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As the college football season edges closer to its climax, last week played out as a relatively calm precursor to the impending excitement of Rivalry Week. With few headline-making matchups on the agenda, the games served more as warm-ups for the top teams, leaving the rankings largely unchanged and setting the stage for the pivotal battles that lie ahead.
This lull in high-stakes drama allowed fans and pundits to delve deep into speculation over the future landscape of college football. Much of the discourse circled around whether Notre Dame should earn a playoff spot over Miami, and the potential next move for the ever-controversial Lane Kiffin. Still, there were moments of intrigue worth noting. The Miami Hurricanes, despite their uncertain path to the conference finals, managed to secure a coveted spot in the playoff bracket as the highest-ranked team from the ACC.
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In a game marked by financial records rather than athletic feats, UNC-Charlotte made headlines by accepting a record-setting $1.9 million buyout to play against Georgia in Athens. In a show of sportsmanship, Georgia allowed the visiting 49ers to score a field goal during the contest.
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Meanwhile, North Texas continued to build its case for a spot in the Group of Five playoffs. The team maintained its high-scoring streak with a seventh consecutive game of at least 50 points. Receiver Wyatt Young was a standout performer, amassing 295 yards and scoring two touchdowns, further enhancing his team’s impressive offensive stats.
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The Division 2 playoffs offered their own share of excitement as Benedict pulled off a thrilling first-round victory. A last-second, 85-yard touchdown pass, complete with a cross-field lateral, clinched the win in a dramatic fashion.
Utah 51 – Kansas State 47
Benedict completes the comeback from 24-0 and beats Wingate on the road to open the #D2FB playoffs! pic.twitter.com/lyvTmAg8Xd
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) November 22, 2025
- In one head-scratching stat, the list of 10 teams with the highest average yards gained advantage over opponents features all squads in the top-25…and the 5-6 FSU Seminoles.
- Syracuse did everything possible to secure a win for Notre Dame. The Irish benefitted from three touchdowns off two interceptions returned, and a blocked punt also for a score. That is enough to feed the fortunes of any team, but the Irish took the 21-point lead off of those plays before their offense had even been on the field.
- In a play reflective of the FSU season, NC State benefitted when punter Caden Noonkester made a short kick from their 40-yard line. It hit the helmet of a Seminole blocker and careened back to the 40, where Noonkester recovered it for a new Wildcats possession.
Caden Noonkester punt. Caden Noonkester fumble recovery!#1Pack1Goal pic.twitter.com/HYrTLyb7MT
— NC State Football (@PackFootball) November 22, 2025
Utah 51 – Kansas State 47
In the thriller of the weekend, the Utes and Wildcats had a defense-be-damned shootout. While nearly putting up 100 points together, both teams gained over 550 yards of offense each and combined for 53 first downs. In the losing effort, Joe Jackson ran for 293 yards and three touchdowns, but the Utes scored three times in the final seven minutes, getting the winning touchdown with under a minute to play.
Oregon 42 – USC 27
One other chance at impacting the playoff rankings was avoided as the Ducks handled USC in mostly easy fashion after building a two-touchdown lead at the half. Jayden Maiava led the Ducks with 306 yards and three touchdowns.
Pitt 42 – Georgia Tech 28
In a season when the ACC has been tossed in the blender, why not make things more confounding? A Tech win would have probably locked them into the conference final, so of course, they had to lose and further muddle things. The Panthers built up a 28-point lead that the Yellowjackets could never recover from, the killer being a 100-yard pick-6 thrown by Haynes King at the goal line.
Texas 52 – Arkansas 37
The Razorbacks have possibly the most brutal schedule this year, and they ran into Arch Manning having the type of game many expected from him since this summer. The generational QB was good for six touchdowns, throwing for four, and becoming the first one in Longhorn history to score on the pass, run, and receiving in the same game.
Oklahoma 17 – Missouri 6
In another game that sealed a fate, Mizzou sees itself out of the postseason mix as Oklahoma relied on a swarming defense. One thing bolstering the Sooners’ playoff bid is that this marks the fifth victory over a ranked team on their resume.
Vanderbilt 45 – Kentucky 17
The Commodores stay in contention on the playoff bubble as Diego Pavia buried the Wildcates early and often. The quarterback continues to be in the Heisman conversation as he was good for a total of six TDs and 484 yards, and did not even play the complete game. Vandy remains at the mercy of the playoff committee until next week shakes out the positions.
Here is the new AP Top-25 (first place votes). Missouri and Houston fall off the poll, as SMU and Pitt take their spots.
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Ohio State (58)
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Indiana (7)
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Texas A&M (1)
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Georgia
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Oregon
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Ole Miss
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Texas Tech
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Oklahoma
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Notre Dame
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Alabama
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BYU
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Vanderbilt
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Miami
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Utah
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Michigan
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Texas
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Virginia
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Tennessee
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USC
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James Madison
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North Texas
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Tulane
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Georgia Tech
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Pitt
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SMU
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