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A full rundown of all the scores and highlights from the full slate of Week 12 action on Saturday
Week 12 of the 2025 college football season was very close to being the most chaotic slate of games yet. Several top teams struggled against unranked opponents, though most were able to survive their scares.
It looked as if No. 3 Texas A&M’s season was going to get derailed when it fell behind 30-3 to South Carolina at halftime. It was the largest home halftime deficit that a top-5 team has faced since 2015.
But the Aggies roared back in the second half thanks to a heroic performance from quarterback Marcel Reed, who tossed three touchdowns in the third quarter, to complete the largest comeback in program history and preserve their sterling 10-0 record.
No. 7 Ole Miss, another SEC power, barely survived at home against a Florida team that fired coach Billy Napier earlier in the year. The Rebels trailed 24-20 entering the fourth quarter and Florida had a chance to potentially win the game, down 27-24 with less than two minutes to play, but Ole Miss’ defense slammed the door.
Not every top-25 team survived unscathed. No. 24 South Florida fell out of the College Football Playoff race in a loss to American Conference foe Navy. No. 10 Texas, which entered the season atop the AP Top 25 poll, likewise saw its playoff hopes crushed on the road against No. 5 Georgia. No. 4 Alabama suffered its first SEC setback with a home defeat at the hands of No. 11 Oklahoma.
Elsewhere, No. 17 USC overcame a slow start at home to take down No. 21 Iowa, and No. 18 Michigan won on a last-second field goal over Northwestern at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
CBS Sports was here every step of the way to update you with the latest scores, highlights and storylines throughout the evening.
College football scores, schedule: Week 12
No. 3 Texas A&M 31, South Carolina 30 — Recap, takeaways
No. 18 Michigan 24, Northwestern 22 — Recap
No. 9 Notre Dame 37, No. 22 Pittsburgh 15 — Recap
Navy 41, No. 24 South Florida 38 — Recap
No. 2 Indiana 31, Wisconsin 7 — Recap
Penn State 28, Michigan State 10 — Recap
No. 11 Oklahoma 23, No. 4 Alabama 21 — Recap, takeaways
UCF at No. 6 Texas Tech — Recap
No. 17 USC 26, No. 21 Iowa 21 — Recap
No. 7 Ole Miss 34, Florida 24 — Recap
No. 1 Ohio State 48, UCLA 10 — Recap
No. 5 Georgia 35, No. 10 Texas 10 — Recap, takeaways
Check out the full Week 12 college football scoreboard
Check these out …
- Tomorrow’s Top 25 Today: Oklahoma moves into top 10 after win over Alabama
- Bowl projections: Georgia moves into first-round bye in CFP, Oklahoma enters bracket
- Week 12 winners and losers: Michigan, Texas A&M survive amid challenges for CFP contenders
- Ole Miss survives: Rebels top Florida but Lane Kiffin uncertainty casts shadow over potential CFP run
- The mad scientist: With CFP hopes on the line, Oklahoma’s Brent Venables was at his best
- ACC Championship scenarios: Georgia Tech in driver’s seat, Miami still has path after Week 12
- Anatomy of a comeback: How Texas A&M put together furious rally to beat South Carolina
- Sickening defeat: South Carolina’s Shane Beamer ‘wanted to puke’ after collapse to A&M
- Longterm investment: Mike Elko, Texas A&M finalize massive contract extension
- Nico Iamaleava out vs. Ohio State: UCLA star QB to miss game with concussion
See New Posts
No. 1 Ohio State cruising against UCLA
Halftime: No. 1 Ohio State 27, UCLA 0
The top-ranked team in the country is having no problem against UCLA, even without star receiver Carnell Tate. The Buckeyes are averaging 8.4 yards per play on offense, and there have been a few highlight reel moments.
After Jeremiah Smith made a jaw-dropping one-handed catch earlier in the half, running back James Peoples provided an exclamation point before hitting the locker room. On his 19-yard touchdown run, Peoples hurdled a diving Bruins defender in a play that summed up the first half pretty well.
