The regular season is (maybe sorta?) over.
College football's Week 15 brought an interesting mix of make-up games, leagues finishing shortened schedules, and a lack of top-level contests.
Even still, there was a major upset in the top 10, North Carolina set more offensive records, and the Pac-12 had some fun (if not meaningful) matchups on Saturday.
Next week is when it truly ramps up. For now, let’s take a look at everything important that took place in a lighter weekend of college football.
Less than a week until championship Saturday.
Shocker in the Swamp
In a week in which LSU was rebounding from a blowout loss to No. 1 Alabama, had just 54 active players on its roster, and was starting a true freshman quarterback, things didn’t look good heading into a matchup with No. 6 Florida.
Never take anything for granted in the SEC.
The Tigers used a 57-yard field goal from Cade York with less than 30 seconds remaining to pull off a massive upset in Gainesville. Final score: 37-34, LSU.
This was a back-and-forth contest throughout. LSU entered halftime with a seven-point lead after Florida turned the ball over three times in the second quarter, but the Gators went up four going into the final period.
True freshman quarterback Max Johnson led a nine-play, 84-yard touchdown drive to open the fourth quarter, giving LSU the lead and displaying incredible poise in his first career start.
Johnson finished with 239 yards, three touchdowns, and zero turnovers.
On the flip side, Florida quarterback Kyle Trask threw for 474 yards and two touchdowns, but also registered two interceptions in LSU territory when the Gators had a chance to take control.
“You can’t win doing what we did tonight, no matter what’s going on and who you’re playing,” Florida head coach Dan Mullen said. “Minus-three turnover ratio, we don’t score touchdowns in the red zone, we can’t make key stops when we need to defensively and we lose the special teams part of the game.”
In the end, LSU made the field goal that meant the most.
After forcing what appeared to be a third-down stop outside of field goal range, a Florida defender picked up a personal foul after ripping off an LSU player’s shoe, essentially giving the Tigers another shot at scoring.
York capitalized through the thick swamp fog that had emerged.
“It was a little blurry,” York said. “It went down the middle, right?”
Trask was able to lead a three-play drive to the LSU 33-yard line with two seconds remaining, but Cade McPherson missed his own 51-yarder that would have tied the game.
LSU had completed the improbable upset.
It was just win number four for LSU, which hosts Ole Miss to close its season. Florida still has a chance to impress the CFP committee-- it will take on Alabama on Saturday in the SEC Championship.
Uncle!
In a battle between two of the season’s most entertaining teams, No. 17 North Carolina steamrolled No. 10 Miami in Florida, 62-26.
The Tar Heels sprinted to a program record 778 offensive yards, out-gaining The U by nearly 500 total yards.
Even more impressive was the performance of the UNC running back duo of Michael Carter and Javonte Williams, who combined for 544 yards rushing. It the most rushing yards by a pair of teammates in FBS history.
Carter finished with 308 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. Williams ran for 236 and three scores.
“We’re just in a moment right now,” Carter said. “Something that nobody ever did before. It’s a blessing.”
UNC quarterback Sam Howell got in on the fun, too. Howell threw for a score, ran for a score, and caught a touchdown against the Hurricanes. He finished with 223 yards and one passing touchdown.
This one was over as soon as it started. Up 21-3 after the first quarter, the Tar Heels scored on their first six possessions of the game.
It was North Carolina’s first top-10 win since 2004. If No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 3 Clemson both make the CFP, the Tar Heels (8-3) could find themselves playing in a New Year’s bowl for the first time since 2001.
This season was certainly still a success for Miami, which finishes 8-2 and will make a high-tier bowl game of its own.
Pac-12 Pondering
No. 15 USC continued its streak of fourth quarter comebacks, outscoring UCLA 20-3 in the final period to snatch a 43-38 win in the crosstown rivalry.
Down 28-10 early in the third quarter, the Trojans needed someone to step up and lead the offense.
Quarterback Kedon Slovis did just that, leading five touchdown drives and throwing for four scores of his own in the second half to steal the victory.
With the game on the line after a UCLA field goal, USC used a 56-yard Gary Bryant kickoff return to put itself in prime position with under a minute remaining.
Slovis quickly found Amon-Ra St. Brown for a game-winning, eight-yard score with 16 seconds remaining.
The sophomore ended up with 344 yards passing and five massive touchdowns.
“I’ve always felt great quarterbacks shine when the game is on the line, and I’ve watched No. 9 in three situations just do what championship quarterbacks do,” USC head coach Clay Helton said. “And he’s done it against this league now his whole career.”
Somehow, some way, USC completes its regular season undefeated, although it has won three of its five games by five points or fewer.
UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson threw for 364 yards and four touchdowns for the Bruins, which finish the season 3-3.
Elsewhere in the Pac-12, Utah pulled off a tough upset over No. 21 Colorado in the Rumble in the Rockies, outscoring the Buffaloes 28-7 in the second half to win, 38-21.
Jake Bentley threw for 240 yards and Ty Jordan ran for 147 more for the Utes, which finish 2-2 this season.
“They hung in there and fought their way out of a tough spot,” Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said. “They never flinched.”
Colorado ends its shortened campaign with just one loss.
Fasten your seat belts. Next week we get Ohio State-Northwestern, Oklahoma-Iowa State, Clemson-Notre Dame, and Alabama-Florida.
It’s going to be a grand weekend of championship college football.
See you then.