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Invoice Connelly
A number of Authors
Off the sector, school soccer seems caught in a constant state of discontent. We will not agree on the correct dimension of a playoff. Years of winner-take-all media-rights stakes have turned conferences and convention mates in opposition to each other. Coaches signal gamers to contracts which can be only theoretically enforceable, then brazenly attempt to poach different gamers from different groups with different theoretically enforceable contracts.
On the sector, nonetheless, the sport stays completely spectacular. As arduous because it appears like we’re making an attempt to screw it up, we simply cannot. (Or at the least, we’ve not but.) The 2025 school soccer season provided us epic upsets, dynamite playoff video games at each degree of the game, iconic performs — you in all probability know precisely what I am referring to if I say “Cooper’s catch” or “Chambliss’ scramble” or “Mendoza’s leap” — and our first incredible national title game in eight years.
Let’s as soon as once more write a love letter to the season by celebrating its 100 finest video games. There was loads to like.
Leap to a piece:
Smaller-school gems | Top 25 | Top 5 games
With a 21-0 midgame run, it appeared as if Ok-State had seized management of this one. The Wildcats led 31-17 with 9 minutes left, however Sawyer Robertson threw a TD go to Bryson Washington, then ran in a 2-point conversion to chop the hole to 6. Baylor took a sudden lead when Jacob Redding returned an interception 66 yards for a landing as KSU was killing clock. The Wildcats responded with a discipline aim drive to make it 34-32, however Connor Hawkins knocked in a 53-yard discipline aim with 31 seconds left.
Baylor won’t have been superb, however the Bears certain performed some thrilling video games. On this version of the Revivalry, TCU used a 28-3 run to grab management and led by 21 factors, with the ball, with 3:17 left. However Keaton Thomas returned a Josh Hoover fumble 24 yards for a landing, and Baylor pressured a three-and-out. Sawyer Robertson hit Kole Wilson for a 35-yard rating with 30 seconds remaining, and the Bears recovered the onside kick! It appeared we had been about to see an all-time, smash-and-grab heist, however Namdi Obiazor picked off Robertson with 17 seconds remaining, and TCU survived.
Memphis was unbeaten and favored by 23.5 factors over a UAB crew that had misplaced three straight video games by a mean of 23.3 factors and fired head coach Trent Dilfer. However the Blazers performed impressed ball, scoring on all sides of halftime to take a 24-14 lead, then driving 99 yards to go up 31-17 with 4 minutes left. With backup QB AJ Hill making an attempt to guide a comeback, Memphis scored as soon as and drove to the UAB 1 within the ultimate minute however one way or the other dedicated three penalties and failed on a fourth-and-goal from the 11 with 15 seconds remaining.
Illinois led for many of the means in opposition to unbeaten USC, however the Trojans almost stole the sport on the finish. Biletnikoff Award winner Makai Lemon scored twice and hit a 2-point conversion to show a 31-17 deficit right into a 32-31 lead with 1:55 left, however that was an excessive amount of time to provide to Illinois: The Illini drove 51 yards, and David Olano nailed a 41-yard discipline aim on the buzzer.
These groups slogged by forgettable 2025 campaigns, however they put collectively one thing wild in Week 2. MSU’s Aidan Chiles and BC’s Dylan Lonergan mixed for six landing passes within the first 33 minutes, then the place-kickers took over till OT. Within the second OT possession, BC scored however could not hit the obligatory 2-point conversion. Chiles scored together with his legs, then discovered Omari Kelly for the profitable factors.
Tennessee almost obtained Starkville’d. In a recreation with eight lead modifications, the Vols saved pulling forward and falling behind once more. MSU scored 10 factors in three minutes to take a 34-27 lead late, however Joey Aguilar capped a 13-play, six-minute drive with a 6-yard TD run. Tennessee almost drove into discipline aim vary late however needed to look ahead to OT to win it: DeSean Bishop scored on a 25-yard run on UT’s first additional time snap, however whereas MSU shortly generated a first-and-goal from the 5, the Bulldogs might solely acquire yet another yard. Arion Carter broke up a fourth-down go to Anthony Evans III, and the Vols survived.
ECU and Pitt each get pleasure from taking part in in wild, foolish bowl video games, and for that I’m grateful. Pitt dominated the primary half however might solely handle a 7-3 halftime lead, and the Pirates charged forward with landing passes of 47 and 72 yards to Anthony Smith. They even overcame dreadful misfortune, when the Pirates’ Marlon Gunn Jr. had a protracted TD run known as again due to an inadvertent whistle and Pitt scored on a fumble return two performs later. Pitt obtained the ball again with an opportunity on the win within the ultimate minute, however ECU shut the Panthers down.
Regardless of dominating early, Florida settled for a sequence of first-half discipline targets and, with assist from a few expensive penalties, left the door open for USF. With a 66-yard Keshaun Singleton landing, a security and a 20-yard Nico Gramatica discipline aim on the buzzer, the Bulls marched by that open door and stole the win.
Once you’ve misplaced 21 straight video games, you may take a win wherever you’ll find it. Kent State watched a 14-3 lead flip right into a sudden 17-14 deficit late in opposition to the FCS’ Merrimack, however the man with the best title within the sport, Da’Realyst Clark, saved the day with a 100-yard kick return.
This is not the final you may hear from Da’Realyst on this listing.
In a recreation that ended up having main ACC title implications, Wake trailed 12-10 heading into the fourth quarter however twice misplaced fumbles on the SMU 6 late within the recreation. After the second, the Mustangs ran many of the clock off earlier than punting, however an enormous, 25-yard go from Deshawn Purdie to Kamrean Johnson (his solely catch of the day) gave Connor Calvert a shot at a career-long 50-yard discipline aim and the win. He nailed it.
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Connor Calvert’s career-long 50-yard FG wins it for Wake Forest
Connor Calvert sinks a 50-yard discipline aim as time expires to improbably carry Wake Forest previous SMU.
The primary recreation of the season was fairly the tone-setter. We noticed sloppy early turnovers and various blown alternatives, however we obtained 4 scores within the first 9 minutes of the fourth quarter. ISU took a 10-point lead late, however Jerand Bradley‘s 65-yard catch-and-run introduced Ok-State inside three. The Wildcats wanted yet another cease … and could not make it. ISU ate up the final 6:23 of the clock and kneeled out a win that despatched the Wildcats reeling.
Attempting to stay unbeaten with out beginning quarterback Behren Morton, Texas Tech almost pulled off a miraculous comeback. Trailing 19-7 with lower than 4 minutes left, backup QB Will Hammond ran for a brief landing, then threw a TD go to Reggie Virgil after an enormous Coy Eakin punt return. However the Crimson Raiders scored too shortly. Sam Leavitt led a 10-play drive in simply 86 seconds, and Raleek Brown plunged into the tip zone with 34 seconds left. Hammond drove Tech to the ASU 28 however could not join with Virgil on the ultimate play. It was Tech’s lone blemish till the Faculty Soccer Playoff.
ASU obtained hit arduous by key accidents and could not defend its Huge 12 title, however the Solar Devils nonetheless discovered some early-season magic. On this one, they noticed TCU a 17-0 lead however clawed again with two Leavitt-to-Jordyn Tyson landing passes and a speeding rating from Leavitt. Tyson’s second TD made it 24-24 with 1:50 left, and after Prince Dorbah pressured and recovered a Josh Hoover fumble, Jesus Gomez received the sport with a 23-yard discipline aim.
One of many first video games of the season gave us one of many season’s extra heartwarming characters: Hawai’i’s Kansei Matsuzawa, who grew up in Tokyo, taught himself English, taught himself place-kicking, took the JUCO path to earn a scholarship and made his first 25 discipline targets of 2025, together with two within the closing minutes of this Week 0 win.
With freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier in cost, BYU started the season unbeaten and had already survived a street take a look at at Colorado, however in opposition to an eventual nine-win Arizona crew, with a dynamite protection, the Cougars discovered themselves trailing 24-14 with 5 minutes left. Absolutely a bridge too far? Nope! Bachmeier led a discipline aim drive, then scored the tying landing with 19 seconds left. After each groups traded discipline targets within the first OT possession, Bachmeier scored once more, and whereas Arizona transformed one fourth down in response, the Wildcats could not convert a second. BYU remained unbeaten.
