College Football At Its Peak—Rivalry Week

Rivalry Week in college football is a time-honored tradition where emotions run high, and outcomes can redefine entire schools’ seasons. The 2024 edition was no exception, featuring stunning upsets and intense battles on the field, but also a brand new College Football Playoff (CFP) format (which has been expanded to 12 teams) that has significantly impacted the landscape.

“The Game” Lives Up to Its Name

No rivalry looms larger than the annual clash between Ohio State and Michigan, dubbed “The Game.” In one of the most anticipated games of the entire College Football season, unranked (6-5) Michigan faced off against No. 2 Ohio State. Michigan’s season had been a significant step down from their national championship victory the previous year, with losses to Washington, Illinois, and Indiana weighing heavily on their record, so few believed they would have a shot in “The Game.” But despite entering the game as 20.5-point underdogs, the Wolverines emerged victorious with a dramatic 13–10 win, where both quarterbacks threw two interceptions, and Ohio State missed two field goals, one wide left and the other wide right. Michigan kicked the eventual game-winning field goal with 45 seconds left in the game, defeating Ohio State for the fourth-straight year and denying their rivals a spot in the Big Ten Championship Game for the fourth-straight year as well. 

Michigan’s four-game winning streak in “The Game” was its first since 1988-1991. It was also the Wolverines’ first victory over Ohio State while unranked since 1993, and their first victory over Ohio State as the unranked away team since 1966.

After the game, a fight broke out between the two teams after Michigan players attempted to plant their team flag on the Ohio State logo at midfield, and Buckeyes players pursued the Wolverines from the student-section end zone. The skirmish ended with a few players and coaches bloodied and several players having been pepper sprayed by members of law enforcement. Officers from both Michigan and Ohio intervened to prevent the fighting from escalating, including sheriffs, deputies, state troopers, university police from both schools, and local police from Ann Arbor and Columbus that were serving as security at the game. The following day, the Big Ten Conference levied $100,000 institutional fines against both universities for violating the conference’s sportsmanship policy.

Syracuse’s Offensive Surge Topples Miami

In yet another significant upset, unranked Syracuse defeated No. 6 Miami 42–38 in Syracuse, knocking the Hurricanes out of ACC title contention. Syracuse’s offense was firing on all cylinders, amassing over 500 total yards. Quarterback Garrett Shrader threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns while running back Sean Tucker added 150 yards on the ground with two scores. Miami’s defense had no answers, and their offense couldn’t keep pace, effectively ending their playoff hopes.

Georgia Survives Marathon Against Georgia Tech

The “Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate” rivalry between No. 7 Georgia and unranked Georgia Tech extended into eight overtimes, with Georgia narrowly securing a 44–42 victory. Quarterback Carson Beck threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns while running back Kendall Milton rushed for 120 yards and a score. Georgia’s defense made a crucial stop on a two-point conversion attempt in the final overtime to seal the win. The Jackets coach, Brent Key, was visibly emotional, shedding tears at the end of the game after his team fell just short in what could’ve been a historic Georgia Tech win. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs secured a convincing victory, solidifying their momentum heading into the College Football Playoffs, where they will play either Indiana or Notre Dame on January 3rd in the semifinal.

Texas Dominates Texas A&M in Lone Star Showdown

In the renewed Lone Star Showdown, the No. 3 Texas Longhorns defeated the No. 20 Texas A&M Aggies 17–7 at Kyle Field. Freshman quarterback Arch Manning opened the scoring with a 15-yard touchdown run, and quarterback Quinn Ewers connected with running back Jaydon Blue for a 7-yard touchdown pass. The Aggies’ offense failed to score, with their sole touchdown coming from cornerback Will Lee III’s 93-yard interception return. The Longhorns’ defense was pivotal, forcing a late fumble by Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed, recovered by defensive lineman Vernon Broughton, sealing the win. Texas’s spot in the SEC Championship Game is now secured and their College Football Playoff aspirations are heavily bolstered

As the 2024 college football season approaches its climax, the race for the College Football Playoff (CFP) remains exceptionally competitive. The penultimate CFP rankings, released on December 3, 2024 (with Oregon (12-0) ranked #1), set the stage for a pivotal conference championship weekend that will ultimately determine the final playoff contenders. 

The conference championship games have also been played, and the results have brought clarity to the final College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings. No. 1 Oregon solidified its spot as the top seed with a thrilling 45-37 victory over No. 3 Penn State, while No. 5 Georgia pulled off a dramatic 22-19 upset over No. 2 Texas. In other action, No. 17 Clemson edged out No. 8 SMU with a 34-31 victory (winning their 8th consecutive ACC title), while No. 15 Arizona State dominated No. 16 Iowa State with a convincing 45-19 win. With these results, the CFP picture is now set, promising an electrifying conclusion to the season as the nation’s best teams prepare to battle for the national championship.