College football rankings: Top 25 scores, results

Week 12 served as a tuneup for teams up and down the Associated Press Top 25. In other words, it was the week of almost, but not quite.

Throughout the day, some big upsets looked to be brewing. No. 1 Alabama was tied with The Citadel 10-10 at the half. No. 2 Clemson trailed Duke 6-0 at the end of the first quarter. No. 4 Michigan trailed Indiana 17-15 at half time. No. 10 Ohio State needed overtime to beat Maryland 52-51.

In a week with all 25 teams in action, 20 won and five lost. Of the losing five, three teams (No. 12 Syracuse, No. 18 Iowa State and No. 19 Cincinnati) lost to higher-ranked opponents.

The only two big upsets in the Top 25 were No. 7 West Virginia falling to Oklahoma State 45-41 in a classic Big 12 shootout. No. 22 Boston College choked away a late fourth quarter against unranked Florida State and fell 22-21 to the Seminoles in Tallahassee.

West Virginia’s makes the final Saturday of Big 12 action a bit more exciting, but it does little to change the College Football Playoff picture. The Big 12 has been on the outside looking in as long as the top four remains Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame and Michigan. The AP and the CFP selection committee disagree on some teams, but right now, they agree on the top six.

1. Alabama def. The Citadel, 50-17
2. Clemson def. Duke, 35-6
3. Notre Dame def. No. 12 Syracuse, 36-3
4. Michigan def. Indiana, 31-20
5. Georgia def. UMass, 66-27
6. Oklahoma def. Kansas, 55-40
7. West Virginia lost to Oklahoma State, 45-41
8. Washington State def. Arizona, 69-28
9. Ohio State def. Maryland, 52-51
10. LSU def. Rice, 42-10
11. UCF def. No. 19 Cincinnati, 38-13
12. Syracuse lost to No. 3 Notre Dame, 36-3
13. Texas def. No. 18 Iowa State, 24-10
14. Utah State def. Colorado State, 29-24
15. Florida def. Idaho, 63-10
16. Penn State def. Rutgers, 20-7
17. Washington def. Oregon State, 42-23
18. Iowa State lost to No. 13 Texas, 24-10
19. Cincinnati lost to No. 11 UCF, 38-13
20. Kentucky def. MTSU, 34-23
21. Utah def. Colorado, 30-7
22. Boston College lost to Florida State, 22-21
23. Boise State def. New Mexico, 45-14
24. Northwestern, def. Minnesota, 24-14
25. Mississippi State def. Arkansas, 52-6

Andrew Olson

Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.