The SEC did not get pleasure from its best postseason ever — not even shut — however rattling, did it ship weekly thrillers, typically between top-15 groups, in convention play. Fifty p.c of its convention video games had been determined by one rating, together with this midseason superfecta. First, in Week 7, Alabama took management with a 17-0 first-half run, then took a 27-17 lead after Mizzou tied the rating. However Donovan Olugbode‘s brief landing introduced the host Tigers inside three, and Mizzou drove to midfield within the ultimate minute earlier than Dijon Lee Jr. picked off an errant Beau Pribula go to seal the Bama win.
The subsequent week, in a battle of top-10 groups — and a recreation that ended up having a serious impression on the convention title race — Georgia’s Gunner Stockton outdueled Ole Miss’ Trinidad Chambliss … finally. Ole Miss scored touchdowns on every of its first 5 drives, and Chambliss’ brief landing run gave the Rebels a 35-26 lead with 4:12 left within the third quarter. But it surely was all Dawgs from there. With Sanford Stadium ramping up the noise ranges, Georgia scored a TD, pressured a three-and-out, scored once more, pressured one other three-and-out and kicked a discipline aim with 2:06 left to take a 43-35 lead. Ole Miss’ ultimate likelihood shortly fizzled, and the Dawgs prevailed. (Ole Miss would win a a lot greater, and extra extremely ranked, rematch a few months later.)
Mizzou’s playoff hopes formally fell off the board in Nashville. The Tigers dominated in complete yardage (376-265), however tied at 3-3 within the third quarter, they fell sufferer to a catastrophic sequence: Vandy pressured a fourth-down cease with a goal-line stand — one through which Pribula dislocated his left ankle and was misplaced for a month of motion — then made one other purple zone cease that resulted in a missed discipline aim try. Makhilyn Young‘s quick 80-yard TD gave the Commodores the lead, and whereas Mizzou would tie the rating with Matt Zollers at QB, a midfield fumble arrange a Diego Pavia landing, and Mizzou’s last-second Hail Mary got here up about half a yard brief.
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Missouri’s Hail Mary no good as Vanderbilt hangs on
Freshman quarterback Matt Zollers throws a Hail Mary to Kevin Coleman Jr. however the completion comes up wanting the aim line.
After a near-comeback in opposition to Texas, Vandy wanted a win over an nearly all the time aggressive (and nearly by no means victorious) Auburn crew to maintain its CFP hopes alive. The Commodores wanted greater than 60 minutes to get it accomplished. Auburn led 17-3 early, and when Vandy surged to a 38-30 benefit halfway by the fourth quarter, Ashton Daniels and Cam Coleman linked for a 23-yard landing and a 2-point conversion to tie the rating. A late Vandy fourth-down failure despatched the sport to OT, however after Cole Spence put the Commodores in entrance in OT, Auburn could not reply.
Temple ran out of fuel late within the season, however the Owls had been a ache within the butt for some time, upsetting UTSA one week and almost doing the identical to Navy the following. They led 24-14 within the third quarter, and following a brief Jay Ducker landing they led 31-24 into the ultimate minute. However Blake Horvath charged for 51 yards on a fourth-and-1, then linked with Alex Tecza for the profitable 2-point conversion.
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Blake Horvath crosses aim line for 51-yard speeding landing
Landing! Blake Horvath scores vs. Temple
We by no means know for certain what the which means of an enormous Week 1 recreation will find yourself turning into, and whereas this was a battle of preseason top-10 groups that will come nowhere near residing as much as expectations, it was nonetheless a hell of an occasion. Clemson pressured a few first-half turnovers and led 10-3 at halftime, however LSU slowly took management with a pair of lengthy landing drives. Clemson put collectively a drive late, however Cade Klubnik threw an incomplete go on fourth-and-4 with 59 seconds left, and the visiting Tigers prevailed.
Delaware went 7-6 in its first FBS marketing campaign, and 4 of these wins had been by one rating. Listed below are a few notably thrilling wins. Of their first-ever bowl win, within the 68 Ventures Bowl in Cell, Alabama, the Blue Hens had been in management many of the means; they took a 20-3 lead halfway by the third quarter, however Louisiana’s Lunch Winfield threw a landing go to Shelton Sampson Jr. to make it 20-13, and the Ragin’ Cajuns drove 86 yards within the ultimate two minutes as properly. Sadly, they wanted one other 7 yards. Blake Matthews broke up a go to Caden Jensen on the ultimate play, and Delaware survived.
That one was good, however Delaware’s second win of the season was even higher. UConn visited Newark having almost crushed Syracuse the week earlier than, however the Blue Hens bolted to an early 21-10 lead. UConn responded as crew does and took a late lead, however Nate Reed‘s 43-yard discipline aim pressured OT. Down three after UConn’s additional time drive, Nick Minicucci sealed the upset with a 13-yard keeper.
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Nick Minicucci walks it off for Delaware with OT TD run
Nick Minicucci walks it off for Delaware with OT TD run
UConn not solely loved an exhilarating nine-win marketing campaign below Jim Mora in 2025; the Huskies additionally performed some wickedly entertaining video games. That included a pair of late-season observe meets. In opposition to Zach Kittley’s pedal-to-the-metal FAU Owls, the Huskies needed to survive a recreation that featured 1,287 complete yards and a blown 21-point lead. They had been up 24-3 simply 14 minutes in, however a 28-3 FAU run, capped by a 90-yard Caden Veltkamp-to-Dominique Henry rating, gave the Owls the lead within the third quarter. The runs continued — 14-0 for UConn, 14-0 for FAU — and whereas Cam Edwards gave UConn a 48-45 lead with 26 seconds remaining, FAU nonetheless managed to arrange a 36-yard discipline aim try to pressure additional time. However Garrison Smith missed it.
Two weeks earlier than the FAU win, we noticed comparable plot twists within the Huskies’ upset of soon-to-be ACC champion Duke. In a recreation with 10 lead modifications, Duke took a 34-29 edge with 5:34 left when Darian Mensah discovered Jeremiah Hasley for a 10-yard rating. UConn wanted solely eight performs to steal the benefit again, as star Skyler Bell reeled in a 19-yard TD catch with 1:58 left. Duke drove to the brink of discipline aim vary within the ultimate minute, however Bryun Parham sacked Mensah, and Trent Jones II recovered the following fumble. UConn: rightful ACC champion?
Oklahoma’s run to the CFP was awfully unlikely. It required a 4-1 file in one-score video games, and it required a few skin-of-their-teeth escapes in November. First, in Tuscaloosa — in opposition to the crew that will finally remove them from the CFP — the Sooners rode an 87-yard Eli Bowen pick-six to a 10-0 first-quarter lead, then turned Ty Simpson‘s third-quarter fumble right into a Tate Sandell discipline aim that gave them a 23-21 benefit. Alabama failed on fourth down within the ultimate minute, and regardless of getting almost doubled up in complete yardage (Bama 406, OU 212), the Sooners one way or the other prevailed.
Two weeks later, after additionally getting outgained in a win over Missouri, the Sooners hosted LSU with clear stakes: They had been in with a win. It was wanting unlikely after John Mateer threw two interceptions to begin the second half, however Deion Burks took a brief display screen 45 yards for a tying landing late within the third quarter. After LSU took a 13-10 lead halfway by the fourth, Isaiah Sategna III cracked a busted protection for a 58-yard catch-and-run, sending OU to the playoff.
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John Mateer connects with Isaiah Sategna III to provide Oklahoma the lead
John Mateer finds a large open Isaiah Sategna III for a 58-yard landing to place the Sooners on high.
