College football’s Top 5 finishes from the weekend

The start of the 2025 college football season has already provided several classic upsets, overtime thrillers and last-second game-winners. The fifth official weekend of the season was no different, providing some of the best endings to the weekend’s most-anticipated contests. These were the Top 5 finishes to games contested across the country this weekend.

1. Oregon 30, Penn State 24 (2 OT)

No September game in the 2025 season was more anticipated than this showdown between Big Ten programs Oregon and Penn State. Beaver Stadium, a White Out and both teams took care of business in the lead-up by going undefeated in early-season games. Thankfully, the Nittany Lions and Ducks delivered on everything we had hoped for out of this matchup of Top 6 teams.

This was a 3-3 game at the half before Oregon, and then Penn State, both went on 14-point runs. Devonte Ross’ touchdown on a shovel pass with :30 left in regulation tied the contest at 17. After trading touchdowns in the first overtime, the second overtime only saw one play from scrimmage for each team. Oregon struck first when Heisman Trophy candidate Dante Moore found Gary Bryant Jr., for a 25-yard touchdown pass on first down, while Penn State’s Drew Allar was immediately intercepted by Oregon defensive back Dillon Thieneman when the Nittany Lions tried to answer.

Oregon's Dante Moore outdueled Penn State's Drew Allar in a battle of Heisman Trophy candidate quarterbacks. — Oregon's Dante Moore outdueled Penn State's Drew Allar in a battle of Heisman Trophy candidate quarterbacks Saturday night in State College. | James Lang-Imagn Images

2. Illinois 34, USC 32

Momentum is a powerful ally in college football, and Illinois has been able to find ways to lose and regain that ally over the last week. Head coach Bret Bielema said after Saturday’s last-second win over USC that the Illini’s reputation was on the line after it was destroyed by Big Ten rival Indiana 63-10 one week ago. Illinois appeared to have exorcised that demon by building a 14-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but that was when momentum switched to the other sideline.

USC Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Jayden Maiava hit receiver Makai Lemon for a touchdown at the 9:54 mark of the final quarter, then found Lemon again when the Trojans went for two to cut the Illini lead to six. A devastating fumble on Illinois’ subsequent possession inside USC’s ten-yard line set up Maiava to hit Lemon again, this time for the go-ahead score. Illinois had less than two minutes to drive for the win, and that was when momentum swung back in their direction for the final time. Eight plays and 51 yards later, Illinois junior kicker David Olano lined up for a 41-yard field goal. Olano split the uprights as the clock expired, reviving the Illini’s national reputation.

3. Virginia 46, Florida State 38 (2 OT)

Florida State welcomes No. 2 Miami to Tallahassee next weekend, but the Seminoles succumbed to a trap game against Virginia Friday night. The Cavaliers dealt Florida State their first ACC loss back in 1995 when the Seminoles had started 29-0 after joining the Conference in 1991. Friday night’s double overtime thriller may be the greatest game in the series since, and gives the Cavaliers victories in three of their last four meetings.

Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris converted a touchdown and a two-point conversion in the second overtime to earn the win. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Florida State tied the contest at 35 in the final minute of regulation, then traded field goals with Virginia in the first extra frame. Quarterback Chandler Morris ran in a touchdown for the Cavaliers in the top half of the second overtime, then saw his defense intercept Tommy Castellanos’ desperation fourth down pass to secure the win and give their fans the green light to rush the field.

4. Georgia Tech 30, Wake Forest 29 (OT)

This was not expected to be among the closest contests going into Saturday’s action. Wake Forest did come in with a winning record at 2-1, but those two wins were against Kennesaw State and Western Carolina. Georgia Tech, meanwhile, had beaten Colorado and Clemson on their way to earning a Top 25 ranking.

Wake Forest went on a 20-0 run in the middle part of this game to build a three-score lead, but the Yellowjackets fought their way back and saw the hero of the Clemson win, kicker Aidan Birr, nail a 33-yard field goal in the final seconds of regulation to send this game to overtime. Both teams would score touchdowns in the extra frame, but Wake decided not to wait until the second overtime when they are mandatory to try a two-point conversion. Georgia Tech senior safety Clayton Powell-Lee would come up with an interception of the Wake Forest pass attempt, and keep the perfect record alive.

5. Tennessee 41, Mississippi State 34 (OT)

Saturday afternoon’s game in Starkville brought together two teams looking for respect in the SEC. Tennessee dropped a heartbreaker to Georgia for their only loss, while Mississippi State was undefeated, but largely unproven. What transpired was an all-out dog fight that saw six lead changes and three ties, ultimately ending with a Tennessee defensive stop in overtime to steal a win.

Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar found redemption late in the win over Mississippi State after a few early miscues. | Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With two second half interceptions, both of which led to go-ahead touchdowns for the Bulldogs, this was not the game film Joey Aguilar will be sending to Heisman Trophy voters. But, when the Volunteers needed their transfer quarterback’s best, he responded with a 13-play drive that ended with Aguilar punching in a game-tying touchdown run.

“There’s some things that he missed early in the game, but one of the great attributes about Joey is he is calm in the storm,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said after the game.