Texas to the Championship Game as Drama unfolds in Rivalry Week!

After 13 weeks of action and a chaotic week 13, it all comes down to this. It is the final week of the 2024 College Football regular season, and this is where playoff spots can be secured. Also, the teams that will play for their conference championships (and the converted first-round bye into the playoffs) will be known. So, how did the Texas Longhorns, Ohio State Buckeyes, and Miami Hurricanes (among others) fare in this final week?

Texas Defeat The Aggies in a game 13 years in the making

The number three-ranked Texas Longhorns faced rivals, the number 20-ranked Texas A&M Aggies, for the first time in 13 years. To add to the already high-stakes game, the winner would get a spot in the SEC Championship next week, where they will face the Georgia Bulldogs. So, who would be the best team in Texas?

The game did not start well for either team, with the Aggies turning the ball over on a failed fourth down attempt, while the Longhorns offense could not get anything going on their opening drive. This was due to the slight immobility of quarterback Quinn Ewers, whose ankle is not 100%.

However, the Aggies would make a mistake on their next drive. From the Longhorns’ 40-yard line, Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed threw a deep pass down into the Texas red zone. However, Michael Taafle intercepted this pass.

The Longhorns would be able to take advantage of this interception. Ewers would gradually move his offense down to the Aggies’ 15-yard line. Here, a quarterback change happened, with Arch Manning coming into the game. His impact was immediately felt as he ran for the endzone on his first play, scoring a 15-yard rushing touchdown to give the Longhorns the early lead.

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This lead was extended on the Longhorns’ next drive. The offense would go down to the Aggies’ seven-yard line, and Ewers found Jaydon Blue for the touchdown pass.

Texas’ lead would get even larger just before halftime when kicker Bert Auburn found the uprights from 28 yards out. This meant that when the teams returned to their respective locker rooms, the Longhorns had a 17-0 lead over the Aggies.

As with the first half, neither team could start the second half by putting point onto the board, with them both going three and out fairly quickly.

But then, the Longhorns would make a mistake. Ewers and company put a good set of plays together and advanced down the field to reach the Aggies’ seven-yard line. A touchdown that would have put this game to get was nearly certain to happen. However, it didn’t, as Will Lee III intercepted Ewers’ pass. Lee then returned the ball to the opposite endzone, recording a 93-yard pick-six touchdown.

Ewers’ bad luck continued on the Longhorns’ next drive. Like before, he moved the team down inside the Aggies’ red zone, this time reaching the 10-yard line. But here, another mistake happened. Ewers attempted to run with the ball but was tackled before reaching the line of scrimmage. He subsequently fumbled the ball, which the Aggies scooped up. A silver lining for the Longhorns was that Texas A&M could not do much with their new possession.

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With under five minutes to go, the Aggies had a chance to make this a three-point game. Aided by a blocked punt from the Longhorns, the Aggies offense, led by quarterback Marcel Reed, started the drive at the Longhorns’ 19-yard line. They were able to bring it down to the one-yard line, where they faced a very important fourth-down attempt. Running back Amari Daniels could not break through the Longhorns’ strong defense, preventing the team from scoring.

Reed fumbled the ball and lost possession on their final chance to go something to stay in the game.

This meant that the three-ranked Texas Longhorns had defeated the number 20-ranked Texas A&M Aggies 17-7.

The payoff was sometimes not great for a game that was 13 years in the making. This could be due to the electric and sometimes hostile atmosphere that the Aggies fans created at Kyle Field and the fact that these teams are both strong. This was not the best performance from the Longhorns, but it was enough to give them a spot in the SEC Championship Game next week against the Georgia Bulldogs. If Ewers wants to play in this game, his ankle must heal fully. If not, play Arch Manning. The defeat means that Texas A&M will not make the CFP, so to quote the Longhorns fight song:

“And its goodbye to A&M!”

