Two plays into the Indianapolis Colts’ first defensive drive against the Houston Texans, the AFC South leaders lost one of their newest defensive stars.

The Colts have ruled out cornerback Sauce Gardner for the rest of their Week 13 divisional game. Gardner appeared to get hurt while taking on a block from Texans tight end Cade Stover on his second play of the game.

CBS cameras caught Gardner heading back to the Colts’ locker room with team trainers. He appeared almost completely unable to put weight on his left foot.

Indianapolis acquired the two-time All-Pro in a trade with the New York Jets ahead of the trade deadline, sending two first-round picks and receiver Adonai Mitchell to New York as part of the deal.

Sauce Gardner injury update

The Colts have ruled out Gardner for the remainder of their Week 13 game with a calf injury.

NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reported later in the game that Gardner’s injury is believed to be a calf strain, as his Achilles appears to be intact from early testing. The cornerback will undergo more tests in the coming hours and days to confirm he avoided a major injury.

Gardner sustained the injury at some point during his second snap on defense against the Texans. The two-time All-Pro cornerback was taking on a block from Stover, one of Houston’s tight ends, when he pulled up with a leg injury and walked gingerly off of the field.

CBS cameras later showed Gardner exiting to the locker room with a couple of Colts athletic trainers. The cornerback appeared unable to put any weight on his left foot.

Gardner had not missed any time in his first four weeks with his second team, but he’ll miss almost all of Week 13’s divisional game.

Colts CB depth chart

Sauce Gardner (questionable – calf)
Charvarius Ward
Kenny Moore II
Mekhi Blackmon
Jaylon Jones
Chris Lammons
Johnathan Edwards (out)
Justin Walley (IR – ACL)

The Colts traded two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell to the Jets for Gardner ahead of the NFL trade deadline in early November. Gardner recorded at least six tackles and exactly one pass defense in each of his first two games with Indianapolis before exiting Week 13’s game early.

Indianapolis started the season with Xavien Howard after his one-year hiatus in 2024, but he retired after starting the first four games of the season.

This story has been updated.

Florida football is hiring Tulane’s Jon Sumrall as its next head coach, the school announced Sunday, Nov. 30.

Sumrall, in his second season at Tulane, has the Green Wave at 10-2 this season and in contention for a College Football Playoff berth. No. 23 Tulane (No. 24 in CFP) plays No. 22 North Texas in the American Conference championship game on Friday, Dec. 5, with the winner having a strong shot at reaching the 12-team bracket.

‘The University of Florida is one of the premier programs in college football, and it’s an incredible honor to serve as the head football coach,’ Sumrall said in the announcement. ‘I believe in building a team rooted in toughness, accountability and a relentless competitive spirit. Florida has everything necessary to compete at the highest level — the resources, the support, the tradition and the passion of Gator Nation. My family and I are excited to get to work.’

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports Florida is finalizing a 6-year deal with an average annual salary of $7.5 million.

Sumrall has been a hot commodity in the coaching carousel this season, and he’ll be tasked with turning around a program that hasn’t seen much success in recent years. The 43-year-old coach replaces Billy Napier, who was fired midseason after going 22-23 in four seasons.

The Gators haven’t won nine or more games since 2019, when they went 11-2 under Dan Mullen. He saw moderate success in Gainesville after Jim McElwain and Will Muschamp’s tenures fizzled out, but no Florida coach has approached the success of Urban Meyer, who won two BCS national titles with the Gators.

Florida will hope that changes under Sumrall, who has won at every stop of his college career. He finished with a 23-4 record in two seasons at Troy before leading Tulane to a 19-7 record, also in two seasons.

Before Sumrall took over at Tulane, he led Troy to back-to-back Sun Belt championships in 2022 and 2023 after the program went 5-7 the year prior to his hiring. The 2022 Sun Belt Coach of the Year and the Trojans finished No. 20 in the final US LBM Coaches Poll in 2022.

Sumrall also has SEC experience. He played linebacker at Kentucky from 2002-04 before starting his coaching career as a graduate assistant for the Wildcats in 2005. He was an assistant at San Diego, Tulane and Troy before coaching linebackers at Ole Miss in 2018 and Kentucky from 2019-20. He also served as co-defensive coordinator for the Wildcats in 2021.

Sumrall also had interest from Auburn but reportedly withdrew from the search. Florida was also reportedly interested in Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin for its vacancy, although the Gators reportedly turned their attention to Sumrall in recent days. Kiffin, meanwhile, appears to be headed to LSU.

Although Florida missed out on Kiffin, Sumrall certainly appears to be a strong option for a program searching for consistent success.

The Chicago Bears have moved into the top seed in the NFC playoff picture following a win and a loss by the Los Angeles Rams.
Several teams, including the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans, are making late-season pushes for a playoff berth.

