Rivalry Week Ends: Ohio State Rolls, Texas Rises & Carousel Spins

Rivalry Weekend lived up to its reputation, delivering chaos, heartbreak, and a few season-defining statements as the playoff picture finally sharpens. Brien and AV break down every major rivalry matchup—from Clean Old Fashioned Hate to the Iron Bowl—before diving into a wild first wave of coaching moves and what it all means headed into Championship Week. What's inside: Rivalry Weekend Rundown: Cal–SMU closes the night with a 35-point fourth quarter thriller, the Iron Bowl comes down to the final snap, and LSU–Oklahoma turns into a gritty, old-school rock fight. Coaching Carousel Opens Fire: Alex Golesh bolts for Auburn, Ryan Silverfield lands at Arkansas, Lane Kiffin finally arrives at LSU, Jon Sumrall takes the Florida job, Pete Golding steps up at Ole Miss, and Pat Fitzgerald to Michigan State might be the cleanest pairing of the entire cycle. Penn State Problems: They fired early, but with no marquee coach in sight, the Nittany Lions look far more like a tier-two job than leadership wants to admit. Clean Old Fashioned Hate: Georgia grinds out a 16–9 win, shutting down Tech's high-powered offense and holding them to just 69 rushing yards, while Tech's late-season collapse becomes impossible to ignore. Lone Star Showdown: Texas takes down A&M 27–17 behind a surprising run-game resurgence and an improving Arch Manning. Meanwhile, Brien questions whether A&M's undefeated surge was built on the SEC's soft middle. The Game — Ohio State at Michigan: Buckeyes dominate 27–9 behind the best defense in the nation and a poised Julian Sayin, while concerns mount over Bryce Underwood's development and Michigan's offensive ceiling. Game Balls: Caleb Hawkins (North Texas), Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt), and Jadan Baugh (Florida) headline the weekend's standout performances. I've Got Questions: AV challenges Rhett Lashlee for SMU's no-show with a title berth on the line. Brien takes aim at the sport itself—conference championship games that don't matter, bloated leagues, meaningless matchups, injury risk, and a system more controlled by committees than the field.