Right before the clock hit zero on the first half, the Buckeyes got a free three points when UCLA shanked a punt right into an Ohio State special teams player. That set up Ryan Day’s team for a 33-yard field goal to extend its lead.
The box score is about as lopsided as the scoreboard itself — if not more so. Ohio State is out-gaining UCLA by 244 yards, and it has possessed the ball for nearly seven more minutes.
Florida hungry against Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss
HALF: Florida 24, No. 7 Ole Miss 20
Projected College Football Playoff threat Ole Miss trails Florida at halftime, a potential stunner unfolding in the SEC involving the program that has the Rebels’ Lane Kiffin locked in its coaching search crosshairs. Florida quarterback DJ Lagway had a touchdown pass and touchdown run in the opening half, his first score set up by Jayden Woods’ interception return to the Ole Miss 5-yard line. Trinidad Chabliss has a touchdown toss for Ole Miss, but had a second taken off the scoreboard late in the second quarter after a penalty.
Florida’s coming off a 38-7 loss to Kentucky last week and is 1-4 this season against ranked opponents. Ole Miss is eliminated from the SEC Championship conversation with a loss and would be in danger of losing its projected first-round home playoff game.
Virginia defeats Duke, stays in the ACC game title hunt
FINAL: No. 19 Virginia 34, Duke 17
No. 19 Virginia jumped out to an early 17-3 advantage at halftime over Duke and exited Durham with a 34-17 victory. The Cavaliers are now 9-2 overall and are still tied atop the crowded ACC standings. Four teams (Georgia Tech, Virginia, Pitt and SMU) have just one loss against conference competition this season. Georgia Tech escaped with a dramatic 36-34 win over Boston College to stay atop the standings, while Pitt lost against Notre Dame in a nonconference showdown.
Virginia has just one game remaining (at home against Virginia Tech) to close out the season. Even with a win over its in-state foe, Virginia will need some help to ensure a berth. Georgia Tech is the only team remaining that controls its own destiny to reach the ACC title game.
No. 16 Georgia Tech avoids disaster at Boston College
FINAL: No. 16 Georgia Tech 36, Boston College 34
The Yellow Jackets narrowly avoided a disastrous loss to the Eagles thanks to a late field goal from Aidan Birr. The Georgia Tech offense had its way with the Boston College defense, putting up 628 yards, but still needed Birr’s 23-yard field goal with 14 seconds to play to escape Chestnut Hill with a victory. That was the team’s second-highest total in a conference game since 2000 with only a 635-yard performance against North Carolina in 2023 topping it.
Things did not go quite as smoothly for the Yellow Jackets’ defense, which got torched for 537 yards and did not force a turnover. A porous outing from the defense put more pressure on quarterback Haynes King, but he came through with 423 total yards and a passing touchdown.
A loss to Boston College would have made Georgia Tech’s path to the ACC Championship much murkier, but this win pushes the team to 6-1 in conference play and makes things much simpler. If the Yellow Jackets beat Pitt at home next weekend, they are in the conference championship. That also means the Yellow Jackets are two wins (Pitt and the ACC title game) away from the College Football Playoff.
Virginia, Miami, Pitt and SMU are all still in the ACC Championship race as well. It should be a thrilling finish in that conference, which has been topsy-turvy all year.
USC keeps CFP hopes alive with win over Iowa
FINAL: No. 17 USC 26, No. 21 Iowa 21
No. 17 USC recorded a statement win with a 26-21 victory over No. 21 Iowa at home. The Trojans held the Hawkeyes scoreless in the second half and erased an early 21-7 deficit to move to 8-2 (6-1 Big Ten). USC was powered by another big performance from star wide receiver Makai Lemon, who finished with 10 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown.