Every week for the duration of the 2025 regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the NFL’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting Sunday afternoon and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable. And, when the holidays roll around, we’ll be watching then, too).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Here’s where things stand with Week 13 underway:

NFC playoff picture

1. Chicago Bears (9-3), NFC North leaders: With back-to-back victories over winning adversaries − in conjunction with the Rams’ stunning loss Sunday − the Bears have now rocketed to the top of the conference. Chicago’s 6-2 record in NFC games sends LA (4-3) down a spot. Remaining schedule: at Packers, vs. Browns, vs. Packers, at 49ers, vs. Lions

2. Los Angeles Rams (9-3), NFC West leaders: Carolina snapped their NFC-high six-game winning streak in rainy Charlotte, a loss that dropped LA out of the conference’s top spot. Remaining schedule: at Cardinals, vs. Lions, at Seahawks, at Falcons, vs. Cardinals

3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4), NFC East leaders: Two losses in a row not only mean a lot more scrutiny but − beware − a team that could fall into the Cowboys’ clutches in the division if it’s not careful. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, vs. Raiders, at Commanders, at Bills, vs. Commanders

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5), NFC South leaders: They narrowly beat Arizona to narrowly maintain their half-game lead over Carolina in the division. Remaining schedule: vs. Saints, vs. Falcons, at Panthers, at Dolphins, vs. Panthers

5. Seattle Seahawks (8-3), wild card No. 1: All three of the ‘Hawks’ losses are against NFC opponents, including two in the division − defeats that won’t serve them well in the tiebreaker department. No matter what happens, Seattle’s Week 11 loss to the Rams means they can’t move up Sunday … but the team could fall behind the Niners. Remaining schedule: vs. Vikings, at Falcons, vs. Colts, vs. Rams, at Panthers, at 49ers

6. Green Bay Packers (8-3-1), wild card No. 2: They merely maintained their standing (for now) with their Thanksgiving win at Detroit, but a loss would have dropped them from the field entirely. A thin margin for the Pack to be sure … yet they remain just a half-game off the NFC North lead, too. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, at Broncos, at Bears, vs. Ravens, at Vikings

7. San Francisco 49ers (9-4), wild card No. 3: They now have a 1½-game lead on their wild-card pursuers after Sunday’s win, but are only a half-game behind the Rams for the NFC West lead. Remaining schedule: BYE, vs. Titans, at Colts, vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks

8. Detroit Lions (7-5), in the hunt: Getting swept by the Packers further entrenches Detroit, which could have moved into a wild-card slot with a Turkey Day win, on the outside of the field. Huge game this Thursday night with Dallas. Remaining schedule: vs. Cowboys, at Rams, vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears

9. Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1), in the hunt: Three wins in a row further fuels playoff aspirations in Big D. Week 14’s game in Detroit looms as massive − and potentially must-win − for the Cowboys and Lions. Remaining schedule: at Lions, vs. Vikings, vs. Chargers, at Commanders, at Giants

10. Carolina Panthers (7-6), in the hunt: A shocking upset of the Rams on Sunday reaffirms the Panthers as an outfit to be reckoned with, though they didn’t gain any ground in the wild-card or divisional races (on a day when they could have gone into first place had Tampa Bay lost). Remaining schedule: BYE, at Saints, vs. Buccaneers, vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers

AFC playoff picture

1. New England Patriots (10-2), AFC East leaders: Week 12’s narrow defeat of the Bengals gave the Pats the league’s best record, moving them past Denver and into the conference’s top spot. Good chance they hold onto it when they hit their off week. Remaining schedule: vs. Giants, BYE, vs. Bills, at Ravens, at Jets, vs. Dolphins

2. Denver Broncos (9-2), AFC West leaders: Being idle during Week 12 cost them first place in the conference, but you can bet the break was welcome − especially for a team that will need to be close to fully charged for a brutal four-game stretch at the end of its regular season. Remaining schedule: at Commanders, at Raiders, vs. Packers, vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs, vs. Chargers

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4), AFC South leaders: Their win in Nashville coupled with Indy’s loss moves the Jags into first place by virtue of the common-games played tiebreaker, which they own by a one-win advantage. Slide back later, and victories over the Chiefs and Chargers could serve them well when it’s time to sort out tiebreakers. Remaining schedule: vs. Colts, vs. Jets, at Broncos, vs. Colts, at Titans

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5), AFC North leaders: Baltimore’s Thanksgiving loss restores them to first place. A win over Buffalo on Sunday would help a lot more. Remaining schedule: vs. Bills, at Ravens, vs. Dolphins, at Lions, at Browns, vs. Ravens

5. Indianapolis Colts (8-4), wild card No. 1: They’ve dropped three of their past four to fall off the conference pace … and have now ceded first place in the AFC South to Jacksonville after Sunday’s loss to Houston. And the schedule doesn’t let up the rest of the way out. Remaining schedule: at Seahawks, vs. 49ers, vs. Jaguars, at Texans

