College football is unpredictable and delightful, which is why we live for what happens on Saturdays. Week 12 certainly delivered—from a 27-point comeback win for the No. 3 team in the nation to a potential landscape-altering result in Tuscaloosa.
Each Sunday, I’ll publish my biggest takeaways from the college football weekend. I’ll highlight the most interesting storylines, track College Football Playoff contenders, and specifically shout out individual and team performances that deserve the spotlight.
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### 1. Georgia Is a Team We Can Trust to Win the National Championship
This is not the same Georgia that won back-to-back titles in 2021 and 2022. Those Bulldogs were suffocating defensively, and Stetson Bennett was nearly flawless in Georgia’s biggest games. The defense was what carried those teams and instilled fear in opponents—it was quintessential Kirby Smart.
This version of Georgia isn’t nearly as dominant defensively, but it’s still in the top half of the SEC and consistently shows up in the fourth quarter no matter what. Its offense isn’t as explosive as Tennessee’s or Ole Miss’s, but Gunner Stockton always seems to make the right throw when it matters most.
The Bulldogs have now played two complete games in a row—their best performances of the year—after a season known for one-score games. It’s time to officially anoint Georgia as one of the top national championship contenders. This is the team I trust most out of the SEC… well, at least right now.
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### 2. Alabama’s Flaws Proved Fatal on Saturday
Now, we’ll see how much the selection committee penalizes the Tide.
I’ve wondered for weeks if Alabama’s offensive line play and sometimes-nonexistent run game would cost the Crimson Tide in a pivotal moment. Saturday showed those concerns were valid, and the consequences were costly for Alabama.
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### 3. Texas A&M Finds a Way to Win—But Questions Remain
Texas A&M found a way to win, and winning is hard. The Aggies outgained the Gamecocks by 295 yards in the second half, showing resilience and offensive firepower.
However, it’ll be hard to forget a first half filled with some of Texas A&M’s worst mistakes of the season: Marcel Reed’s two brutal interceptions and a fumble, along with inexcusable drops by his top receivers. The Aggie defense basically no-showed in the first half as well, allowing over 300 yards of offense and an alarming 8.2 yards per play.
I’ve wondered for weeks if Texas A&M is a good team that can win games in multiple ways or if this is a team with high variance. After Saturday’s performance against a three-win team, I’m leaning toward the latter.
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### 4. USC and Michigan Survive and Stay in the College Football Playoff Mix
The Trojans came back from 14 points down to beat No. 21 Iowa, improving to 8-2 with two road losses (to Illinois and Notre Dame).
They’re playing elimination games every week, and they’re surviving and advancing. USC also has a trip to Oregon coming up, providing a chance to add a marquee win to a resume that could use a crown jewel.
If USC wins out, it will finish 10-2 with victories over Oregon, Michigan, and Iowa (which the committee values even if they’re about to fall out of the CFP rankings). That’s a very intriguing at-large resume for a team that would then be squarely on the bubble.
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Stay tuned for more analysis and insights as the college football season continues to unfold!
https://sports.yahoo.com/article/takeaways-week-12-college-football-060412143.html
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