Week 12 of college football delivered both thrilling finishes and unexpected outcomes, with playoff hopes hanging in the balance for teams like Texas A&M and Ole Miss. While Texas A&M navigated a tight game, Ole Miss faced a tough challenge in a back-and-forth contest. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech continued its strong season, showing promise against a major conference opponent. 

🏈 The Surprises: Expect the Unexpected!

Andy: Navy defeated a ranked South Florida team at home, dealing a significant blow to USF’s playoff hopes. The Midshipmen jumped out to a big lead of 24-9 at the half, controlled the clock with a punishing running game and did enough to knock off the then 25th ranked Bulls in front of a sold-out home crowd on Senior Day. They are currently in first place in the American Conference and can secure a place in the league championship with wins over Memphis and Army.

Leesl: The Arizona Wildcats went to Cincinnati as a touchdown underdog and went home with a 30-24 win. The Wildcats leaned heavily on a methodical, physical rushing attack, establishing themselves as the more dominant team on the ground. The win against the ranked Bearcats was considered a signature victory, as it was the 18th road win against a ranked opponent in school history. Bear Down – Go Cats!

Andy: While the James Madison Dukes came into their game against Appalachian State as a 19-point favorite, the win itself was not the biggest story. The real shocker was the sheer dominance. The Dukes put on a clinic, leaving the Mountaineers in the dust. It’s the fact that they scored the first 44 points of the game, controlled the clock with authority, and outgained the Mountaineers by 481 yards and ran a staggering 35 more plays. With two very winnable games left, the Dukes have a fantastic shot at making the playoffs. Great job, Dukes!

🏈 The Setbacks: Postseason Hopes Take a Tumble!

Leesl: Alabama was on a roll coming into their game against Oklahoma. They had won 8 straight, after a surprising loss to Florida State to open the season. Vowing to avenge last year’s loss, they came in as a touchdown favorite at home on Homecoming. Well, it was not the game they wanted or anticipated. While they dominated the clock and the stat sheet, they also had 3 turnovers, which lead to 17 points for OU. The running game could only muster 80 yards, and the offensive line had a bad game. This is a big setback for the Crimson Tide that was ranked 4th before the game. Guess you could say it’s more of a low tide situation in Tuscaloosa right now.

Andy: The Iowa Hawkeyes went to USC and jumped out to a 21-7 lead only to be shutout in the 2nd half and lost another one score game. They are a good, but not great team that consistently loses close, heartbreaking games against ranked opponents due to second-half offensive struggles. Even before this most recent loss their chances were very slim, but now it is nearly impossible for them to be considered.

Leesl: My Texas Longhorns, ranked 10th went to Athens needing a win against the 5th ranked Bulldogs. The game was competitive well into the third quarter with Texas trailing just 14-10, but Georgia outscored Texas 21 -0 in the fourth quarter to turn it into a blowout. The loss reinforced the sentiment that Texas is not yet at the same elite level as programs like Georgia and Ohio State in terms of consistent execution and depth. Losing the game 35-10 significantly damaged Texas’s chances of making the playoffs. Guess the Bulldogs clearly demonstrated that a “moo” is no match for a “sic ‘em.”

🏈 Leesl vs. Andy: Against the Spread Showdown!

Competitor	Week 12 Record	Overall Record	To Go
Leesl	1-4	34-26	2 Weeks
Andy	1-4	29-31	2 Weeks

Andy: Speaking of surprises and setbacks, we can’t wrap up Week 12 without a look at the other big college football competition: the annual Leesl vs. Andy Against the Spread challenge. Each week, we select 5 games to pick against the spread. After a decisive week, Leesl’s managed to build a commanding lead with only two weeks remaining while I have some serious ground to make up before the final post of the season!

🏈 A Final Statement!

Week 12 was wild, but the biggest games of the season are still on the horizon. Saturday proved once again that, as the old saying goes, “it’s not over ‘til it’s over.” From the surprise upsets that call for a celebratory toast to the heartbreaking losses that need a strong, comforting brew, we’ve got our Game Day Flights ready for next Saturday.

Who do you think is in and out after this week’s results? And what beer are you pairing with the biggest games this weekend? Let us know in the comments!