New Mexico was one of many tales of the season within the mid-major ranks, however thanks primarily to Minnesota’s Anthony Smith (4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 go breakups), Jason Eck’s Lobos could not fairly claw previous the Golden Gophers within the Fee Bowl. Damon Bankston‘s 100-yard, fourth-quarter kickoff return allowed UNM to ship the sport to additional time, however after Luke Drzewiecki gave the Lobos the lead, Drake Lindsey and Jalen Smith linked for a TD to ship the Gophers to their ninth straight bowl win.
Iowa was achingly near an enormous season: The Hawkeyes went 9-4, however the 4 losses — together with these two to CFP semifinalists — got here by a mixed 15 factors. The loss to Oregon was notably painful, as Iowa got here again from a 15-7 deficit to take a 16-15 lead when Mark Gronowski capped a 93-yard, almost seven-minute drive with a 3-yard landing run. Getting the ball again with 1:51 left, nonetheless, Dante Moore accomplished 5 passes, together with a 24-yarder to Malik Benson, and Atticus Sappington hit a 39-yard discipline aim with three seconds remaining.
Indiana rolled by most of 2025, however when the Hoosiers needed to show themselves in clutch conditions in Huge Ten play, they did precisely that. A discipline aim contest, tied at 13-13, obtained wild late when, following an interception, Iowa’s Drew Stevens missed a 42-yard discipline aim try with 2:01 left. (He had made a 54-yarder earlier within the quarter.) Given second life, Fernando Mendoza shortly linked with Elijah Sarratt, who burst into the open discipline and scored from 49 yards. Iowa drove to midfield however obtained no farther. Indiana ran out the remainder of the clock with an intentional security.
This is the place I all the time save room for the 20 finest video games from the smaller-school ranks. One recreation really escaped containment and landed within the high 5, so listed here are the subsequent 20.
70. No. 8 John Carroll 10, No. 2 Mount Union 7 (Dec. 6)
Among the best rock fights of the season started with an 85-yard landing. Nick Turner’s lengthy rating on Mount Union’s first snap gave the mighty Purple Raiders an early lead within the Division III spherical of 16, however they gained solely 145 yards from there and missed three discipline targets makes an attempt. JCU scored an unimaginable upset, nevertheless it took two tries in additional time: Colin Schuler missed an 18-yard discipline aim try for the win in OT1, however he nailed a 39-yarder in OT2, and Ben Day and Kenny Grobolsek mixed for a fourth-down stuff to seal the upset.
69. Service provider Marine 39, Coast Guard 38 (Nov. 15)
Fenway Park hosted a crowd of 8,966 for a very wild Secretaries’ Cup in mid-November. In a recreation that featured seven lead modifications, Coast Guard took the lead on three events, however Service provider Marine had Bubba Mustain. That made the distinction. Mustain threw for 150 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 274 yards and three scores; his 12-yard run gave the Mariners a 33-30 benefit early within the fourth quarter, and his 7-yard landing with 20 seconds left capped a 70-yard, 6:26 drive, and gave bragging rights to Service provider Marine.
Attend your native school soccer video games. You by no means know what you may see. A crowd of two,016 in San Antonio noticed hometown UIW bolt to a 21-point lead, blow all of it, then almost win anyway. Down 35-21 at halftime, East Texas A&M used a 24-7 run to take its first lead on a late Ozlo Rigby discipline aim. However UIW tied it with a bomb of a 57-yard discipline aim from Will Faris. The visiting Lions could not be denied, nonetheless: EJ Oakmon scored from 24 yards out with 27 seconds remaining, and UIW could not fairly get again into Faris’ discipline aim vary on the finish.
67. No. 4 Benedictine 38, No. 3 Morningside 34 (Aug. 31)
66. No. 2 Keiser 38, No. 6 Indiana Wesleyan 31 (Aug. 31)
Week 1 gave us a pair of top-10 NAIA matchups, they usually each went right down to the wire. In a battle of haymakers — there have been touchdowns of 20, 24, 35, 49, 58 and 70 yards — Morningside and eventual semifinalist Benedictine traded the lead eight instances earlier than Benedictine’s Jackson Dooley plunged in from 2 yards with 12 seconds left to provide the Ravens the win.
In the meantime, eventual finalist Keiser traveled from Florida to Marian, Indiana, and burst out to leads of 14-0 and 31-17. IWU got here again to tie the rating every time, however Keiser’s Jaden Miller ripped off a 70-yard landing run with 4 minutes left, and the Seahawks’ protection made a late cease when IWU was in scoring place to prevail.
65. New Mexico Highlands 48, South Dakota Mines 42 (OT) (Sept. 20)
Las Vegas, New Mexico, hosted one of many wildest video games of the season in Week 4: This recreation featured 5 TDs of 40-plus yards, together with a 96-yard fumble return for Mines and a 99-yard rating on the following kickoff. S.D. Mines erased a 21-point deficit within the ultimate 13 minutes however failed on fourth-and-goal in OT, and Tevita Valeti’s 1-yard landing sealed a wild Cowboys win.
Harvard was probably the greatest groups in FCS till a late-season fade, however earlier than that collapse took impact, the Crimson gave us this thriller, with one of many wackiest win likelihood charts you may see. In a recreation that featured at the least two touchdowns in each quarter, Penn took a 27-14 lead within the second quarter. Harvard responded with a 21-0 run however could not shake the Quakers. Mason Walters‘ 30-yard discipline aim gave Penn a 43-42 lead with simply 22 seconds left, however a pair of Jaden Craig completions gave Kieran Corr an opportunity to win with a 53-yard discipline aim. He nailed it, and Harvard remained unbeaten for yet another week.
63. No. 7 CSU Pueblo 24, No. 6 Western Colorado 21 (Nov. 1)
62. No. 6 CSU Pueblo 41, Colorado Mines 34 (OT) (Nov. 8)
61. No. 10 Texas-Permian Basin 21, No. 15 Western Colorado 15 (OT) (Nov. 29)
The state of Colorado was the hub for some critical nonsense within the Division II ranks. CSU Pueblo received its second straight Rocky Mountain Athletic Convention title, nevertheless it required a trio of late thrillers. First, in a battle of top-10 groups, the Thunderwolves discovered themselves trailing WCU on the street 21-0 halfway by the second quarter. They tied it within the third quarter, thanks partly to an 88-yard Marcellus Honeycutt Jr. landing, and when Jusiah Sampleton blocked a 47-yard discipline aim with 4 minutes left, Pueblo had an opportunity on the win. Devin Cross’ 30-yard run arrange Jackson Smith’s 32-yard walk-off winner for the Thunderwolves.
The subsequent week, CSU Pueblo traveled to Golden and once more noticed its hosts an early benefit. Two Max Barnes touchdowns helped Mines bolt to a 28-6 lead, however a Roman Fuller-to-Reggie Retzlaff TD simply earlier than half purchased the Thunderwolves a while. And down 14 late, the Wolves’ offense shifted into overdrive. One other Fuller-to-Retzlaff strike made it 34-27, then Fuller discovered Honeycutt for a 32-yard rating to tie. In OT, Fuller went again to Retzlaff for a 12-yard TD, and Peyton Shaw picked off a Joseph Capra go to seal the comeback win.
The Wolves’ run ended in opposition to an upstart. Texas-Permian Basin knocked them off, 37-24, within the first spherical of the D-II playoffs. The Falcons returned to Colorado the following week for an additional upset. As soon as once more, Western Colorado took a cushty lead — this time, it was 15-0 with eight minutes remaining — however Kanon Gibson threw for one landing go, then ran for an additional simply 57 seconds later, and the rating was tied at 15-15. WCU’s Zach Brumfield blocked a 30-yard discipline aim try with 41 seconds left, nevertheless it solely delayed the inevitable. Gibson and Jaylon Tillman linked for a 21-yard rating in OT (Brumfield blocked the PAT!), and WCU went four-and-out. UTPB superior and rattling close to knocked off Harding College within the quarterfinals as properly.
