2025 Week 14 College Football Recap And Top Performers - The Rivalry Edition

What better way to cap off the 2025 college football season with Rivalry week.

In many ways, this time of years feels similar to the extravaganza that is Week 1. Yet, this feels just as sweet with more at stake.

As expected, this final week was as compelling and dramatic as we have seen in a while, of course, much of that stemming from the greatest rivalry of them all; Ohio State vs. Michigan.

Let's delve deep into everything that was learned from Week 14.

What Did We Learn From Week 14?

Ohio State Finally Beats Michigan

It wasn’t always pretty, but as the saying goes, a win is a win.

Credit is due to Michigan, which pushed Ohio State to the limit in the opening quarter. By the second, however, quarterback Julian Sayin settled into rhythm, the Buckeyes established their ground game, and they never looked back. Still, the final score doesn’t fully reflect the effort and resilience of Sherrone Moore’s squad. With more depth at receiver, Michigan could very well flip the script in next year’s matchup.

For now, the Buckeyes have cemented themselves not only as the nation’s top team, but as one of the greatest college football programs in history. Championship or not, this victory stands as Ryan Day’s true signature win.

• The Miami Hurricanes delivered a dominant performance against the Pitt Panthers, and now the spotlight shifts to the playoff committee. With a 10–2 record, the question is whether Miami has done enough to earn a coveted spot in the College Football Playoff. Based on their body of work, there’s a strong case to be made that the Hurricanes deserve the opportunity to compete on the biggest stage.

• The 2025 Alabama Crimson Tide will be remembered as one of the greatest redemption stories in college football history. In Week 1, they suffered an embarrassing loss to Florida State—a team that faded significantly after Week 4. Since that setback in August, Alabama has dropped only one game while defeating four Top-25 opponents along the way.

  
  

  Even if they fall short in next week’s SEC Championship Game, the Crimson Tide’s résumé speaks for itself. Based on the road they’ve taken and the quality of their victories, they have more than earned serious consideration for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

• Despite quarterback Fernando Mendoza having his least productive outing of the season (with two touchdowns), Indiana still managed to dominate Purdue—a testament to just how strong this Hoosiers team truly is. Alongside Ohio State, Indiana has firmly established itself as one of the favorites to capture this year’s National Championship, consistently proving its legitimacy week after week.

• When you think of it, Texas Tech's game against West Virginia was a tune up for next week's Big 12 title match against BYU.

• Speaking of BYU, the first half of their matchup against UCF was shaky, to say the least. Yet by the end of the second quarter, the Cougars had found their footing and never looked back. Now, they face the daunting challenge of squaring off against Texas Tech—a team that promises to be exponentially tougher than any opponent BYU has encountered this season.

• Virginia’s victory over Virginia Tech secured their place in next week’s ACC Championship Game against Duke. The looming question is whether a win will be enough to persuade the playoff committee to grant them a spot in this year’s College Football Playoff. Should the Cavaliers finish with an 11–2 record, their résumé would certainly merit strong consideration for a chance at the national title.

• Oregon’s win over Washington wasn’t the typical dominant performance we’ve seen from the Ducks this season. The Huskies pushed them to the limit, and if not for Oregon’s defense shutting down Demond Williams Jr. and company, the outcome could have been very different. All things considered, the Ducks will need to elevate their play, as the competition only grows tougher from here.

  
  

• It didn't look pretty at first but eventually Texas quarterback Arch Manning settled down and helped guide his Longhorns to a huge victory over the once undefeated Texas A&M Aggies. Even if the Longhorns don't make this year's playoff, they can take solace in know that the exposed the Aggies biggest flaw - if quarterback Marcel Reed regressed, everything else collapses.

• For Devon Dampier and the Utah Utes, the victory over Kansas was monumental—exactly the kind of statement win that can put a program on the playoff committee’s radar, depending on how the rest of the season unfolds.

  
  

• Meanwhile, the Cinderella run of Trinidad Chambliss and the Ole Miss Rebels continues to capture national attention. Not only did they take down archrival Mississippi State in this year’s Egg Bowl, but they also likely cemented their place in the College Football Playoff, regardless of whether they advance to the SEC Championship Game. This is a team that fans and analysts alike will be watching closely as the postseason picture develops.

