College football's Week 10 was billed as a heavyweight battle and the results have already shown up. No. 3 Utah and No. 9 BYU played an instant class version of the Holy War rivalry and No. 23 Oregon stunned Ohio State at the Horseshoe.
Seemingly every week, major playoff opportunities are on the line. No. 18 Missouri likely lost its shot, while No. 12 Ohio State and No. 14 LSU firmly moved to the outside of the bubble.
In the night slate, multiple top 10 teams put their seasons on the line. No. 1 Miami travels to face No. 11 Notre Dame in a must-win game for the Irish. No. 6 Kentucky also plays No. 13 Tennessee in a prove-it spot. Here are the biggest winners and losers of Week 10 heading into the primetime games.
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.
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.
