The weekend’s college football action was light on marquee matchups but heavy on storylines: panels shuffled marginally, a handful of upsets and odd plays shook up confidence, and a few standout performances kept playoff debate lively as Rivalry Week looms.

College Football Highlights From Week 13 and the New AP Top 25

Most top teams treated this slate like a tune-up before Rivalry Week, so there wasn’t a ton of late-game drama or massive poll upheaval. That made for plenty of speculation about who belongs in the playoff picture rather than definitive answers. Two recurring themes this week were Notre Dame versus Miami in the rankings conversation and the continued curiosity about Lane Kiffin’s next coaching move.

The Hurricanes remain a question mark: they sit in the playoff bracket as the highest-ranked ACC team but might not even reach the conference title game. That type of uncertainty keeps committee chatter alive while fans wait for next week’s games to really clarify things. For now, teams with strong resumes are safe, while others are playing musical chairs around the bubble.

There were a few quirky financial and scheduling notes that caught attention beyond the scores. UNC-Charlotte accepted a reported $1.9 million buyout to travel to Athens to face Georgia and were treated fairly on the road, even getting a field goal. North Texas continued its Group of Five push, putting up another 50-plus scoring output for the seventh time this season, highlighted by Wyatt Young’s 295 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

• UNC-Charlotte received a record buyout to visit Georgia and were allowed to kick a field goal by the hosts.
• North Texas reached its seventh 50-point game, with Wyatt Young posting 295 receiving yards and two scores.
• Benedict pulled off a remarkable Division II playoff upset with an 85-yard play featuring a cross-field lateral as time expired.

Odd stats and lucky breaks punctuated the weekend, from surprising entries on efficiency lists to game-changing special teams plays. One head-scratching stat listed the 10 teams with the biggest average yardage advantage over opponents and included every top-25 squad plus a 5-6 Florida State. Those anomalies feed the narrative that polls don’t always line up with on-field consistency.

• The top-25 dominated a strange stat list of yards-over-opponent averages, and Florida State showed up despite a 5-6 record.
• Syracuse gifted Notre Dame three touchdowns off two interception returns and added a blocked punt return, handing the Irish a 21-point cushion before their offense ran much of anything.
• NC State benefited from a bizarre special teams bounce when a punt hit a blocker’s helmet and returned to the kicking team for recovery.

Utah 51 – Kansas State 47

The Utes and Wildcats delivered a shootout that felt like an offensive showcase and a defensive experiment gone wrong. Both teams piled up more than 550 yards and the teams combined for 53 first downs in a back-and-forth thriller. Joe Jackson ran for 293 yards and three TDs for the Wildcats, but Utah struck three times in the final seven minutes and sealed it with a last-minute touchdown.

Oregon 42 – USC 27

Oregon mostly handled USC after building a two-score halftime lead, leaving little doubt as the Ducks rolled late. Jayden Maiava led the charge with 306 yards passing and three touchdowns in a game that did little to muddy the conference picture for Oregon.

Pitt 42 – Georgia Tech 28

Pitt piled up an early 28-point lead that Georgia Tech could not overcome, highlighted by a 100-yard pick-six at the goal line thrown by Haynes King. The loss further muddles the ACC race and keeps the conference standings unpredictable heading into rivalry matchups.

Texas 52 – Arkansas 37

Arch Manning turned in a performance many expected this season, accounting for six total touchdowns and making history as the first Longhorn to score on a pass, run, and reception in a single game. Arkansas endured another brutal test on a tough schedule and paid for defensive lapses.

Oklahoma 17 – Missouri 6

Oklahoma’s defense helped seal Missouri’s postseason hopes, and the Sooners notched their fifth victory over a ranked opponent, which bolsters their resume for selection conversations. Missouri now faces an uphill climb to salvage a postseason berth.

Vanderbilt 45 – Kentucky 17

Diego Pavia kept Vanderbilt alive on the playoff radar with a massive showing: six touchdowns and 484 total yards without even finishing the game. Vandy remains at the mercy of the committee, but performances like this keep them in the discussion heading into the final week.

Here is the new AP Top-25 (first place votes). Missouri and Houston dropped off the poll while SMU and Pitt moved in.

1. Ohio State (58)
2. Indiana (7)
3. Texas A&M (1)
4. Georgia
5. Oregon
6. Ole Miss
7. Texas Tech
8. Oklahoma
9. Notre Dame
10. Alabama
11. BYU
12. Vanderbilt
13. Miami
14. Utah
15. Michigan
16. Texas
17. Virginia
18. Tennessee
19. USC
20. James Madison
21. North Texas
22. Tulane
23. Georgia Tech
24. Pitt
25. SMU