CFB Wrap-Up: Takeaways from Week 12's biggest games

College Football Wrap-Up recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines their significance moving forward.

Washington's defense keeps perfect season

Michael Penix Jr. was held to just 162 passing yards and the nation's fifth-ranked offense only totalled 272 for the entire game against Oregon State ... and Washington still won?

With torrential rain and a swarming Beavers defense grounding the passing attack, the Huskies did something they've rarely done this season to keep their perfect record - stand on the defense. Washington entered the contest ranked 103rd in the country in third-down defense with opponents converting almost 43% of the time. Washington held the Beavers to just 3-for-12 on third downs, including multiple key stops in the fourth quarter. That was enough to preserve the 22-20 lead and walk away with the program's 18th straight win. The victory also clinched a spot in the Pac-12 title game with a CFP berth likely on the line.

While the Huskies keep winning, things have been getting more dramatic on a weekly basis. After flying out of the gates with blowout wins, Saturday night represented the team's sixth single-digit win in the past seven games. While the Apple Cup against Washington State won't matter for the Pac-12 race, the Huskies need to remain perfect to keep their CFP hopes alive. After that, a mouthwatering rematch with Oregon likely awaits in the Pac-12 title game - which almost certainly doubles as a play-in game for the CFP.

Taulia tormented by Michigan

A YOLO quarterback flashes both moments of brilliance and mind-numbingly poor decisions in a rollercoaster ride from the opening kick to the final gun. There might be no better example of one than Maryland's Taulia Tagovailoa. Tua's younger brother has been one of the best passers in the history of the Terrapins program while simultaneously driving the fanbase nuts during his tenure in College Park. Both were on full display in Maryland's loss to Michigan on Saturday.

Tagovailoa led the offense to a 24-point output, the fourth-highest total Michigan has allowed in two years. Unfortunately, while his play almost got the Terrapins the upset, he also ensured it wouldn't happen with multiple questionable decisions that resulted in huge momentum swings.

The first came after Michigan finally took a lead near the end of the first quarter. Under pressure, Tagovailoa refused to throw the ball away on the ensuing possession and was eventually stripped for an easy Michigan touchdown to make it a two-score contest.

Despite throwing two interceptions, Tagovailoa was crucial in helping the Terrapins score 24 points and stay within five of the Wolverines in the closing stages of the game. Michigan has rarely been tested this season, but Maryland regained possession in the final four minutes with a chance to drive for a go-ahead touchdown. Tagovailoa then committed a cardinal sin for a quarterback: an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone that resulted in a safety.

Despite giving up 24 points - well above the 7.5 they entered the game allowing - Michigan's defense deserves a ton of credit for forcing Tagovailoa into the poor decisions that helped swing the contest. With the offense not operating at its usual capacity, the defense shouldered the load and ensured the Wolverines would head into next week's showdown with Ohio State undefeated.

McCarthy misses Harbaugh

J.J. McCarthy clearly misses Jim Harbaugh's presence. The head coach has now missed five games this season for disciplinary reasons and McCarthy's stats in those contests have dropped across the board.

In last week's game at Penn State, the Wolverines attempted only one pass in the second half. While that's an incredible flex by the running game, it also proved that Michigan didn't have undying faith in the offensive line's ability to protect McCarthy.

Outside of the end-of-game possession that featured Michigan kneeling out the clock, the Wolverines had the ball five times in the second half on Saturday. One resulted in a touchdown while the other four ended in punts. The final output on those five drives was a paltry 3.5 yards per play for a total of only 77. Maryland's second-half defense is well below average, ranking 72nd in the nation this season.

Last year, McCarthy showed on multiple occasions that he's capable of rising to the occasion and delivering in the big moments when Michigan needed him most. Next week's game against Ohio State is the one-year anniversary of perhaps his best showing with the Wolverines - a game in which he threw three touchdowns of 45-plus yards in a huge road win.

But that was with Harbaugh on the sidelines - a position he won't be in next week in Ann Arbor. McCarthy's ability to deliver without his head coach will likely be the deciding factor in crowning the Big Ten East champ.

Wrong coach on the hot seat in L.A.

Entering the Battle of Los Angeles on Saturday, the attention was centered largely around Chip Kelly's status at UCLA. By the time the fourth quarter began, ESPN analyst and former Florida coach Dan Mullen was asking the question we were all thinking while watching the contest.

The Bruins absolutely pounded USC 38-20 to hand the Trojans their fifth loss in the last six games and bring Lincoln Riley's record to 7-7 in the last 14. The only win in that stretch was a one-point triumph against Cal. All of this has come with the reigning Heisman winner and projected top pick in the upcoming NFL draft as his quarterback. We're running out of words to describe just how poor a coaching job Lincoln Riley has done with USC in 2023.

UCLA only scored 27 points total in the last eight quarters of football. The Bruins scored more than half that number in the first quarter alone. UCLA's defense was even better than advertised with the nation's ninth-ranked unit absolutely shutting down Caleb Williams.

