Where has the season gone?
We're already in Week 14 and there are multiple teams across college football who have already played their final game. Four MAC teams —Akron, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan and UMass — have already completed their seasons. Pour one out for UMass. The Minutemen went 0-12 and are the only winless team at the top level of college football.
The final week of the regular season has a lot at stake. No team has officially clinched a spot in a power conference championship game and multiple teams in the American still have a chance to earn a playoff berth. Here's what you need to know as the regular season wraps up.
No. 3 Texas A&M at No. 16 Texas
All that stands between Texas A&M and the school's first undefeated regular season since 1994 is a trip to its hated rival who started the season at No. 1 in the AP Top 25. No big deal, right?
College football is better when A&M and Texas are playing each other and we get another game with massive stakes now that the rivalry has been renewed. A year ago, as the two played each other for the first time in 2011, the winner went to the SEC title game.
This season, the Longhorns are out of the conference race. But they still have the slightest of playoff hopes even if they need a ton of chaos to envelop the teams ahead of them.
A&M is in the SEC title game with a win and could miss out with a loss. QB Marcel Reed is also in position to be a Heisman finalist — and could become a serious contender with big games against the Longhorns and in the SEC championship.
Texas QB Arch Manning had six total touchdowns in Week 13 against a hapless Arkansas defense. It was the best game of Manning's career; he had four passing TDs to go along with a rushing TD and a receiving TD.
Can he keep it going against an Aggie defense that's been one of the best in the country against the pass? Opposing QBs are completing just 57% of their passes for 183 yards a game against the Aggies.
No. 1 Ohio State at No. 15 Michigan
Yes, there is a scenario that results in Ohio State and Michigan playing each other in back-to-back weeks. That would be fun, but it would require Indiana losing as a four-touchdown favorite to Purdue. So it's not really worth thinking about.
Ohio State enters this game as a virtual playoff lock but a team that also has all of the pressure. The Buckeyes have famously lost the last four games in the series dating back to 2019. Last year's 13-10 road win by Michigan was the first time an unranked team had won this game over a ranked opponent since Ohio State beat Michigan in 2004.
The Buckeyes didn't have WRs Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate against Rutgers in Week 13. Coach Ryan Day has only offered general updates about his receivers but Smith has said he should be good to go. If Tate can play too, the Ohio State passing attack should be back to full strength. But even if OSU only has one of them back it changes the dynamic for the Michigan defense.
Michigan QB Bryce Underwood was 16-of-23 passing for 215 yards and two touchdowns in the Wolverines' Week 13 win over Maryland. He's been a much better passer at home, too. Underwood has completed 68% of his passes at Michigan Stadium for 1,131 yards on 133 attempts. On the road, Underwood is 81-of-142 passing for 1,035 yards. He also averages 6.3 yards a carry at home compared to 3.5 yards a rush on the road.
His splits are even more extreme across Michigan's wins and its two losses. In road losses at Oklahoma and USC, Underwood was just 24-of-48 passing for 349 yards over those two games and he's rushed for minus-5 yards (remember, college stats take sacks into account). If Ohio State's stellar defense can keep Underwood in the pocket, the Wolverines could be hamstrung without RB Justice Haynes.
No. 6 Oregon at Washington
It's simple for Oregon. Beat Washington and host a first-round College Football Playoff game.
The Ducks' 49-21 win a season ago snapped a three-game win streak for Washington in the series. The Huskies won those three games over 2022 and 2023 by a combined nine points; every victory was by a field goal.
Since losing 13-10 in the rain at Wisconsin, Washington has won its last two games by a combined score of 97-27, though the two opponents were Purdue and UCLA. Even though Washington is 8-3, QB Demond Williams Jr. is still under the radar for many college football fans. Williams has completed 72% of his passes for 2,721 yards and 19 TDs and has rushed for 568 yards and six scores.
The Ducks held USC in check a week ago. The Trojans averaged a season-low 5.3 yards per play as they had their worst rushing performance of 2025. USC had just 52 rushing yards even though QB Jayden Maiava was only sacked once.
As Dante Moore has been one of the better QBs in the country, Oregon has learned to rely on an explosive run game that wasn't explosive but extremely efficient against USC. Oregon rushed 41 times for 179 yards as Noah Whittington led the way with 19 carries for 104 yards. The sixth-year senior is averaging a career-high 7.7 yards per carry in 2025 and has a chance to eclipse 1,000 yards for the first time if Oregon makes the College Football Playoff.
