by Jack Chambers for Wannamakeabet.com

November 14, 2026 | Rankings referenced are the entering-week CFP rankings.

November football has reached the stage where style points take a back seat to survival. Utah and Texas escaped with one-point victories Saturday, Georgia kept rolling, and Ohio State finally stopped its slide. Meanwhile, a pair of SEC upsets made an already crowded playoff argument even messier.

Utah keeps its perfect season alive

No. 2 Utah survived No. 23 Arizona 40-39 in the weekend’s wildest finish. Devon Dampier connected with Creed Whittemore for a 70-yard touchdown with 2:35 remaining, and the Utes’ defense delivered the final stop to preserve a 10-0 record.

This was hardly a comfortable night for a national contender. Arizona repeatedly challenged Utah, but Dampier supplied the answer when the perfect season was slipping away. The Utes leave Tucson with their championship ambitions intact—and a reminder that November road games rarely care about your ranking.

Texas steals one in Baton Rouge

No. 6 Texas edged No. 21 LSU 22-21 on Arch Manning’s late four-yard touchdown pass to Raleek Brown. The Longhorns improved to 8-2, keeping themselves squarely in the playoff discussion.

Manning threw three interceptions, so this was far from a polished offensive performance. But Texas found the winning drive when it mattered. LSU fell to 6-4, leaving the Tigers to contemplate another missed opportunity. For the committee, Texas supplied both sides of the argument: plenty of flaws on film, and another valuable road victory on the résumé.

Georgia, Notre Dame and Alabama handle business

No. 1 Georgia beat No. 22 Missouri 48-21, improving to 9-1 and reinforcing its position at the front of the playoff field. After last week’s statement against Ole Miss, the Bulldogs gave voters little reason to reconsider their standing.

No. 5 Notre Dame followed its signature Miami victory by dispatching Boston College 41-7. The Irish reached 9-1 and avoided the letdown that can turn a breakthrough win into a wasted opportunity.

No. 3 Alabama won 21-6 at Vanderbilt to reach 8-2. Its defense allowed only 12 rushing yards and recorded five sacks. That is a dependable formula when the offense isn’t producing fireworks.

Ohio State gets a much-needed win

No. 20 Ohio State defeated Northwestern 28-19, snapping a two-game losing streak and improving to 7-3. Luke Fahey threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns, while Bo Jackson added 114 rushing yards.

Jeremiah Smith delivered the historic headline: 11 catches, 117 yards and a touchdown, becoming the Big Ten’s career receiving-yardage leader with 3,875 yards.

Northwestern closed within 14-13 in the third quarter before Ohio State answered. The Buckeyes later recovered a muffed punt and converted the opportunity into another touchdown. This win steadies the season, although three losses still leave Ohio State needing considerable help in the playoff race.

Indiana advances; Wake Forest makes a statement

No. 9 Indiana earned a significant 27-13 victory over No. 18 USC. Grant Wilson’s fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Charlie Becker helped finish the job, giving the Hoosiers another ranked victory as the postseason approaches.

No. 13 Wake Forest supplied one of Saturday’s loudest results, hammering SMU 49-7. The Demon Deacons led 42-0 at halftime and improved to 9-1. Anyone treating Wake as a supporting character in the ACC race needs to update the script.

SEC upsets tighten the squeeze

Florida beat No. 11 Kentucky 21-14, while Arkansas dismantled No. 17 South Carolina 34-6. The Gamecocks played without quarterback LaNorris Sellers and receiver Nyck Harbor.

For WANNA players, the lesson heading into next week is straightforward: reassess the teams behind the rankings. Ohio State found stability, Wake Forest demanded attention, and Texas proved that an ugly afternoon can still produce a valuable win.

Sources checked November 15, 2026: official Utah, Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame, Alabama, Ohio State, Indiana and Wake Forest game reports and box scores; Reuters Top 25 roundup for Kentucky and South Carolina results and absences.