We had been blessed with an unimaginable FCS postseason, and earlier than we even get to the three playoff video games on the listing, now we have to acknowledge the wild comeback the Celebration Bowl gave us. In its Celebration Bowl debut, SWAC champion PVAMU performed an almost excellent first half in racing to a 21-0 halftime lead, and to the Panthers’ credit score, when SC State charged again, they saved responding. It was 28-28 when Cameron Peters threw his fourth TD go of the day, a 78-yarder to Cameron Bonner, however SC State despatched the sport to additional time, and after the groups mixed for simply three factors in three possessions, the Bulldogs took the win with a controversial Ryan Stubblefield-to-Tyler Smith conversion and a cease.
The officers dominated on the sector — and after replay assessment — that this was 2-point conversion by SC State.
It was shut, they stated. pic.twitter.com/z7Xmmaf6HH
— HBCU Sports activities (@HBCUSports) December 13, 2025
Neither of those FCS groups loved notably memorable 2025 campaigns, however they did give us some of the memorable finishes of the season. Bucknell had erased three totally different deficits, together with one in every of 10 factors with 11 minutes left, and the Bison had been driving for a possible game-winning discipline aim when catastrophe struck. Naiteitei Mose‘s pick-six received the sport for the Hoyas.
Mose returns an interception for a GU TOUCHDOWN!!#HoyaSaxa #HoyaBold #DefendTheDistrict #SISU #PartnerWithSquadrahttps://t.co/CLGmxgiUPv pic.twitter.com/wm7DTPaZVf
— Georgetown Soccer (@HoyasFB) October 25, 2025
At the same time as former star Trinidad Chambliss was thriving on a nationwide stage with Ole Miss, Ferris State rolled to a different Division II nationwide title, profitable its final six video games by a mean of 30 factors. However the Bulldogs wanted one thing miraculous to outlive a visit to College Heart, Michigan, unbeaten. Their hosts, SVSU, rode a wave of turnovers (six in all) to a 24-7 lead halfway by the third quarter, and when Ferris State charged again, the Cardinals despatched the sport to OT with a late Zarek Zelinski rating. However when the underdogs did not go for 2 factors and the win after scoring second within the first OT, their destiny was sealed: a missed discipline aim try and a Taariik Brett landing saved the champs unbeaten.
57. West Liberty 47, West Virginia State 41 (Oct. 4)
West Liberty, of the Division II Mountain East, had possibly probably the most thrilling 3-8 season conceivable in 2025. The Hilltoppers completed the 12 months beating Wheeling 68-67 (in regulation!) after shedding to Fairmont State 45-44 in additional time, however one way or the other this recreation topped them each. In a recreation that featured 1,105 yards and 40 fourth-quarter factors, WLU watched two leads disappear however took its third and ultimate lead on the ultimate play: Antevious Jackson danced round within the pocket, then discovered Osama Hurst open for a 40-yard miracle.
BALLGAME! West Liberty beats West Virginia State on the ultimate play of the sport – a 40-yard TD go from Antevious Jackson to Osama Hurst. Hilltoppers 47, Yellow Jackets 41. #MECFB pic.twitter.com/8exKcZ1yLF
— Mountain East Conf. (@TheMountainEast) October 4, 2025
A month earlier than Orlando’s Tenting World Stadium hosted a crowd of 34,126 for a pleasant Pop-Tarts Bowl, it hosted 55,528 for the Florida Traditional, and wow, did this basic HBCU rivalry ship. Bethune-Cookman took an early 17-3 lead and nonetheless led by eight heading into the fourth quarter, however every thing ignited within the ultimate eight minutes. Jamal Hailey‘s 72-yard landing gave FAMU a 27-24 lead, however BCU struck proper again with a 67-yard Javon Ross rating. Thad Franklin Jr. made it 34-31 FAMU with 2:19 left, however on fourth-and-ballgame with 27 seconds left, Timmy McClain went for all of it and obtained it.
Bethune-Cookman received the Florida Traditional over FAMU in dramatic trend 😼
Timmy McClain discovered Josh Evans for the go-ahead landing on 4th and eight with 28 seconds remaining 🤯
That is the Wildcats’ 1st win over FAMU since 2019
(through ESPN+) pic.twitter.com/P9NuqNTty6
— LIGHT ON COLLEGE SPORTS (@LightOnSports) November 23, 2025
After main 14-0 early, Georgetown stalled out, permitting Morgan State to not solely come again however take the lead heading into the fourth quarter. However on the ultimate play of the sport, Dez Thomas II threw the go of his life, and Jimmy Kibble was there to reel it in.
HAIL MARY TO KIBBLE FOR THE WIN!#HoyaSaxa #HoyaBold #DefendTheDistrict #SISU https://t.co/CLGmxgiUPv pic.twitter.com/C2VrowGbMW
— Georgetown Soccer (@HoyasFB) October 4, 2025
Searching for an eleventh FCS nationwide title in 15 years, NDSU rolled by the common season with nearly unprecedented ranges of dominance. The 12-0 Bison had been overwhelming title favorites, however they fell sufferer to a sneak assault. In opposition to an ISU crew they’d crushed by 17 within the common season, NDSU scored on its first play of the sport, picked off 5 passes and led by 14 with three minutes left. However Daniel Sobkowicz‘s second TD catch of the sport reduce the Bison’s result in seven, and after Jake Anderson recovered a Cole Payton fumble, Sobkowicz scored once more with a minute left. Tommy Rittenhouse discovered Scotty Presson Jr. for a 2-point conversion, and a surprised NDSU offense stalled out close to midfield. The champ was cruising to a unanimous determination however as an alternative obtained knocked out within the twelfth spherical.
53. Benedict 25, Wingate 24 (Nov. 22)
Benedict made its first Division II playoff win depend. The Tigers trailed 24-0 late within the third quarter however charged again with assist from a 95-yard blocked discipline aim try return. Nonetheless, that they had reduce the deficit to solely 24-19 with one play remaining. That they had no selection however to strive a type of lateral-festival performs that by no means work.
Effectively, they nearly by no means work.
52. No. 4 Wisconsin-River Falls 48, No. 11 Johns Hopkins 41 (Dec. 20)
UWRF suffered a shedding file yearly from 2001 to 2019, continually struggling to get its head above water within the hardest convention in Division III (the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Convention). However behind an nearly excellent offense, the Falcons made an unimaginable and unlikely nationwide title run in 2025. Earlier than they may high mighty North Central within the title recreation, they needed to survive an epic semifinal recreation with an epic ending in opposition to one other high crew, Johns Hopkins. After 5 lead modifications, it appeared as if the sport was headed to additional time in River Falls, however Kaleb Blaha and Blake Rohrer had different concepts.
The small-school ball was so rattling good this 12 months, you guys.
The Ivy League lastly started permitting its groups into the FCS playoffs this season and watched them each almost faceplant. Harvard obtained walloped by Villanova, and Yale discovered itself overwhelmed in Youngstown and trailing 35-7 on the half and 42-14 late within the third quarter. However the Bulldogs responded with 20 excellent minutes: rating a landing (with a 2-point conversion), recuperate a fumble, rating a landing, pressure a discipline aim try (missed), rating a landing, pressure a three-and-out, rating a landing (a 56-yard run by Josh Pitsenberger), pressure a four-and-out. Nearly as stunning because the 28-point comeback was simply how simple it turned out to be. However the Ivy’s first playoff win was an all-timer. (Yale rattling close to beat eventual champ Montana State the following week, too.)
It appears like a lifetime in the past, however Week 1 featured simply concerning the greatest opener conceivable as preseason No. 1 Texas, led by preseason Heisman favourite Arch Manning, visited defending nationwide champ Ohio State. It was the cagiest attainable affair, as each groups featured skilled defenses and inexperienced new (blue-chip) QBs, and neither head coach was prepared to danger catastrophe. However when Carnell Tate reeled in a 40-yard TD go from Julian Sayin early within the fourth quarter to place the Buckeyes up 14-0, it was time for Texas to make a cost. Manning discovered Parker Livingstone for a 32-yard TD with 3:28 left, and after an OSU three-and-out, the Longhorns shortly drove to midfield. However Jack Endries got here up wanting the road to realize on fourth-and-5, and OSU kneeled out an enormous early win.
