Week 14 of the college football season is always one of the most special weekends of the season as rivalry week always brings a ton of drama. There isn't a conference that exemplifies that more than the SEC, especially with Texas and Texas A&M renewing their rivalry on the field while the Iron Bowl is the definition of chaos.
This weekend, it felt like several top programs were on the brink of being knocked out of the Playoff race, but almost everyone survived. The biggest victim of Rivalry Week was the Texas A&M Aggies, as their loss to Texas will cost them a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff and a place in the SEC Championship Game.
Power Ranking the SEC after Texas' massive upset win
The Arkansas Razorbacks have played the same game the entire season, as they look like the better team in the first half before falling apart in the second half. This weekend, the Razorbacks did it again as they were shut out in the second half, allowing Missouri to win the game. This team clearly lacks the elite talent you need to win in the SEC, and the hope will be that they can find it under their next head coach.
Mark Stoops had a chance to get his team to bowl eligibility, and he instead watched his team get blown out 41-0 against a reeling Louisville program. Cutter Boley struggled mightily, passing for just 100 yards while throwing a pair of interceptions. Mark Stoops will now be on edge over the next few days as it wouldn't be a surprise to see Kentucky move on.
Jeff Lebby's team was unable to shock the world with an upset in the Egg Bowl, meaning the Bulldogs will finish below .500. True freshman quarterback Kamario Taylor gave the fans plenty to be excited about for next season, with 173 yards rushing with a pair of scores, while he has plenty of room to grow as a passer.
Auburn found itself locked in a battle with Alabama late, but a fumble by Cam Coleman ended up proving costly. The Tigers' defense was buzzing the entire night, and it may have been a good enough performance to earn DJ Durkin the full-time gig. The offense remains the biggest reason for this team's failure, as the fans will remember it as another year where the quarterbacks cost them a chance at competing in the SEC.
The South Carolina Gamecocks had a chance to at least salvage something from this miserable season, and they instead got shut out in the second half, losing the Palmetto Bowl. LaNorris Sellers showed his highs and his lows with a pair of touchdowns and two costly interceptions. Shane Beamer has a tough offseason ahead of him as he needs to fix the offense while adding talent to this roster.
Billy Gonzales delivered Florida fans a win to celebrate in a lost season as the Gators handed Florida State a 40-21 loss to keep the Seminoles from reaching a bowl game. Jadan Baugh was incredible, rushing for 266 yards and 2 touchdowns, while DJ Lagway threw for 3 scores, leading the offense to an explosive win. The Gators appear to be on the verge of landing Jon Sumrall, and his Sunday decision could set the Gators up nicely if they retain some of their young talent.
A disappointing season for Josh Heupel and the Tennessee Volunteers hit its low point on Saturday as they were handled by Vanderbilt. The Vols couldn't stop the Commodores' rushing attack, allowing 314 yards and 5 touchdowns on the ground for an average of 8.5 yards per carry. This team had clear flaws entering the season, and Josh Heupel will need to build a deeper roster next season if this team is going to return to the College Football Playoff.
LSU looked like it may shake the entire College Football Playoff race on Saturday, but a blown coverage ruined what was an incredible defensive performance from the Tigers. These last few weeks have allowed LSU to evaluate the roster, and it's clear whoever takes over the program needs to improve the offense. The Tigers now await Lane Kiffin's Sunday team meeting as it'll tell the Tigers if they won big in the coaching carousel or if they need to keep looking.
Eli Drinkwitz was given a massive extension on Thanksgiving and he rewarded the school with a win over Arkansas to close out the regular season. Ahmad Hardy, Jamal Roberts, and Beau Pribula gashed Arkansas on the ground combining for 335 yards and 3 scores in the win. The injury to Pribula derailed this team's hopes of making the CFP, but they've still put together an impressive season.
Steve Sarkisian's team looked like the group everyone picked as the best team in the country coming into the season, with a massive upset win over Texas A&M. The Longhorns' defense was stellar, holding Texas A&M to just 180 passing yards while forcing a pair of interceptions from Marcel Reed. Texas will most likely fall short of making the Playoff, but this team certainly found its form late in the year.
Diego Pavia and the Vanderbilt Commodores delivered one last convincing win, trying to get the committee to put them in the Playoff as they beat Top 25 Tennessee 45-24. Diego Pavia and Sedrick Alexander combined for 280 yards and 4 touchdowns rushing, powering this offense to a win. It's going to be cruel for Vanderbilt if they miss the Playoff at 10-2, but they're likely going to fall just short of the goal.
It wasn't pretty for Kalen DeBoer's team, but they left the house of horrors that is Jordan-Hare Stadium with a win in the Iron Bowl. Ty Simpson and the defense rose to the occasion when it mattered most, as this team has shown they have what it takes to win tough games late. The Crimson Tide will now face Georgia again in the SEC Championship, where they can ensure they're firmly in the College Football Playoff field.
Brent Venables' team didn't make it easy, but they picked up a critical win over LSU to likely send the Sooners to the Playoff. John Mateer struggled with 3 interceptions, but when he was needed most, he delivered a 58-yard strike to Isaiah Sategna III to win the game. The Sooners' offense needs to find a way to start clicking on offense, but the defense has given them a path to win every game.
The Texas A&M Aggies have fallen for the first time this season, as going on the road to Austin was too much for this team. Marcel Reed and the offense struggled as Texas shut down this explosive passing attack while forcing a pair of interceptions from Reed. Mike Elko's team won't make the SEC Championship Game or earn a first-round bye, but they're still well on their way to the College Football Playoff.
Despite all of the distractions surrounding Ole Miss with Lane Kiffin's ongoing courtship, the Rebels' offense started the game off red hot, and in the 4th quarter did enough to make sure that Mississippi State wouldn't truly scare this team. The fate of the Rebels will soon be learned as Lane Kiffin's team meeting on Sunday will tell us if he's staying or leaving for LSU.
The Georgia offense struggled to move the ball against Georgia Tech, but the Bulldogs left rivalry weekend with another Top 25 win. Gunner Stockton was shaky, but he found Zachariah Branch for the game's only touchdown while Nate Frazier powered the offense with 108 yards on the ground. The defense was dominant, holding Georgia Tech's potent rushing attack to just 3.0 yards per carry.