College Football Winners and Losers as Bowl Season Starts for Some

After a disappointing 3–9 finish, the Colorado Buffaloes have already turned the page to 2026. But while the offseason begins in Boulder, the rest of college football just wrapped up one of the most dramatic conference championship weekends in recent memory.

NFL legend Deion Sanders tries to keep a low profile as photographers swarm his on the sideline before an NFL football game at Huntington Bank Field, Dec. 7, 2025, in Cleveland, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Titles were won, resumes were rewritten, and several teams delivered season-defining performances under the brightest lights. Others watched their biggest opportunity slip away in painful fashion.

Here are this week’s biggest winners and losers across college football.

Winner: Indiana Hoosiers Prove They Are For Real

Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Charlie Becker (80) makes a first down catch over Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Jermaine Mathews Jr. (7) during the Big Ten Conference championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6, 2025. Ohio State lost 13-10. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The biggest winner of championship weekend was not a Cinderella story. It was the Indiana Hoosiers, who entered the Big Ten Championship ranked No. 2 and undefeated, yet still faced doubt about whether they were truly the nation's top team. After years spent at the bottom of the conference, Indiana arrived in the title game needing one more statement win to legitimize their rise. And they delivered.

Indiana edged out the Ohio State Buckeyes 13–10 in a tense, physical battle that came down to the final minutes. The Buckeyes had a chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, but a missed 27-yard field goal that sealed the win for the Hoosiers and secured their top seed in the College Football Playoff.

It was a hard-earned win that confirmed Indiana’s climb from Big Ten afterthought to national power and championship contender. It was also a reminder of how quickly a program can rise with the right coach and the right culture. Indiana went 3–9 in 2023 before ripping off two of the best seasons in school history. Colorado fans watching from home know that kind of turnaround is exactly what Deion Sanders hopes to engineer in Boulder.

Winner: Tulane Green Wave Charge Back to AAC Supremacy

Dec 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Tulane Green Wave safety Jack Tchienchou (1) reacts to intercepting a pass against North Texas Mean Green during the second half in the 2025 American Championship at Yulman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Tulane continued their remarkable rise by beating No. 25 North Texas to win the AAC Championship, cementing their place in the College Football Playoff field.

Under coach Jon Sumrall, the Green Wave have become a model of consistency and resilience. Their blend of physical running, disciplined defense, and a mature offensive identity carried them through a challenging schedule and showed up again when it mattered most.

This win sends Tulane into its first-ever CFP appearance and reinforces their status as one of the strongest Group of Five programs in the country. The Green Wave may not spark the same national shockwaves as Indiana, but they remain one of college football’s best rebuilding stories, proving that momentum and culture can elevate a program into the national spotlight.

MORE: What Colorado Quarterback Julian Lewis Said After Impressing In First College Start

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MORE: What Deion Sanders Said After Colorado Buffaloes' Loss to West Virginia

Loser: BYU Cougars Collapse in the Big 12 Title Game

Texas Tech's Lee Hunter attempts to make the tackle against BYU during the Big 12 Conference championship football game, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The biggest disappointment of championship weekend was BYU’s blowout loss to Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship. The Cougars had waited patiently for this moment after narrowly missing a spot last season. Their reward was a blowout loss to Texas Tech that exposed how far they still need to go to compete at the top of the conference.

BYU opened the game with an impressive early touchdown drive, but everything fell apart from there. Texas Tech dictated the pace, dominated up front, and forced the Cougars into costly mistakes. What could have been BYU’s breakthrough moment instead turned into a harsh reminder that reaching the title game and winning it are two very different challenges.

Colorado fans will remember that BYU edged out the Buffaloes earlier this season with tough, efficient play. But championship weekend made clear that the gap between competitive and elite in the Big 12 is still significant.

"Coach Prime's" biggest move of the offseason so far was the hire of offensive coordinator Brennan Marrion as Colorado looks to return to contending for conference championships.

The loss for BYU resets the Cougars' expectations and propels Texas Tech forward into their first appearance in the CFP. The Red Raiders will face the winner of Oregon and James Madison on January 1.