Miami Miss out

Moving over to the ACC, where a spot in its conference championship game was between the number six ranked Miami Hurricanes and the Clemson Tigers. The Hurricanes had a somewhat easier game against the Syracuse Orange. A win here would put them in a good position to make it; a defeat would end what has been a good season for the Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes had the opening possession of the game and would be able to get the opening set of points. Starting from their 25-yard line, the Hurricanes offense, led by quarterback Cam Ward, would be able to make their way down to the Orange’s two-yard line. From here, Mark Fletcher Jr found the endzone to score the rushing touchdown to take the lead.

This lead would be extended on the next drive, as Ward found Xavier Restrepo for a 16-yard touchdown pass. The following drive would give the Hurricanes more points, as Ward, this time, found Ejiah Arroyo for a three-yard touchdown pass.

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However, in response, the Orange would get their first set of points in the game. Orange quarterback Kyle McCord could move his offense down to the Hurricane’s eight-yard line. Here, LeQuint Allen found the endzone for a rushing touchdown.

Syracuse would again find the endzone on their next drive when McCord found Jackson Meeks for a nine-yard touchdown pass.

This meant that the Hurricanes had a 21-14 lead over the Orange at halftime.

Syracuse had the first possession of the second half and would very quickly turn this into a tie game. On the third play of the half, McCord found Trebor Pena for a 25-yard touchdown pass, which leveled the scores.

But this did not last long. On the next drive, Ward and company made their way down to the Orange two-yard line. Here, Fletcher Jr. found the endzone for his second touchdown of the game and gave Miami the lead again. This lead lasted about three minutes, as McCord found Meeks for a nine-yard touchdown pass to tie things up again.

However, things were not perfect for Syracuse, as they would make a mistake on their next drive. Yasin Willis fumbled the ball inside the Hurricanes’ red zone, and Miami would scoop the ball up.

After this, Ward moved his offense down to the Orange’s 48-yard line, where disaster struck. Miami fumbled the ball, which was scooped up by Devin Grant, who returned to the endzone for a 56-yard fumble return touchdown to give Syracuse the lead.

Unsurprisingly, this lead did not last long, as the Hurricanes would tie things up again on their next drive. Damien Martinez found the endzone from two yards out to level the scores this time as the teams went into the fourth quarter.

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But Syracuse retook the lead on their next drive, as Allen found the endzone for a three-yard rushing touchdown.

Miami needed to reply to keep themselves in the game. On their next drive, Ward and the Hurricanes offense started from their 25-yard line and moved down to the Orange’s 10-yard line. Here, the important drive stalled, setting up a 27-yard field goal. The Hurricanes were successful with this, but with time running out, they needed to regain possession to keep their championship hopes alive.

After this, they never touched the ball, meaning that the Syracuse Orange defeated the number six ranked Miami Hurricanes 42-38.

This win means that the Orange end their season with a 9-3 record. As for the Hurricanes, the defeat means that their chances of making the ACC Championship game are over, and they will now have to hope that the selection committee will see them (a 10-2 team) as strong enough for the playoffs. They should be, but the Hurricanes should wonder what could have been.

Ohio State Still Cannot Defeat Michigan

Finally, we head to the Big Ten for a game that was the de facto championship for many years. The number two ranked Ohio State Buckeyes and the Michigan Wolverines, who you may remember, won the national championship last year but have not played like champions this year. Michigan’s chances of winning the championship game are over, but a win over Ohio State will also take their rivals out of contention. Could this happen, or will Ohio State finally be able to win “The Game”?

The Buckeyes would be able to get the first set of game points on their first drive. Starting from their 31-yard line, Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard took his offense down to the Wolverines’ 11-yard line, where the drive would stall. This set up kicker Jayden Fielding for a 29-yard field goal, which he was successful with.

However, the Buckeyes soon make a costly mistake. On the Buckeyes’ four-yard line, Howard threw an interception. Two plays later, Kalel Mullings found the endzone for a one-yard rushing touchdown to give the Wolverines the lead.

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Ohio State tried to cut into the Wolverines’ lead on their next drive. They made their way down to the Wolverines’ 20-yard line, where the drive again stalled. This set up another field goal attempt from Fielding, who, this time, was unsuccessful.