  
  

  On a side note, the Mississippi State Bulldogs have an intriguing name to keep an eye on for next season: quarterback Kamario Taylor, a prospect who could make waves in the program’s future.

  
  

• Quarterback Diego Pavia may have all but sealed the Heisman Trophy with his performance, accounting for 433 all-purpose yards and carrying the Commodores to a statement win over Tennessee. Yet despite sitting at 14th in the rankings with a 10–2 record, Vanderbilt faces an uphill battle in convincing the playoff committee to grant them a spot. Their victory this week was unquestionably the biggest of the season, but whether it’s enough to sway the committee remains to be seen.

• In many ways, Georgia Tech’s playoff aspirations came to a quiet end with their loss to Georgia. Still, the Yellow Jackets will forever owe a debt of gratitude to quarterback Haynes King, whose leadership and grit warrant a statue on campus once his playing days are done. As for the Bulldogs, they march forward toward bigger and better opportunities, keeping their championship ambitions alive.

• Meanwhile, Iowa remains true to form—winning ugly, but winning nonetheless. Kirk Ferentz’s squad will never earn style points, yet their resilience and ability to grind out victories speak volumes. Offensive fireworks may be scarce, but the Hawkeyes’ physical brand of football continues to produce NFL-ready linemen, a testament to the program’s identity and staying power.

Conference Championship Matches

(4) Georgia vs. (10) Alabama (SEC Championship Game in Atlanta)

(18) Virginia vs. Duke (ACC Championship Game in Charlotte)

(11) BYU vs. (5) Texas Tech (Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington, Texas)

(2) Indiana vs. (1) Ohio State (Big Ten Championship Game in Indianapolis)

Kennesaw State at Jax State (Conference USA Championship Game)

Troy at James Madison (Sun Belt Championship Game)

North Texas vs. Tulane(American Athletic Championship Game)

TBD vs. TBD (Mountain West Championship Game)

PVAMU at Jackson State (SWAC Championship Game)

Western Michigan vs. Miami OH (MAC Championship Game)

Week 14 Top Performers

Offense

QB Trinidad Chambliss - Ole Miss

QB Beau Brungard - Youngstown State

QB Diego Pavia - Vanderbilt

RB Emmett Johnson - Nebraska

QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele - California

QB Arch Manning - Texas

WR Malachi Toney - Miami

WR Caleb Douglas - Texas Tech

RB Josh Pitsenberger - Yale

QB John Mateer - Oklahoma

RB Roman Hemby - Indiana

RB Kewan Lacy - Ole Miss

QB Behren Morton - Texas Tech

QB Robby Ashford - Wake Forest

RB Jobi Malary - James Madison

RB Bo Jackson - Ohio State

QB Devon Dampier - Utah

WR Lucius Anderson - Yale

RB Quintrevion Wisner - Texas

WR Max Tomczak - Youngstown State

WR Sedrick Alexander - Vanderbilt

WR Dontae McMillan - Eastern Michigan

WR Deuce Alexander - Ole Miss

QB Julian Sayin - Ohio State

RB King Miller - USC

QB Carson Beck - Miami

Defense

LB Jack Kelly - BYU

EDGE Princewill Umanmielen - Ole Miss

DL Rueben Bain Jr. - Miami

DE Logan Fano - Utah

LB Johnathan Hall - Utah

DB Will Heldt - Clemson

LB Chris Victor - California

DL Lee Hunter - Texas Tech

DL Stephen Daley - Indiana

LB Luke Pirris - Navy

LB Teitum Tuioti - Oregon

S Dalton Brooks - Texas A&M

CB Leonard Moore - Notre Dame

LB Jacob Rodriguez - Texas Tech

DL Jordan Boyd - Georgia Tech

DB Javan Robinson - Arizona State

EDGE Kenyatta Jackson Jr. - Ohio State

LB Harold Perkins Jr. - LSU

LB Reid Carrico - West Virginia

LB Rolijah Hardy - Indiana

DB Kamari Wilson - Memphis

LB Xavier Atkins - Auburn