You want drama? Upsets? Games with major championship implications. This week's college football slate had all of that and then some. We're here to get you caught up on the week that was with our College Football Final: Everything You Need To Know From Week 12's Action.
Ohio State Falls
Even without Heisman-hopeful starting QB Connor Cook, the #9 Michigan State Spartans held the #3 Ohio State Buckeyes in check during a massive 17-14 road win on Saturday. OSU gained less than 130 total yards of offense as they watched their 23-game winning streak get snapped. One-loss Michigan State is right back in the College Football Playoff race and is just a win over Penn State away from a Big Ten title game berth. Ohio State's repeat bid is in major jeopardy, and there's controversy to be had surrounding QB Cardale Jones and RB Ezekiel Elliott's postgame comments.
Baylor Wreaks Havoc
Good luck figuring out the Big 12 if you're a member of the 13-person College Football Playoff committee. You're going to need it. One week after getting run out of Waco in a 44-34 loss to the #7 Oklahoma Sooners in prime time, the #10 Baylor Bears pulled off a similar feat on the road, beating the formerly-undefeated #6 Oklahoma State Cowboys 45-35 in Stillwater on Saturday night. Baylor closed the deal with former third-string QB Chris Johnson under center after starting QB Jarrett Stidham went down with an ankle injury before halftime. Johnson accounted for three TDs, two through the air and one on the ground.
Baylor is back in the CFP chase and within striking distance of a conference title for what's become a glorious mess of a Big 12.
Les Miles' Job In Trouble
#15 LSU head coach Les Miles has gone from the leader of an undefeated national title contender to fielding questions about his job security over the span of a few weeks. The Tigers were thoroughly dominated for most of their 38-17 road loss to #22 Ole Miss on Saturday, aside from a 17-point scoring spurt after falling down 24-0. Losers of three straight, LSU is reeling something fierce. If they lose to Texas A&M next week, all heck may break loose in Baton Rouge.
Whoa, Florida
The #8 Florida Gators saved their season on a Treon Harris TD pass to TE Jake McGee in overtime (despite a blocked extra point), stiffening up on defense on the next series to escape Gainesville with a narrow 20-14 victory over an upset-starving Georgia Southern Owls squad. The SEC East champs are 10-1 heading into a massive showdown with the #14 Florida State Seminoles next week.
Oklahoma In The Driver's Seat
Heading into their final three games of the regular season, the #7 Oklahoma Sooners were faced with the toughest remaining strength of schedule in the nation. Now they're just one win away from pulling off a massive trifecta which should make them a favorite for a CFP berth. A week after taking Baylor down 44-34 on the road, the Sooners survived a full-speed charge by #18 TCU to win 30-29 in Norman. TCU came back from a 30-13 deficit, scoring 16 unanswered and setting up a huge decision for TCU head coach Gary Patterson down one with just under a minute to go after a Bram Kohlhousen 14-yard TD pass to Emanuel Porter.
Patterson chose to go for two, but great coverage on a Kohlhousen pass saved the game and a chance at a College Football Playoff berth for Oklahoma.
Clemson Stands Pat
Ho hum, ho hum. Undefeated #1 Clemson just keeps winning and QB Deshaun Watson just keeps shining. His four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) keyed the Tigers' day in a breezy 33-13 win over Wake Forest. Clemson is one win away from its first undefeated regular season since its national title season in 1981.
Notre Dame Survives
It wasn't pretty, but the #4 Irish survived five turnovers to upend Boston College 19-16 at Fenway Park. Three of those turnovers came inside the BC 5, turning what could have been a blowout into a nail-biter. Notre Dame has won six in a row since a two-point loss to Clemson, but will this win be enough to keep them in the #4 spot in the CFP rankings? We'll see on Tuesday.
The Tide Rolls
Cyrus Jones fielded two punts for touchdowns in his home finale, RB Derrick Henry scored twice, and the #2 Alabama Crimson Tide stayed entrenched in a College Football Playoff spot with a 56-6 annihilation of Charleston Southern. Bama can clinch the SEC West title with a win in the Iron Bowl next week.
Big Ten West Champs
The #5 Iowa Hawkeyes are odds-on favorites to make the College Football Playoff top four this week after keeping their undefeated season alive with a convincing 40-20 road win over hapless Purdue. Iowa, just one year removed from finishing 7-6, is 12-0 and staring the Big Ten title game square in the face.
Iowa and Clemson are now the only two undefeated teams left after three other unbeatens went down today.
UCLA On The Brink
8-3 UCLA is now one winner-takes-all game against 7-4 USC next week from making its first conference title game since 2012 after a 17-9 road win over a suddenly vulnerable #13 Utah Utes squad. Bruins freshman QB Josh Rosen threw for 220 yards and a TD as UCLA dashed the Utes' 2015 Pac-12 title hopes for good.
North Carolina Hangs Around
QB Marquise Williams connected with Quinshad Davis with a 5-yard TD pass in overtime, leading the #17 North Carolina Tar Heels to a 30-27 road win over the Virginia Tech Hokies in Frank Beamer's last home game as Hokies head coach. Now 10-1, UNC remains in the conversation as a CFP dark horse.
Houston, Memphis Fall
The #16 Navy Midshipmen are now the prohibitive favorites to win a Group of Six bid to a New Year's Six bowl, after #21 Memphis (31-12 to Temple) and #19 Houston (20-17 to UConn) fell in their respective games today.
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