College football winners, losers: Texas charging down backstretch; new low for Kyle Whittingham

College football's Week 10 was billed as a heavyweight battle, and the results delivered. A top-two team fell for the fifth straight week as No. 1 Miami lost to No. 11 Notre Dame, once again setting the playoff race in motion. 

Plenty of other teams also faced big spots. No. 3 Utah cemented its spot among the top contenders. No. 14 LSU found itself outside. No. 6 Kentucky moved down to the edge of the bubble after a second loss in SEC play. 

With that in mind, here are the biggest winners and losers of Week 10, including multiple teams making and breaking their postseason cases. 

Winner: Notre Dame

Last season, the Fighting Irish lost to both of their College Football Playoff opponents, costing them a spot in the postseason. After losing to BYU earlier this season, Notre Dame was in danger of repeating its mistakes. Instead, quarterback CJ Carr helped elevate the Irish to a thrilling 31-24 win over No. 1 Miami. 

Carr was magnificent in the win, throwing for 319 yards and three touchdowns, one of the best performances of his career. He jumps to the lead in the Heisman Trophy conversation after the win, especially after outdueling Darian Mensah. But more importantly, Notre Dame effectively punched its ticket to the College Football Playoff. 

Loser: Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham

It's bad enough that Whittingham had to watch his protege, Morgan Scalley, lead Utah to a better start than he reached in the past 15 years. But after the Utes effectively clinched their spot in the College Football Playoff with a win over BYU, Whittingham went on to have one of the most miserable performances in program history. 

The Wolverines lost 15-6 against a Michigan State squad that came in without a single Big Ten victory. They didn't score a single point until the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter. It was the first time that Michigan lost without allowing a touchdown since 1985. 

Whittingham is at serious risk of being a one-and-done coach at Michigan after dropping to 5-4 and 2-4 in Big Ten play. With three straight games against CFP-ranked opponents, missing a bowl game entirely is absolutely on the table. 

Winner: Georgia

You might beat Kirby Smart once. You ain't getting him twice. After losing in the College Football Playoff last season against Ole Miss, No. 2 Georgia eviscerated the No. 10 Rebels 42-7 to effectively end their College Football Playoff campaign. 

The Bulldogs absolutely suffocated Ole Miss's elite offense, holding them to 66 yards rushing on 31 carries. Georgia rushed for 295 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Gunner Stockton needed only 15 passes to throw for 186 yards and four touchdowns. 

College football has been waiting for an elite team to emerge. Welcome back, Georgia. 

Winner: Utah

When Utah joined the Big 12, they arrived with expectations of competing for the conference and nationally every year under Kyle Whittingham. It never happened. Finally, Morgan Scalley has them playing up to their potential and beating their rival. 

The No. 3 Utes pulled off a massive victory against No. 9 BYU, snapping a three-game losing streak against the Cougars. They overcame an early second-half deficit behind a tremendous game from quarterback Devon Dampier, rising to 9-0 for the first time since 2008 (an undefeated season). 

The win sharpies them into the College Football Playoff. Based on what happens tonight, they could have a serious case for No. 1. 

Loser: Ohio State

The last time Ohio State had three losses in the regular season was 2011, an interim-coached season after Tattoogate. The last time they gave up 38 unanswered points was in 1999, the penultimate year of the John Cooper era. In every way, Ryan Day's program is bottoming out. 

Granted, the quarterback injury to Julian Sayin stands tall during the Buckeyes' skid. Freshman quarterback Luke Fahey has struggled in two starts, never quite getting on the same page with his downfield passing. But while Sayin and Jeremiah Smith managed to cover up many holes, they were wallpaper for rot growing in the walls. 

The Buckeyes were bullied on both lines of scrimmage against USC and Oregon, two teams that have been pushed around by much of the Big Ten. Their secondary collapsed. Ohio State is just not Ohio State right now in any phase, and Day better have good answers to fix it in 2027. 

Winner: Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jason Witten

It's just one game, but the former Hall of Fame tight end was a breath of fresh air for the Oklahoma offense. The production and efficiency under Witten weren't anything special -- 351 yards, 4.8 yards per play -- but the change in approach helped pave the way for a far more ball-dominant offense. 

The Sooners held the ball for nearly 38 minutes in Witten's debut behind 40 rushing attempts, tied for the second-most against an SEC opponent over the past two years. Witten also emphasized quicker-developing routes for the struggling John Mateer, helping him spread the ball out. Five receivers received at least three catches. 

