This year’s CFP selection will be greatly impacted by the College Football Week 12 results. With 19 games featuring ranked opponents, including Tennessee versus Georgia, college football fans got a much better idea of who this year’s pretenders and contenders are. We also saw Travis Hunter strengthen his Heisman odds with yet another masterful performance.
While some teams got better results than others, who were the biggest winners and losers from college football Saturday?
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Winner: Travis Hunter
Just give Travis Hunter his Heisman Trophy already. Colorado’s two-way sensation might have changed the Buffaloes’ fate with an incredible 28-yard reception on 4th-and-8 to break Utah’s will. He had a dominant effort on both sides of the ball, recording five receptions for 55 yards, a five-yard-touchdown run, plus three tackles, an interception and a pass deflection. There’s no denying that Hunter made a significant impact in Colorado’s win.
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Loser: Texas Longhorns
Before we get too far along, we should mention that the Texas Longhorns won on Saturday. Yet, beating an unranked 5-5 Arkansas Razorbacks team 20-10 isn’t exactly what anyone expected. Quinn Ewers and the Texas offense should have blown Arkansas out of the water, but they mustered just 176 passing yards. Again, the third-ranked Longhorns escaped with a win, but it wasn’t an impressive one.
Winner: Tulane Green Wave
Coming into the week ranked for the first time since landing at No. 23 late last season, the Tulane Green Wave got another convincing win on Saturday, and it was against a team that started the day at 7-2. While Navy may not be a powerhouse, Tulane should feel good about outgaining their opponent 358 yards to 113 while shutting them out 35-0.
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Loser: De’Nylon Morrissette, Purdue Boilermakers WR
They can’t all be winners. De’Nylon Morrissette and the Purdue Boilermakers found that out the hard way on Saturday. Entering the day at 1-8, the Boilermakers can’t buy a win this year, and we saw why against Penn State. The Boilermakers never stood a chance to knock off the No. 4 team in the nation, but it didn’t help that one of their receivers, Morrissette, ran a route that left him well away from the end zone. Yet, somehow Purdue QB Hudson Card still threw the ball his way, only for everyone to see Morrissette was clearly out of bounds, by several inches, if not feet. But hey, at least he caught the pass.
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Winner: Clemson Tigers, barely
The Clemson Tigers nearly landed in this week’s losers column with the Pitt Panthers mounting a late comeback. The Panthers may have scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, but QB Cade Klubnik’s clutch 50-yard touchdown run put the final nail in Pittsburgh’s coffin. Clemson moves to 8-2 after defeating a seven-win Panthers team that was on the verge of being ranked. Even though it was ugly, that’s a win.
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Winner: Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame RB
Virginia came into the day ranking 41st in rushing defense. Then, Jeremiyah Love happened. The Notre Dame running back enjoyed what was easily the best game of his career, racking up 137 yards and two touchdowns on just 16 attempts. His previous career high came against a one-win Purdue team, where Love reached 109 rushing yards, but this is one he’ll likely never forget.
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Loser: LSU Tigers
Have the LSU Tigers and Brian Kelly hit rock bottom yet? It’s not like the Florida Gators are ranked or even healthy. It’s also inexplicable how LSU was ranked coming into this matchup. What’s clear is that Kelly has built a program that is multiple years away from playoff contention and, quite frankly, it’s hard to believe he’s the right guy for LSU at this point.
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Winner: Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State Sun Devils wide receiver
Week 12 proved to be a great one for young wide receivers. Sophomore Jordyn Tyson stole the show on Saturday night, taking his talents on the road to stun No. 16 Kansas State. A majority of his damage came in three quarters, turning 6 receptions into 160 yards and two touchdowns. After sitting out the 2023 season following his transfer from Colorado, Tyson is proving to be a perfect fit with ASU.
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Loser: Louisville Cardinals
There’s no one for the Louisville Cardinals to blame but themselves for the Week 11 loss to Stanford and the cross-country travel isn’t an excuse. Louisville led 25-28 with 4 minutes left in the fourth quarter until it allowed a 76-yard touchdown drive to Stanford. Then, following a turnover on downs by the Cardinals offense at the Stanford 45-yard line, Louisville imploded. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty gifted Stanford 15 years. Then, seconds later a 57-yard field goal attempt was made 5 yards shorter by an offsides penalty. Stanford’s Emmet Kenney had just enough from 52 yards out for the win. Just a brutal closeout performance for Louisville.
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Loser: Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Volunteers
It’s always the same problems for the Tennessee Volunteers under Josh Heupel. The offensive line is atrocious and quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s decision-making is made even worse because of it. The Vols defense also took a significant step back tonight, looking undisciplined and unprepared. All of this is a reflection on Heupel. Tennessee isn’t exactly producing talent that is NFL-ready either, so consistently competing for a playoff spot is the only viable way for this program to be relevant. Once again, however, Tennessee remains a third-tier SEC team with this head coach.
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