Saturday Spells Disaster for Many Top 25 Teams Leaving Oregon as the Lone Undefeated Team

The Buckeyes continue their path for a rematch with Oregon.

    Seven Top 25 were handed brutal late-season losses and a handful of other teams were pressed until the final minutes. Indiana and Army both lost their marquee matchups, leaving Oregon as the lone undefeated team in college football. The Buckeyes and Fighting Irish join a cluster of 10-1 teams as the playoff race heats up. The SEC had shockwaves sent through it as two 5-5 teams upset playoff foes. First Ole Miss choked in a loss to Florida and then Jalen Milroe threw three interceptions, including a pick-six, as they were dropped 24-3 by Oklahoma.

Coach Prime and the Buffs were derailed by Kansas.

    Colorado became the third straight-ranked opponent to lose to Kansas, while BYU ran out of extra chances in a wild loss to Arizona State. In that game, the Sun Devils' fans ran on the field, but a review showed that there was still one second remaining, forcing them off the field and giving BYU a last shot at a Hail Mary, that came up just short. The wildest upset came when Auburn kicked a field goal to tie the game and then defeated Texas A&M 43-41 in four overtimes.

The Nittany Lions clung to victory on Saturday.

    There were several close calls as Iowa State was saved by a missed field goal by Utah, Penn State scored late and played keep away to hold on 26-25 against Minnesota, and Boise State was bottled up against Wyoming, but did enough to win 17-13.

All this drama leads into perhaps the greatest week in sports, Rivalry Week. Although now bowl-eligible Michigan is likely no match for Ohio State in next week's Game, there are still plenty of hot tickets going into the final week. 17 teams are vying to become bowl-eligible with Minnesota-Wisconsin, Eastern Michigan-Western Michigan, Virginia-Virginia Tech, and UNC-NCST all in must-win games that could send their rival sitting at home this winter.

Let's take a look at some of those matchups and this week's shuffled Top 25:

The Ducks are looking to finish as the only undefeated team in the country.

1. Oregon (11-0, 64.7 WA, 0 LA)

Last Week Rank: 1

Last Week: Bye

Up Next: Washington (6-5, 62)

Rivalry: Washington leads the series 63-48-5, including wins in the last 3 games.

2. Notre Dame (10-1, 61.4, 76)

LWR: 5

LW: The Irish demolished Army at Yankee Stadium to hand them their first loss of the season.

Up Next: USC (6-5, 59)

Rivalry: Notre Dame leads the series 34-30-3

3. Texas (10-1, 65, 27)

LWR: 4

LW: The Longhorns struggled early but were able to put away Kentucky 31-14.

Up Next: Texas A&M (8-3, 29)

Rivalry: Texas leads the series 76-37-5, have not played since 2011.

4. Penn State (10-1, 68.3, 19)

LWR: 6

LW: The Nittany Lions trailed late but were able to rally and hold off the Golden Gophers 26-25.

Up Next: Maryland (4-7, 100)

The Game will decide the Buckeyes' fate in the Big Ten Championship.

5. Ohio State (10-1, 68.9, 3)

LWR: 9

LW: The Buckeyes fell behind 7-0 and then rattled off 31 straight points in their 38-15 win over previously undefeated Indiana.

Up Next: Michigan (6-5, 58)

Rivalry: Michigan leads the series 61-51-6, Wolverines have won the last 3 meetings

6. Indiana (10-1, 72.8, 9)

LWR: 2

LW: Lost 38-15 to Ohio State.

Up Next: Purdue (1-10, 132)

Rivalry: Old Oaken Bucket, Purdue leads series 77-42-6, Boilermakers have won last 3 meetings

7. SMU (10-1, 73.4, 84)

LWR: 8

LW: The Mustangs rolled to a 33-7 win over Virginia to clinch a spot in the ACC Championship in their first year.

Up Next: Cal (6-5,68)

8. Miami (10-1, 75, 60)

LWR: 7

LW: The Hurricanes crushed Wake Forest and have a chance to make it to the ACC title game and possibly win the ACC for the first time ever.

Up Next: Syracuse (8-3, 23)

9. Boise State (10-1, 84.9, 5)

LWR: 11

LW: The Broncos struggled mightily to get past 2-8 Wyoming, 17-13.

Up Next: Oregon State (5-6, 86)

Notre Dame leapt over Army in the Pool Poll.

10. Army (9-1, 107.8, 5)

LWR: 3

LW: The Black Knights defense was no match for Notre Dame in a 49-14 loss.

