CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2012: Bowls & playoff

35 games. 11 ranked teams lost, three to unranked teams. Eight games matched two ranked teams. Winners are listed first; numbers before names are AP ranks going in.

The week in review

Ranked against ranked

Jan 7, 20132Alabama 42, 1Notre Dame 14upsetBCS National ChampionshipBox score
Jan 3, 20135Oregon 35, 7Kansas State 17Fiesta BowlBox score
Jan 4, 201310Texas A&M 41, 12Oklahoma 13Cotton BowlBox score
Dec 31, 201214Clemson 25, 9LSU 24upsetChick-fil-A BowlBox score
Jan 2, 201322Louisville 33, 4Florida 23upsetSugar BowlBox score
Jan 1, 20136Georgia 45, 23Nebraska 31Capital One BowlBox score

Upsets

Jan 7, 20132Alabama 42, 1Notre Dame 14upsetBCS National ChampionshipBox score
Jan 2, 201322Louisville 33, 4Florida 23upsetSugar BowlBox score
Dec 31, 201214Clemson 25, 9LSU 24upsetChick-fil-A BowlBox score
Dec 29, 2012Texas 31, 15Oregon State 27upsetAlamo BowlBox score
Dec 27, 2012Baylor 49, 17UCLA 26upsetHoliday BowlBox score
Jan 6, 2013Arkansas State 17, 25Kent State 13upsetGoDaddy.com BowlBox score

A ranked team beaten as the betting favorite, or, where no line is on file, by an unranked or lower-ranked team.

Big days

Passing

Aaron Murray18 of 33, 427 yards, 5 TD, 2 INTGeorgia vs. Nebraska
  1. David Fales San José State33 of 43, 395 yards, 2 TD
  2. Brendon Kay Cincinnati17 of 25, 332 yards, 4 TD

Rushing

Kerwynn Williams18 carries, 235 yards, 3 TDUtah State vs. Toledo
  1. Johnny Manziel Texas A&M17 carries, 229 yards, 2 TD
  2. Tyson Gulley Syracuse26 carries, 213 yards, 2 TD

Receiving

DeAndre Hopkins13 catches, 191 yards, 2 TDClemson vs. LSU
  1. Austin Hill Arizona8 catches, 175 yards, 2 TD
  2. Jordan Taylor Rice9 catches, 153 yards, 3 TD
Ranked by a points score for each kind of game (yards, touchdowns, tackles, sacks).
How we rankRanked by yards plus 20 for each touchdown (passing: less 20 for each interception); defense (from 2016, when the box scores carry tackles) by points: 8 a tackle, 12 a tackle for loss, 30 a sack (a sack is also a tackle for loss, so 42 in all), 40 an interception, 60 a touchdown.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licenses; credits on each player’s page.

The week’s biggest individual games by FBS players, from CollegeFootballData box scores.

FBS vs. FBS

Dec 15, 2012Arizona 49, Nevada 48New Mexico BowlBox score
Dec 15, 201218Utah State 41, Toledo 15Famous Idaho Potato BowlBox score
Dec 20, 2012BYU 23, San Diego State 6Poinsettia BowlBox score
Dec 21, 2012UCF 38, Ball State 17Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl St. PetersburgBox score
Dec 22, 2012Louisiana 43, East Carolina 34New Orleans BowlBox score
Dec 22, 201220Boise State 28, Washington 26Maaco Bowl Las VegasBox score
Dec 24, 2012SMU 43, Fresno State 10Hawai’i BowlBox score
Dec 26, 2012Central Michigan 24, Western Kentucky 21Little Caesars BowlBox score
Dec 27, 201224San José State 29, Bowling Green 20Military BowlBox score
Dec 27, 2012Cincinnati 48, Duke 34Belk BowlBox score
Dec 27, 2012Baylor 49, 17UCLA 26upsetHoliday BowlBox score
Dec 28, 2012Ohio 45, UL Monroe 14Independence BowlBox score
Dec 28, 2012Virginia Tech 13, Rutgers 10Russell Athletic BowlBox score
Dec 28, 2012Texas Tech 34, Minnesota 31Meineke Car Care Bowl of TexasBox score
Dec 29, 2012Rice 33, Air Force 14Armed Forces BowlBox score
Dec 29, 2012Syracuse 38, West Virginia 14Pinstripe BowlBox score
Dec 29, 2012Arizona State 62, Navy 28Fight Hunger BowlBox score
Dec 29, 2012Texas 31, 15Oregon State 27upsetAlamo BowlBox score
Dec 29, 2012Michigan State 17, TCU 16Buffalo Wild Wings BowlBox score
Dec 31, 2012Vanderbilt 38, NC State 24Music City BowlBox score
Dec 31, 2012Georgia Tech 21, USC 7Sun BowlBox score
Dec 31, 2012Tulsa 31, Iowa State 17Liberty BowlBox score
Dec 31, 201214Clemson 25, 9LSU 24upsetChick-fil-A BowlBox score
Jan 1, 201321Northwestern 34, Mississippi State 20Gator BowlBox score
Jan 1, 2013Oklahoma State 58, Purdue 14Heart of Dallas BowlBox score
Jan 1, 201311South Carolina 33, 19Michigan 28Outback BowlBox score
Jan 1, 20136Georgia 45, 23Nebraska 31Capital One BowlBox score
Jan 1, 20138Stanford 20, Wisconsin 14Rose BowlBox score
Jan 1, 201313Florida State 31, 16Northern Illinois 10Orange BowlBox score
Jan 2, 201322Louisville 33, 4Florida 23upsetSugar BowlBox score
Jan 3, 20135Oregon 35, 7Kansas State 17Fiesta BowlBox score
Jan 4, 201310Texas A&M 41, 12Oklahoma 13Cotton BowlBox score
Jan 5, 2013Ole Miss 38, Pittsburgh 17BBVA Compass BowlBox score
Jan 6, 2013Arkansas State 17, 25Kent State 13upsetGoDaddy.com BowlBox score
Jan 7, 20132Alabama 42, 1Notre Dame 14upsetBCS National ChampionshipBox score