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

[ad_1] The way you win, the way you shut, who you beat, and who beats you — that’s all that issues right now of 12 months.

With the Faculty Soccer Playoff drawing nearer, each crew’s résumé is about to be picked aside by the choice committee. And weekends like this previous one make their job even more durable.

Week 12 delivered all of it: upsets and shut calls, statements and stumbles. So let’s look again at what occurred this weekend — and what it means transferring ahead.

Listed here are 10 takeaways from Week 12:

1. Texas A&M makes historical past

The third-ranked Aggies in some way discovered themselves in a 30-3 gap within the first half in opposition to South Carolina at house. After halftime, nevertheless, Texas A&M roared again to win, 31-30.

Not solely was it the most important comeback at school historical past, nevertheless it was additionally the most important comeback in an SEC recreation in 20 years. Texas A&M is now 10-0 for the primary time since 2012 (when Johnny Manziel was quarterback) and is the one undefeated crew left within the SEC after Alabama was upset by Oklahoma (extra on that later).

The Aggies are in prime place to play for this system’s first SEC title. They've simply two video games left: in opposition to Samford at house on Saturday after which in opposition to bitter archrival Texas in Austin the day after Thanksgiving. Some pessimistic Aggies followers is perhaps involved about that regular-season finale in opposition to the Longhorns, however head coach Mike Elko’s squad has constantly seemed like one of many prime groups within the nation.

Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed (#10) after a comeback win over South Carolina at Kyle Discipline on November 15, 2025. (Photograph by Alex Slitz/Getty Photos)

2. Talking of Mike Elko …

It’s spectacular what he’s doing in simply his second season in Faculty Station. Elko has overhauled a program lengthy mired in mediocrity and turned it right into a nationwide championship contender that appears prefer it’s right here to remain — like Elko. The Aggies' head coach agreed to a six-year contract extension that reportedly makes him one of many sport's prime 5 highest-paid coaches.

3. Texas entering into the wrong way of Texas A&M

Whereas the Aggies are poised to play within the SEC Championship Sport and the Faculty Soccer Playoff, in-state rival Texas appears to be entering into the wrong way. The Longhorns, ranked No. 10 coming into the weekend, had been embarrassed by No. 5 Georgia on the street, 35-10. A lot of that was self-inflicted, due to 9 penalties, numerous dropped passes and an incapability to run the ball.

Texas A&M led 14-10 coming into the fourth quarter, however that’s when Georgia head coach Kirby Sensible pulled out all of the stops to actually stick it to the Longhorns. The Bulldogs scored a landing on the second play of the fourth quarter to go up 21-10 after which known as a shock onside kick that they simply recovered. They proceeded to march down the sector and rating one other landing. Texas didn’t contact the ball till midway by way of the ultimate body and there was little or no hope of a comeback by then.

Georgia has been criticized for not having as proficient of a crew as in previous years, however the one which confirmed up in Week 12 was bodily, well-coached and will make some noise within the CFP.

4. Peyton Manning got here to see his nephew play

The Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame quarterback was in the home to observe his nephew, Texas QB Arch Manning, in opposition to Georgia. He introduced alongside his son, Marshall, who's solely in eighth grade however already getting consideration from colleges.

Earlier than the sport, they watched Arch heat up and yucked it up with die-hard Longhorns fan Matthew McConaughey.

5. SEC chaos

It’s going to be a struggle to the end within the SEC. Earlier than the weekend, it appeared like Texas A&M and Alabama had been going to satisfy on convention championship weekend. The Aggies prevented an upset, however the Crimson Tide weren’t so fortunate. Then-No. 11 Oklahoma went into Tuscaloosa and shocked then-No. 4 Alabama, 23-21, additional muddying the SEC title recreation image.

We don’t know who will play within the SEC championship simply but. What we do know is that these remaining two weeks of the common season will likely be must-watch TV given there’s just one undefeated crew (Texas A&M), three one-loss groups (Georgia, Ole Miss and Alabama) and a variety of tiebreaker eventualities that might come into play.

6. Might Oklahoma make the CFP now?

Oklahoma’s upset over Alabama might need helped punch the Sooners’ ticket to the CFP. OU has three spectacular top-25 wins (Michigan, Tennessee and Alabama) and two "good" losses (Texas and Ole Miss), that are high quality speaking factors on their résumé for the choice committee.

Now, Oklahoma simply must keep away from shedding to Missouri and LSU in its remaining two video games at house. Can the Sooners do it?

7. Did you see this spin transfer?

Notre Dame star operating again Jeremiyah Love made Pitt’s protection dizzy on his strategy to a 56-yard landing.

Love ran for 147 yards and this rating in Notre Dame’s double-digit win in Week 12. The Preventing Irish have received eight consecutive video games since opening the season with back-to-back losses to Miami (Fla.) and Texas A&M. They’re anticipated to increase that streak to 10 video games and hope it’s spectacular sufficient to get within the CFP as a two-loss crew.

8. How about this catch?

No. 1 Ohio State's star receiver Jeremiah Smith was restricted (4 catches for 40 yards) within the Buckeyes’s 48-10 win over UCLA, however that did not cease him from making one of many greatest performs of the weekend.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day defined Smith has had a "nagging difficulty" and that the crew wished to be "good with him" as a result of they know "what’s coming down the street." The Buckeyes are hoping that’s a Huge Ten Championship Sport look and an opportunity at defending their nationwide title.

Regardless, this is a chance to level out that in relation to the Heisman Trophy lately, quarterbacks are all the fashion. Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed and even Georgia’s Gunner Stockton are within the highlight greater than guys like Smith and Love. The signal-callers deserve reward and possibly even the award itself, however ability gamers needs to be getting simply as a lot consideration.

9. Talking of Julian Sayin …

What Sayin, a real sophomore, is doing this season is wildly spectacular. He has been quietly main top-ranked Ohio State to an undefeated season. He leads the nation in completion share (80.1%) and has thrown for two,675 yards and 25 touchdowns with simply 4 interceptions. Sayin has received some massive video games (vs. Texas and at Washington) in his first 12 months as a starter.

In a few weeks, he’ll play in opposition to Michigan for the primary time with an opportunity to finish Ohio State’s four-year shedding streak in opposition to the Wolverines. He may legitimately win the Heisman Trophy in his first 12 months because the Buckeyes' starter.

Ohio State QB Julian Sayin (#10) in the course of the third quarter in opposition to UCLA at Ohio Stadium on November 15, 2025. (Photograph by Jason Mowry/Getty Photos)

10. What’s happening within the Huge 12?

Whereas the convention championship recreation isn’t a lock but, it looks like it’s going to be Texas Tech vs. BYU. The groups are the one two within the convention with only one loss and over the weekend, each took care of enterprise. The Purple Raiders pummeled UCF, 48-9, whereas the Cougars trampled TCU by the same margin, 44-13. Trying forward, Texas Tech solely has a bye week earlier than ending the season at West Virginia, whereas BYU has to play Cincinnati and UCF.

The Huge 12 champion will get an automated bid to the CFP, however will a second crew from the convention make it in? That feels unlikely proper now, given the ACC champion may even get an auto-bid regardless of being exterior the highest 12 rankings.

Laken Litman covers faculty soccer, faculty basketball and soccer for FOX Sports activities. She is the creator of "Sturdy Like a Lady," printed in spring 2022 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX. Observe her at @LakenLitman.

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