Florida is one of the worst defenses in the SEC, so it's wise not to read too far into it. But while there's plenty of bigger tests ahead, Witten does have his own flavor of offense that should complement Brent Venables' defense much better. 

Loser: Kentucky

The Wildcats were one of the biggest surprises of the first CFP Rankings, starting off at No. 6 as one of the few one-loss SEC teams. That prime positioning in the rankings takes a huge hit after a miserable performance against No. 13 Tennessee, a 34-6 loss. 

After managing the game well through most of the first three quarters, Kentucky rattled off a fumble and back-to-back turnovers on downs. Tennessee turned each short field into a touchdown to put the game away. 

Kentucky should still be safe in the playoff if they can win out with games remaining against Florida, Missouri and Louisville. However, if they lose any more, they could fall all the way out, especially after their marquee win over LSU took a hit. 

Loser: LSU

Lane Kiffin signed the biggest contract in the SEC and reportedly spent the most money on his roster in college football this year. After a 31-14 loss against No. 5 Alabama, all LSU has to show for it is an 0-3 record against CFP Top 25 opponents. 

LSU got completely outclassed against the Tide, who came up big in essentially every big moment. Kiffin's offense turned the ball over on downs three times and had multiple red zone trips end empty. 

It was Kiffin's sixth straight loss against Alabama as a head coach, and the Tigers' postseason hopes are on life support. There aren't many worse returns on investment in 2026. 

Winner: Texas

Don't look now, but the Longhorns are looking awfully interesting heading into the home stretch. None of their performances have been especially clean, but No. 7 Texas now has wins over No. 7 Ole Miss, No. 12 Ohio State, No. 13 Tennessee and No. 18 Missouri on their record. 

There were a few frustrating moments, but Arch Manning played an efficient game with 297 yards passing and three touchdowns without a turnover. If he can avoid mistakes, Texas looks in good shape to reach the postseason, especially as they rank first in line as a potential three-loss team. 

Loser: Nebraska

There has to be a curse at Nebraska. There's no other explanation. The Cornhuskers had a 5-0 record and looked in prime position to crash the postseason. Now, they've lost three straight and haven't even comfortably reached bowl eligibility after a frustrating 24-13 loss against Illinois on Friday night. 

Nebraska got 426 yards of offense, but managed to turn it into only 13 points after multiple missed field goals and turnovers on downs. They went 1-of-4 on fourth down. After the game, Nebraska fired offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. Will it help? Only if it can lift the curse. 

Winner: Ferris State

Too many people know Ferris State as the school that produced Trinidad Chambliss. Everyone should also know them as the most dominant college football team in America. 

The Bulldogs just won their 40th straight game, tying a Division II record, after an 80-0 win over Wayne State. The winning streak dates back to Chambliss's first solo start in 2024, but Tony Annese has built a machine in Big Rapids. Annese has an absurd 153-21 record with four national championships in the last five years. He's as good as it gets. 

Loser: Tulane

When Jon Sumrall left for Florida, Tulane decided to take the easy way out and promote internally. Will Hall, a former coach at Southern Miss, was elevated from passing game coordinator to head coach. That decision has become an absolute unmitigated disaster. Despite returning a talented roster, Tulane has completely fallen off a cliff. 

A loss to Tulsa emphasizes just how far this proud program has fallen. The Green Wave lost 60-10, an astonishing result for the reigning American Conference champions. They're now sitting at 4-5 with games still remaining against North Texas and South Florida. 

Tulane could realistically miss a bowl game in 2026. After the showing last week, Hall should be a one-and-done coach. Tulane can -- and must -- do better. 

Winners, losers: Texas charging down backstretch, new low for Michigan Shehan Jeyarajah 7 min read

Tomorrow's Top 25: Georgia reclaims No. 1, Tennessee into top 10 Chip Patterson 10 min read

Bowl projections: CFP picture reshapes after hectic Week 10 Brad Crawford 13 min read

Ryan Day's title cushion is gone. Ohio State's problems are mounting John Talty 4 min read

South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers returns after first-half injury vs. A&M Brad Crawford 2 min read

Nebraska fires OC Dana Holgorsen amid 4-game losing streak Robby Kalland 1 min read

Alabama delivers harsh reality check to Lane Kiffin, LSU Shehan Jeyarajah 2 min read

Why Dan Lanning is doing his best coaching job yet at Oregon Tom Fornelli 4 min read

How New Mecico's Jason Eck became an 'overnight success' Brandon Marcello 21 min read

Will Stein has transformed UK into contender in record time John Talty 12 min read