The final weekend of the 2021 college football regular season turned out to be one of the most dramatic in recent memory. No. 5 Michigan toppled No. 2 Ohio State to earn its first appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game and first win over the Buckeyes since 2011. No. 3 Alabama came back with 10 fourth-quarter points to force overtime against rival Auburn, and then won the Iron Bowl in the fourth overtime on a pass from Bryce Young to John Metchie III.
If those two weren't enough, the nightcap was a Bedlam for the ages that resulted in a 37-33 win for seventh-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys over No. 10 Oklahoma.
The national title picture cleared up a little bit on Saturday after a wild, wild ride. Let's grade the performances of the national title contenders that entered rivalry weekend with 100-1 or better odds to win it all according to Caesars Sportsbook.
College football grades: Week 13 report card
| Team | Odds | Grade | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 5/6 | A | Ho hum, just another beatdown for the Bulldogs. This time it was 45-0 shutout over rival Georgia Tech in Atlanta -- the same city they'll play in next week in the SEC Championship Game vs. Alabama. The most important development in this one was the return of star wide receiver George Pickens, who tore his ACL this spring. |
 | 3-1 | F | The Buckeyes fell to Michigan 42-27 for the first time since 2011 and lost the Big Ten East race in the process. A two-loss, non-division champion has no chance to even make the CFP, much less win it. |
 | 4-1 | C+ | The 24-22 four-overtime win over Auburn was an instant classic, but the offensive line struggled again. Four SEC teams have held the Crimson Tide under 100 yards rushing this year and quarterback Bryce Young was running for his life. The Crimson Tide travel to Atlanta as a one-loss team, so they still have a shot, but they also still have a lot of work to do in order to repeat as national champs. |
 | 30-1 | B | The 35-13 win over East Carolina on Friday won't exactly move the meter, but it's still a win. The Bearcats went about their business and got the job done, setting up a huge AAC Championship Game against a Houston team that has won 11 straight. |
 | 50-1 | A+ | The running game was stellar and the defense was stifling in the signature win of the Jim Harbaugh era. This team has evolved from a work in progress to a full-fledged monster that is one win away from a CFP berth with a chance to get even better during bowl practices. Watch out if Michigan makes the field. |
 | 50-1 | F | The Sooners' last eight drives were empty in the loss to Oklahoma State, which eliminated them from Big 12 Championship Game and CFP contention. This team was so inconsistent this year that, even if it did make the CFP, it wouldn't stand much of a chance to win it all. |
 | 60-1 | A | Man, Oklahoma State made a statement. Don't let Oklahoma's 33 points fool you ... this was won by a Cowboys defense in the second half. Quarterback Spencer Sanders was a dual-threat star and this team looked like one that is ready to roll into the CFP with a ton of momentum. |
 | 60-1 | B | Notre Dame needed style points in its regular-season finale, and sure, it got them in a 45-14 win over Stanford. But it's Stanford. Simply put, the Fighting Irish need dominoes to fall around them for style points to even matter. |