I am sometimes allergic to placing many video games on right here that completed with a double-digit scoring margin, however we’ll make an exception right here. Ohio State was a 7.5-point favourite within the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal however fell behind 14-0 following a robust, eight-minute Miami landing drive and a sudden, 72-yard Keionte Scott pick-six. The Buckeyes lastly started shifting the ball confidently, and Jeremiah Smith‘s 14-yard rating with 13:28 left reduce the Hurricanes’ result in 17-14. (Smith had seven catches for 157 yards.) However as soon as once more Miami mixed a protracted drive (10 performs for 70 yards, capped with a CharMar Brown TD) with a choose (Jakobe Thomas close to midfield) to seal an announcement win for The U.
Miami had this one. The Redhawks led by 14 on three events, and after the Rebels had tied the rating for the third time, Miami’s Kenny Tracy raced into discipline aim vary … and fumbled on the UNLV 20. The Rebels drove 78 yards in simply over two minutes, and Ramon Villela completed absolutely the theft with a 23-yard discipline aim.
Typically your function in a given season is not essentially one you’d select. In 2025, Military’s function — like Arkansas’ and, in a means, Notre Dame’s — was to lose classics. The Black Knights performed in 9 one-score video games and misplaced 5 of them. With quarterback Cale Hellums taking part in brilliantly (163 speeding yards, 125 passing yards on 10 throws), Military led eventual American Convention champion Tulane 17-10 with an 84.7% win likelihood with two minutes left in New Orleans. However Jake Retzlaff threw a 12-yard TD go to Bryce Bohanon, and after Military’s first three-and-out of the sport, Retzlaff wanted solely six performs to provide Tulane the lead with a 26-yard strike to Shazz Preston with 27 seconds left. Ouch.
North Texas raced to a 21-0 first-quarter lead in West Level and nonetheless led by 10 with lower than three minutes left till Military recovered a late fumble and one way or the other despatched the sport to OT. However Caleb Hawkins scored for the Imply Inexperienced, and Military could not match. The comeback was for naught.
In solely their fifth season after shifting up from Division II, the TSU Texans loved an unimaginable 2025 season, going 12-2 and incomes the No. 4 seed within the FCS playoffs. They usually made waves from the beginning, forcing three turnovers in a Week 1 matchup with Military, preventing again from a 14-point, second-half deficit and, within the second additional time, sealing a program-defining win with a 37-yard Brad Larson discipline aim.
Military’s final lack of the season was probably the most painful but. Underdogs in opposition to their greatest rivals, the Black Knights used a 16-0 scoring binge to take a nine-point lead within the third quarter — nearly insurmountable in the kind of battle-of-attrition recreation we normally see from these two — however after a discipline aim and a pair of stops, Navy drove 50 yards and, after almost shedding a devastating fumble two performs earlier, took the lead on an 8-yard Blake Horvath-to-Eli Heidenreich TD go with 6:32 left. A surprised Military offense went three-and-out and by no means obtained the ball again. Navy transformed a fourth-and-1 with 1:54 left and kneeled out the sport.
When it got here to tight convention video games, two conferences stood out from the pack: In each Convention USA and the SEC, 50% of convention video games had been determined by one rating. No different convention was over 41%. CUSA even gave us a rarity in early November: a profitable onside kick. After giving up a 17-0 run in simply seven fourth-quarter minutes — and failing on a late 2-point conversion — Delaware wanted a miracle to save lots of itself in opposition to Louisiana Tech. Nick Minicucci discovered Elijah Sessoms for a brief landing to get to inside 24-22 with 34 seconds left, and Ja’Carree Kelly recovered an ideal onside kick from Nate Reed. That arrange a second excellent kick from Reed: a profitable 51-yard discipline aim.
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Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs. Delaware Blue Hens: Full Highlights
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs. Delaware Blue Hens: Full Highlights
And from tight video games typically come each a good convention race and a race any crew can win. Even a crew that went 2-10 the season earlier than. New head coach Jerry Mack led Kennesaw State to 10 wins in his first season, and the final 4 all got here by one rating and introduced the CUSA title to Kennesaw. To clinch a spot within the CUSA title recreation, KSU first beat Liberty for the second straight 12 months. Trailing 28-21 after three Evan Dickens touchdowns — together with a 95-yarder — KSU drove the size of the sector for 2 late TDs. Vaughn Blue‘s 59-yard TD catch tied the rating for Liberty, and Dickens scored to provide the Flames the lead on the primary play of OT, however KSU wanted solely two performs to attain twice in OT (each on Amari Odom TD passes), and the KSU protection stopped Liberty in 4 performs.
The subsequent week in opposition to defending CUSA champ Jacksonville State — which had itself survived a top-100-worthy thriller the week earlier than in opposition to Western Kentucky — KSU eased out to a 12-0 lead however watched issues disintegrate late. Landing runs by Cam Cook and Caden Creel, plus a Creel 2-point conversion go, gave JSU a sudden 15-12 lead with 4:04 left. However Odom discovered Navelle Dean for the title-winning landing with 51 seconds remaining, and the Owls’ protection pressured a four-and-out. Hootie hoo.
That CHAMPIONSHIP feeling 👑🏆🎆#SeeUs | #HootyHoo pic.twitter.com/kzGv4hU28Z
— Kennesaw State Soccer (@kennesawstfb) December 6, 2025
Texas State misplaced 5 straight video games in the course of 2025, and 4 of them got here by a mixed 14 factors. This one might need been probably the most gut-wrenching of the bunch. After ASU tied the rating with 1:20 left, the Bobcats took their third lead of the fourth quarter, with a 63-yard Brad Jackson run organising a brief Lincoln Pare TD. However a failed PAT made it solely 30-24, and when Jaylen Raynor capped a six-play, 75-yard drive with a brief landing, Clune Van Andel‘s PAT gave the Crimson Wolves a shocking win.
Needing an upset to say a share of the lead within the Mountain West — and carrying attractive turquoise uniforms that grew to become the speak of social media — New Mexico obtained landing runs of 40 yards from James Laubstein and 54 yards from D.J. McKinney, and it was simply sufficient to pressure additional time at 17-17. As soon as in OT, an interception set the Lobos up for a possible profitable rating, however Laubstein misplaced a fumble. No worries. Cade Keith caught a 25-yard TD go to begin the second OT, and after SDSU arrange a first-and-goal, the Aztecs moved straight backward and failed on fourth-and-forever.
The Bay Space’s ACC groups gave us a pair of Saturday night goal-line thrillers in Week 8. Cal was favored over North Carolina in Berkeley however could not shake Invoice Belichick’s Tar Heels. The Golden Bears led by 11 heading into the fourth quarter, however Davion Gause‘s brief TD (and a 2-point conversion) introduced UNC to inside 21-18, and the Heels drove to the Cal aim line late, too. However Brent Austin saved the day by forcing a Nathan Leacock fumble on the 1 and recovering it in the long run zone.
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Cal forces UNC fumble on the aim line for a touchback
Cal’s Brent Austin punches the ball out of Nathan Leacock’s fingers on the aim line to pressure a fumble and subsequent touchback.
Florida State’s dreamlike 3-0 begin become a nightmare with a four-game midseason shedding streak. The final of the 4 got here out West, the place Stanford took a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter. After a discipline aim reduce the result in seven, the Seminoles obtained a 59-yard, third-and-22 reception from Micahi Danzy to arrange a first-and-goal from the two within the ultimate seconds. However Gavin Sawchuk might solely acquire 1 yard on the ultimate play.
We set the bar fairly excessive for the Iron Bowl, and it nonetheless appears to clear that bar as typically as not. Alabama wanted a win over its interim-coached rival to principally clinch a CFP berth and wanted solely 19 minutes to take a 17-0 lead. However then issues obtained bizarre. Malcolm Simmons‘ 64-yard TD catch reduce the result in 17-13 early within the third quarter, and a Jeremiah Cobb rating made it 20-20 with 11:43 left. A Ty Simpson-to-Isaiah Horton fourth-down strike gave the Tide the lead once more, however Auburn was driving for a tie or win when Bray Hubbard stripped Cam Coleman of the ball with 33 seconds left, and Deontae Lawson recovered.
