One of the matters discussed by the committee was where Alabama should be placed after its Week 12 loss at home to Oklahoma. The Crimson Tide was ranked No. 4 in the first two rankings. In Tuesday’s rankings, they fell to No. 10, still projected to get in as an at-large team if they run the table — including a road Iron Bowl against Auburn.

Part of the Tide’s drop was an inability to get the running game going, Yurachek said in the post-rankings reveal teleconference. They ran the ball 33 times for just 80 yards, with Daniel Hill finishing with 15 carries for 60 yards. Take his longest run (28 yards) out of the equation, though, and that’s 14 attempts for 32 yards.

That’s been consistent theme for the Tide this season, as Yurachek noted.

“You go back and look at Alabama’s game at South Carolina, where they scored two touchdowns late to win that game (and) the next game against LSU … They won both of those but didn’t rush the ball for 100 yards,” Yurachek said, according to AL.com’s Mike Rodak. “Again, against Oklahoma, (Alabama) was not able to move the ball on the ground.”

Alabama, at 108.7 yards per game, has the third-worst rushing offense in the SEC. Only 13 teams in FBS have averaged a lower total. Should the Tide make the College Football Playoff, their inability to consistently run the football could equal a short stay.

The post CFP chair slams Alabama’s rushing offense as reason for big fall in rankings appeared first on Saturday Down South.

A total of nine teams from the conference made the latest top 25. The Big Ten is the next closest with six, followed by the Big 12 (five), the ACC (three), and The American (one).

The SEC is sitting pretty as far as the projected 12-team bracket is concerned. Texas A&M and Georgia would be in the top four, meaning a first-round bye for those two programs. Georgia is in the top four for the first time this season.

Oklahoma, by virtue of a massive road win at Alabama, vaulted into the at-large discussion. The Sooners, who were 6-7 in 2024, will secure their first Playoff appearance since 2019 with a sweep of their remaining games against Mizzou (No. 20) and LSU.

The Crimson Tide, meanwhile, is still in the mix but hanging by a thread. While they’ll cruise in a Week 13 FCS pay game against Eastern Illinois, their Playoff hopes will be gone should they end up losing to Auburn on the road in the Iron Bowl. (Strange things have happened to the Tide under the lights of Jordan-Hare Stadium, though. Ask Chris Davis.)

And Ole Miss, should they beat Mississippi State on the road in the Egg Bowl on Black Friday, will make the Playoff for the first time. (Strange things have happened at Davis Wade Stadium, too. Ask Elijah Moore.)

Texas, meanwhile, is essentially out of the Playoff picture after losing at Georgia. Even winning out, including beating Texas A&M in Austin, may not be enough to guarantee an at-large berth.

The post SEC puts 9 teams into third College Football Playoff rankings of 2025 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

As far as the projected post-Week 12 bracket is concerned, there’s a change among the four teams that will receive first-round byes. Spots 1 through 3 haven’t changed: it’s still Ohio State, Indiana, and Texas A&M. The Buckeyes and Hoosiers cruised in their respective games while the Aggies nearly suffered a catastrophic loss to South Carolina before a second-half comeback for the ages. For the first time this season, however, it’s Georgia at No. 4 after Alabama‘s defeat at Oklahoma, putting the Tide on thin ice the rest of the way.

Looking at the projected first-round matchups, Texas Tech, at No. 5, would host 12th-seeded and No. 24-ranked Tulane from the American — the fifth-highest-ranked conference champion — in Lubbock, with the winner taking on Georgia. Ole Miss, the 6th seed, would face Miami, the projected ACC champ, in Oxford, for the right to play Texas A&M.

The 7-10 matchup would see Oregon welcome Alabama to Eugene, with that game’s winner taking on Indiana. For the 8-9 game, Oklahoma, who leapfrogged into the Playoff chase after beating the Tide, would play Notre Dame in Norman, with the winner drawing Ohio State. Meanwhile, BYU and Utah would be the first two teams out.

All told, the projected bracket features five SEC teams, three Big Ten teams, and one each from the Big 12, ACC, and the American, plus Notre Dame. Here’s a look at how it shakes out in visual form:

The post Here’s what the College Football Playoff bracket would look like based on rankings after Week 12 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Kiffin, on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, denied that Ole Miss had given him until the Egg Bowl to decide if he’s staying in Oxford or headed to a new — and more lucrative — gig, whether that’s in Gainesville or Baton Rouge. What he didn’t do, or hasn’t yet done, is give an undisputable “thanks, but no thanks” statement to either Florida or LSU officials.

That’s even amid Kiffin’s posts on X about “the good ol’ days” being right now for the Rebels, who are nearing a first-ever College Football Playoff berth. Peter Burns, though, thinks the best route of action for him is to not post at all.

“Log off. Like, go move in silence and handle your business, whether it’s going to be at LSU, or going to be at Florida, or going to be at Ole Miss,” Burns said Tuesday on his “SEC This Morning” show he co-hosts with Chris Doering on SiriusXM and the SEC Network. “The Ole Miss fan base, the players, man, they want you to be locked in.”

That approach runs counter to what people are used to from Kiffin, arguably the most active social media user among college football coaches. Burns, though, noted that several Ole Miss fans — and others “close” to the program — had called and texted him “upset” about the tone of Kiffin’s posts amid the rumors.

“I think it’s mostly the social media thing,” Burns said. “This is not new. I think people have been around it, like, ‘Hey, coaches are going to interview.’ But I think it’s more of Lane keeps pumping out social media stuff, like, ‘I love Ole Miss. Ole Miss is great.'”

“Business as usual for Lane Kiffin is tweeting,” Doering countered.

“I think he thrives on some type of chaos and fun. Some people work better that way,” Burns replied.

It remains to be seen what the resolution of this saga ends up being. Kiffin will get a pay raise regardless. Whether it’s at his current employer or at another program is another story.

The post SEC Network analyst offers advice to Lane Kiffin amid coaching carousel rumors appeared first on Saturday Down South.

According to ESPN’s weekly ratings report on its ESPN PR account on X, two games drew more than 10 million viewers. Oklahoma‘s win over Alabama on ABC pulled in 10.5 million viewers, peaking at 14.1 million and ranking as the highest-rated game of the weekend. In fact, it was the fifth-highest watched game of the season.

Right behind that one was Georgia‘s blowout of Texas on ABC, seen by 10.4 million viewers and peaking at 12.1 million. It was the highest-rated primetime game of the week and the seventh-most-watched this season.

With two games reaching the 10 million plateau on ABC, it marks just the third time since 1996 that it’s achieved that milestone. The other two times were in Week 8 in 2024 and the first week of the 2025 season. All told, looping in the Pitt-Notre Dame noon kickoff, ABC’s three games on Saturday made up the network’s second-most-watched triple-header of the year.

Week 13’s slate on ABC features Oklahoma vs. Mizzou at noon ET before Texas faces Arkansas at 3:30 p.m. ET. Florida vs. Tennessee rounds things out at 7:30 p.m. ET. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt vs. Kentucky (3:30 p.m. ET) is the lone SEC game on ESPN.