With two regular-season games remaining, USC is in a good position to stay in the College Football Playoff mix. The biggest test will be on the road against No. 8 Oregon next weekend. A win over the Ducks would give the Trojans the inside track at a potential at-large bid with only a game against cross-town rival UCLA remaining after that.
Ohio State could be without top two WRs vs. UCLA
The top-ranked and undefeated Buckeyes will be without at least one of their top offensive weapons against the Bruins. According to the official availability report, Carnell Tate will miss his second consecutive game with an injury while Jeremiah Smith is listed as questionable.
Tate, who missed last week’s game against Purdue, has 39 receptions for 711 yards and seven touchdowns. A big play machine, Tate leads the Big Ten with his 18.2 yards per catch.
Ohio State may also be without Smith, its leading receiver. He leads the conference in receptions (65) and receiving touchdowns (10). If neither Tate nor Smith can go, that will put more pressure on quarterback Julian Sayin, though UCLA will be without starting QB Nico Iamaleava in this one.
Sayin, a Heisman Trophy candidate, leads all FBS players with an 80.9% completion percentage, and he’s totaled 2,491 passing yards with 24 touchdowns and four interceptions.
No. 19 Virginia taking care of business against Duke
Half: No. 19 Virginia 17, Duke 3
It appears as if Virginia is highly motivated to avoid another loss this week. The Cavaliers are in firm control against Duke thus far, as they expanded their halftime lead to 14 points with a 44-yard field goal from kicker Will Bettridge as time expired in the second quarter.
Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris had a big first half, as he completed 18 of his passes for 238 yards and one touchdown. He did throw an interception, but UVA’s defense was able to limit the damage — something it has done all afternoon long with a dominant performance. Four of Duke’s five first-half drives ended after just three plays. The Blue Devils got to Virginia territory once and they managed just a 49-yard field goal to show for it.
The Cavaliers can hardly deserve another loss after dropping their Week 11 game against Wake Forest. They’re still in control of their ACC Championship Game destiny with a 5-1 conference record, which is tied with Georgia Tech, SMU and Pittsburgh atop the standings.
Iowa ahead of USC at halftime
HALF: No. 21 Iowa 21, No. 17 USC 10
No. 21 Iowa leads No. 17 USC 21-10 at halftime in a game with major stakes. The Hawkeyes are coming off a tough loss to Oregon last week and are bouncing back in a big way on the road. Iowa has racked up 100 yards rushing through the first 30 minutes, including 51 coming from Kamari Moulton.
USC is trying to stay alive in the College Football Playoff hunt. A loss would more than likely end those hopes.
Georgia Tech tied with 1-9 Boston College at the half
Halftime: No. 16 Georgia Tech 14, Boston College 14
No. 16 Georgia Tech was a two-touchdown favorite on the road at 1-9 Boston College, a team without a win over an FBS team this season, but the Yellow Jackets find themselves deadlocked 14-14 at the half with the Eagles in a game they need to keep pace atop the ACC standings.
Despite Haynes King being 13 of 15 passing for 224 yards and a touchdown in the first half, the Yellow Jackets have only put up 14 points. A fumble ended one drive in plus-territory and a missed field goal as time expired in the second quarter have left points on the board and created some stress for Georgia Tech.
Boston College has lost six straight games by 14-plus points, but is going toe-to-toe with the No. 16 team in the country through the first 30 minutes. Dylan Lonergan has thrown for 191 yards and a touchdown, carving up the Georgia Tech secondary through the air, and the Eagles have looked better offensively tonight than they have in weeks.
The Yellow Jackets may have come into the night thinking a win in Chestnut Hill was a mere formality, but with 30 minutes to play they’ll need to wake up and find another gear to remain in the Playoff hunt.
Iowa pulls off a Philly Special to go up two touchdowns on USC
A week after a heartbreaking loss to Oregon, No. 21 Iowa is showing no signs of a hangover as they’ve got No. 17 USC on the ropes in the first half in Los Angeles.