6. Los Angeles Chargers (7-4), wild card No. 2: They needed last week off … and Buffalo’s Week 12 loss granted the battered Bolts improved positioning. Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, vs. Eagles, at Chiefs, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, at Broncos

7. Buffalo Bills (7-4), wild card No. 3: QB Josh Allen took a beating − as did the Bills’ hopes of catching the Patriots in the AFC East race in their most recent loss to Houston. A 4-3 record in conference games leaves Buffalo behind the Chargers in the wild-card seeding. Remaining schedule: at Steelers, vs. Bengals, at Patriots, at Browns, vs. Eagles, vs. Jets

8. Houston Texans (7-5), in the hunt: They’ve won five of six, including four in a row. If they want to win the AFC South for a third straight year, the Texans likely need to sweep the Colts − and they took their first step toward that with Sunday’s win at Indy − while continuing their surge. Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, vs. Cardinals, vs. Raiders, at Chargers, vs. Colts

9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-6), in the hunt: Not only will they almost certainly not win the AFC West for the first time since 2015, they could well miss the postseason for the first time since 2014 − Andy Reid’s second year in K.C. And don’t forget they’ve lost to the Broncos, Chargers, Bills and Jags, who are all ahead of them. Remaining schedule: vs. Texans, vs. Chargers, at Titans, vs. Broncos, at Raiders

10. Baltimore Ravens (6-6), in the hunt: A sloppy performance against the Bengals cost them first place in the AFC North and a slot in the projected playoff field. Unlike several other squads, the Ravens are also on the wrong side of a head-to-head tiebreaker with Kansas City. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Bengals, vs. Patriots, at Packers, at Steelers

NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2025

Lane Kiffin said after Ole Miss football’s 38-19 win over rival Mississippi State on Friday, Nov. 28, that he’d have an answer on his coaching future Nov. 29.

However, that decision by Kiffin, who led the Rebels to an 11-1 finish this season and a likely College Football Playoff berth, did not formally come until Sunday when he was announced as the new LSU coach.

ESPN reported Kiffin has yet to sign the deal that would reportedly pay him $12 million annually.

Although, as Kiffin proved after a resolution to his coaching future didn’t come to fruition on Nov. 29 as he said, things can change. Just ask ESPN’s Marty Smith, who was candid about being in Ole Miss facilities all day Nov. 29, anticipating a decision.

‘I wrote him at 8:46 (p.m.) CT and said, ‘will there be a resolution tonight? Please God and heaven tell me yes,” Smith said late Nov. 29 on SEC Football Now. ‘And he did not write me back.’

Kiffin met with Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter for multiple hours Nov. 29, according to multiple reports. Kiffin was potentially waiting for the conclusion of the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn, as the Rebels would’ve reached the SEC championship game with a Crimson Tide loss.

ESPN reported it’s unlikely Kiffin coaches Ole Miss in the College Football Playoff, despite the Rebels firmly in the field after finishing 11-1 this season.

The 50-year-old coach was by far the most sought-after commodity of the 2025 carousel after he led Ole Miss to a 55-19 record in six seasons at the helm. He won 10 or more games in four of his six years with the Rebels and finished in the top 13 of the US LBM Coaches Poll three times.

Kiffin was also in the mix for the opening at Florida, although the Gators are expected to hire Tulane’s Jon Sumrall, according to multiple reports.

On Saturday night, Auburn football saw its dreams of bowl eligibility and a win against archrival Alabama vanish in a gutting 27-20 loss in the Iron Bowl.

By Sunday morning, the Tigers had a new coach.

Auburn is hiring South Florida head coach Alex Golesh for the same role, the school announced on Sunday, Nov. 30.

“Auburn football is one of the proudest, most tradition-rich programs in all of college football and my family and I could not be more excited to join the Auburn Family,” Golesh said in a statement. “This will be a player-driven program, and no one will outwork our staff. Auburn has won, can win and will win championships. Let’s get to work.”

Golesh led the Bulls to a 9-3 mark this season, the program’s most wins in eight years. Over his three-year tenure at the school, Golesh went 23-15. He took over a South Florida program that had gone just 4-29 in the three seasons before he was hired.

Under the 41-year-old Golesh, the Bulls didn’t just rack up wins, but points. South Florida finished among the top 35 FBS teams in scoring offense in each of Golesh’s three seasons. This season, it averaged 43 points per game, the fourth-best mark in the FBS.

Prior to South Florida, Golesh was the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach at Central Florida (2020) and Tennessee (2021-22). In 2022, he helped lead a Tennessee offense that averaged an FBS-best 46.1 points per game.

At Auburn, he’ll replace Hugh Freeze, who went 15-19 with the Tigers and was fired on Nov. 9, nine games into his third season. 

A proud program with a national championship to its name in the past 15 years, Auburn has struggled since firing Gus Malzahn near the end of the 2020 season. Under Freeze and his predecessor, Bryan Harsin, the Tigers have recorded five-consecutive losing seasons, a stretch in which they have gone a combined 27-35.