This battle of unbeatens appeared notably big on the time, and Ole Miss had a leg in entrance many of the means. Cayden Lee‘s brief landing late within the second quarter gave the Rebels a 17-7 halftime lead, and Logan Diggs scored in opposition to his former crew to make it 24-13 Ole Miss. However LSU obtained one rating again with a 6-yard Harlem Berry run, and all of the Tigers wanted was yet another cease to have an opportunity. It by no means occurred. On a gutsy fourth-and-3 name, Trinidad Chambliss discovered Dae’Quan Wright for 20 yards to clinch the win.
SMU took the lead on the primary play from scrimmage — a 75-yard landing go from Kevin Jennings to Romello Brinson — and held it for nearly your complete recreation. However Sawyer Robertson threw two late landing passes, and his 21-yard strike to Kobe Prentice with 34 seconds left pressured additional time. Within the second OT, SMU’s Collin Rogers missed his second discipline aim try of the day and opened the door for Connor Hawkins’ 27-yard game-winner.
What’s higher than devouring an anthropomorphised Pop-Tart? Doing so after an superior recreation. BYU received its twelfth recreation of the season with a determined late cost. Trailing Haynes King and Tech by a 21-10 margin heading into the fourth quarter, the Cougars drove 80 yards for one landing, then went forward on a Jovesa Damuni run with two minutes left. King accomplished a 66-yard, fourth-and-15 bomb to Eric Rivers to maintain the Jackets alive, however Evan Johnson picked off a go within the sprinkles-decorated finish zone, and it was time to do what everybody had come to do:
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Pop-Tarts Bowl mascots toasted to rejoice BYU’s win
The Pop-Tarts Bowl mascots are lowered into an enormous toaster to change into an edible prize for champions BYU.
With one crew largely operating and the opposite crew doing main injury by the air, this recreation featured 1,200 mixed yards, 56 first downs and an unimaginable 9 second-half lead modifications. Liam Szarka gave Air Drive a lead with 1:13 left, however Anthony Colandrea‘s wild 19-yard scramble made it 51-48 Rebels 37 seconds later. Szarka accomplished a protracted go to Jonah Dawson to arrange a attainable tying discipline aim try, however Jacob Medina‘s 40-yarder on the buzzer began out broad and by no means curled again in.
South Carolina’s season was fairly a disappointment, however the Gamecocks certain managed some entertaining losses. After almost beating Alabama in Tuscaloosa in 2024, they used a 16-0 run to take a 22-14 lead with 10 minutes left. And even when a Ty Simpson-to-Germie Bernard (and Simpson-to-Josh Cuevas 2-point conversion) tied the rating, the Gamecocks had the ball with an opportunity to win … till LaNorris Sellers fumbled. Tim Keenan III recovered, Bernard raced down the sideline for a 25-yard rating and the Tide eked out one other tight win.
Two regular-season losses almost derailed Miami’s playoff hopes, and each video games performed out in moderately comparable methods: Each noticed the Hurricanes play issues far too protected late within the recreation and nonetheless lose through interception. In opposition to Louisville, the Hurricanes discovered themselves down 14-0 after 10 minutes however rallied to inside 24-21. After they obtained the ball again with 4 minutes left, they used 12 performs and many of the clock to succeed in solely the Louisville 31, and T.J. Capers stepped in entrance of one other brief go to seal the Cardinals’ upset win. It was their fourth choose of the day.
Regardless of a gradual begin to 2025, SMU was in place to land stated ACC title recreation berth due to an early November upset that additionally almost knocked Miami out of playoff competition. The Hurricanes led on 4 totally different events, however Sam Keltner‘s 38-yard discipline aim with 25 seconds left pressured additional time. After Miami inexplicably kneeled out the clock (that they had a timeout in hand), Ahmaad Moses picked off Carson Beck in OT, organising T.J. Harden‘s profitable TD plunge (and the following discipline storming).
This was a bowl recreation that mirrored the present period. Lacking key gamers? Verify (TCU quarterback Josh Hoover and USC star receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane). Watched by thousands and thousands? Verify (4.9 million, in actual fact). Entertaining as hell? Verify! Led by veteran backup QB Ken Seals, TCU erased a late 10-point deficit with a Jeremy Payne landing and a Kyle Lemmermann discipline aim with two seconds remaining. USC went forward with an additional time discipline aim, Payne ripped off probably the greatest runs of the season and scored from 35 yards on third-and-20 to provide the Horned Frogs an exhilarating win.
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TCU wins the Alamo Bowl in dramatic trend in OT
Jeremy Payne breaks a number of tackles on third-and-20 and one way or the other reaches the tip zone for the profitable landing for TCU.
Wealthy Rodriguez’s first season again in Morgantown wasn’t a thriller, however in his first Yard Brawl in cost for the reason that devastating lack of 2007, he and the Mountaineers exacted some revenge. A 21-0 run had given Pitt a 10-point lead deep into the fourth quarter, WVU drove 87 yards within the ultimate three minutes, tied it with 11 seconds left, took the lead in OT with a Tye Edwards landing and compelled a game-clinching four-and-out.
Smoothest. Fireplace-drill discipline aim. Ever.
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Georgia Tech kicks game-winning FG to spark wild celebrations
Georgia Tech races its kicker onto the sector, and Aidan Birr nails a 55-yard discipline aim to take down Clemson.
Tech had watched a 13-point lead disappear, however the Yellow Jackets knew precisely how a lot time that they had left to make amends.
For all the issues Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer is at the moment working with in Tuscaloosa — together with, however not restricted to, the big shadow left by Nick Saban and full turnover on each traces — beating Kirby Good is not one in every of them. He is 2-1 in opposition to Good’s Georgia, thanks partly to first-half explosions. Bama went up 14-0 on two early Ty Simpson TD passes and led 24-14 at halftime after a brief Simpson TD run. The second half was all about defending the lead. Georgia scored halfway by the third quarter and moved the ball properly on two fourth-quarter drives, however LT Overton‘s shoestring sort out of Cash Jones on fourth-and-1 ended up making the distinction.
Hawaii opened the season by beating Stanford with a last-second Kansei Matsuzawa discipline aim and ended it with a last-second landing. Cal thundered to an early 21-0 lead, however you may’t preserve the Rainbow Warriors down. They tied it with a brief Micah Alejado landing go early within the fourth quarter, then took the lead with one other TD connection (17 yards to Brandon White) with 7:19 left. Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele scored with 1:57 left to provide Cal one other benefit, however even with the Rainbow Warriors in Matsuzawa’s discipline aim vary and Alejado injured and out of the sport, Hawaii went for the win and obtained it when Luke Weaver discovered Nick Cenacle from 22 yards out with 10 seconds remaining.
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Hawai’i stuns Cal with go-ahead TD in ultimate seconds
Backup QB Luke Weaver finds Nick Cenacle in the long run zone to provide Hawai’i the lead with 10 seconds left vs. California.
We even obtained a postgame brawl. (Not a primary for the Hawaii Bowl.)
Cal wasn’t wonderful in 2025, however the Golden Bears had a aptitude for the dramatic. Needing a win to safe bowl eligibility following a stunning blowout loss to Stanford — and to forestall SMU from clinching one other spot within the ACC championship recreation — they one way or the other obtained it. They led 24-7 halfway by the third quarter, however SMU stormed again with 28 factors in 17 minutes and took the lead with 2:22 left. Sagapolutele, nonetheless, accomplished 5 passes to arrange Kendrick Raphael‘s brief go-ahead landing. SMU obtained shut sufficient to strive a 52-yard discipline aim on the buzzer, however Sam Keltner knocked it broad proper.
