Rivalry Week Winners and Losers as Ohio State Soars And Colorado Flops

The final full weekend of the college football regular season delivered everything the sport promises in late November—rivalry drama, playoff-shifting results, and, for some programs, a harsh reminder of how far they still have to climb.

Nov 29, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders looks on during the second quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

For the Colorado Buffaloes, the script remained painfully familiar. A snowy road loss to Kansas State capped a frustrating 3–9 campaign in year 3 under Deion Sanders. In contrast, Ohio State strengthened its claim as the nation’s best team with a massive win in The Big House. Meanwhile, Texas A&M squandered a golden chance at the SEC Championship.

Here are the biggest winners and losers from Week 14 of the college football season.

LOSER: Colorado Buffaloes

Nov 29, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter (3) is tackled by Kansas State Wildcats defensive end Chiddi Obiazor (8) during the fourth quarter at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

Another Game, Another Loss — But a Few Signs of Hope

For the fifth straight week, the Colorado Buffaloes land on the wrong side of the ledger. Their 24–14 loss at Kansas State was a microcosm of the entire season: flashes of potential drowned out by inconsistency and key absences.

Colorado’s defense opened the game with resilience, holding K-State in check after an early touchdown drive and keeping the Buffs within striking distance well into the fourth quarter. But missing multiple starters — including All-American left tackle Jordan Seaton, who missed the final three games with a foot injury — placed even more pressure on the offense, which struggled to sustain momentum.

Kansas State’s Joe Jackson ultimately took over, erupting for 188 yards and three touchdowns as the Wildcats punched their bowl ticket. Colorado, meanwhile, finishes the year 3–9, a sharp decline from the program’s 2024 breakthrough that featured a bowl appearance, a near Big 12 title berth, and Travis Hunter becoming the first two-way Heisman winner in a generation.

Dec 14, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter after winning the 2024 Heisman Trophy. Mandatory Credit: Todd Van Emst/Heisman Trust via Imagn Images | Todd Van Emst/Heisman Trust via Imagn Images

But there is a silver lining.

This season wasn’t about hardware — it was about experience. Colorado’s young core, headlined by freshman quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis, logged meaningful snaps against Big 12 competition. Those reps should make a big difference in how Lewis and the Buffs look next season. With "Coach Prime" expected to overhaul both the roster and coaching staff, the offseason becomes a crucial reset point — one that will shape whether Colorado’s growing foundation can finally translate potential into wins.

WINNER: Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Davison Igbinosun (1) celebrates after defeating the Michigan Wolverines in the NCAA football game at Michigan Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. | Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A Rivalry Win Sets the Stage for a Historic Matchup

When the pressure and the stakes are highest, the great teams rise to the occasion, and that's exactly what the No. 1-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes did, delivering a clean, dominant performance against their bitter rivals, the Michigan Wolverines.

The Buckeyes walked into Ann Arbor and delivered one of their most complete performances of the year, beating rival Michigan 27-9 to remain undefeated and stake their claim as the nation’s top team.

In a rivalry often defined by razor-thin margins, Ohio State weathered Michigan's early momentum by controlling the trenches and smothering Michigan’s run game, forcing the Wolverines’ freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood into mistake-filled moments, including a late fourth-quarter interception that sealed the win for the Buckeyes.

The win preserved Ohio State’s perfect record and sets up a historic Big Ten Championship matchup against No. 2 Indiana — the first time the conference’s title game will feature undefeated teams ranked No. 1 and No. 2. The winner will not only claim the Big Ten crown but the No. 1 seed in the expanded College Football Playoff.

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

LOSER: Texas A&M Aggies

Nov 28, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning keeps the ball and runs for a touchdown during the second half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

A Rivalry Collapse — But a Playoff Lifeline Remains

The stage was set for Texas A&M to make a national statement.

Beat Texas in Austin, and the Aggies were headed to the SEC Championship Game. Instead, Arch Manning and the Longhorns flipped the script on the maroon and white. Manning’s late touchdown run sealed a 27–17 win over the No. 3 Aggies, handing coach Mike Elko and A&M a painful loss to close the regular season.

Nov 28, 2025; Austin, Texas, USA; Head coach Mike Elko watches the first half of play against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

The defeat ended the Aggies’ hopes of playing for an SEC title — something the program hasn’t done in over a decade — and denied them the satisfaction of beating their archrival on the biggest stage since the rivalry was renewed.

Still, the Aggies are expected to reach the College Football Playoff thanks to their strong overall record and big road wins over Notre Dame, and Missouri. A&M star linebacker Taurean York put things bluntly after the loss:

“Hurts a lot," York said after the game. "But you got to regroup and get ready for the playoffs.”

The Aggies may have lost the battle in Austin — but the war that matters most is just ahead.