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The Tide shouldn’t have trouble with FCS Eastern Illinois in Week 13 ahead of the Iron Bowl at Auburn on Nov. 29. And while they may not control their own destiny as far as a Playoff berth is concerned, they’ve at least enjoyed solid production from a pair of freshman.

In his ranking of the top 20 freshmen in college football after the first two months of the season, ESPN’s Billy Tucker ranked offensive lineman Michael Carroll at No. 11 and defensive back Dijon Lee at No. 13. On Carroll, Tucker says:

He has impressed Crimson Tide coaches with his versatility and football acumen despite his inexperience. A four-star and the No. 1 offensive guard in the rankings out of high school, Carroll pushed for more playing time at right tackle and made his debut as a starter in a win over Tennessee.

On Lee, Tucker writes:

He knows how to use his size to his advantage and has clearly earned the trust of Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack. Lee is a big reason why the Crimson Tide have arguably the stingiest pass defense in the SEC, holding opponents to a conference-best 161.5 yards per game. He has been targeted 20 times and only given up eight receptions.

We’ll see what role Caroll and Lee play down the stretch for the Tide as the regular season comes to an end.

The post Alabama lands 2 players on ESPN’s ranking of the nation’s best true freshmen in 2025 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Since dropping that one to the Crimson Tide, Kirby Smart‘s team has won six in a row. They’re all but guaranteed to make it seven straight with Charlotte coming between the hedges in Week 13 before traveling to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to face Georgia Tech — and could be right back there for the SEC Championship Game and, potentially, the Peach Bowl for a CFP semifinal.

Part of what’s been helping the Dawgs click in 2025 has been a key member of their front five. Offensive guard Dontrell Glover, a former four-star recruit from the Atlanta area, is a true freshman, but has fit right in to the rotation for Georgia.

And that’s been due to injuries to other players, notes ESPN’s Billy Tucker, who ranked Glover as currently the No. 8 freshman in the country:

Injuries across the line, including to (freshman Juan) Gaston, left the Bulldogs unsettled up front early in the season. Glover’s emergence in the interior was the calming force Georgia needed. The Bulldogs ripped off six straight wins after beating Texas on Saturday night and they have averaged 33 points per game during that stretch. …

Glover has been the best freshman guard in the country and has been instrumental in giving QB Gunner Stockton a clean interior pocket while opening plenty of holes for the Dawgs’ rushing attack.

Glover’s certainly emerged as a talent on the Georgia offensive front. By all accounts, it looks as though the Dawgs are set in that particular guard spot for at least the next couple of seasons.

The post ESPN analyst names Georgia OL as SEC’s best true freshman so far in 2025 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

After Army won in back-to-back seasons, Navy came out on top in 2024’s game at what’s now Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md., winning 31-13. The Midshipmen haven’t defeated the Black Knights in consecutive years since winning 14 straight from 2002 to 2015.

The latest matchup of the series has special significance: 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy. And, of course, it takes place ahead of the United States celebrating 250 years of independence on July 4, 2026. As you can see below, Navy is marking the milestone with a eye-popping special uniform, which you can see below:

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According to the Naval Academy, the word “Navy” and the numbers on the front of the jersey were based on the typography used in the Naval Act of 1794, a bill passed by Congress and signed by George Washington to establish the construction of the six ships that made up the original Navy fleet: the Chesapeake, the Constitution, the Congress, the Constellation, the President, and the United States. The pants “pay subtle tribute to the uniform color palette worn by sailors of the era, blending historical inspiration with modern design” while including six ropes, a nod to the six ships of the original naval fleet.

The helmet is coated in oxidized copper “with a detailed sketch of USS Constitution on one side and the original USN mark on the other. A wooden plank runs down the center of the helmet, bound by six ropes honoring the original six frigates.” Those ropes contain 126 knots in tribute to the 126th game between Navy and Army.

And that’s just a sampling of the various elements contained in the entire uniform. Navy truly pulled out all the stops for this one.

The post Navy reveals unbelievable new uniforms for annual Army game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Tigers, unranked in the CFP Top 25, have been without quarterback Beau Pribula since Oct. 25, when the quarterback suffered an ankle injury against Vanderbilt and needed to be carted off the field. But on Sunday, CBSSports.com’s Matt Zenitz on Sunday reported on “early optimism” over the signal caller’s return to the lineup in Norman against the Sooners.

Drinkwitz, who gave an update on Pribula on Tuesday, didn’t hide his annoyance with Sunday’s reporting.

“I know there were some questions about Beau Pribula … He has been allowed to practice with certain limitations, which is why he appeared on the SEC availability report last week, and why you saw him on Saturday in pregame warm-up,” Eli Drinkwitz said, via a video posted by KMIZ-TV’s Nathalie Jones. “We will see how he progresses this week, and you will be updated on the SEC media report, or by apparently now Matt Zenitz or Pete Thamel’s tweets.”

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Drinkwitz noted that while Matt Zollers “has been awesome” in relief of Pribula and “played a heck of a game” against Mississippi State in a 49-27 win, there’s no risk of him ultimately usurping Pribula for the QB1 job.

“We don’t have a Drew Bledsoe/Tom Brady thing here brewing yet,” he said.

The “anticipation” on Drinkwitz’s end, then, is that Zollers will start against Oklahoma despite the progression of Pribula. But the Tigers’ head coach took one final dig before moving on.

“If something changes … log on to Twitter and get your news there first,” he quipped.

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However, it appears that Carter has played his last down for the program. According to On3’s Austin Price, the sophomore is no longer with the team. It reportedly comes after a meeting with the team’s coaching staff.

A former 4-star in-state recruit, Carter made an immediate impact on the Tennessee defense. As a true freshman in 2024, he made 38 tackles, 3.0 tackles for a loss, and logged an interception.

While there was speculation that he might enter the transfer portal after a single season in Knoxville, he remained with the program. Through nine games in 2025, he was credited with 25 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, and three forced fumbles.

However, in the offseason, Carter reportedly missed several team workouts, leading leaders on the team’s roster to try to set him straight amidst fears that it would turn out like the Nico Iamaleava saga. Josh Heupel, during SEC Media Days in July, stated that Carter was still with the team but still had “things (he had) to accomplish to get back on the field.”

Fast forward to Sunday, and it looks like Heupel’s patience with Carter has run out.

The post Tennessee reportedly makes final decision on Boo Carter appeared first on Saturday Down South.

With two games to go, the Volunteers’ College Football Playoff hopes are gone. Their main focus now is finishing the regular season on a high note before bowl season arrives.

Week 13 takes the Vols to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to face Florida, which fell to Ole Miss in its last outing. The Swamp’s been a house of horrors for the Vols: they’ve lost their last 10 games there, their last victory coming in 2003.

According to Circa Sports’ opening lines released on Sunday afternoon, Tennessee is favored to win, albeit slightly. The Volunteers are a two-point road favorite against Florida.