Up Next: UTSA (6-5,74)

11. Arizona State (9-2, 61.9, 56.5)

LWR: 18

LW: The Sun Devils continue to prove their last-place finish prediction wrong as they knocked off BYU 28-23 for a chance to maybe play in the Big 12 Championship.

Up Next: Arizona (4-7, 99)

Rivalry: Duel in the Desert- Wildcats lead the series 51-44-1 and have won the last two meetings.

12. Clemson (9-2, 71, 21)

LWR: 15

LW: The Tigers took the week off and played The Citadel (FCS).

Up Next: South Carolina (8-3, 24)

Rivalry: Palmetto Bowl- The Tigers lead the series 73-43-4 and won the last meeting.

13. Georgia (9-2, 72.1, 11)

LWR: 16

LW: They briefly trailed UMass, but then reality set in and they won 59-21.

Up Next: Georgia Tech (7-4, 42)

Rivalry: Clean, Old Fashioned Hate-The Bulldogs lead the series 71-41-5 including the last 6 wins.

14. BYU (9-2, 77.8, 59.5)

LWR: 10

LW: The Cougars carriage finally turned into a pumpkin and their late game heroics fell short 28-23.

Up Next: Houston (4-7, 96)

The SEC is wide open and the Volunteers are hoping for chaos.

15. Tennessee (9-2, 82, 47)

LWR: 19

LW: The Volunteers bullied UTEP 59-0.

Up Next: Vanderbilt (6-5, 61)

Rivalry: Tennessee controls the series 78-32-5 including the last 5 meetings.

16. Iowa State (9-2, 83.8, 79.5)

LWR: 23

LW: The Cyclones got a late field goal and then Utah missed their own late-game field goal to give Iowa State a 31-28 victory.

Up Next: Kansas State (8-3, 26)

17. Tulane (9-2, 87.4, 25.5)

LWR: 12

LW: The Green Wave rested for the AAC showdown with the Tigers.

Up Next: Memphis (9-2, 20)

18. UNLV (9-2, 92.1, 37)

LWR: 25

LW: The Rebels defeated San Jose State 27-16 on Friday.

Up Next: Nevada (3-9, 124)

Rivalry: Fremont Cannon- Nevada leads the series 29-20, but UNLV has won the last two.

19. Louisiana (9-2, 97.2, 95.5)

LWR: 26

LW: The Ragin' Cajuns crushed Troy 51-30.

Up Next: Louisiana Monroe (5-6, 91)

Rivalry: Battle on the Bayou- Louisiana leads the series 32-26.

Memphis and Tulane meet again for AAC supremacy.

20. Memphis (9-2, 100.3, 75)

LWR: 13

LW: Bye

Up Next: Tulane (9-2, 17)

21. Liberty (8-2, 101, 101)

LWR: 28

LW: The Flames blew by Western Kentucky 38-21.

Up Next: Sam Houston State (8-3, 37)

22. Alabama (8-3, 51.5, 63)

LWR: 14

LW: The Crimson Tide folded 24-3 to the Sooners.

Up Next: Auburn (5-6, 84)

Rivalry: The Iron Bowl-Tide lead the series 50-37-1 and have won the last 4 meetings.

23. Syracuse (8-3, 61.5, 57.7)

LWR: 30

LW: The Orange held on to beat UConn 31-24.

Up Next: Miami (10-1, 8)

24. South Carolina (8-3, 66.5, 51)

LWR: 29

LW: The Gamecocks rested before the Palmetto Bowl with an easy win over Wofford (FCS).

Up Next: Clemson (9-2, 12)

The Buffs were not ready for Kansas.

25. Colorado (8-3, 67.9, 55.3)

LWR: 17

LW: The Buffaloes were stunned 37-21.

Up Next: Oklahoma State (3-8, 114)

Dropped Out: Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Washington State, and James Madison

Waiting List: Kansas State, Illinois, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Washington State, Duke, Ohio, Marshall, James Madison, Missouri, Sam Houston State, Western Kentucky, Navy, and Louisville

Bottom 10:

Kennesaw State was one of four teams in the Bottom 10 to earn a victory this week.

125. Kennesaw State (2-9, last hope against La Tech)

126. Florida State (2-9, Florida)

127. Florida Atlantic (2-9, Tulsa)

128. Wyoming (2-9, Washington State)

129. UTEP (2-9, New Mexico State)

130. Mississippi State (2-9, Ole Miss)

131. UMass (2-9, UConn)

132. Purdue (1-10, Indiana)

133. Southern Miss (1-10, Troy)

134. Kent State (0-11, Buffalo)