even if the way they get there is sometimes brutal. They followed that same formula in a 22-7 road win over Texas A&M.
The Vols run the football (56 rushes, 196 yards). Then, they run it more. Then some more. Occasionally, they'll pass just to keep the opponents honest, but it boils down to letting the defense win games and DeSean Bishop and the offense wear down teams in the second half.
Trailing 7-6 at the break, the Vols scored the only 16 points to improve to 8-2, 5-2 in the SEC. They used a pair of interceptions and a turnover on downs to frustrate Marcel Reed and the Aggies, which continue to struggle.
For Tennessee, it was a costly win. Star receiver Mike Matthews – really the team's only downfield threat – suffered a leg injury and left the field on crutches. Starting quarterback George MacIntyre left with a knee injury, but Tennessee's offense improved with Faizon Brandon under center.
Finding a way to beat a talented Aggies team on the road is going to fall into the category of "what you were supposed to do," but the Vols did it their way. It continues to be a winning formula.
Loser: USC's Squandered Opportunities
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With Indiana's offense scuffling to find its footing, USC and Lincoln Riley had the chance to make the cross-country trip to Bloomington and upset the No. 9 Hoosiers.
Instead, the Trojans drove the ball up and down the field, only to blow chances to deliver kill shots throughout the game. As they have all season, the Hoosiers simply found a way to turn USC away in a 27-13 Hoosiers win.
Riley is still searching for that signature Big Ten win, and this would have been it. Instead, they were delivered a third loss on the season, knocking them from conference and playoff discussion.
First, the Trojans' Caden Chittenden missed a chip-shot 27-yarder with 14:08 left that could have trimmed the lead to four. Then, after USC drove it again inside the 10-yard line, Jayden Maiava telegraphed a pass that Isaiah Jones intercepted to deny any points once again.
After that play, IU hit a deep shot to Charlie Becker to extend the lead, but it was closer than the final score suggested. This was USC's chance to gain playoff buzz. Instead, the Hoosiers keep finding ways to win.
Winner: Miami's Arsenal
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Many have made a big deal about national title contender Miami trying to continue its early-season offensive onslaught without Heisman Trophy candidate Malachi Toney, who is out for the regular season with an injury.
The Hurricanes still have quarterback Darian Mensah, though, and he is finding a way to distribute the ball to a lot of talented pass-catchers in Toney's absence. They pulled away from Duke on Saturday with a 36-25 win, and it was because of all the weaponry.
In the end, those guys wound up too much for the 7-3 Blue Devils to handle.
Mensah utilized seven different receivers to pile up his 382 passing yards, and though Mark Fletcher Jr. normally carries the load on the ground, freshman backup Javian Mallory's two fourth-quarter touchdown runs and a 63-yard third-quarter scoring grab were the difference.
Without Toney, the Hurricanes may not have the most dynamic offense in the ACC anymore, but they're still strong enough to win football games. They got through a sneaky-strong Duke team by pulling away.
Loser: Michigan, After War of Words
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Kyle Whittingham's year in Ann Arbor has been rocky at best, and he hasn't helped himself by running his mouth, either.
The latest feather-ruffling from the Wolverines coach came when he gave Oregon coach Dan Lanning a backhanded compliment, saying he was a great coach and recruiter out of one side of his mouth while stating "it doesn't hurt that you have $50-plus million dollars at your disposal" out of the other.
Lanning responded, of course, but the biggest statement from the Ducks came on the field Saturday with a 31-7 win.
The loss drops the Wolverines to 5-5 on the season and 2-5 in the Big Ten, and it keeps a second-half-of-the-season resurgence rolling for the Ducks, which could have an outside shot at the College Football Playoffs.
The talent difference between Oregon and Michigan was evident, but so was the position the two coaches put their players in to make plays. It was a multi-million-dollar domination.
Winner: Alabama, Without Style Points
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This time of year, you don't worry about looking pretty as long as you come through with the win. That's a good thing for Alabama, which certainly didn't do anything on the field against Vanderbilt to justify the No. 3 College Football Playoff ranking.
Entering the game, the Crimson Tide weren't sure star quarterback Keelon Russell would be available against the Commodores, nursing an ankle injury. He played, but he was far from his explosive self in a 21-6 win.
Still, Russell's 317 passing yards and trio of touchdown passes were the difference for a Tide team that still can't effectively run the ball. They mustered just 92 yards on the ground against a 'Dores team that is 13th in the SEC in rush defense.
Thankfully for Alabama, coordinator Kane Wommack's defense was elite, turning away Jared Curtis and the Commodores time and time again to allow the Tide to limp out the win.
As long as Alabama wins, it's in, and that's exactly what the Tide did on Saturday. There weren't any things that would win a football beauty contest, but they got the W just the same.
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