Things were clicking for the Vols as they dismantled New Mexico State 42-9 to cap Homecoming Week in Knoxville. Joey Aguilar threw for a touchdown and ran for another. DeSean Bishop and Peyton Lewis added rushing scores of their own. Tennessee’s defense held the Aggies to just 27 rushing yards.

Meanwhile, Florida led Ole Miss 24-20 at halftime. But a pair of Kyren Lacy rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter saw the Rebels come away with a 34-24 win in Oxford.

Kickoff between Tennessee and Florida on Nov. 22 is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ABC.

The post Tennessee opens as slight road favorite over Florida for Week 13 contest appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Kiffin has passionately rallied Rebels fans to come to Vaught-Hemingway Stadium throughout the season. They responded in Week 12, as the program announced an attendance of 68,138 for a 34-24 win over the Gators, a program record.

This one was tight for a while. The Gators, with their eyes set on spoiling the Rebels’ Playoff hopes, held a 24-20 lead after three quarters.

But a career-best performance for Kewan Lacy, which included scoring two of his three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to go along with his 224 yards, helped Ole Miss to a 34-24 win. All that’s left is to beat Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl on Black Friday to sew up a CFP appearance.

Many in the crowd on Saturday chanted “We want Lane” in their attempt to dissuade Kiffin from considering taking the vacant head coaching job in Gainesville. But there’s still work for him to do in Oxford. Should the Rebels make the Playoff, they’ll likely host the first-round matchup in what could be Kiffin’s final game in front of a home crowd. Or will it?

The post Ole Miss sets new attendance record during Week 12 game vs. Florida appeared first on Saturday Down South.

A day later, Mike Elko and his staff celebrated a huge recruiting win.

JayQuan Snell, a 2027 defensive back from Waxahachie, Texas, has pledged to the Aggies, according to Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett. He becomes Texas A&M‘s seventh verbal commitment of the class.

Snell is one of the prized recruits of the 2027 cycle. According to 247Sports’ Composite Rankings, he is a 5-star recruit and ranked No. 36 among all players nationally. He is also the No. 4 safety in the country.

Snell’s loaded offer sheet includes 41 schools. Texas A&M is one of 10 SEC teams that have extended an offer, a list that features Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, Mizzou, Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Texas. Miami, Michigan, Ohio State, Oregon, Texas Tech, and USC are among other programs that have offered.

He joins a 2027 group that’s headlined by Raylaun Henry — the nation’s No. 18 overall recruit and the No. 3 cornerback — and Jayce Johnson, the No. 7 quarterback in the class. Texas A&M has the No. 1 recruiting class in the country, according to 247Sports.

Below, you can take a look at some of Snell’s high school highlights, courtesy of Hudl:

The post Texas A&M lands massive 2027 in-state commitment from 5-star defensive back appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Indeed, the Longhorns, after a 35-10 blowout loss to Georgia, plunged seven spots from No. 10 to No. 17 — the biggest drop of any team in the updated poll released on Sunday. The Crimson Tide, which fell to Oklahoma, is now at No. 10 after a No. 4 ranking the previous week.

Outside of that, the top 3 remained the same: Ohio State, Indiana, and Texas A&M. Georgia moved from No. 5 to No. 4 after beating Texas, while Ole Miss went up a spot to No. 5 after a win over Florida. Meanwhile, Oklahoma jumped into the top 10 after its victory over Alabama, moving up three spots to No. 8.

All told, three of the top five teams in the country, and six of the top 10, are from the SEC. Nine total teams from the conference are among the full Top 25.

Elsewhere, Vanderbilt (No. 12), which was idle in Week 12, went up a spot. Tennessee (No. 20), which had no trouble with New Mexico State, also climbed a spot. Mizzou (No. 23) saw no change in its ranking after a rout of Mississippi State.

Here’s the full AP Top 25 going into Week 13:

1. Ohio State

2. Indiana

3. Texas A&M

4. Georgia

5. Ole Miss

6t. Texas Tech (tie)

6t. Oregon (tie)

8. Oklahoma

9. Notre Dame

10. Alabama

11. BYU

12. Vanderbilt

13. Utah

14. Miami

15. Georgia Tech

16. USC

17. Texas

18. Michigan

19. Virginia

20. Tennessee

21. James Madison

22. North Texas

23. Mizzou

24. Tulane

25. Houston

The post AP Top 25: Alabama, Texas drop; Oklahoma moves into top 10 as 9 SEC teams make post-Week 12 poll appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Unfortunately, he didn’t last long in this one. He suffered an apparent ankle injury midway through the first quarter. Here’s the video of when it happened:

Ridley was shown by FOX cameras being carted off to the locker room for further examination. His return to the game is questionable.

Before his initial injury, Ridley had made 35 catches for 290 yards. His best game came against the Arizona Cardinals, logging 10 catches for 131 yards.

In Week 6 against the Las Vegas Raiders, Ridley had one catch for 18 yards. He was forced to leave that one due to an ankle injury, though, missing the Titans’ next three games. Prior to his injury against the Texans, he had a single catch for 13 yards.

The former Alabama standout is in his second season with Tennessee. In 2024, he made 64 catches for 1,017 yards and 4 touchdowns.

The Titans entered Sunday’s game with a 1-8 record. They have lost their last four games against the Raiders, New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts, and the Los Angeles Chargets.

The post Calvin Ridley carted to locker room after suffering apparent ankle injury vs. Texans appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The big question, though, is who AD Hunter Yurachek will turn to as the next head coach of the program. According to one Arkansas insider, it won’t be Ed Orgeron, despite reports suggesting that the former USC and LSU head coach had been “in contact” with the university.

“Arkansas has zero interest in Ed Orgeron as HC. Not sure where that started and why I keep getting asked about it,” 247Sports’ Trey Biddy said in a post on X on Sunday afternoon.

Per Biddy, James Franklin appears to be out as well, even after Arkansas having “early contact” with the former Penn State head coach.

“He reached out to (people) about inner workings at Arkansas, but he also will not be the Arkansas head coach,” Biddy said.

With two potential names out of the running, the search continues for who will be on the sidelines for Arkansas in 2026 and beyond. Under Sam Pittman, it went 32-34, including a 2-3 start in 2025.

While Pittman breathed some life into the Razorbacks program after the disastrous tenure of Chad Morris, it wasn’t enough to get it among the SEC elite. Yurachek is hoping his next hire can do just that.

The post Arkansas coaching search: Razorback insider rules out 2 prominent candidates appeared first on Saturday Down South.

All that changed in the second half. The Aggies’ offense came alive, putting up 28 unanswered points to come away with a 31-30 win.

By the end of the game, the biggest comeback in program history, Kyle Field was at fever pitch, even when they had every reason not to rally behind their team. Mike Elko acknowledged the effect the fans had on the team during their second-half comeback.

“Thank you for staying with us,” the Aggies head coach said in a message to fans during his postgame press conference. “Sorry for what the first half looked like, but in a lot of ways, you propelled us to victory in the second.”