No. 14 Vanderbilt at No. 19 Tennessee
Saturday's game is the first time Vanderbilt and Tennessee will play as ranked opponents. It's the 119th time they've played each other.
It's a stat that seems too wild to be true, but you have to go back to 1958 to find the last time that Vanderbilt was ranked when it played Tennessee. The Commodores are looking to snap a six-game losing streak to the Volunteers; Vandy hasn't won since a 38-13 victory over the Vols in 2018.
A win will keep Vanderbilt in the mix for the College Football Playoff and could even propel the Commodores into the playoff if a couple of teams ahead of them lose in Week 14. Diego Pavia's Heisman odds improved dramatically in Week 13 as he set a school single-game passing record with 484 yards in a 45-17 win over Kentucky. A win will also mark the first 10-win season in school history for Vanderbilt.
Tennessee exorcised some Gainesville demons in Week 13 with a very easy 31-11 win over Florida. It was the first time Tennessee had beaten Florida on the road since 2003 and just the fourth win overall for the Volunteers over Florida since that last road win. Can the Tennessee defense clamp down on Pavia? After getting torched by Arkansas, Alabama and even Kentucky, which averaged 6.5 yards per play, Tennessee's defense has played better over its last three games.
No. 10 Alabama at Auburn
Despite a Week 12 loss to Oklahoma, Alabama's SEC title game scenario is very straightforward. An Iron Bowl win sends the Crimson Tide to Atlanta. And remember the last time Alabama needed a win in Auburn to keep its playoff hopes alive?
Two years ago, Jalen Milroe found Isaiah Bond for a touchdown on fourth-and-31 with 32 seconds left for a 27-24 win. A week later, the Tide took down Georgia to make the final four-team College Football Playoff.
That loss dropped Auburn to 6-6 in Hugh Freeze's first season. Now, Freeze is already out as Auburn's coach after his firing earlier this season and the Tigers need a win to get to a bowl game.
QB Ashton Daniels is expected to start on Saturday night after sitting out the Tigers' Week 13 win over Mercer. The Iron Bowl will be Daniels' fourth appearance of the season. Had he played against Mercer, a snap against Alabama would have prevented him from redshirting for 2025.
Freshman Deuce Knight started in Daniels' place and threw for 239 yards while rushing for 162 yards and four scores. It was an impressive performance with the obvious caveat that it came against an FCS school. How much playing time will Knight see against Alabama? He's only appeared in two games, so the Tigers don't have to worry about his redshirt status.
As Alabama cruised to a 56-0 win over FCS team Eastern Illinois in Week 13, Ty Simpson threw two interceptions on 16 pass attempts. He did, however, break a five-game fumble streak. If Simpson can avoid turnovers — he had just one interception through Alabama's first nine games of the season — the Tide should be OK.
Others to watch
Navy at Memphis (-5.5), 7:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, ESPN:The only Thanksgiving college football game is an important one in the American Conference. Navy needs a win over Memphis and a loss by either Tulane or North Texas to have a shot at the title game. The Green Wave will host the American title game with a win thanks to their spot in the CFP rankings and North Texas beat Navy earlier in the season.
No. 7 Ole Miss (-7.5) at Mississippi State, Noon ET Friday, ABC:The betting line reflects the unpredictability of the Egg Bowl in normal years. And this has become no normal year for Ole Miss. The Rebels are on track to host a College Football Playoff game with a win and thefuture of coach Lane Kiffin could have clarity at some point immediately after the game. Will he stay or go?
No. 12 Miami (-6.5) at Pitt, Noon ET, ABC:Pitt needs to upset the Hurricanes and get some help to make the ACC title game. Miami needs a win and, well, a lot more help than Pitt needs. Eight results have to go Miami's way over the weekend for Miami to make the ACC championship game. And there are eight ACC games in Week 14.
LSU at No. 8 Oklahoma (-10.5), 3:30 p.m. ET, ABC:Can the Tigers keep it competitive? We wouldn't rule it out, even if Garrett Nussmeier is still sidelined with his abdominal injury. It's an important game for Oklahoma's offense. If the Sooners still look rocky they could lose out on a home playoff game.
Virginia Tech at No. 18 Virginia (-9.5), 7 p.m. ET, ESPN:The Cavaliers are in the ACC title game with a win over their rivals. Virginia's likely opponent in the ACC title game would be SMU, assuming the Mustangs take care of business against Cal. If you had Virginia and SMU playing for a spot in the playoff in August, you should go buy a lottery ticket.
