Colorado Buffaloes Lead Week 13 Winners and Losers With Unexpected Twist

Week 13 didn’t bring the wild upsets that college football fans usually crave, but it still delivered real movement beneath the surface as teams are fighting for playoff contention, bowl eligibility, and momentum heading into the offseason.

Nov 22, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) scrambles in the first quarter against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes fell into that final category. While the scoreboard wasn’t kind to the Buffs on Saturday night, the story surrounding their freshman quarterback Julian "JuJu" Lewis added an unexpected boost to the program’s future. Meanwhile, Texas A&M executed cleanly ahead of its biggest game of the season, and Georgia Tech suffered one of the most costly lapses of the year.

Here are the three biggest winners and losers from a deceptively meaningful Week 13 slate.

LOSER: Colorado Buffaloes — With a Major Asterisk

Aug 29, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) warms up in the second quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Colorado closed its final home game of the season at Folsom Field with another frustrating loss, falling 42–17 to No. 25 Arizona State. With bowl eligibility no longer possible, the Buffs were playing for pride and offseason momentum, but they couldn’t capitalize when it mattered most. Despite forcing four turnovers, Colorado walked away with only three points from those opportunities and surrendered a second-half lead that evaporated quickly.

Nov 22, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Sincere Brown (9) runs down the sidelines in the fourth quarter against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

On the surface, Colorado was unquestionably a loser this weekend. But with a giant asterisk.

Why an asterisk? After the Buffs stinging loss, freshman quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis, the former five-star recruit and centerpiece of Colorado’s future, reaffirmed his commitment to Boulder. In the first home start of his career, Lewis finished the game with 161 yards and one touchdown with no turnovers, but with the transfer portal looming as a threat for every major program, his commitment to Deion Sanders and Buff Nation could help restore offseason momentum:

“Oh yeah, I’m a Buff through and through," Lewis said. "I don’t got no reason to go.”

For a program working to rebuild, stabilize, and develop its young core, that kind of public declaration matters as much as any win. College football is built around quarterbacks, and the Buffs have an elite one who’s committed to weathering the transition.

Even amid a tough season, Colorado’s long-term trajectory took a meaningful step forward. In the bigger picture, despite the loss, Lewis' commitment may ultimately prove to be one of the most important developments of "Coach Prime’s" tenure.

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

MORE: Three Big Takeaways From the Colorado Buffaloes' Loss to West Virginia

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

WINNER: Texas A&M Aggies — Clinical and Cruising

Nov 22, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies running back Amari Daniels (5) runs with the ball in the first half of a game against the Samford Bulldogs at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Buvid-Imagn Images | Joseph Buvid-Imagn Images

Texas A&M got everything they needed from Week 13: momentum, efficiency, and a stress-free tune-up. The Aggies didn’t need style points this weekend — they just needed a clean, controlled performance heading into their biggest week of the season, which they accomplished by steamrolling the Samford Bulldogs 48–0.

Yes, it was an FCS opponent, but the point of this weekend's win for the Aggies wasn’t about proving greatness. It was about sharpening execution, staying healthy, and preparing to hit rivalry week at full throttle. This weekend was all about momentum and preparation for coach Mike Elko and the Aggies, and they handled it perfectly.

Nov 22, 2025; College Station, Texas, USA; Texas A&M Aggies head coach Mike Elko on the field in the second half of a game against the Samford Bulldogs at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Buvid-Imagn Images | Joseph Buvid-Imagn Images

Now ranked No. 3, the Aggies head to Austin with everything on the line—a College Football Playoff berth, an SEC Championship appearance, and a national spotlight matchup against Arch Manning and the Aggies' archrival, the Texas Longhorns.

LOSER: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets — The High Cost of Complacency

Nov 22, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) is tackled by Pittsburgh Panthers defensive lineman Joey Zelinsky (45) in the third quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

No team suffered a more damaging blow this weekend than Georgia Tech. With a spot in the ACC Championship on the line, the Yellow Jackets simply needed to beat unranked Pittsburgh at home.

Instead, they stumbled into one of their worst halves of the season. Georgia Tech fell behind 28–0 early in the second quarter, undone by turnovers, coverage lapses, and a startling lack of urgency.

Then, just when the Yellow Jackets clawed back into the game—cutting the deficit to 28–14 and driving — Haynes King threw a devastating 100-yard pick-six that slammed the door shut on a second-half comeback attempt.

100 YARDS TO THE HOUSE @BraylanLovelace

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Pitt 35, Georgia Tech 14 pic.twitter.com/1CbXKHOCI8
— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) November 23, 2025

Pitt walked out with a 42–28 win, and Georgia Tech watched its conference championship hopes vanish on its own field.

While the Yellow Jackets no longer control their fate, they still could find a way into the ACC championship with help from Pittsburgh, Virginia, and Cal. But first, they'll need to get past in-state rival No. 4 Georgia next weekend.