“He has produced wins and record-setting results throughout his entire career, including over the last three seasons at USF,” Auburn athletic director John Cohen said in a statement. “Alex is known nationally for his player development prowess, ability to shape creative and explosive offenses, and his relentless approach to building winning programs. I was also struck by his coaching experience on both sides of the ball. In our conversations, he showed the determination and edge that this program demands of its head coach.”

This story was updated to change a video.

The Razorbacks announced the hiring of Memphis’ Ryan Silverfield for its coaching vacancy on Sunday, Nov. 30. Silverfield led the Tigers to an 8-4 record this season and defeated Arkansas 32-31 on Sept. 20.

“It became clear during our conversations that Coach Silverfield shares our vision of making the College Football Playoffs and competing for a national championship,” Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek said in the announcement. “With our new and significant financial investment in the football program, we are confident we now have the coach and resources to make that happen.

Silverfield has a 50-25 record at Memphis, leading the program to back-to-back double-digit win seasons in 2023 and 2024. The Tigers went 4-0 in bowl games under the 45-year-old coach.

The Jacksonville, Florida, native was Memphis’ assistant head coach and offensive line coach under Mike Norvell, who’s now the head coach at Florida State. Silverfield was hired by Memphis in 2016 after serving as the assistant offensive line coach for the NFL’s Detroit Lions in 2015.

Silverfield will be tasked with one of the tougher jobs in the SEC, as the Razorbacks have failed to win 10 or more games since 2011. Silverfield is replacing Sam Pittman, who went 9-4 in 2021 but finished his tenure with a 32-34 record in six seasons at the helm.

Memphis was once viewed as the favorite to win the American Conference, although the Tigers stumbled late in the season. Memphis was upset 31-24 by UAB before falling in its final three games of the season against Tulane, East Carolina and Navy.

Arkansas’ season concluded with a 2-10 finish and a winless mark in SEC play after falling to Missouri 31-17 on Nov. 29 under interim coach Bobby Petrino.

This story was updated to change a video.

Kalen DeBoer made a gutsy call. Then Alabama’s coach made a funny. All smiles for the Crimson Tide after Iron Bowl victory, grimy though it was.
Alabama needed fourth down heroics to win Iron Bowl, just as it did in 2023.
Alabama on playoff bubble, but is probably safe for now.

AUBURN, AL – Kalen DeBoer made a gutsy call. Then Alabama’s coach made a funny.

Late in a tie game in the Iron Bowl, why did DeBoer go for 4th-and-2 instead of electing for a short go-ahead field goal?

DeBoer explained it with a bit of comedic relief.

“I figured it was 29 yards shorter than the last time we needed a touchdown here,” DeBoer deadpanned.

Good one!

DeBoer must know his Iron Bowl history. He was still coaching Washington when Jalen Milroe completed his 4th-and-a-prayer 31-yard strike to Isaiah Bond in 2023 to send Nick Saban out a victor in his final Iron Bowl.

Now, Ty Simpson joins this rivalry’s lore.

Alabama needed six feet to move the chains on fourth down. Simpson got six yards with his touchdown toss to Isaiah Horton with 3:50 remaining, good for the winning score in a 27-20 victory.

“The fact I get to say that I led a game-winning drive in the Iron Bowl, that’s something I’ll tell my kids’ kids,” Simpson said. “Just super incredible.”

Even if Alabama’s performance — the Tide were outgained by 131 yards — could best be described as something other than incredible.

Alabama probably on safe side of CFP bubble after Iron Bowl win

DeBoer described this victory the way most coaches would.

He called it gritty, not ugly. A show of resilience, not a cause for concern.

Sure beats losing, anyway.

“I couldn’t be more proud of these guys,” DeBoer said. “There’s some teams that hope they can find a way. I think our guys really understand that if they get in these spots, they can make it happen.”

A third loss would have kept No. 10 Alabama (10-2) out of the SEC Championship and out of the College Football Playoff for the second straight year.

This win probably keeps Alabama on the safe side of the bubble, for now anyway.

A triumph against Georgia next weekend in Atlanta would remove all doubt and clinch a playoff bid. Depending on where Alabama falls in the rankings this week, a competitive loss could do the trick, too, although the situation would become dicey if Brigham Young beats Texas Tech in the Big 12 Championship and turns that conference into a two-bid league, or if Alabama loses the SEC Championship by a lopsided score.

“We’ve got quality-strength wins and some wins on the road,” DeBoer said. “We’ve got more than a playoff-caliber football team.”

Kalen DeBoer joins coaches pitching his bubble team for CFP

The coaches of fellow bubble teams Miami, Vanderbilt and Texas all made their pitches, too. None of those teams is headed for a conference championship game, though. That won’t stop their lobbying.