The Wagon Wheel rivalry gave us the very best MACtion second of 2025. Needing a win to maintain its slight bowl hopes alive, Kent State rode out six early lead modifications — together with one on an 89-yard catch and run from our man Da’Realyst Clark — to cost forward 35-17 after 21 straight factors. However Akron scored a landing (12-yard go from Ben Finley to Marcel Williams), recovered an ideal, pop-fly onside kick, kicked a discipline aim, recovered a fumble, scored once more (Finley to Israel Polk) and succeeded on a tying 2-point conversion to pressure additional time. As soon as there, the momentum reversed fully: Kent State scored in a single play, Akron went four-and-out, and the Golden Flashes survived.
The primary sentence of the AP writeup tells you ways early within the season this recreation was: “Backup quarterback Trinidad Chambliss ran for 2 touchdowns and threw for one in a shock begin, and No. 17 Mississippi outlasted Arkansas 41-35 on Saturday night time.” Chambliss would shortly supplant Austin Simmons in Ole Miss’ beginning lineup, and the Rebels would rise loads greater than No. 17. For that matter, Arkansas, which entered the sport unbeaten, would not win once more. None of that was notably foreseeable as Arkansas overcame 4 first-half deficits and, after trailing by 13 early within the fourth quarter, charged again and drove to take a late lead. However with 1:52 left, Wydett Williams Jr. recovered a Jalen Brown fumble, and after 1,001 complete yards and infinite plot twists, the Rebels survived.
Looking back, we nearly have a look at Indiana’s title as preordained, as the one means this season might finish. However the Hoosiers had been underdogs as late as December, dealing with an Ohio State crew that hadn’t misplaced for over a full calendar 12 months. Although the Hoosiers dominated most of their opponents, they proved some critical close-game chops after they wanted to. And with their first Huge Ten title since 1967 on the road, they made many of the key performs within the second half, from Fernando Mendoza’s 17-yard landing go to Elijah Sarratt, to a fourth-and-goal stuff late within the third quarter, to a third-and-short cease that pressured a (missed) discipline aim try, to a 33-yard Mendoza-to-Charlie Becker go that allowed them to eat up many of the clock and see out the sport.
Among the best win likelihood charts of the season:
Per week after blowing a shot at an upset of Ole Miss with a fumble, Arkansas misplaced one other one right here because it was nearly prepared to shut out a win. Memphis erased a 28-10 deficit and took the lead with 4:51 left, nevertheless it took Chris Bracy‘s restoration of a Mike Washington Jr. fumble to seal the win.
Florida State technically improved in 2025, leaping from 2-10 to 5-7 (and from 83rd to forty first in SP+). However the Seminoles did so in probably the most irritating attainable means: They had been 3-0 and eighth within the AP ballot (and cozy favorites) after they traveled to Charlottesville for a Friday night time tussle, and even after Virginia jumped out to a 14-0 lead, the Noles calmly pushed forward 21-14. However the Cavaliers scored TDs on their subsequent three possessions — Chandler Morris had two passing TDs and three speeding TDs — to purchase time earlier than FSU pressured additional time late. The groups traded discipline targets, then Morris put UVA forward with a brief TD run and a 2-point go. FSU could not reply, and UVA followers unleashed nearly probably the most environment friendly discipline storming you may ever see.
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Followers rush the sector after UVA upsets No. 8 FSU
Florida State is unable to transform on fourth down in double additional time in opposition to Virginia, and followers storm the sector.
Everything fell apart in a blink for James Franklin at Penn State in 2025, however we did not understand it was coming when the Nittany Lions hosted Oregon for one in every of September’s most anticipated video games. And what started as a battle of attrition picked up steam late. Touchdowns by Dierre Hill Jr. and Jordon Davison gave Oregon a 17-3 lead early within the fourth quarter, however two Drew Allar-to-Devonte Ross landing passes introduced PSU even with 30 seconds remaining. Down seven in OT, Oregon transformed a fourth-and-1, then obtained a landing from Jamari Johnson; the Geese scored instantly to begin the second OT, however they failed on a 2-point conversion. That opened the door for PSU … and the door instantly closed when Dillon Thieneman snagged an Allar go to safe the street win. Penn State’s season by no means recovered.
Perhaps probably the most aesthetically … distinctive recreation of the season. Earlier than Miami might make a run to the CFP championship recreation, the Hurricanes needed to survive impossibly windy situations (and a robust Texas A&M protection) in Faculty Station. Carson Beck threw for under 103 yards, and the groups mixed to overlook 4 of six discipline aim makes an attempt. Malachi Toney misplaced a key fourth-quarter fumble, however a 56-yard Mark Fletcher Jr. run arrange Toney’s redemption second — an 11-yard jet sweep TD with 1:44 left. Texas A&M rallied, driving 70 yards in simply 1:20, however Bryce Fitzgerald picked off a third-and-goal go in the long run zone, and Miami superior.
For 2 straight years, Manny Diaz’s Duke crew has received 9 video games and completed forty fourth in SP+. However in 2025, the Blue Devils did it with much more panache. (Translation: They each scored and allowed much more factors.) In a pleasant Solar Bowl in opposition to Arizona State, the 2 groups mixed to realize double-digit yardage on 33 of 162 snaps and at the least 34 yards on 10 snaps. However in the long run, Duke’s protection made the distinction: Ma’khi Jones recovered a fumble to arrange a 17-yard Darian Mensah-to-Que’Sean Brown landing and provides the Blue Devils a three-point lead, after which Luke Mergott picked off a Jeff Sims go to seal the win.
Tennessee hasn’t crushed Georgia since 2016. We’re utilizing the current tense there as a result of, regardless of taking a 21-7 first-quarter lead, regardless of forcing a Georgia fourth-and-6 from the 28 with 2:32 left, and regardless of organising a possible profitable 43-yard discipline aim try on the buzzer, the Vols managed to let this one slip away.
It was the largest comeback in Texas A&M historical past, with out which the Aggies in all probability would not have made the playoff. It was additionally a day that featured each the worst and finest halves of Marcel Reed‘s profession. Within the first half, he accomplished solely 6 of 19 passes with two horrible interceptions and two sacks, one in every of which produced a fumble returned for a rating by Nick Barrett. LaNorris Sellers threw a 50-yard landing to Vandrevius Jacobs and an 80-yarder to Nyck Harbor (full with a extremely unusual interaction with a state trooper), and the Gamecocks cruised into halftime up 30-3.
Within the second half, A&M awoke, and the Gamecocks clammed up. Reed went 16-for-20 for 298 yards and three third-quarter touchdowns — 27 yards to Izaiah Williams, 39 to Ashton Bethel-Roman, 14 to Nate Boerkircher — and the Aggies gained 371 yards whereas permitting 76. They wanted solely 20 minutes to take a 31-30 lead, and South Carolina might by no means mount a rally. It was probably the most surprisingly simple 27-point comeback you may ever see.
There weren’t large stakes on this one, however you do not all the time want stakes to create an unimaginable spectacle. After buying and selling scores for 25 minutes, these groups launched a sequence of massive runs: 10-0 for Ok-State, then 14-0 for Utah, then 16-0 for Ok-State. Joe Jackson‘s 24-yard landing with 7:00 left gave the Wildcats a 47-35 lead; KSU went for 2 factors and a 14-point lead, however as an alternative got here the worst-case situation. Tao Johnson returned a deflected go 100 yards for 2 factors, then Utah drove 75 yards and made it 47-44 with 2:47 left. After a three-and-out, Devon Dampier gave the Utes the lead with 56 seconds left. Lander Barton‘s interception close to midfield completed off a stunning comeback.
By way of CFP positioning, this might need been probably the most impactful recreation of the season. It was additionally implausible. Miami took benefit of some early rising pains for Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr, taking a 21-7 lead halfway by the third quarter. The Irish loved just one actual, sustained drive in three quarters, and Miami benefited from one of many catches of the season.
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CJ Daniels makes jaw-dropping 1-handed TD seize for Miami
CJ Daniels goes full extension for a one-handed landing seize to place Miami up late within the first half.
However the Irish got here alive. Carr threw a brief TD go to Jordan Faison, then ran for a 7-yard rating to tie the rating with 3:21 remaining. A surging Notre Dame protection wanted just one extra cease to arrange a shot at a win, however as an alternative, a go interference penalty and a few powerful operating from late-game sledgehammer CharMar Brown arrange Carter Davis‘ 47-yard winner. Two sacks by Akheem Mesidor sealed what turned out to be a season-turning win.