The Hawkeyes have moved the ball at will on the Trojans and capped off their latest drive with some trickery, breaking out the Philly Special for a touchdown pass to QB Mark Gronowski to go up 21-7.
On a rare rainy, cool afternoon in LA, the Hawkeyes look like the more comfortable team in the elements in front of a sparse crowd at the Coliseum. Iowa’s defense is among the best in the nation in preventing explosive plays, so USC is going to have to prove they can move the ball consistently to claw their way back into this game and keep their slim playoff dreams alive.
Michigan escapes Wrigley Field with last-second win over Northwestern
FINAL: No. 18 Michigan 24, Northwestern 22
The Wolverines weren’t convincing in their win on Saturday, but all that matters for the No. 18 team in the country is that they walked out of Chicago with a “W” thanks to a Dominic Zvada field goal as time expired to beat Northwestern 24-22.
It was a weird day for Michigan in Wrigley Field. The Wolverines out-gained the Wildcats 496-245 in yards but made a number of costly errors that allowed Northwestern to hang around and stay in the game. Eventually, the Wildcats took a 22-21 lead after a Bryce Underwood pick (Michigan’s third turnover of the game) set up a go-ahead touchdown with 12:05 to play.
That remained the score for the next 12:03, as Michigan turned it over for a fourth and fifth time to allow Northwestern to stay in front. Finally, the Wolverines were able to move the ball into the red zone and not turn it over, trotting Zvada out for a field goal after missing two earlier in the game, and the All-American last year drilled it when his team needed him most.
The Wolverines have made a habit out of winning ugly games this season, which is better than the alternative, but this was the latest performance that left fans frustrated even though the team moved to 8-2 with the win.
More concerning than the turnovers was the loss of running back Jordan Marshall — who was starting in place of the injured Justice Haynes. Marshall had 154 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday, but left the game late after landing hard on his shoulder.
Michigan fans will be waiting to learn his status going into their final two games, going on the road at Maryland before hosting No. 1 Ohio State at the Big House.
Notre Dame cruises past Pitt
FINAL: No. 9 Notre Dame 37, No. 22 Pitt 15
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said earlier this week that this game against Notre Dame was “absolutely not” a must-win game because it wasn’t an ACC game. Narduzzi’s odd remarks came to fruition during Notre Dame’s 37-15 win on the road to improve to 8-2. The Fighting Irish have now won eight consecutive games since starting the season with back-to-back losses to Miami and Texas A&M.
Notre Dame closes the season out against Syracuse and Stanford. There is a strong chance that if Notre Dame wins both of those games, it will be in the College Football Playoff again. As for Pitt, the Panthers are still in the ACC title game mix with a 5-1 conference record despite the loss to Notre Dame.
Navy upsets No. 24 South Florida in big blow for USF’s CFP hopes
FINAL: Navy 41, No. 24 South Florida 38
We have another upset. Navy defeated No. 24 South Florida 41-38 to move to 8-2 overall and 6-1 in American play. USF entered the week as the highest-ranked Group of Six team and in position to earn an automatic bid to the College Football Playoff. However, this loss could complicate things with a path to the American title game now much more difficult.
Navy ran for 338 yards on the ground. Navy, Tulane, North Texas and East Carolina all have one-loss in conference play. In total, 39 points were scored in the fourth quarter.
Arizona upsets No. 25 Cincinnati to shake up Big 12 standings
FINAL: Arizona 30, No. 25 Cincinnati 24
We have an upset in the Big 12. Arizona defeated No. 25 Cincinnati 30-24 on the road to further complicate the Big 12 title race.
The Bearcats entered the weekend as one of three teams (BYU and Texas Tech the others) with just one loss in conference play. However, this loss by Cincinnati will drop it into the next category of teams with two losses (Houston, Utah and Arizona State). The good news for Cincy is that it still can get back into the title race. The Bearcats host BYU next weekend and close out the regular season against TCU.
Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita finished 23 of 31 for 295 yards and a touchdown in the upset win. The Wildcats are now 7-3 (4-3 Big 12).
Northwestern leads Michigan after picking off Bryce Underwood
A comedy of errors from Michigan helped Northwestern hang around at Wrigley Field on Saturday afternoon, and the Wolverines’ third turnover of the game set up the Wildcats with a goal-to-go situation that they converted into the go-ahead touchdown.
Despite outgaining the Wildcats 366-238 in offensive yards this afternoon, the Wolverines now trail 22-21 after Bryce Underwood got picked in his own territory, with Northwestern returning it inside the 10.
That set up a Caleb Komalafe touchdown run and the No. 18 team in the country is now in danger of suffering a crushing loss.
With 12:05 to play, Underwood will have plenty of time to get Michigan back in front, but the Wolverines will have to prove they can go the final 12 minutes without making mistakes — something they’ve struggled to do all game.
Texas A&M goes back on top with 28 unanswered points
The Aggies have erased the 30-3 halftime deficit in 19 minutes and 13 seconds of play in the second half and now lead South Carolina, 31-30.
After making some disastrous mistakes in the first half, Marcel Reed has been nearly perfect in the second half, orchestrating four touchdown drives for the Aggies to push them into the lead with nearly 11 minutes left to play in the fourth quarter. Reed has 274 yards passing and three touchdowns through the air in the second half as the Aggies flipped the switch and figured out how to pick apart this South Carolina secondary — with a lot of success over the middle of the field.
Reed threw a dime to KC Concepcion to set up their latest touchdown, a handoff to EJ Smith who punched it in for the go-ahead touchdown.
While Reed and the offense have been the headliner of Texas A&M’s second-half comeback, the defense has come to life as well, holding South Carolina scoreless by bowing up against the run and heating up LaNorris Sellers into some misses. Now the Gamecocks have to figure out how to stabilize things and come up with a scoring drive, because their defense appears gassed and needs some time to regroup.
No. 18 Michigan has some breathing room
End of 3Q: No. 18 Michigan 21, Northwestern 9
After taking a 7-6 lead into the locker room, the Wolverines have finally started to pull away from the Wildcats. The Michigan offense struggled to finish drives in the first half, but that wasn’t the case in the third quarter.
A lot of that had to do with the play of running back Jordan Marshall, who ripped off some big runs to give Michigan an edge in this one. With 15 minutes left to play, Marshall is already up to 113 yards and two touchdowns on just 16 carries.
Now the pressure is on the Northwestern offense to come up with some answers in the fourth quarter, but that unit has been swimming upstream all afternoon. Prestone Stone has completed under 25% of his passes, and the Wildcats are averaging 2.4 yards per attempt on the ground.
Fernando Mendoza sets Indiana single-season passing TD record
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza now holds the Hoosiers’ single-season passing touchdown record after throwing his 30th of the year in a 31-7 win against Wisconsin. The California transfer surpassed last season’s mark of 29 set by Kurtis Rourke, who had transferred from Ohio.
Mendoza completed 22 of 24 passes for 299 yards and four touchdowns on Saturday, bringing his season totals to 2,641 yards with 30 passing scores. He has been one of the standout storylines of the Hoosiers’ 2025 campaign, currently leading the Heisman Trophy odds at -135 on FanDuel Sportsbook as of Saturday afternoon.
Indiana improved to 11-0 on the season and now enters a bye week before traveling to Purdue on Nov. 28 for the regular-season finale.
Texas A&M clawing way back with two quick TD drives
3Q: South Carolina 30, No. 3 Texas A&M 17
The Aggies now trail by just 13 points, as they’ve opened the third quarter with back-to-back touchdown drives to trim the deficit to 30-17 against South Carolina.
Marcel Reed has shaken off his disastrous start and is back to making the kinds of plays that made him a Heisman contender in the first nine games of the season. He’s tossed a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter, with a dime down the field to Ashton Bethel-Roman breathing some life back into Kyle Field as the comeback is fully on.