“To do anything other than allow these guys to compete for it all would be just an injustice to the work they’ve done,” Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea said after a win against Tennessee pushed his Commodores to 10-2.

Texas’ Steve Sarkisian warmed up that language one day earlier, saying it would “be a disservice to our sport” if the committee rejected a 9-3 Longhorns team that beat Vanderbilt and also owns wins against Texas A&M (11-1) and Oklahoma (10-2), making Texas the only team with three top-15 triumphs.

Miami’s pitch is wrapped up in its head-to-head win against Notre Dame, a team with which it shares a 10-2 record.

“Head-to-head is always the No. 1 criteria regarding anything (in) athletics,” Miami’s Mario Cristobal said in his pitch.

I hate to be the one to tell Cristobal, but the No. 1 criterion is whatever the committee desires it to be to justify a particular choice.

“There’s not a question in my mind” that Alabama is a playoff team, DeBoer said.

He could say that with a straight face and conviction in his voice, because Simpson made good on DeBoer’s 4th-and-2 call, and then Alabama forced a fumble to seal the victory.

That prevented the need for any 4th-and-31 heroics on this night, and DeBoer got to try out his joke.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

Every week for the duration of the 2025 regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the NFL’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting Sunday afternoon and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable. And, when the holidays roll around, we’ll be watching then, too).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Here’s where things stand with Week 13 underway:

NFC playoff picture

1. Los Angeles Rams (9-2), NFC West leaders: LA is on top but has scant breathing room between itself and the Seahawks plus the 49ers in the division. A loss to Carolina on Sunday would cost them the No. 1 spot. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, at Cardinals, vs. Lions, at Seahawks, at Falcons, vs. Cardinals

2. Chicago Bears (9-3), NFC North leaders: With back-to-back victories over winning adversaries, they’re not only alone in second place in the conference but now a threat for home-field advantage and a first-round bye − and Chicago moves into the top spot with a Rams loss on Sunday due to the Bears’ superior record (6-2) in conference games. Remaining schedule: at Packers, vs. Browns, vs. Packers, at 49ers, vs. Lions

3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4), NFC East leaders: Two losses in a row not only mean a lot more scrutiny but − beware − a team that could fall into the Cowboys’ clutches in the division if it’s not careful. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, vs. Raiders, at Commanders, at Bills, vs. Commanders

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-5), NFC South leaders: Their divisional lead over Carolina was (barely) restored Monday night, but it might not be worth much if injured QB Baker Mayfield is severely limited against Arizona. Remaining schedule: vs. Cardinals, vs. Saints, vs. Falcons, at Panthers, at Dolphins, vs. Panthers

5. Seattle Seahawks (8-3), wild card No. 1: All three of the ‘Hawks’ losses are against NFC opponents, including two in the division − defeats that won’t serve them well in the tiebreaker department. No matter what happens, Seattle’s Week 11 loss to the Rams means they can’t move up Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Vikings, at Falcons, vs. Colts, vs. Rams, at Panthers, at 49ers

6. Green Bay Packers (8-3-1), wild card No. 2: They merely maintained their standing (for now) with their Thanksgiving win at Detroit, but a loss would have dropped them from the field entirely. A thin margin for the Pack to be sure … yet they remain just a half-game off the NFC North lead, too. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, at Broncos, at Bears, vs. Ravens, at Vikings

7. San Francisco 49ers (8-4), wild card No. 3: Not a pretty win Monday night, but the Niners will take it as they solidify their hold on the conference’s final playoff spot. Remaining schedule: at Browns, BYE, vs. Titans, at Colts, vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks

8. Detroit Lions (7-5), in the hunt: Getting swept by the Packers further entrenches Detroit, which could have moved into a wild-card slot with a Turkey Day win, on the outside of the field. Huge game this Thursday night with Dallas. Remaining schedule: vs. Cowboys, at Rams, vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at Bears

9. Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1), in the hunt: Three wins in a row further fuels playoff aspirations in Big D. Week 14’s game in Detroit looms as massive − and potentially must-win − for the Cowboys and Lions. Remaining schedule: at Lions, vs. Vikings, vs. Chargers, at Commanders, at Giants

10. Carolina Panthers (6-6), in the hunt: The Panthers (still) only have one win against a team (Green Bay) currently above .500 after losing in Silicon Valley on Monday night. The Bucs’ perfect division record means Carolina can’t claim first place of the NFC South under any circumstances Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Rams, BYE, at Saints, vs. Buccaneers, vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers

AFC playoff picture

1. New England Patriots (10-2), AFC East leaders: Week 12’s narrow defeat of the Bengals gave the Pats the league’s best record, moving them past Denver and into the conference’s top spot. Good chance they hold onto it when they hit their off week. Remaining schedule: vs. Giants, BYE, vs. Bills, at Ravens, at Jets, vs. Dolphins