They’d win just one recreation after September, however Jeff Lebby’s MSU Bulldogs had been much more aggressive in 2025, they usually landed one of many greatest haymakers of the season in Week 2. They burst out to a 17-0 lead in opposition to Arizona State earlier than the defending Huge 12 champs stormed again. Jesus Gomez‘s 18-yard discipline aim capped a 17-play, go-ahead drive and put the Solar Devils forward with 1:38 left. However when you’ve got Brenen Thompson, one of many quickest gamers within the sport, you may rating at any time.
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Mississippi State upsets Arizona State on game-winning TD
Blake Shapen throws the game-winning landing within the ultimate minute as Mississippi State upsets Arizona State.
Penn State’s loss to Oregon was disappointing, nevertheless it wasn’t a complete shock. Per week later got here the single-most stunning results of the season. UCLA was a 24.5-point underdog, having simply fired its head coach and each coordinators and having proven nearly no potential in any respect. And after a run of sensible offense, a shock onside kick and an enormous fourth-down cease, the Bruins took a 27-7 lead into halftime.
Like A&M in opposition to South Carolina, Penn State was assured to cost again. The Nittany Lions reduce the deficit to 27-21 within the third quarter and 34-28 within the fourth, and even when Nico Iamaleava scored to make it 42-28 UCLA, Penn State’s comeback nonetheless felt inevitable. Kyron Hudson scored to make it 42-35, and PSU drove to the UCLA 9 with a minute left, however Scooter Jackson stuffed Drew Allar on fourth down. PSU could not cease the backslide the following week both, shedding to Northwestern and getting James Franklin fired.
PSU performed legitimately robust ball below interim head coach Terry Smith, rallying to complete 7-6, however their finest efficiency of the season might need are available a loss. A 17-0 run, marked by two Nicholas Singleton scores, gave the Nittany Lions a late 24-20 lead over Fernando Mendoza and the surprisingly misfiring Hoosiers. However that misfiring ended when it needed to. In a drive for the ages (one which began with a sack, no much less), Mendoza accomplished passes to Omar Cooper Jr., E.J. Williams Jr., Riley Nowakowski and Charlie Becker, then went again to Cooper, who made nearly the very best catch you may ever see.
THE MOST INSANE TOE TAP YOU’LL SEE ALL SEASON
Omar Cooper Jr. take a bow 👏@IndianaFootball pic.twitter.com/07MncUCK4d
— FOX Faculty Soccer (@CFBONFOX) November 8, 2025
What are you on the lookout for from school soccer? Earnest, hard-nosed soccer led by two coaches (MSU’s Brent Vigen and ISU’s Brock Spack) who’ve constructed sturdy applications and remained loyal over the lengthy haul? A proud fan base being rewarded for its loyalty after a 41-year nationwide title drought? A frantic and downright ridiculous ending that featured a 14-point comeback, two game-changing blocked kicks and a title-winning landing go on fourth-and-10? The FCS championship recreation gave us all of these issues in Nashville, and in entrance of the biggest title-game crowd since 1996.
Montana State ran out of fuel however received anyway, watching a 28-14 lead use up to 28-28 however blocking a possible profitable discipline aim try close to the tip of regulation, blocking a PAT in additional time after which getting the aforementioned game-winner from Justin Lamson to Taco Dowler (with yours really standing about 15 ft away). Simply phenomenal stuff.
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Montana State defeats Illinois State in OT thriller to win FCS nationwide championship
Montana State defeats Illinois State in additional time to say its second nationwide championship at school historical past.
After the sport, it was sheer pleasure. And “Mony Mony.”
— Invoice Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) January 6, 2026
A botched PAT snap and maintain might need made the distinction in a playoff bid. Texas A&M led 28-24 after a wild first half, and after a fairly tame third quarter, the motion picked up once more late. With the rating tied at 34-34, Jeremiyah Love capped a 12-play, six-minute drive with a 12-yard landing, however a botched maintain on the PAT left the Irish’s lead at simply six factors. A 3rd-down scramble from Marcel Reed and a defensive holding penalty gave A&M a first-and-goal, however that shortly grew to become fourth-and-goal from the 11. No worries — with 19 seconds left, Reed discovered Nate Boerkircher for the game-winner. (Effectively, I suppose Randy Bond‘s PAT was the precise recreation winner, however nonetheless.)
The 2024-25 Faculty Soccer Playoff, the primary 12-teamer, gave us a few classics. The 2025-26 version gave us a quintet of top-50 video games, together with doubtlessly the three better of the season.
Within the Sugar Bowl quarterfinal, a rematch of one other recreation that made this listing, Georgia appeared to take management, scoring twice in shut succession (with a Gunner Stockton plunge and a 47-yard Daylen Everette fumble return) to take a 21-12 halftime lead. However a 22-3 Ole Miss run put the Rebels in cost and gave us one of many scrambles of the season.
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Chambliss escapes a number of defenders with an enormous 1st-down throw
Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss scrambles away from a number of defenders and one way or the other finds Kewan Lacy for a primary down.
Recreation over? Not a lot! Stockton discovered Zachariah Branch for an 18-yard rating and helped to create a first-and-goal on the Ole Miss 8 within the ultimate minute. However the Rebels pressured a tying discipline aim and Trinidad Chambliss lobbed a 40-yard go to De’Zhaun Stribling excessive of the Dawgs’ protection, organising a 47-yard Lucas Carneiro discipline aim try. He crushed it, and the Rebels superior.
Ole Miss’ reward for profitable a last-minute thriller was taking part in in one other last-minute thriller. Miami dominated the ball within the Fiesta Bowl, however a 73-yard landing run by Kewan Lacy and a sequence of outlandish Lucas Carneiro discipline targets — together with 58- and 54-yarders — gave Ole Miss a 19-17 lead early within the fourth quarter.
Malachi Toney burst by for a 36-yard landing off of a display screen go, however Trinidad Chambliss’ 24-yard landing go to Dae’Quan Wright (plus a 2-pointer to Caleb Odom) made it 27-24 Rebels with 3:13 left. Miami wanted a season-saving drive and obtained precisely that, driving 75 yards in 15 performs and consuming all however 19 seconds from the clock earlier than Carson Beck scored the profitable factors. The Rebels responded by attending to inside vary of a Hail Mary, nevertheless it fell incomplete.
We had been due a fantastic nationwide title recreation. Whereas Georgia’s 33-18 win over Alabama in 2021 was nearer than the ultimate rating, the previous seven title video games since 2017’s second-and-26 classic had been determined by a mean rating of 43-18.
With two new faces reaching the finals — Miami for the primary time since 2002’s BCS championship recreation, Indiana for the primary time ever — the 2025 season ended with a tense, pressing and finally implausible recreation. Indiana’s protection dominated because the Hoosiers took a 10-0 lead into halftime, however a 57-yard bolt-of-lightning TD from Mark Fletcher Jr. introduced Miami again, and the Hurricanes’ protection held Indiana to a few straight punts to begin the second half. Isaiah Jones‘ restoration of a Mikail Kamara blocked punt purchased Indiana a while, however the fourth quarter went backwards and forwards. Fletcher scored once more, then Mendoza scored on an iconic 12-yard, fourth-down run. Malachi Toney scored, and Indiana might handle solely a discipline aim to go up 27-21 within the closing minutes.
Miami drove to the IU 47 with a minute left, and it started to look as if the Hurricanes’ team-of-destiny vibe was going to proceed. However Jamari Sharpe — nephew of former Hurricanes DB Glenn Sharpe, extremely sufficient — stepped in entrance of an underthrown Carson Beck go, and Indiana grew to become the game’s first first-time champion in 29 years. It was an unimaginable means for an unimaginable season to finish.
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Indiana holds off Miami to win 1st nationwide championship in program historical past
Indiana defeats Miami 27-21 to win the Faculty Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship.