The Wolverines would not have this problem a few drives later when kicker Dominic Zvada was successful with a 54-yard field goal attempt. But, in response to this, the Buckeyes would finally get something going on offense. Howard and company could move themselves down to the Wolverines’ 10-yard line. Here, he found Jeremiah Smith for a 10-yard touchdown pass.

This meant that at halftime, the scores were tied 10-10.

The second half began very poorly. On the Wolverines’ 16-yard line, Howard would throw another interception. But, they were not without the ball for long, as Wolverines’ quarterback Davis Warren threw an interception deep in his red zone.

This again gave the Buckeyes possession on the Wolverines’ 16-yard line, but the drive went nowhere. This set up a field goal attempt from Fielding, but he missed from 34 yards out.

The Wolverines were then able to put something together on offense. On a drive that took more than nine minutes off the clock, Warren and company could make it down to the Buckeyes’ three-yard line. However, here, he threw an interception. Luckily for them, Ohio State could not do anything with the subsequent possession.

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But, the Wolverines would be able to break the deadlock late in the fourth quarter. Michigan again made their way down to the Buckeyes’ three-yard line. This is where the drive stalled, setting up Zvada with a potential game-winning and season-ruining 21-yard field goal attempt. He made this, meaning Ohio State needed to get points from their final drive.

They couldn’t, as Howard failed to convert the 4th down attempt.

This means the Michigan Wolverines had defeated the number two-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes 13-10.

For Michigan, this win is something to savor in a less-than-stellar season from them. They end the year with a 7-5 record. As for Ohio State, this is another defeat to the Wolverines, and unlike before, Ohio State came into the game as the better team. The defeat means they will not play in the Big Ten Championship game next week. This could be another ruined season for Ohio State when they had a chance to win it all easily.

What happened to the Other Ranked Teams?

Washington @ #1 Oregon

The number one ranked (and still undefeated) Oregon Ducks ended their regular season against the Washington Huskies in preparation for their Big Ten Championship game next week. Ducks quarterback Dilion Gabriel threw for 209 yards and two touchdowns as Oregon recorded a 49-21 win over their former Pac-12 rival. This keeps their undefeated season alive, but who could break it?

Maryland @ #4 Penn State

With the defeat of Ohio State, the number four-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions knew that a win against the Maryland Terrapins would put them into the Big Ten Championship game. The Nittany Lions defeated their opponents 44-7, setting up a game with the Oregon Ducks next week.

#5 Notre Dame @ USC

The number five-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish faced the USC Trojans, knowing that a win would guarantee a spot in the CFP. In a high-scoring affair, the Fighting Irish were the better team, intercepting the Trojans twice late in the game to stop them from scoring. This gave them a 49-35 win, sealing their playoff spot. ]

Georgia Tech @ #7 Georgia

In what realistically was the game of the week (but had no championship permutations), the number seven ranked Georgia Bulldogs faced rivals the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. With only a few minutes left to play, it looked like the Yellow Jackets would get a massive upset win. However, a late touchdown from the Bulldogs took the game to overtime. We would then have EIGHT overtime periods. Ultimately, the Bulldogs record a 44-42 win over their rivals.

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#8 Tennessee @ Vanderbilt

The number eight ranked Tennessee Voltuneers faced this season’s surprise story in the Vanderbilt Commodores. There would be another upset on the cards as Vandy took a 14-0 lead. But the Volunteers came back to dominate and recorded 538 yards of offense. In the end, a 36-23 win was enough to secure a playoff spot for Tennessee and third place in the SEC.

California @ #9 SMU

In preparation for the ACC Championship game next week, the number nine ranked SMU Mustangs faced the California Golden Bears hoping to head to the game with an undefeated conference regular season. Mustangs quarterback Kris Jennings threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns as the team cruised to a 38-6 win over California.

Purdue @ #10 Indiana

The number 10 ranked Indiana Hoosiers capped off a fantastic season with a win over the Purdue Boilermakers. Quarterback Kurtis Rourke threw for six touchdowns as the Hoosiers recorded a 66-0 win over Purdue. They just missed out on a spot in the Big Ten Championship game but will make it into the CFP, where they will be a challenge for whoever they face.

