The College Football Playoff situation took a turn for the worse on Saturday, with three top-10 teams losing to lower-ranked opponents and three more top-15 teams also eliminated.
The SEC was the biggest conference hit. No. 7 Alabama, No. 9 Ole Miss, and No. 15 Texas A&M lost to unranked teams. No. 5 Indiana State, which was having a wonderful Cinderella story, completely lost its game in the match against No. 2 Ohio State.
So the question is: Which team essentially qualified for the College Football Playoff? The only answer would be No. 1 Oregon State. The Ducks had the weekend off and had already qualified for the Big Ten Conference Championship.
Eleven other spots also seem to be attracting attention.
Which team was the winner and which team was the loser? Let's break it down here.
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winner
Florida State defensive back Bryce Thornton intercepts a pass in the end zone during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024 in Gainesville, Florida. (AP Photo/Ferrand M. Ebenhack)
Arizona State: What about those Sun Devils? Head coach Kenny Dillingham has Arizona State in the Big 12 Conference tiebreaker, but after defeating BYU in a fiery final minute on Saturday, their fate is in doubt. is controlled. The biggest takeaway is that Colorado State's loss means the final weekend of the conference is in a tailspin, and Arizona State is one win away from winning the title and earning a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Tennessee: Yes, the Vols defeated UTEP on Saturday in a game that wasn't much of a football game. But this is what happened around the SEC, and now Tennessee is in a great position to make a playoff berth. Ole Miss and Alabama both upset on Saturday, paving the way for Josh Heupel's team to clinch a playoff spot next weekend against Vanderbilt. Just when I thought things weren't going to go well, the Vol is now sitting pretty.
FLORIDA: The Gators accomplished something they haven't done since 2003, after the school announced head coach Billy Napier would stay on next season. They defeated a ranked opponent in two straight games as an unranked opponent. The Gators played spoiler by picking off Ole Miss Rebels quarterback Jackson Dart three times in their victory, dealing a devastating blow to the Rebels' playoff hopes.
Notre Dame: Notre Dame did exactly what it was supposed to do, and the stink of the loss to Northern Illinois is gone. They went to a neutral zone with a ranked army team and forced them out of the building. Who knows if they'll be able to match Oregon, Ohio State, and Texas, but they're definitely in the top five. Oh, how cool was it to see Jeter back in the Bronx?
Nebraska: With a 44-25 win over Wisconsin, Nebraska finally achieved its elusive sixth win under coach Matt Rhule. The addition of offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen midseason changed the Cornhuskers' offense.
University of Oklahoma coach Brent Venables celebrates with fans after a college football game against Alabama on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024 in Norman, Oklahoma. (Brian Terry/The Oklahoman/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Brent Venables: The past few weeks have been tough for Oklahoma Sooners head coach Brent Venables. Just as the season seemed to be over, he revealed that his wife is battling cancer again. They finally won a big upset against the University of Alabama. The Sooners are 6-5 this season.
loser
Colorado: Well, Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes wasted a chance to play in the Big 12 Championship. Sure, there are some weird scenarios that could win them out, but the loss to Kansas all but confirms the Colorado breakthrough is over. In my opinion, the only good thing about the game against the Jayhawks was Travis Hunter, who likely clinched the Heisman Trophy.
Ole Miss: If the Rebels had won, they would have almost guaranteed a spot in the College Football Playoff. After losing 24-17 to Florida, it will take nothing short of a miracle to advance. Before throwing three interceptions on Saturday, Jackson Dart had only thrown one interception in a game over the past two seasons. Two of his interceptions came in the final two minutes of the game, sealing the Rebels' fate.
Rutgers: An infamous timeout cost Rutgers a chance for its first win against a ranked opponent since 2009. The Scarlet Knights are bowl-bound anyway, but it will be a great day for the program that will never come back.
Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano watches the first half of a game against Illinois on November 23, 2024 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Vincent Calchietta-Iman Images)
North Carolina: The Tar Heels humiliated Boston College, and even though they scored two meaningless touchdowns late, things didn't get much better after falling behind 41-7.
SEC: Things went crazy in Saturday's meeting. Ole Miss' loss to Florida was supposed to be the only craziness we'd see this past weekend, but Alabama joins in being hurt by Oklahoma and missing out on the College Football Playoff. I decided. Then, Texas A&M lost to Auburn in four overtimes, causing serious chaos in the conference. Georgia will qualify for the SEC Championship, with the winner of Texas vs. Texas A&M facing the Bulldogs in Atlanta. But what if the Aggies win this weekend and upset Georgia in Atlanta? We can only imagine.
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Fox News Digital Sports' College Football Winners and Losers was compiled by the staff of Fox News Digital Sports and the staff of OutKick.com.