Now, instead of what would have been a massive late-season loss, the Aggies are 10-0 for the first time since 1992. They should have no trouble with Samford in Week 13 before visiting Texas on Black Friday. A win puts them in the SEC Championship Game and almost certainly nails down a College Football Playoff berth no matter what happens in Atlanta on Dec. 6.

“I noticed it, obviously, in the fourth quarter when the crowd was really going,” Elko said. “But then just standing there at the end, sawing them off, and just seeing how full the stadium still was, it was an impressive showing by the 12th Man once again.”

The post Mike Elko sends message to the 12th Man after insane comeback vs. South Carolina appeared first on Saturday Down South.

After a loss to Alabama in Wilson’s first game, Week 12 saw the Tigers play host to Arkansas at Death Valley. Things didn’t look good at first as the Razorbacks opened up a 14-0 first-quarter lead, but the Tigers rode a 16-point second quarter to a 16-14 halftime lead.

Despite a Razorbacks TD and two-point conversion in the third, Michael van Buren — filling in for the injured Garrett Nussmeier — capped a 12-play, 92-yard drive with a 12-yard scoring pass to Bauer Sharp seven minutes into the fourth quarter as LSU went up for good, 23-22.

Not only did it end the Tigers’ three-game losing streak, but it moved their record to 6-4, making them bowl eligible with two games to spare. LSU players celebrated by giving Wilson the traditional Gatorade bath:

Wilson, a Louisiana native, is in the fourth season of his second stint at LSU. He was hired as part of Kelly’s initial staff as associate head coach and running backs coach. He was previously at the university from 2010-2015 in the same role, but on the staff of Les Miles.

Before returning to LSU, he was the head coach at UTSA and McNeese State.

The post Frank Wilson gets Gatorade bath after leading LSU to first win as interim coach appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Gamecocks did just about everything right in the first half against Texas A&M. They took a 30-3 lead to the locker room thanks in part to three takeaways and several drops by the Aggies’ wide receiver corps, outgaining the Aggies 312-132. Marcel Reed’s Heisman Trophy hopes were considered gone after throwing two interceptions and going just 6-of-19 for 141 yards.

Then the second half happened. The Aggies were essentially unstoppable, putting up 28 unanswered points and totaling 371 yards while holding the Gamecocks to just 71. Reed was 16-of-20 for 298 yards and four touchdowns over the final two quarters, with 240 of those yards and three of those touchdowns in the 3rd quarter alone.

LaNorris Sellers was a non-factor in the second half, throwing for just 63 yards. Neither was the ground game. The Gamecocks managed just 13 yards rushing on 15 carries across the final 30 minutes after going for 108 yards in the first half.

This was a disaster for South Carolina, who is guaranteed a losing record with two games to play. Shane Beamer led his team to a 9-4 record in 2024 en route to a Top 15 preseason ranking in 2025. Instead, the program has taken a major step back in his fifth season.

Here’s reaction from social media as Beamer’s job is being called for:

The post South Carolina fans call for Shane Beamer’s firing after blowing 27-point lead to Texas A&M appeared first on Saturday Down South.

With less than a minute to go in the first half, LaNorris Sellers threw a pass to Harbor, who took off for an 80-yard TD as South Carolina took a 27-3 lead. Harbor then ran down the tunnel of Kyle Field while celebrating with teammates before accidentally bumping the trooper. Cameras showed the trooper having words with Harbor afterwards.

Texas A&M police later put out a statement on social media shortly after 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT.

“We are aware of the incident in the (northeast) tunnel involving a DPS trooper. He has been relieved of his game day assignment,” the statement on X read.

South Carolina went on to add a field goal in the closing seconds of the quarter to go up 30-3. But the Aggies, looking to avoid a big Week 12 upset, have come roaring back, scoring 28 consecutive points to take a 31-30 4th-quarter lead on the Gamecocks.

Texas A&M vs South Carolina is on ESPN.

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In the third quarter, though, they’ve come surging back. The Aggies scored 21 straight points to cut the Gamecocks’ lead to 30-24.

With about 2-and-a-half minutes remaining in the frame, Marcel Reed stepped back and found Ashton Bethel-Roman in the middle of the field. But the redshirt freshman found space to get away from his defenders and take off for what was ultimately a 76-yard gain, running just clear from the diving attempts of several South Carolina defenders.

Right after being tackled, though, Bethel-Roman went to the ground clutching his lower right leg. Here’s the video:

Bethel-Roman eventually would return to the game. On the very next play, though, Nate Boerkircher took in a Reed pass as the Aggies pulled to within 6:

This would be a tremendous comeback for the Aggies as they look to remain perfect on the season. From a postseason standpoint, they can draw a step closer to an SEC Championship Game berth if they’re able to completely erase the deficit.

Texas A&M vs. South Carolina is on ESPN.

The post Texas A&M caps massive 3rd quarter vs. South Carolina with TD, cuts 27-point halftime deficit to 6 appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Yet, that’s where we are. Thanks to three first-half takeaways and a pair of LaNorris Sellers touchdown passes, the Gamecocks have a massive lead at the break as they look for a College Football Playoff-altering upset on the road.

After the two teams exchanged field goals, Sellers threw an absolute dime in the direction of Vandrevius Jacobs as the Gamecocks went up 10-3. Then, late in the 1st quarter, they extended their lead to 17-3 on a scoop-and-score TD as Marcel Reed lost the ball a few yards inside his own 20.

Even when things appeared to be going the Aggies’ way, they ultimately didn’t.

Up 20-3 with nearly 3 minutes left, Sellers threw an interception that was taken to the 6-yard line. But a Marcel Reed carry for no gain was followed by a pair of incompletions before Randy Bond’s chipshot field goal rang off the left upright.

Then, after KC Concepcion returned a punt inside the Gamecocks’ 40 following a South Carolina three-and-out, Reed threw an interception into the end zone. On the very next play, Sellers connected with Nyck Harbor, and the lightning-fast wideout did the rest as South Carolina took a 27-3 lead. That margin increased to 30-3 after Reed threw his second INT of the day.

Many will point to the firing of offensive coordinator Mike Shula as a catalyst for the Gamecocks’ sizeable lead. Make no mistake, though: South Carolina has outplayed Texas A&M in all three phases of the game, not just offense. (That’s not to mention reports of a possible contract extension for Mike Elko, either.)

Here’s some of the reaction across social media:

The post Upset brewing in College Station: South Carolina’s lopsided halftime lead at Texas A&M has social media buzzing appeared first on Saturday Down South.

So far, the roles look as if they’ve been reversed. After one quarter of play, the Gamecocks had a 17-3 lead.

LaNorris Sellers hit Vandrevius Jacobs down the left sideline with a 50-yard touchdown as South Carolina went up 10-3. After the Aggies got the ball back, the Gamecocks’ defense came up big to extend the lead to two TDs.

With the Aggies at their own 27, Marcel Reed coughed the ball up after pressure from Dylan Stewart. The Gamecocks’ Nick Stewart then scooped it up and took it the other way to the end zone to widen a surprising gap.