While the two touchdown passes from Reed are big, the most important plays of the third quarter have been three fourth down attempts — two by Texas A&M and one by South Carolina. Reed scrambled to pick up a fourth-and-12 on A&M’s opening drive of the half to set up a TD pass a bit later, and hit a crosser on fourth-and-2 just before his TD pass to Bethel-Roman.
In between those two drives was a South Carolina turnover on downs on the Texas A&M 30. The Gamecocks made the curious decision to hand the ball off up the middle on back-to-back plays, instead of letting LaNorris Sellers keep the ball in his hands to either run or pass. and got stuffed on both. As a result, there’s some real tension now and this upcoming South Carolina drive will be hugely important.
Nyck Harbor hit the afterburners after Marcel Reed pick to put South Carolina up big
The Gamecocks hold a shocking 30-3 lead over No. 3 Texas A&M at the half in College Station. It has been a nightmare start for the Aggies, as they are struggling in all three phases of the game and made every possible mistake in the first 30 minutes.
Quarterback Marcel Reed came in with some Heisman buzz, but a season’s worth of work towards that award has been flushed in one disastrous half against South Carolina. Reed is 6-for-19 passing for 141 yards, two interceptions and a fumble (on a backwards pass) that led to a Gamecocks scoop-and-score.
His three turnovers have led to 17 South Carolina points, including this quick strike touchdown pass from LaNorris Sellers to Nyck Harbor, as the Gamecocks’ track star showed off his world class speed to dust the A&M secondary after they took some poor angles.
That put South Carolina up 27-3 with a minute to go, and they added three more points after Reed threw his second pick of the half on the Aggies’ ensuing drive to give the Gamecocks a 30-3 lead at the break.
The Aggies will need a miracle in the second half to avoid their first loss of the season. Reed is not seeing the field well and they were already unable to run the football in the first half with -9 yards on the ground as a team. Now, trailing by 27 it’s hard to see them being able to do anything but throw the ball, with the Gamecocks trying to get to Reed and turn him over even more in the second half.
Indiana in a surprising dog fight with Wisconsin at the half
Given Wisconsin won last week with their punter leading the team in passing, few expected them to hang around on the road with No. 2 Indiana on Saturday. However, that’s why they play the games on the field and not on paper, and the Hoosiers have gotten off to another sluggish start and only lead 10-7 at the half.
The Badgers haven’t been particularly successful offensively, but they have been able to move the ball a bit on the Hoosiers and capitalized on their one opportunity to create an explosive when they caught Indiana selling out for the run on 4th and 1 for a long touchdown late in the second quarter.
That tied things up at the time, with Indiana putting together a field goal drive late in the quarter to reclaim the lead. The Hoosiers have just 159 yards of offense at the half, including just 20 rushing yards as their inability to move the ball consistently on the ground has created some real problems for their offense.
They will need to figure out how to move the ball more consistently in the second half and shake out of this offensive slump that has plagued them the past two weeks. Wisconsin, which has 145 yards of offense (with 45 coming on the TD pass), doesn’t seem like the team built to make them pay in the form of a loss, but the Hoosiers built an identity on not playing with their food and have made more of a habit of that recently than they’d like.
South Carolina jumps out to a three-score lead on Texas A&M
The most shocking score line of the early window in Week 12 is what’s happening in College Station, where undefeated Texas A&M is down 20-3 to South Carolina in the early second quarter.
Marcel Reed and the Aggies’ offense has struggled, and at the end of the first quarter, already trailing 10-3, a disastrous decision by Reed to try and throw the ball backwards while getting wrapped up resulted in scoop-and-score touchdown to extend the Gamecocks’ lead to 17-3.
Another quick stop from the South Carolina defense gave the ball back to LaNorris Sellers and the offense, who marched down into Aggie territory again to tack on a field goal early in the second quarter to go up 20-3.
