10 Takeaways From Week 12: Texas A&M Makes History Amid SEC Chaos

How you win, how you close, who you beat, and who beats you — that’s all that matters at this time of year.With the College Football Playoff drawing closer, every team’s résumé is about to be picked apart by the selection committee. This past weekend was full of upsets, close calls and statements. So let’s look back at what happened this weekend — and what it means moving forward.Here are 10 takeaways from Week 12:1. Texas A&M makes historyThe third-ranked Aggies somehow found themselves in a 30-3 hole in the first half against South Carolina at home. After halftime, however, Texas A&M roared back to win, 31-30. It was not only the biggest comeback ever in the history of the school, but also the biggest comeback seen in an SEC match in the last 20 years. Texas A&M is now 10-0 for the first time since 2012 (when Johnny Manziel was quarterback) and is the only undefeated team left in the SEC after Alabama was upset by Oklahoma (more on that later). The Aggies are in prime position to play for the program’s first SEC title. There are only two games left for the Aggies: at home against Samford, on Saturday; and in Austin against their bitter rival Texas after Thanksgiving. Some pessimistic Aggies fans might be concerned about that regular-season finale against the Longhorns, but head coach Mike Elko’s squad has consistently looked like one of the top teams in the country. Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed (#10) after a comeback win over South Carolina at Kyle Field on November 15, 2025. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images). Speaking of Mike Elko …It’s impressive what he’s doing in just his second season in College Station. Elko has overhauled a program long mired in mediocrity and turned it into a national championship contender that looks like it’s here to stay — like Elko. The Aggies head coach has agreed to a contract extension for six years, making him reportedly one of the top five coaches in sports. Texas going in the opposite direction of Texas A&MWhile the Aggies are poised to play in the SEC Championship Game and the College Football In the Playoffs, Texas’s in-state rival seems to be moving in the opposite direction. The Longhorns are ranked No. The Longhorns were ranked No. Georgia defeated No. 5 Georgia 35-10 on the road. Much of that was self-inflicted, thanks to nine penalties, countless dropped passes and an inability to run the ball.Texas A&M led 14-10 entering the fourth quarter, but that’s when Georgia head coach Kirby Smart pulled out all the stops to really stick it to the Longhorns. The Bulldogs went up 21-10 after scoring a touchdown in the fourth-quarter on their second play. Then, they called a surprising onside kick which they recovered easily. The Bulldogs then marched down the field to score another touchdown. Texas didn’t touch the ball until halfway through the final frame and there was very little hope of a comeback by then.Georgia has been criticized for not having as talented of a team as in past years, but the one that showed up in Week 12 was physical, well-coached and could make some noise in the CFP.4. Peyton Manning was at the game to watch his nephew. Football Hall of Fame QB was at the stadium to watch Texas QB Arch Manning play Georgia. Marshall Manning, his son who is only in the eighth grade, but has already attracted attention from schools, was also there. They watched Arch warm-up and had a good time with Matthew McConaughey, a diehard Longhorns supporter. SEC chaosIt’s going to be a fight to the finish in the SEC. Before the weekend, it seemed like Texas A&M and Alabama were going to meet on conference championship weekend. The Aggies avoided an upset, but the Crimson Tide weren’t so lucky. Then-No. Oklahoma, then-No. 4 Alabama, 23-21, further muddying the SEC title game picture.We don’t know who will play in the SEC championship just yet. What we do know is that these final two weeks of the regular season will be must-watch TV given there’s only one undefeated team (Texas A&M), three one-loss teams (Georgia, Ole Miss and Alabama) and a number of tiebreaker scenarios that could come into play.6. Could Oklahoma make the CFP now?Oklahoma’s upset over Alabama might have helped punch the Sooners’ ticket to the CFP. OU has three impressive top-25 wins (Michigan, Tennessee and Alabama) and two “good” losses (Texas and Ole Miss), which are quality talking points on their résumé for the selection committee. Oklahoma now needs to win its last two home games against Missouri and LSU. Can the Sooners pull it off?7. Did you see this spin move?Notre Dame star running back Jeremiyah Love made Pitt’s defense dizzy on his way to a 56-yard touchdown.Love ran for 147 yards and this score in Notre Dame’s double-digit win in Week 12. The Fighting Irish have won eight consecutive games since opening the season with back-to-back losses to Miami (Fla.) and Texas A&M. They’re expected to extend that streak to 10 games and hope it’s impressive enough to get in the CFP as a two-loss team.8. This catch is impressive. 1 Ohio State’s star receiver Jeremiah Smith was limited (four catches for 40 yards) in the Buckeyes’s 48-10 win over UCLA, but that didn’t stop him from making one of the biggest plays of the weekend. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day explained Smith has had a “nagging issue” and that the team wanted to be “smart with him” because they know “what’s coming down the road.” The Buckeyes are hoping that’s a Big Ten Championship Game appearance and a chance at defending their national title.Regardless, this is an opportunity to point out that when it comes to the Heisman Trophy these days, quarterbacks are all the rage. Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed and even Georgia’s Gunner Stockton are in the spotlight more than guys like Smith and Love. Signal-callers should get praise, and perhaps even an award. But skill players deserve just as much attention. Speaking of Julian Sayin …What Sayin, a true sophomore, is doing this season is wildly impressive. He quietly led the top-ranked Ohio State team to an undefeated year. He has the highest completion percentage in the country (80.1%) and has thrown 25 touchdowns and 2,675 yards with only four interceptions. Sayin has won some big games (vs. Texas and at Washington) in his first year as a starter.In a couple of weeks, he’ll play against Michigan for the first time with a chance to end Ohio State’s four-year losing streak against the Wolverines. He could win the Heisman Trophy legitimately in his first season as the Buckeyes starter. Ohio State QB Julian Sayin #10 during the third period against UCLA at Ohio Stadium in November 2025. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images). What’s going on in the Big 12?While the conference championship game isn’t a lock yet, it seems like it’s going to be Texas Tech vs. BYU. Both teams have only one loss in the Big 12 and both won over the weekend. The Red Raiders beat UCF by 48-9 and the Cougars trampled TCU with a 44-13 score. Looking ahead, Texas Tech only has a bye week before finishing the season at West Virginia, while BYU has to play Cincinnati and UCF. The Big 12 champ will receive an automatic CFP bid, but will another team from the league make it? This seems unlikely, considering the ACC will also receive an auto-bid despite not ranking in the top 12. Sign up for a FOX Sports account or log in and follow teams, leagues and players to get a daily newsletter personalized to you! FOLLOW FOLLOW your favorites to customize your FOX Sports experience
2025-11-17 23:40:20