Here’s video of Reed’s fumble and South Carolina’s scoop-and-score TD:

The Gamecocks were a massive underdog coming into the Week 12 contest. So far, with nothing to lose, they’ve taken the fight to the Aggies.

The Aggies, meanwhile, need to lock things down in a hurry before things get even more out of hand. They later trailed 20-3 as South Carolina tacked on a field goal with nine-and-a-half minutes to go before halftime.

The post South Carolina opens up stunning double-digit lead over Texas A&M on scoop-and-score TD appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The two teams are in dramatically different situations. The Gamecocks, at 3-6 and losers of their last four, need to run the table to become bowl-eligible. The Aggies, meanwhile, are in contention for an SEC Championship Game appearance and a College Football Playoff berth.

Clearly, South Carolina has nothing to lose in this one. They took an early 3-0 lead before the Aggies responded with a field goal of their own. But on the Gamecocks’ ensuing possession, on a 3rd-and-7 at midfield, Sellers put his team up once more as he hit Vanderius Jacobs with a 50-yard strike as South Carolina went up 10-3 with just under 5-and-a-half minutes remaining in the 1st quarter.

Here’s video of the catch. Sellers couldn’t have thrown this one any better:

Jacobs, in his second year with the Gamecocks after transferring from South Carolina, entered the day with 343 yards and 2 touchdowns on just 21 receptions. Those scores came against South Carolina State and Vanderbilt.

It’s just the 8th passing touchdown of the season for Sellers after an 18-TD year in 2024. He started the afternoon with 1,536 yards on the year.

The post LaNorris Sellers gives South Carolina early lead over Texas A&M with perfect 50-yard TD pass appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Donald was on hand at Acrisure Stadium as Saturday’s guest picker on “College GameDay” ahead of Pitt’s Week 12 contest against Notre Dame. Unsurprisingly, the Panthers great and future Hall of Famer went with his alma mater to pull off the win at home.

That ultimately left things to Pat McAfee. Would the former West Virginia punter, a Pittsburgh native, pick against the Mountaineers’ Backyard Brawl rivals or give the nod to his hometown team? After taking his shirt off — with Donald doing the same — and climbing up on his chair at the GameDay desk, McAfee made the call.

“How could you not pick the Pitt Panthers?” he yelled.

Panthers fans were undoubtedly pleased to hear that. But that was before McAfee switched it up.

“I’m from West Virginia, baby. Let’s go, Mountaineers! Yeah, right, Aaron Donald. Notre Dame beats Pitt today!” he said.

That led to Donald playfully shoving McAfee off of the set and onto the Acrisure Stadium playing surface. Here’s the video:

While viewers should have known he was going to snub the Panthers, the always bombastic McAfee was sure to add plenty of entertainment value as only he can.

The post Aaron Donald shoves Pat McAfee off GameDay set after he switches pick in Notre Dame-Pitt game appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The current Playoff setup sees the five highest-ranked conference champions being guaranteed a spot in the 12-team field. Of course, if a team is positioned for an at-large Playoff berth and loses its conference championship game, that doesn’t mean it’s automatically out of the running, Rhoades said in response to a question that was asked during the post-selection teleconference on Tuesday.

“We look at it as a positive if you’re playing in the championship game. It’s another datapoint. It’s certainly recognized when we think about record strength,” Rhoades said. “Obviously, you win it, that’s a plus. If you lose it, theoretically, it’s not supposed to hurt you.”

The key word is theoretically, as Rhoades laid out.

“If it was a game where it wasn’t competitive and you completely got blown away, then that would be a conversation, candidly, in the room amongst the committee,” he added.

With just weeks to go until the regular season ends and conference championship weekend begins, it will be interesting to see how the races in each league shakes out and how they effect the Playoff field.

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In fact, Napier turned up at Georgia‘s practice on Tuesday, according to On3’s Anthony Dasher.

Napier, in 2011, was an offensive analyst under Nick Saban at Alabama while Kirby Smart was the Crimson Tide’s defensive coordinator. He later rejoined the Alabama staff as wide receivers coach from 2013 to 2016.

After Napier’s firing in October, Smart mentioned having “a lot of respect” for his former co-worker.

“He’s a guy that thinks things out really well. I think they’ve recruited well and done a good job,” Smart said.

Smart’s already taken a page out of the notebook of his former boss, as Saban was known to hire former head coaches to analyst roles while at Alabama. Former Florida and South Carolina head coach Will Muschamp has been a defensive analyst at Georgia for the past 2 seasons, previously serving as the Bulldogs’ special teams coordinator and later as co-defensive coordinator.

While it’s too early to tell whether Napier ends up working with Smart’s staff in some form and fashion in the near future, he’s at least remaining in touch with the Georgia head coach.

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Pavia threw for 377 yards and 3 touchdowns while rushing for another score and 112 yards on 18 carries. That was enough to get him named the Walter Camp Football National Player of the Week on offense for the second time this year.

Pavia has been a massive part of Vanderbilt’s stunning season as the Commodores have become one of the biggest stories in college football. Through 10 games, he has thrown for 2,440 yards and 21 touchdowns while tossing just 5 interceptions. His 21 passing touchdowns are tied with Alabama‘s Ty Simpson and Tennessee‘s Joey Aguilar for the SEC lead.

He’s also Vandy’s leading rusher, too, with 613 yards on 117 attempts. Pavia has also recorded 7 touchdowns on the ground.

The Commodores are on an open week before hosting Kentucky on Nov. 22. They then finish the regular season at Tennessee. Their next win will give them 9 on the year, their most since reaching that total in back-to-back seasons in 2012 and 2012.

Vanderbilt also has a strong chance at a 10-win season, which would be its first in program history.

The post Diego Pavia lands national award after Vanderbilt’s overtime win over Auburn appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The Hoosiers got all they could handle from Penn State on Saturday. But they escaped with a 27-24 win behind a last-minute drive capped by a jaw-dropping catch by Omar Cooper Jr. at the back of the end zone.

Meanwhile, the Aggies handled Mizzou with relative ease. They led 14-0 at halftime and 24-7 after three quarters as they cruised to a 38-17 win in Columbia.

Considering the way those games played out, why, then, didn’t the Aggies move up to No. 2?

“It was one of our longer discussions,” Rhoades said. “Indiana, we gave them the edge again defensively — we talked about that last week — and certainly offensively as well.”

While considering Texas A&M at No. 2, Rhoades said that the committee took the Aggies’ win against Notre Dame into account.

As for the victory over Mizzou on Saturday, though, the fact that true freshman Matt Zollers was starting behind center in place of the injured Beau Pribula and Sam Horn was noted, Rhoades added.

“The win vs. Missouri on the road, the committee talked a little bit about Missouri — not the Missouri team that they’ve been, playing their third quarterback, a true freshman,” he said.

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How does the bracket shape up, though?

The top four teams remain the same: Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A&M, and Alabama. They’ll receive a first-round bye straight to the quarterfinals.