Riley likely isn't going anywhere - he's only in Year 2 of a 10-year contract with the Trojans. However, in a non-buyout world, it's fair to say there would be serious doubts about his return next year. Things could get worse before they get better at USC as well. Williams is almost certainly off to the NFL and the program moves to the Big Ten next year. The schedule is among the toughest in the country with dates against LSU, Michigan, Penn State, Washington, UCLA and Notre Dame already booked.

Texas' CFP path remains open

It wasn't particularly pretty - it rarely is against Iowa State - but Texas' path to the College Football Playoff remains open. The defense stood tall until the offense could open things up and, ultimately, Texas came out of Ames with a 26-16 road win on Saturday. A Longhorns victory next week at home against Texas Tech will clinch them a spot in the Big 12 title game in their final season with the conference.

The defense has quietly climbed into the top 10 nationally against the run, something that the Longhorns flexed against the Cyclones. Iowa State finished with only nine rushing yards, marking the fifth straight game Texas has kept its opponent below 100 yards on the ground.

Things have become significantly more difficult for Texas since the opening month of the season. Outside of the BYU victory, the Longhorns lost to Oklahoma and have won four other games by an average of 5.75 points. However, none of that matters for Steve Sarkisian's program - which clearly is eyeing something large in its Big 12 swan song.

Travis injury crushing to Florida State

Florida State had two objectives when hosting FCS North Alabama on Saturday: win the game and avoid any major injuries. While the Seminoles achieved the first, the worst-case scenario happened on the second as star quarterback Jordan Travis suffered a catastrophic leg injury. It's an enormous loss for the undefeated Seminoles. Travis was one of the top Heisman contenders in the country: With his passing and rushing combined, the senior accounted for 2,894 of Florida State's 4,447 total yards of offense on the year.

Tate Rodemaker will now lead the Florida State offense into next week's game at Florida and the ACC title game against Louisville. Rodemaker played well in relief after Travis' injury, logging 217 yards passing and two touchdowns. However, the atmosphere in The Swamp next week will be unlike anything Rodemaker has faced in his career.

Georgia back to runaway train status

Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Georgia absolutely pounding anybody on its schedule en route to the SEC title and College Football Playoff. All the annual fall seasonal traditions are in full swing across the country. Last week, it was a 52-17 thrashing of Ole Miss. This week, the Bulldogs pumped Tennessee 38-10 in Knoxville. A 90-27 combined scoreline over what was supposed to be two of the toughest games on the schedule shows the Bulldogs are making the run for an unprecedented three-peat.

Carson Beck offered another masterclass: The first-year starter hit 298 yards and three touchdowns through the air. The defense absolutely stifled Tennessee and held the Volunteers to just 277 total yards of offense. While a road trip to Georgia Tech for a rivalry game caps the season next week, all eyes will be on the SEC title game with Alabama awaiting.

Jeff Brohm, the title game guarantee

There are few guarantees in life, but one that has emerged in college football the past two seasons is that Jeff Brohm will be in the conference title game - regardless of where he's coaching. The first-year Louisville boss saw his team book its place in the ACC championship with a win on the road at Miami on Saturday. While the Cardinals still have the season-finale versus Kentucky next week, the clinch on Saturday gives Brohm the following results in the past two years:

2022 with Purdue: 8-4 season record, first Big Ten title game appearance in program history
2023 with Louisville: 10-1 season record, first ACC title game appearance in program history.

Brohm returned to his Alma mater with great expectations and somehow already blew them away in Year 1. He expertly used the transfer portal to beef up the roster, which was on full display against the Hurricanes. Quarterback Jack Plummer, who followed Brohm from Purdue, threw for 308 yards and three touchdowns. Isaac Guerendo led the team in rushing with 93 yards and a score while Kevin Coleman posted 58 receiving yards and a touchdown. Guerendo spent last year with Wisconsin while Coleman starred for Jackson State.

Whether Brohm and Louisville can hang with Florida State in two weeks remains to be seen, but it's clear that the Cardinals program will be a force to be reckoned with as long as he's at the helm.

Curse of the three-touchdown favorite

Auburn versus New Mexico State really has no business being in a section reserved for the week's biggest games, but the Tigers paying the Aggies over $1.8 million to come to Jordan-Hare Stadium and pound them 31-10 deserves a shoutout. Perhaps we should have seen it coming for the 25-point favorite Tigers. After all, this isn't Hugh Freeze's first time getting blown out by New Mexico State as a massive favorite: Saturday's loss represents the second time in two seasons that Freeze suffered this dubious fate.

Clearly, Aggies' coach Jerry Kill has the answer to all of Freeze's game plans. It's the latest feat for Kill as he resurrects the New Mexico State football program at breakneck speed. Prior to Kill taking the job last year, the Aggies won a combined 5 games in three seasons from 2018-21. A seven-win campaign in Kill's debut laid the foundation for Saturday's victory to be the team's eighth of this season.

The loss derails any sort of momentum Freeze had built with three straight wins in his first season at Auburn and sends the Tigers to the Iron Bowl versus Alabama reeling.