The Aggies have yet to get anything going on the ground, rushing for -13 yards so far in the game, and the passing attack has been held largely in check with the exception of one 43-yard strike from Reed to KC Concepcion. On the other side, South Carolina’s been able to move the ball pretty well against Texas A&M’s typically stout defense. Sellers is having one of his best performances of the season, with the big play of the game for the Gamecocks being a 50-yard strike from Sellers to Vandrevius Jacobs to set up their first touchdown of the afternoon.
There’s still a long way to go in this one, but after 20 minutes of play, it’s been all Gamecocks and the Aggies have a lot of work to do to avoid their first loss of the season.
Navy builds on lead by… passing the ball?
Early 2Q: Navy 14, No. 24 South Florida 9
Never forget that the United States Navy has its own air force. Navy’s college football team gave us a kindly reminder Saturday, as the Midshipmen utilized a rare deep shot to build on their lead against American Conference foe South Florida. Star quarterback Blake Horvath faked a handoff and uncorked a deep bomb to versatile weapon Eli Heidenreich, who made a spectacular one-handed catch while maintaining his momentum. He raced all the way to South Florida’s four-yard line, where Brandon Chatman finished the drive with a rushing touchdown.
That sequence gave Navy an early 14-3 lead in a game with College Football Playoff implications. But USF was quick to respond. The Bulls marched 75 yards down the field in just five plays and drew back within one possession when quarterback Byrum Brown hit wide receiver Keshaun Singleton for a 12-yard touchdown.
A sensational Jeremiyah Love TD run and a pick six have Notre Dame in command
After a missed field goal on their opening drive, the Irish decided to take their kicking woes out of the equation in Pittsburgh by finding the end zone twice in a span of a minute to jump out to an early 14-0 lead. First, Jeremiyah Love put another long touchdown run on his highlight reel, breaking through the Pitt defensive front and then put a safety in the blender with a vicious spin move to free himself to take it to the house.
On Pitt’s ensuing possession, freshman QB Mason Heintschel got caught staring down his receiver and Tae Johnson jumped in front of a hook route for a pick six that put the Irish up two touchdowns.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said this week that since this isn’t an ACC game it doesn’t matter if Notre Dame beats them by 100, and it looks like that result might be in play midway through the first quarter.
LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier will not play vs. Arkansas
LSU will be without starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier for Saturday’s showdown with Arkansas in Baton Rouge. Interim coach Frank Wilson confirmed Nussmeier aggravated his abdominal injury in practice this week. The Tigers had listed him as probable earlier Thursday, downgraded him to questionable Friday before officially ruling him out just before kickoff on the game day availability report.
Sophomore Michael Van Buren will make the start in his place. Van Buren started eight games last season as a true freshman at Mississippi State and has appeared in three games for LSU this year. He saw extended action last week against Alabama after Nussmeier left in the third quarter, completing five of 11 passes for 52 yards.
College Football Playoff Bubble Watch: Notre Dame vs. Pitt among potential elimination games in Week 12
Week 12 of the 2025 college football season is stacking up as the most important slate since the initial College Football Playoff Rankings were unveiled. Saturday alone is home to litany of games that will have a major impact on the final standings.
That includes a few matchups with elimination implications. Take No. 9 Notre Dameand No. 22 Pitt, for example. Both are still in the conversation, but neither can really afford another loss at this point.
So that adds some considerable spice to Notre Dame’s road trip to Pittsburgh this weekend. Other two-loss teams like No. 11 Oklahoma, No. 10 Texas and No. 17 USCface potential elimination against tough opponents.
There’s a lot on the line for a lot of prominent teams as the 2025 season nears its conclusion. Here’s a look at the Week 12 contests that matter in the College Football Playoff race and the implications for both teams involved.