As for the first round, Georgia, as the No. 5 seed, would play host to South Florida at Sanford Stadium. The Bulls, projected as the American Conference champion, are ranked No. 24 but would be seeded 12th. The winner of the Bulldogs-Bulls matchup would play Alabama. Meanwhile, the 6-11 matchup pairs the Big 12’s Texas Tech with the ACC‘s Miami in Lubbock. Texas A&M would get the winner of that one in the quarterfinals.

The 7-10 matchup projects to be an all-SEC affair. Ole Miss is matched up with Texas in a game that would be played in Oxford. Indiana would play the winner of that game. And, in the 8-9 game, Oregon would face Notre Dame in Eugene, with the winner getting Ohio State.

If you’re scoring at home, that’s 5 SEC teams, 3 from the Big Ten, and one each from the Big 12, ACC, and American — plus Notre Dame — in the latest projected bracket. Here’s how it looks:

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Texas A&M (No. 3), Alabama (No. 4), and Georgia (No. 5) maintained their spots from the initial rankings released after Week 10. Texas, however, rose a spot to No. 10 despite being idle in Week 11. Ole Miss, at No. 6 the previous week, dropped a spot to No. 7 despite a blowout win over The Citadel.

One team to watch is Oklahoma at No. 11, up from No. 12. The Sooners’ only path to a Playoff spot is an at-large berth, and they’ll position themselves very well for that possibility by beating Georgia in Week 11. Meanwhile, No. 14 Vanderbilt — which slipped past Auburn in overtime — is on the outside looking in and will not only need to run the table, but hope for chaos among the teams ahead of it to have any chance of making the 12-team field.

As far as the projected bracket is concerned, Texas A&M is projected to face either Texas Tech or Miami in the quarterfinals after a first-round bye. Georgia is paired with 12th-seeded South Florida. The winner of that one would play Alabama in the quarterfinals. The projected 7-10 matchup between Ole Miss and Texas would be played in Oxford and would see the winner going on to face second-seeded Indiana.

Here’s the list of SEC teams ranked in the CFP Top 25 after Week 11:

3. Texas A&M

4. Alabama

5. Georgia

7. Ole Miss

10. Texas

11. Oklahoma

14. Vanderbilt

23. Tennessee

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“Getting ready for Wake Forest. That’s all I got this week,” the North Carolina head coach said on Tuesday.

Have players or recruits asked him about his potential future with the Tar Heels program?

“I’ve been asked about it from time to time,” Belichick said. “Look, I’ve been down this road before. I’m focused on Wake Forest. That’s it, and that’s my commitment to this team. Next week, it will be to our next opponent, and so forth. But I’m here to do the best I can for this team.”

Of course, anyone used to Bill Belichick‘s tenure coaching the Patriots should be well familiar with him playing things close to the vest, probably more so than anyone. That said, the rumors of him looking to return to the NFL have persisted, even after he was named North Carolina’s head coach.

The Tar Heels, meanwhile, are 4-5 after a win over Stanford in Week 11, their second straight victory.

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Despite Hunter’s surgery, the Jaguars announced that Hunter’s knee hasn’t been damaged further beyond what happened on Oct. 30.

Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner, was the No. 2 overall pick out of Colorado. The Jaguars hoped that his unique two-way capability would help improve the fortunes of the franchise.

As a receiver, Hunter made 28 catches for 298 yards and a touchdown. That TD came on Oct. 19 against the Los Angeles Rams in London. As a defender, he was credited with 15 tackles and 3 passes defensed. With Hunter’s season shut down, he’ll now be able to focus on making a full recovery, with the goal of taking a larger role on the field with the Jaguars in 2026 and beyond.

The Jaguars, meanwhile, are well in the playoff chase with a 5-4 record. Despite an emotional 36-29 loss to the Texans, they project as the 7th seed in the AFC.

Jacksonville’s last playoff appearance was in the 2022 season, when they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round.

The post Travis Hunter injury: Jaguars announce rookie is out for season after knee surgery appeared first on Saturday Down South.

After the Tide suffered a loss to Florida State to open the season, there was concern in some corners of the Alabama fanbase. All Kalen DeBoer‘s team has done is put together a perfect record so far.

The Sooners, meanwhile, have had a resurgent season in Brent Venables‘ 4th year. After finishing 6-7 in 2024, Oklahoma is 7-2 thus far in 2025 and has positioned itself for a possible at-large Playoff berth.

According to Bill Connelly’s SP+, it will be a close one. But Alabama has been projected to beat Oklahoma 25-24 to make it nine consecutive wins.

Alabama’s last game was a 20-9 win over LSU on Nov. 8. Ty Simpson threw for 277 yards and a touchdown as the Tide defense held the Tigers to just 232 yards of total offense.

Oklahoma, meanwhile, hasn’t played since beating Tennessee 33-27 on Nov. 1. That’s given Sooners quarterback John Mateer more time to get healthy after suffering a hand injury against Auburn in September.

Kickoff from Tuscaloosa is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ABC.

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Dart was 19-of-29 for 242 yards passing on the afternoon. But he once again showcased his dual-threat capabilities, taking 6 carries for 66 yards and 2 touchdowns. His 66 rushing yards are the most he’s run all season and is also the 5th time he’s gone over 50 yards rushing, with totals of 54, 55, 58, 56, and now 66.

That put the No. 25 overall pick in some rare company. He is just the 5th rookie quarterback since 1950 to have at least 5 games with at least 50 yards rushing in his first season. The other four are Jayden Daniels (2024), Lamar Jackson (2018), Robert Griffin III (2012), and Cam Newton (2011).

Dart’s health after suffering a concussion against the Bears is his main priority. But ever since he took the reins from veteran Russell Wilson, he’s shown why the Giants feel he’s their franchise quarterback. He’s thrown for 1,175 yards, 10 touchdowns, and just 3 interceptions while rushing for 251 yards and 2 touchdowns on 51 carries.

Between Dart and fellow rookie Cam Skattebo, who’s been lost for the season, the Giants’ future looks bright.

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Did the Aggies predict what Mizzou was planning to call, though? Tigers offensive lineman Cayden Green felt that way after the game.

“I feel like they made some good adjustments,” Green said. “They started to kind of key on what we were doing, call out plays at the line. This is what it is.”

Green was then asked to clarify what he meant, and if he was saying that Texas A&M knew was Mizzou was doing before the snap?

“Yeah, a few times. I think they were starting to get reads on formations and stuff. Maybe stances, I don’t know,” Green responded.

While Green noted that it was more of a strong showing by a “really good defense” than anything, his comments won’t do much to ease the frustrations of Mizzou fans hoping that their team would be able to make the 12-team Playoff field.

Meanwhile, the Tigers turn their attention to Week 12 as they host Mississippi State.

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Georgia, winners of 5 straight, is very much in line for a College Football Playoff at-large berth. The Bulldogs are also looking to stay in the hunt for a SEC Championship Game berth.