2. Denver Broncos (9-2), AFC West leaders: Being idle during Week 12 cost them first place in the conference, but you can bet the break was welcome − especially for a team that will need to be close to fully charged for a brutal four-game stretch at the end of its regular season. Remaining schedule: at Commanders, at Raiders, vs. Packers, vs. Jaguars, at Chiefs, vs. Chargers

3. Indianapolis Colts (8-3), AFC South leaders: They’ve dropped two of their past three to fall off the conference pace … and are now only one game ahead of Jacksonville and two better than Houston in the division. The next two intra-divisional matchups should be crucial. Remaining schedule: vs. Texans, at Jaguars, at Seahawks, vs. 49ers, vs. Jaguars, at Texans

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5), AFC North leaders: Baltimore’s Thanksgiving loss restores them to first place. A win over Buffalo on Sunday would help a lot more. Remaining schedule: vs. Bills, at Ravens, vs. Dolphins, at Lions, at Browns, vs. Ravens

5. Los Angeles Chargers (7-4), wild card No. 1: They needed last week off … and Buffalo’s Week 12 loss granted the battered Bolts improved positioning. Remaining schedule: vs. Raiders, vs. Eagles, at Chiefs, at Cowboys, vs. Texans, at Broncos

6. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-4), wild card No. 2: Wins over the Chiefs and Chargers could serve them well when it’s time to sort out tiebreakers. Despite beating the Bolts in Week 11, the Jags check in behind them because LA’s 6-2 record in AFC games gives it precedence in the current three-way wild-card tiebreaker. Remaining schedule: at Titans, vs. Colts, vs. Jets, at Broncos, vs. Colts, at Titans

7. Buffalo Bills (7-4), wild card No. 3: QB Josh Allen took a beating − as did the Bills’ hopes of catching the Patriots in the AFC East race in their most recent loss to Houston. A 4-3 record in conference games leaves Buffalo behind the Chargers and Jags in the wild-card seeding. Remaining schedule: at Steelers, vs. Bengals, at Patriots, at Browns, vs. Eagles, vs. Jets

8. Houston Texans (6-5), in the hunt: They’ve won four of five, including three in a row without injured QB C.J. Stroud. If they want to win the AFC South for a third straight year, the Texans likely need to sweep the Colts while continuing their surge … but the pieces are falling into place for a late charge to the top. Remaining schedule: at Colts, at Chiefs, vs. Cardinals, vs. Raiders, at Chargers, vs. Colts

9. Kansas City Chiefs (6-6), in the hunt: Not only will they almost certainly not win the AFC West for the first time since 2015, they could well miss the postseason for the first time since 2014 − Andy Reid’s second year in K.C. And don’t forget they’ve lost to the Broncos, Chargers, Bills and Jags, who are all ahead of them. Remaining schedule: vs. Texans, vs. Chargers, at Titans, vs. Broncos, at Raiders

10. Baltimore Ravens (6-6), in the hunt: A sloppy performance against the Bengals cost them first place in the AFC North and a slot in the projected playoff field. Unlike several other squads, the Ravens are also on the wrong side of a head-to-head tiebreaker with Kansas City. Remaining schedule: vs. Steelers, at Bengals, vs. Patriots, at Packers, at Steelers

NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2025

Ohio State coach Ryan Day showed maturity and humility after finally defeating Michigan.
It was a snowy Week 14, making for some fun football weather conditions.
The Mountain West conference championship matchup was delayed due to a tiebreaker involving computer metrics.

It was a moment Ryan Day waited 2,191 days for.

After four straight losses to That Team Up North, the Ohio State coach finally overcame the biggest obstacle of his career and beat Michigan. It must’ve felt like a million pounds off the shoulders for a national championship-winning coach.

Given all the criticism, taunting and everything else he endured during the losing skid, Day could have easily taken a victory lap Saturday. He could have said every profane word in the book, and you’d have to allow him to do it. It was easy to expect, given this is the same guy who called out Lou Holtz years ago.

Instead, Day took the high road, and showed he’s done a lot of growing up.

He didn’t spend much time relishing in victory to cap off a perfect regular season. He didn’t call out anyone postgame and didn’t do anything outlandish — and he made sure his team didn’t.

After the infamous flag planting incident last season, Day made sure his team didn’t return the favor in Michigan Stadium. He assured Michigan coach Sherrone Moore there was nothing to worry about. 

Even when his team tried it, Day stepped in and shut it all down. Why didn’t Day soak it all in? Because he’s shown he’s better than that.

‘I’m going to save all those comments,” he said postgame. “The best thing to do is win with humility.’

Day wants to take the high road. He’d rather let the team do the talking on the field, and it’s done plenty of it as it heads into the Big Ten Championship game.

With Day’s actions, the Buckeyes were able to celebrate the win over the Wolverines and not have any issues or backlash with it. That’s the making of a real fine coach, and that’s why Day leads the best and worst things from Week 14 of the college football season.

Best: Brutus shenanigans

While it was great Ohio State’s coach showed class, it’s all good when the mascot gets some messy fun in.

