Week 12 of the college football season is in the books, and the race for the College Football Playoff National Championship has narrowed down to a handful of teams. Two-time reigning national champion Georgia went on the road to Neyland Stadium and dominated rival Tennessee in its most complete game of the season. The momentum the Bulldogs are generating down the stretch has been impressive to watch as they move full steam ahead toward a third straight CFP berth.
Undefeated Michigan has been surrounded by chaos off the field, but the Wolverines still find ways to win on it. They topped Maryland in College Park on Saturday afternoon in a wild game that saw them score in all three phases of the game. That win sets up a showdown with rival Ohio State, which stayed unblemished itself in a dominant win over Minnesota.
So, how did the College Football Playoff National Championship contenders grade out throughout Week 12? It's time to check out the report card for every top team with odds of +15000 better heading into Saturday's action.
Odds via SportsLine consensus
College football grades: Week 12 report card
| Team | Odds | Grade | Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 11/5 | C+ | It looked like the Michigan was about to turn this game sideways, but Maryland hung around and had a legitimate chance to win midway through the fourth quarter of the 31-24 Wolverines victory. Running back Blake Corum pounded the Terrapins defense to the tune of 28 carries for 94 yards and two touchdowns, which was necessary considering quarterback J.J. McCarthy was a bit off all day. |
 | 13/5 | A+ | It's not easy to go on the road and win in the SEC, unless you are Georgia. The Bulldogs dominated Tennessee thanks to three touchdown passes from quarterback Carson Beck and a defense that held the Volunteers to just 2-for-11 on third down. The Bulldogs have become a 900-pound gorilla that destroys everything in sight. |
 | 6-1 | A+ | You might be surprised to see Alabama with the third-best odds heading into the weekend. The Crimson Tide showed why in their 66-10 win over Chattanooga. Quarterback Jalen Milroe stayed hot with three passing touchdowns one week before they head into the Iron Bowl against Auburn. |
 | 15/2 | A+ | Oregon topped Arizona State 49-13 in a game that was not nearly as close as the score indicated. Quarterback Bo Nix threw six touchdown passes, and the defense held the Sun Devils to 3-for-14 on third down and 4.9 yards per play even though the Ducks took their foot off the gas at halftime. |
 | 8-1 | A | The big news in Florida State's 58-13 win over North Alabama was the injury to Seminoles quarterback Jordan Travis. Tate Rodemaker came in and completed 13 of 23 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns as they dug out of the 13-0 first-quarter hole. The slow start on defense is a little concerning, but the rebound following Travis' injury has to give Rodemaker confidence as he likely takes the starting quarterback role moving forward. |
 | 10-1 | A+ | Running back TreVeyon Henderson was a monster, rushing for 146 yards and two touchdowns in the 37-3 win over Minnesota. However, the biggest story here was the Buckeyes defense that allowed 159 yards and 3.3 yards per play to the Golden Gophers. This is a complete team that has set up a showdown for the ages against Michigan next week. |
 | 14-1 | C+ | Washington's defense couldn't get off the field for the majority of the second half in the 22-20 win over Oregon State, which is a bit concerning. However, that group showed up when it counted. Cornerback Jabbar Muhammed picked off two passes and linebacker Bralen Trice made several key stops. It was a bad day for quarterback Michael Penix Jr and the Huskies offense, but it was still a road win against a top 15 opponent to clinch a spot in the Pac-12 Championship Game. |
 | 18-1 | B+ | Texas got the 26-16 win at Iowa State, but it was ugly. The offense was missing in action in the first half, which is concerning as they head into the home stretch without star running back Jonathon Brooks. Can CJ Baxter fill his shoes? He was solid with 117 yards on 20 carries. The real story here, though, is a Longhorns defense that held the Cyclones to just nine rushing yards. |
 | 150-1 | B- | Louisville needs a lot of style points to even sniff the CFP, and it really didn't get any in the 38-31 win over Miami. The offense was fine, but the defense allowed Tyler Van Dyke to throw for 327 yards and a touchdown despite the fact that Van Dyke has been struggling and was banged up as well. However, the Cardinals clinched a spot in the ACC Championship Game and that's the most important thing. |