Texas has won 4 games in a row after a loss to Florida. The Longhorns have climbed into the mix for a Playoff spot of their own with just weeks remaining in the regular season

The Bulldogs and Longhorns are now set to meet at Sanford Stadium in Week 12 with both teams ranked in the top 10 of both the coaches’ poll and AP poll. According to Circa Sports’ opening lines released on Sunday, the Bulldogs are a 5-point favorite.

Georgia had little trouble with Mississippi State on Saturday, taking a 24-7 lead into the locker room before coming away with a 41-21 win. Gunner Stockton threw for 3 touchdowns while Nate Frazier took 12 carries for 181 yards and a score.

Texas, meanwhile, was off during Week 11. The Longhorns haven’t played since Nov. 1, a 34-31 win over Vanderbilt in Austin.

Kickoff from Sanford Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will be televised on ABC.

The post Georgia opens as favorite over Texas in massive SEC top 10 contest appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Since falling to the Seminoles on Aug. 30, the Crimson Tide have won 8 games in a row. That’s put them squarely in the College Football Playoff race and in line for a SEC Championship Game appearance with an 8-1 record and a 6-0 SEC mark.

The Tide can further build their playoff resume in Week 12 as they host Oklahoma at Bryant-Denny Stadium. And, according to Circa Sports’ opening lines released on Sunday, they’re a 6.5-point favorite to beat the Sooners, with the over/under set at 46.5.

Alabama is coming off a 20-9 win over LSU on Saturday. Ty Simpson was 21-of-35 for 277 yards, throwing a touchdown and 0 interceptions while being sacked 3 times. The Crimson Tide only managed 56 yards rushing, but held the Tigers to 59 yards on the ground and 232 passing yards.

Meanwhile, the Sooners, who were off during Week 11, are 7-2 overall and 3-2 in the SEC. Their last game was on Nov. 1, a 33-27 win at Tennessee. John Mateer threw for 159 yards for 0 touchdowns and an interception, but rushed for 16 carries, 80 yards, and a score.

The post Alabama opens as favorite over Oklahoma in Week 12 showdown appeared first on Saturday Down South.

The top 5 remained unchanged: Ohio State is still No. 1, followed by Indiana at No. 2. Texas A&M, Alabama, and Georgia are still Nos. 3-5 after beating Mizzou, LSU, and Mississippi State, respectively. Meanwhile, Ole Miss inched up a spot to No. 6 after a blowout win against The Citadel.

Texas, which was off in Week 12, jumped into the top 10 regardless. They’re No. 10 after sitting at No. 13 the previous week. Vanderbilt is now at No. 13, moving up a couple of spots after an overtime win over Auburn.

Looking outside of the SEC, the two teams making the biggest drops were a pair of ACC teams. Virginia plunged 8 spots to No. 20 after a home loss to Wake Forest. Louisville, No. 14 a week ago, fell 5 spots to No. 19 after an overtime loss to Cal.

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

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On Sunday, though, the Tigers saw a member of their 2026 class, a defensive lineman, reopen his recruitment one day after a loss to Alabama.

DeAnthony Lafayette, an Orlando, Fla. product, decommitted from the Tigers, according to Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett. According to 247Sports’ Composite Ranking, Lafayette is a 4-star recruit and ranked No. 36 among all edge rushers nationally.

Lafayette’s offer sheet currently includes 28 teams, including Miami and Oklahoma. Both schools, along with LSU, received official visits from him during the summer.

He ultimately opted to pledge to Brian Kelly and the Tigers, announcing his commitment on July 10. Less than 4 months later, though, Kelly was fired, leading Lafayette to change his mind.

Prior to Lafayette’s decommitment, LSU had the No. 12 class in the country, according to 247Sports. He was also one of 5 defensive linemen who were pledged to the program.

LSU’s class had remained intact before the news from Lafayette on Sunday. We’ll see if it triggers a wave of similar decisions in the coming weeks, especially with the Early Signing Period less than one month away.

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Of course, there’s nothing wrong with teammates having the same number. But the NCAA rule book forbids players who play the same position to share a number.

That’s technically what happened on Friday in the Trojans’ win over Northwestern. The Trojans initially appeared to be setting up for a punt, sending out who the Wildcats thought was Sam Johnson (No. 80).

But it wasn’t Johnson. It was Sam Huard — who usually wears No. 7 — converting on 4th down to extend the drive.

“If a foul was identified when #80 (Johnson) entered the game as a punter, a Team Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty would have been assessed, resulting in a 15-yard penalty from the previous spot,” the B1G’s statement read.

The Trojans went on to roll, 38-17, to improve to 7-2. They are on pace for their best record under Lincoln Riley. They’re also still in the hunt for a B1G Championship Game berth, with a conference championship appearing to be their only path to the College Football Playoff right now.

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The Aggies already held a 21-7 lead as they’re in search of a 9-0 start, their best opening to a season since 1994. They’re also hoping to get a step closer to a berth in the SEC Championship Game and a College Football Playoff appearance.

With just over 5 minutes remaining in the 3rd, the Aggies looked as if they would punt after a 3-and-out. Elko, though, had other ideas. Instead, Dalton Brooks got the ball and took it 48 yards to the Tigers’ 18-yard line.

Here’s video of the fake punt:

The Aggies had an opportunity to drive a stake through the Tigers’ chances in this one, but ultimately settled for a field goal to go up 24-7. They fumbled on their next drive before holding Mizzou to a field goal to cut the lead to 24-10.

It bears mentioning, by the way, that Dalton Brooks is a defensive back. He started the day fifth on the team in tackles with 32. Brooks has also totaled 3.5 tackles for a loss and 1.0 sacks.

Texas A&M vs. Mizzou can be seen on ABC.

The post Mike Elko dials up creative fake punt play for 48-yard gain vs. Mizzou appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Of course, Concepcion, who entered the day with 36 catches, 545 yards, and 7 touchdowns, has been right in the middle of it.

Concepcion added another touchdown to his total early in the 3rd quarter against Mizzou. What looked like a simple fake handoff on a play-action play ended up being a 48-yard screen pass from Marcel Reed for a touchdown as the Aggies opened up a 21-0 lead in Columbia.

Here’s video of the play:

Mizzou got on the board with a touchdown later in the quarter before the Aggies tacked on a field goal to make it 24-7.

If the score holds, Texas A&M will draw a step closer to not just an undefeated regular season, but a SEC Championship Game berth and a potential College Football Playoff appearance. The Aggies’ remaining schedule is very favorable as they host South Carolina and Samford before wrapping up at Texas.

Meanwhile, a Mizzou loss completely slams the door on its own Playoff hopes. The Tigers have Mississippi State at home before playing Oklahoma and Arkansas on the road.

The post KC Concepcion takes screen pass 48 yards to the house, Texas A&M extends lead over Mizzou appeared first on Saturday Down South.

That certainly includes Mississippi State head coach Jeff Lebby, Kiffin’s offensive coordinator at Ole Miss in 2020 and 2021.

While the Egg Bowl is still weeks away, Ole Miss is looking to sew up a College Football Playoff berth. As expected, it wasn’t given much of a challenge by The Citadel in Oxford on Saturday, winning 49-0.