During the contest, Brutus the Buckeye had some sneaky hijinks when he used the snow to cross out the ‘M’ in the Michigan end zone and then did the script ‘Ohio’ spelling. And yes, he even dotted the ‘i.’

Worst: Headbutting a referee

Officials definitely frustrate fans, coaches and players alike, but there are certain lines you don’t cross. Michigan linebacker Jaishawn Barham did, and he’s lucky he didn’t get disqualified for it.

Late in the first quarter against Ohio State, the Wolverines standout appeared to be speaking with one referee and showed him what an opposing player did on a play, and in doing so, he headbutted the officials. The referee immediately tossed his flag for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

Somehow, Barham didn’t get tossed out of the game, because it very much was grounds to do so. Rivalry games can bring out plenty of emotions, but you can’t get too wild. 

Best: Snow football

The holiday season has arrived, and the weather gods gave fans a great gift in the final week of the regular season: snow football.

The conditions were frigid across the country, with games like Michigan vs. Ohio State, Minnesota vs. Wisconsin and the blizzard it seemed like Northwestern vs. Illinois.

One of the best moments came in the FCS playoffs, when South Dakota State scored a touchdown over New Hampshire and celebrated by jumping into a snow pile.

Worst: Computers

By the end of Saturday, Nov. 29, the college football world had an idea of every conference championship game — except for the Mountain West.

In the latest example of conference tiebreakers being ridiculous, the Mountain West hasn’t determined its title game because it’s gotten down to the point of it being decided by ‘composite average of computer metrics.’ Four teams — Boise State, New Mexico, San Diego State, and UNLV — are all in the hunt, and all have to wait until rankings drop on Sunday to find out who gets to play for the conference title.

Just when you think you got rid of computers decided games instead of on the field.

Best: Yale’s playoff debut

In the FCS world, the Ivy League made its playoff debut, and the conference champions made quite the impression.

Yale faced No. 15 seed Youngstown State, and the Penguins gave a rude introduction to the postseason with a 35-7 lead at halftime. It looked like Youngstown State would cruise by Yale, but the Bulldogs put on an incredible second half.

After Youngstown State made it 42-14, Yale scored 29 unanswered points, capped off by a 56-yard touchdown run by running back Josh Pitsenberger with less than three minutes left. Yale pulled off a 43-42 victory, and moved onto the second round to face No. 2 Montana State.

While it was a tremendous day for the Ivy League, don’t ask it about Harvard, who lost to Villanova 52-7.

Worst: Another Thom Brennaman moment

Just when you thought he couldn’t top ‘a drive into deep left by Castellanos,’ announcer Thom Brennaman delivers another awkward and weird comment during Boston College vs. Syracuse.

Best: Halftime shows

From bands to dance teams, there have been plenty of cool halftime shows. But perhaps nothing gets weirder yet more hilarious than a Revolutionary War reenactment halftime show, which took place at Coastal Carolina.

Worst: Neutral site rivalry games

There are some rivalry games that are meant to be at neutral sites, like Georgia and Florida. But to move a traditional home-and-home rivalry away from a team’s stadium is a travesty.

That’s what happened in ‘Clean Old-Fashioned Hate,’ with Georgia Tech’s typical home game against Georgia taking place at Mercedes-Benz Stadium instead of its actual home in Bobby-Dodd Stadium. A rivalry that’s been played on campus since 1913, it was done by the Yellow Jackets for practically more money. While it helps Georgia Tech’s pockets, it hurts the tradition of a storied rivalry, and a sign that its hard to preserve some great things.

Best: Marty Smith

We’re all annoyed with how long it took for Lane Kiffin to make a decision on his future, but perhaps no man went through it more than ESPN’s Marty Smith.

The reporter was at the Mississippi facility seemingly all day and night, awaiting a decision to come from the Rebels coach. The constant updates throughout the night seemed like torture as a man just wanted to go home, but you got to appreciate the dedication.

Play your way into the College Football Playoff if you can. Talk your way in if you must.
Notre Dame’s eye test, Alabama’s strength of schedule will head up talking points among CFP’s bubble teams.
Texas, Vanderbilt, Miami coaches join the battle of rhetoric.

It’s time to play choose your talking points.

Line your stomach, gird your loins or cover your ears, because college football’s amateur politicians will now begin to attempt to talk their way into the playoff, with imperfect resumes.

First up on the stump went Texas coach Steve Sarkisian. He dialed up passionate rhetoric with all the requisite gusto after the Longhorns’ win against No. 3 Texas A&M, saying it would “be a disservice to our sport” if his team, which lost three times, including once to woebegone Florida, and needed overtime and a white-knuckle grip to fend off Kentucky and Mississippi State, got omitted from the playoff.

Not to be outdone, Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said a day later it would be “an injustice” if his 10-win team, which lost to Texas, didn’t receive a rose from the selection committee.

Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman, Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer and Miami’s Mario Cristobal made pitches, too. We’re just getting started.

The SEC’s propagandist-in-chief, Greg Sankey, hasn’t even dusted off the trusty “Sesame Street” lines yet.

The way I figure it, eight teams are locked for the playoff, without need for any finger-crossing or politicking. The grateful eight are: Ohio State, Indiana, Georgia, Texas Tech, Oregon, Mississippi, Texas A&M and Oklahoma.

Also earmark bids for at least one Group of Five champion and either the ACC’s champion, if it’s Virginia, or if five-loss Duke wins the ACC, then perhaps the Group of Five secures a second auto bid, and the ACC gets iced. However it shakes out, these final two automatic bids will take us to 10 qualifiers, leaving two at-large spots for six bubble teams.

Here are the talking points you can expect to hear from each:

Notre Dame’s CFP case: Eye test

The Irish will trumpet the “best teams” talking point, as if there’s a Magic 8-ball that reveals these teams. Notre Dame wants the committee to trust its eye test. “Who are the best teams now?” Freeman said after the Irish smashed Stanford, the final bit of roadkill on their schedule.

Well, if we knew the answer, we could fire the committee and skip the politicking, couldn’t we?

Notre Dame also holds the “good losses” card. It started the season by losing close games to Miami and Texas A&M, a pair of teams that are now a combined 21-3. Notre Dame’s politicos will say their good losses and eye-test grade should propel them past Miami, despite losing to Miami.

I guess we also should ignore that Notre Dame owns no wins against top-15 opponents. It feasted on a schedule that included last-place teams from three of the Power Four conferences.

Alabama’s CFP case: SEC performance, strength of schedule

The Crimson Tide will tout the SEC’s strength and point to their 7-1 finish in conference play, a record that’s got them headed to the SEC Championship game. The Tide dazzle in ESPN’s strength of schedule metrics, and they own the best win of any bubble team, snapping Georgia’s 33-game home win streak with a 24-21 triumph back in September.

You won’t hear the Tide say much about their possession of one of the worst losses of any bubble team, a Week 1 flop against a Florida State team that’s now 5-7. Hey, if you must lose to bad teams, better to do it early, right? That’s some tried-and-true college football logic.

“There’s not a question in my mind” Alabama is a playoff team, Tide coach Kalen DeBoer said.

So long as he’s doing the judging, Alabama will be fine. In reality, it probably will be fine so long as it doesn’t get blown out in the SEC Championship.

BYU’s CFP case: Record

The Cougars own the best record among bubble teams. At 11-1, their only loss came at Big 12 beast Texas Tech.

The Cougars also own better strength of schedule metrics than the non-SEC teams on the bubble.

They’d be a no-brainer choice if the bubble was less crowded, but the committee’s affection for Notre Dame and Alabama’s first-place status in the SEC standings might leave BYU needing a Big 12 Championship to receive a bid.

The committee gave the Big 12 no love last year. BYU shouldn’t trust the committee this time around, either.

Miami’s CFP case: Head-to-head

The Hurricanes beat Notre Dame. Should that not count, just because it happened in Week 1?

“You get to settle it on the field, where head-to-head is always the No. 1 criteria,” Miami’s Mario Cristobal said.

Ah, Mario, you must be new here. Head-to-head only matters when the committee says it matters, but it’s Miami’s top talking point. The Hurricanes will blast it from now until Selection Sunday and hope that’s enough to overcome failing to reach the conference championship in the weakest of the Power Four conferences.

Vanderbilt’s CFP case: Diego Pavia

The Commodores face the biggest roadblocks in rhetoric. Their two losses came against two other bubble teams — Alabama and Texas — and their schedule, while tough, doesn’t grade as tough as either Alabama or Texas.

The Commodores also lack a premier victory, but their best win came in their final trip down the catwalk, a 45-24 smashing of Tennessee on the road.

When you can’t argue head-to-head, eye test, elite victories or point to the toughest schedule, where does that leave you?

Reminding everyone you possess Diego Pavia.

“We’ve got a Heisman,” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea said.

Not yet, you don’t, but Lea might have better luck making that argument.

Texas’ CFP case: Premier wins, strength of schedule

As Texas tries to become the first three-loss team to talk its way into the playoff, the Longhorns can start their argument in Week 1. They played defending national champion Ohio State on the road and gave the Buckeyes what remains their toughest test in a 14-7 loss.

As Sarkisian put it, if Texas didn’t schedule Ohio State and inserted a cupcake, it would be 10-2. That argument has merit. Texas also touts the most robust schedule strength of the bubble teams.

It owns the best collection of wins, coming against Texas A&M (11-1), Oklahoma (10-2) and Vanderbilt (10-2). At least two of those teams are playoff bound.

The talking point you won’t hear from Texas: It lost to Florida, a team now 4-8.

Play your way into the playoff if you can. Talk your way in if you must.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.