College Football Playoff Bubble Watch: Notre Dame vs. Pitt among potential elimination games in Week 12
Will Backus
2025 SEC Championship Game scenarios: Paths for Alabama, Texas A&M, Georgia, Ole Miss and more contenders
College Football Playoff expansion has brought enhanced interest to conference championship races down the stretch. And in the SEC, there are still a half-dozen teams mathematically alive to play the first weekend of December.
If anything goes awry over the next several weeks for unbeaten Texas A&M or one-loss Alabama, all bets are off with how the playoff selection committee will view this conference during final deliberations.
Saturday’s seismic matchups pitting No. 11 Oklahoma vs. No. 4 Alabama and No. 10 Texas vs. No. 5 Georgia, among others, will provide a glimpse into how this race will be decided over the final stretch.
We’ve scribbled out all SEC Championship Game scenarios below, along with how each result could play into the playoff picture.
2025 SEC Championship Game scenarios: Paths for Alabama, Texas A&M, Georgia, Ole Miss and more contenders
Brad Crawford
College football schedule, games 2025: What to watch in Week 12, TV, streaming, Saturday kickoff times
Consider this an official petition to call Week 12 of the 2025 college footballseason “Decision Weekend.” It — obviously — isn’t the last slate of games on the schedule, nor is it the last chance for teams to impress the College Football Playoff selection committee.
But Saturday will be key for several prominent teams. Take No. 9 Notre Dame, for example. The Fighting Irish have thrived since their 0-2 start, but that start also means they cannot afford another loss. Neither can No. 22 Pittsburgh, which hosts Notre Dame on Saturday. The 7-2 Panthers have quietly emerged as an ACC contender and a win against Notre Dame would propel them into the national spotlight.
It’s also a big weekend for the SEC. More specifically, the conference’s Red River Rivals — No. 11 Oklahoma and No. 10 Texas are each staring down season-defining games. The Sooners have a tough trip to Tuscaloosa to play No. 4 Alabama on deck, while the Longhorns also have to hit the road to play a Georgia team that they have not beat since 2018.
College football schedule, games 2025: What to watch in Week 12, TV, streaming, Saturday kickoff times
Will Backus
The Six Pack: Picks for Alabama vs. Oklahoma, Georgia vs. Texas and Tom Fornelli’s lock for Week 12
It’s November. The sun is going down earlier, the clouds are more prominent, and this week, there was suddenly a few inches of snow dumped on the ground where I live, north of Chicago. As if seasonal affective disorder isn’t enough to get me feeling down, there was also what happened in The Six Pack last week.
It was another 3-3 week, but it was one in which it felt like I had my heart ripped out. Oregon and Iowa both had red zone turnovers in a game that finished with 34 points when we needed 41 to hit our over. Oregon State outgained Sam Houston State 474 yards to 157, yet somehow found a way to not only cover the spread but also lose the game outright. Then there was Auburn, our Upset of the Week. The Tigers led Vanderbilt 20-10 at halftime, and held a 30-24 lead after the third quarter. They lost in overtime.
It’s enough to make me wonder if The Six Pack is cursed this year. No matter what we do, we’re going 3-3. There’s no escaping it.
The Six Pack: Picks for Alabama vs. Oklahoma, Georgia vs. Texas and Tom Fornelli’s lock for Week 12
Tom Fornelli
College football Week 12 storylines: The pending battle over 3-loss SEC teams in CFP; All eyes on Lane Kiffin
You know it’s coming, so you might as well accept it now.
We’re once again headed toward a debate over the worth of a three-loss SEC team for the final College Football Playoff spots.
Last year, all those decisions went against the league. Alabama, Ole Miss and South Carolina — all three-loss teams — were left just outside the 12-team field. The snubs generated plenty of frustration within SEC circles and ultimately helped drive a successful push to tweak the CFP selection committee’s criteria.
As it stands today, the SEC has five teams in the projected playoff field, including No. 10 Texas, which visits No. 5 Georgia this weekend in Athens.
College football Week 12 storylines: The pending battle over 3-loss SEC teams in CFP; All eyes on Lane Kiffin
John Talty
