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As November unfolds, the college football landscape is anything but predictable. The playoff picture, which typically begins to take shape around this time, remains as murky as ever, particularly in the era of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals. This past weekend was a testament to the chaos, as three top-10 teams suffered unexpected losses, and previously undefeated teams stumbled. In the ACC, the situation is particularly tumultuous; Clemson, surprisingly, has five losses, while Virginia leads the division, potentially setting up a championship clash with Pitt. Meanwhile, the Ohio State Buckeyes continue their dominant run, and Indiana is steadily shedding its “basketball school” label. Yet, questions abound across the board.
Outside of the top five teams in the polls, the rankings are a jumbled mix, confounding experts and fans alike. The much-anticipated Ohio State-Penn State clash seemed to slip under the radar, with many forgetting it even took place. Demonstrating the theory that early losses are more forgivable, Notre Dame and Texas have re-entered the playoff discussion, while North Texas is positioning itself for a potential Group of Five spot from the American Conference.
All eyes are on the upcoming release of the first playoff rankings this Tuesday, as fans eagerly anticipate how the chaos will be sorted. Among the weekend’s more intriguing moments:
Northern Arizona faced a bizarre situation when a 2-point conversion attempt against Idaho had to be redone after the stadium lights unexpectedly went out. The Lumberjacks managed to convert successfully on their second try once the lights were restored.
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In the ACC, Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels secured their first conference win by defeating Syracuse, whose starting quarterback is notably a walk-on freshman and a standout lacrosse recruit.
NAU converts a 2 point try in the dark, the lights went out after the snap pic.twitter.com/rfjgZz2kB7
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) November 1, 2025
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Bill Belichick’s Tarheels got their first win in the ACC by beating Syracuse, whose starting quarterback is a walk-on freshman who is a star lacrosse recruit.
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Didn’t Coach Prime play defense in the NFL??? After beating a potent Iowa State two weeks ago, Colorado has lost its last two games 53-7 and 52-17.
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Last week, North Texas QB Drew Mestemaker threw for over 600 yards. This week, it was Caleb Hawkins who was stealing the show as he ran for 197 yards and four touchdowns to hand Navy its first loss.
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Jeff Simms was plugged in at QB at Arizona State and turned in a 177-yard passing, 228-yard rushing performance with three combined touchdowns.
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In one of the trends growing this season, it appears the answer to teams getting blasted at home is having entire sections go shirtless as a distraction.
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Duke trolls Clemson after winning on the road. After converting 4/4 on 4th downs and winning the game on a 2-point conversion, they propose hanging a Spirit Halloween sign in Death Valley.
“Death” Valley pic.twitter.com/77Q4LRXj6v
— Duke Football (@DukeFOOTBALL) November 1, 2025
Some of the notable results:
Texas 34- Vanderbilt 31
Arch Manning may have finally arrived. Yet, while having the best game of his career, he was possibly outdueled by Diego Pavia. Manning went 25/33 for 334 yards and three TDs, while Pavia went 27/38 for 365 and three strikes of his own, while also rushing for 43 and an additional score. He led the Commodores to 21 points in the 4th, and the team came within inches of securing the onside kick, but the Longhorns held on at the end.
NC State 48 – Georgia Tech 36
A 400-yard, 2-TD performance from Haynes King was not enough for the previously undefeated Yellowjackets. The Wolfpack was in control much of the time, leaning on Jayden Scott rushing for 196 yards and an efficient day from QB C.J. Bailey with 340 yards passing and two scores passing and another on the ground. This only makes things more confounding in the conference.
Georgia 24 – Florida 20
In what was going to be an overlooked affair, considering the Gators’ fortunes and lack of a head coach, the World’s Largest Cocktail Party turned into a raucous game. We tend to forget that Georgia cannot start to play until they are trailing in the second half. The Gators went ahead at the top of the 4th quarter, but then the Bulldogs took the lead off of a Chauncy Bowens 36-yard touchdown run, and then another drive brought them to the 1-yard line, where Gunner Stockton halted, kneeling to allow Georgia to bleed the clock for the win.
Oklahoma 33 – Tennessee 27
In an entertaining battle that stood effectively as an elimination game, these two went back and forth, and the game was capped by a late 1-yard TD from John Mateer with under two minutes to push the lead to nine points. Joey Aguilar had a strong performance for the Volunteers with 393 yards and three touchdowns, but turnovers killed them, including a pick-6 and another pick in the end zone.
SMU 26 – Miami 20
The Hurricanes continue to have a dismal time after October, going now 4-14 under Mario Cristobal in the last two months. Miami was poisoned by offensive penalties all game (12 for 96 yards), but still had a chance. While about to stall the Mustangs in the final minutes, a personal foul after a whistle gave SMU the chance to drive for a tying field goal, and then a Carson Beck interception at the goal line in overtime killed off the chance at a win, and postseason hopes are dim. It is the first win for the Mustangs against a top-10-ranked team since the 1970s.
Here is the latest AP Top-25 (1st place votes). Houston falls out after a one-week visit, and idle Washington replaces them.
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Ohio State (54)
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Indiana (11)
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Texas A&M (1)
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Alabama
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Georgia
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Oregon
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Ole Miss
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BYU
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Texas Tech
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Notre Dame
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Oklahoma
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Virginia
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Texas
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Louisville
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Vanderbilt
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Georgia Tech
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Utah
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Miami
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Missouri
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USC
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Michigan
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Memphis
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Tennessee
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Washington
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Cincinnati
Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals.