Oregon State @ #11 Boise State

The number 11 ranked Boise State Broncos are likely to be the best group of five schools in the CFP and may have an automatic spot in the semi-finals. They prepared for their Mountain West championship game with a win over the Oregon State Beavers. Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeany ran for 226 yards to add to his excellent season as the Broncos won 34-18.

#15 South Carolina @ #12 Clemson

The number 12 ranked Clemson Tigers faced the number 15 ranked South Carolina Gamecocks, in a game with playoff permutations for both. A late touchdown from Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers gave South Carolina a 17-14 win over their state rivals. However, due to Miami’s loss, Clemson will make it to the ACC Championship game. But, now questions need to be asked about South Carolina and if they can make it into the CFP.

Auburn @ #13 Alabama

The number 13-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide faced the Auburn Tigers in the Iron Bowl, a game that Alabama has heavily dominated as of late. They would do so here. Jalen Milroe scored four touchdowns as the Crimson Tide defeated the Tigers 28-14. This keeps them in contention for the CFP and could be the reason why South Carolina misses out.

Mississippi State @ #14 Ole Miss

The 14-ranked Ole Miss Rebels capped off their season with an easy win over the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Ulysses Bentley ran 136 yards as the Rebels defeated their rivals 26-14. This does keep them in the hunt for a CFP spot, but many things need to go their way for this to happen.

#16 Arizona State @ Arizona

The number 16 ranked Arizona State Sun Devils knew that a win against rivals the Arizona Wildcats would give them a spot in the Big 12 championship game. Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt threw for three touchdowns while running back Cam Skattebo also found the endzone three times in their 49-7 win over the Wildcats, sealing their spot in the championship game next week.

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Memphis @ #17 Tulane

The number 17 ranked Tulane Green Wave had already booked their spot in the AAC Conference championship game. But a win against the Memphis Tigers would give them an undefeated regular season against conference opposition. However, this is something that will not be happening. A strong performance from Greg Desroisers, scoring three touchdowns, gave the Tigers a 34-24 win over Tulane, putting a serious dent in the CFP chances.

#24 Kansas State @ #18 Iowa State

The number 18 ranked Iowa State Cyclones faced the number 24 ranked Kansas State Wildcats in a game called “Farmageddon”. Iowa State needed to win this to keep in the hunt for a spot in the Big 12 championship game and their first 10-win season in history. Two touchdowns from Rocco Brecht sealed a 29-21 win for Iowa State. But will they make the championship game?

Houston @ #19 BYU

The number 19-ranked BYU Cougars faced the Houston Cougars, with BYU still in the hunt for a spot in the Big 112 championship game. BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff scored two rushing touchdowns to record a 30-18 win over Houston. However, they will not be making the championship game, as Iowa State will face Arizona State next week.

Arkansas @ #21 Missouri

In a game that had no impact on anything big, the number 21-ranked Missouri Tigers faced the Arkansas Razorbacks. Missouri won this game 28-21, thanks to a strong final quarter. However, they had no playoffs, despite being a three-loss team.

Nevada @ #22 UNLV

The number 22 ranked UNLV Rebels played the Nevada Wolf Pack this week and easily defeated them 38-14. This puts them into the Mountain West Championship game next week against Boise State.

#23 Illinois @ Northwestern

In another “playing for pride game,” the number 23-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini faced the Northwestern Wildcats at Wrigley Field. In a tight game, the Fighting Illini held on for a 38-28 win, giving them a nine-win season for the first time in 17 years.

Oklahoma State @ #25 Colorado

The number 25 ranked Colorado Buffaloes played the Oklahoma State Cowboys this week. The game happened on Friday, so the Buffaloes needed a win and hoped that other results went their way (they wouldn’t) to stay in the Big 12 race. Potential number-one pick Shedeur Sanders threw for 438 yards and five touchdowns as the Buffaloes easily defeated the Cowboys 52-0. This ends a terrible year for the team that last year made the Big 12 championship game.

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