That doesn’t mean Kiffin wasn’t keeping tabs on his former assistant as Mississippi State hosted Georgia two hours away in Starkville. Georgia led 24-7 at the break and 38-7 after three quarters as it coasted to a 41-21 win.

During a halftime interview with the Ole Miss Sports Network, with the Rebels up 35-0, Lane Kiffin was asked for his “thoughts on the first half.”

“I’m just excited Georgia is boat-racing Mississippi State 38-7. Oh, our game? I thought you were talking about the first half for Mississippi State,” Kiffin cracked.

Lebby is looking to steer Mississippi State to bowl eligibility after a 2-10 record in 2024. But with his team hosting the Egg Bowl on Nov. 28, there’s a chance they play the ultimate spoiler to Kiffin and the Rebels’ Playoff hopes, assuming Ole Miss beats Florida in Week 12.

Meanwhile, trolling Lebby wasn’t all Kiffin did on Saturday. He photobombed a former Ole Miss pole vaulter and his now-fianceé after she accepted his on-field proposal during the third quarter.

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Late in the 2nd quarter, Luckie took a big helmet-to-helmet hit from Mississippi State safety Jahron Manning while attempting to catch a pass from Gunner Stockton. Luckie remained down for several minutes while being tended to by trainers before eventually walking off the field, remaining out for the rest of the game. Manning, meanwhile, was ejected after an initial targeting call against him was upheld after video review.

According to WSB’s Alison Mastrangelo, Kirby Smart said that Luckie had wanted to return to the game later on. That said, officials on the sideline didn’t let him. Luckie was shown standing under his own power, albeit out of his pads.

Luckie, a junior, has made 10 catches for 81 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2025. For his career, he’s brought in 36 catches for 438 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Georgia’s win, its 5th straight, moved it to 8-1 on the season and 6-1 in SEC play. The Bulldogs return home as they host Texas in Week 12 and Charlotte in Week 13 before wrapping the regular season up against Georgia Tech at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

The post Kirby Smart gives injury update on Lawson Luckie following vicious hit appeared first on Saturday Down South.

Even before the whistle blew, though, there were plenty of emotions on both sidelines. Vanderbilt and Auburn players were seen exchanging words, and a penalty flag was eventually thrown. It appears cooler heads prevailed, and things didn’t get physical.

Here’s video from Vandy on SI’s Joey Dwyer:

Auburn, at 4-5, parted ways with Freeze after a loss to Kentucky. Defensive coordinator DJ Durkin, hired by Freeze ahead of the 2024 season, is serving as the team’s interim head coach the rest of the way as the Tigers need to win 2 of their remaining 3 games to reach bowl eligibility.

Vandy, meanwhile, is 7-2. It faced a big deficit in Week 10 against Texas and nearly fought back before eventually falling by a score of 34-31. The Commodores were ranked No. 16 in the initial College Football Playoff rankings releases on Tuesday, so their margin for error is razor-thin through the final few weeks of the regular season.

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On Saturday, Johnson was on another level.

No one expected Indiana-Penn State to be close. The Hoosiers came in with the top offense in the country, while the Nittany Lions were on a 5-game losing streak and hoping to at least close out the season strong.

But sometimes in college football, things don’t go as expected. The Nittany Lions were on the verge of a monumental upset that would have shaken up the Big Ten standings and the College Football Playoff race. They led 24-20 with just a shade under 2 minutes left.

That was more than enough time for Fernando Mendoza and the Hoosiers, however. The Heisman Trophy hopeful (and probably the betting favorite now) was sacked on the first play of the drive. He ultimately went 5-of-8 for 87 yards, connecting with Omar Cooper Jr. for the eventual go-ahead score as the redshirt junior made an absolutely absurd catch at the back of the end zone. (Don’t forget Charlie Becker’s catch near the sideline, either.)

Watch and listen as Johnson completely loses it, especially after Cooper’s catch:

Let’s hope Johnson is careful to rest his voice over the coming days. He, along with his broadcast partner, Joel Klatt, will be back at it in Week 12 in Chicago as Northwestern faces Michigan at Wrigley Field.

The post Gus Johnson loses his mind over Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr.’s jaw-dropping game-winning TD catch appeared first on Saturday Down South.

First, the setup. Indiana’s hopes of an undefeated season were under serious threat at Beaver Stadium on Saturday. The Hoosiers trailed Penn State, 24-20, with less than two minutes to go as they got the ball back after a Nittany Lions punt.

Fernando Mendoza was sacked on the first play of the drive. But he calmly worked the ball down the field after that, with one of his throws being pulled in near the sideline by Charlie Becker to put the Hoosiers at the Penn State 7.

Becker’s catch was clutch. But Cooper’s catch was sensational.

With 36 seconds left and the Hoosiers facing a 3rd-and-goal, Mendoza fired to the very back of the end zone. Cooper went up for the ball and, incredibly, was able to get a foot down in bounds to give Indiana the lead.

Here’s the video. This was simply jaw-dropping, with Gus Johnson going apoplectic in the FOX booth:

Here’s a closer look. As you can see, Cooper’s right foot was clearly down, just inches from the back of the end zone:

It’s hard to think of a more incredible catch this year. Regardless of how the Hoosiers’ season ends, this will go down as an iconic moment in program history.

Social media exploded after Cooper’s catch:

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That, plus the frustration of how the season’s gone, may have led Harasymiak to send one of his players to the locker room after getting flagged for taunting.

The Minutemen faced Akron on Tuesday and, through 3 quarters, it was trending the way many of UMass’s games have gone so far. Despite cutting a 14-0 first-quarter deficit to 14-10, the Minutemen gave up the next 20 points to go down 34-10.

With just under 5 minutes to play in the 3rd quarter, UMass defensive back Brennan Bailey knocked a pass from the hands of an Akron defender near the sideline. He then motioned toward the Akron sideline while staring players down before being whistled from a taunting penalty.

CBS Sports Network cameras later showed Bailey walking back to the locker room as Harasymiak reportedly ordered him to do so, though the interaction between player and coach wasn’t pictured. Here’s the video:

UMass would move to 0-9 on the season with a loss to Akron.

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There wasn’t a great deal of drama, at least judging from social media and even the reaction of ESPN’s own Greg McElroy. The only cause for frustration was the ESPN app’s video feed going out in the middle of the rankings show.

As far as the top 3, it was expected to be made up of Ohio State, Indiana, and Texas A&M. In fact, the Buckeyes were No. 1, followed by the Hoosiers and the Aggies.

So why were the Aggies placed No. 3 in the initial rankings?

“We felt like Ohio State and Indiana were close, when you look at the statistical data. We felt Ohio State was a little bit better on the offensive line and defensively,” Rhoades said, according to TexAgs. “When we included A&M as part of the discussion, we felt like the separator there was the defense.”

Looking ahead to Texas A&M’s schedule, it has Mizzou, South Carolina, Samford, and Texas coming up. While it’s No. 3 in the rankings, the prime objective now is to run the table and make as strong a case for itself as it can while doing so.

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