CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

2017: Bowls & playoff

46 games. 12 ranked teams lost, one to an unranked team. 11 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 1, 20183Georgia 54, 2Oklahoma 48Rose Bowl, CFP SemifinalBox score
Jan 1, 20184Alabama 24, 1Clemson 6Sugar Bowl, CFP SemifinalBox score
Jan 8, 20184Alabama 26, 3Georgia 23CFP National ChampionshipBox score
Dec 29, 20175Ohio State 24, 8USC 7Cotton BowlBox score
Dec 30, 20176Wisconsin 34, 11Miami 24Orange BowlBox score
Jan 1, 201810UCF 34, 7Auburn 27upsetPeach BowlBox score

Upsets

Jan 1, 201810UCF 34, 7Auburn 27upsetPeach BowlBox score
Jan 1, 201814Notre Dame 21, 16LSU 17upsetCitrus BowlBox score
Dec 30, 2017Iowa State 21, 19Memphis 20upsetLiberty 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

John WolfordNo. 2 this week32 of 49, 400 yards, 4 TDWake Forest vs. Texas A&M
  1. Nick Starkel Texas A&M42 of 63, 499 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT
  2. Elijah Sindelar Purdue33 of 53, 396 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT

Rushing

Rashaad Penny14 carries, 221 yards, 4 TDSan Diego State vs. Army
  1. Sony Michel Georgia11 carries, 181 yards, 3 TD
  2. Rodney Anderson Oklahoma26 carries, 201 yards, 2 TD

Receiving

Christian Kirk13 catches, 189 yards, 3 TDTexas A&M vs. Wake Forest
  1. Cedrick Wilson Boise State10 catches, 221 yards, 1 TD
  2. Keke Coutee Texas Tech11 catches, 187 yards, 1 TD

Defense

Shaquem GriffinNo. 3 this week12 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3.5 for lossUCF vs. Auburn
  1. Mark McLaurin Mississippi State11 tackles, 0.5 for loss, 3 INT
  2. T.J. Brunson South Carolina13 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 for loss
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 16, 2017Troy 50, North Texas 30New Orleans BowlBox score
Dec 16, 2017Georgia State 27, Western Kentucky 17Cure BowlBox score
Dec 16, 201725Boise State 38, Oregon 28Las Vegas BowlBox score
Dec 16, 2017Marshall 31, Colorado State 28New Mexico BowlBox score
Dec 16, 2017Middle Tennessee 35, Arkansas State 30Camellia BowlBox score
Dec 19, 2017Florida Atlantic 50, Akron 3Boca Raton BowlBox score
Dec 20, 2017Louisiana Tech 51, SMU 10Frisco BowlBox score
Dec 21, 2017Temple 28, Florida International 3Gasparilla BowlBox score
Dec 22, 2017Ohio 41, UAB 6Bahamas BowlBox score
Dec 22, 2017Wyoming 37, Central Michigan 14Famous Idaho Potato BowlBox score
Dec 23, 201723South Florida 38, Texas Tech 34Birmingham BowlBox score
Dec 23, 2017Army 42, San Diego State 35Armed Forces BowlBox score
Dec 23, 2017App State 34, Toledo 0Dollar General BowlBox score
Dec 24, 2017Fresno State 33, Houston 27Hawai’i BowlBox score
Dec 26, 2017Utah 30, West Virginia 14Heart of Dallas BowlBox score
Dec 26, 2017Duke 36, Northern Illinois 14Quick Lane BowlBox score
Dec 26, 2017Kansas State 35, UCLA 17Cactus BowlBox score
Dec 27, 2017Florida State 42, Southern Miss 13Independence BowlBox score
Dec 27, 2017Iowa 27, Boston College 20Pinstripe BowlBox score
Dec 27, 2017Purdue 38, Arizona 35Foster Farms BowlBox score
Dec 27, 2017Texas 33, Missouri 16Texas BowlBox score
Dec 28, 2017Navy 49, Virginia 7Military BowlBox score
Dec 28, 201717Oklahoma State 30, 22Virginia Tech 21Camping World BowlBox score
Dec 28, 201713TCU 39, 15Stanford 37Alamo BowlBox score
Dec 28, 201718Michigan State 42, 21Washington State 17Holiday BowlBox score
Dec 29, 2017Wake Forest 55, Texas A&M 52Belk BowlBox score
Dec 29, 2017NC State 52, Arizona State 31Sun BowlBox score
Dec 29, 201720Northwestern 24, Kentucky 23Music City BowlBox score
Dec 29, 2017New Mexico State 26, Utah State 20Arizona BowlBox score
Dec 29, 20175Ohio State 24, 8USC 7Cotton BowlBox score
Dec 30, 201724Mississippi State 31, Louisville 27TaxSlayer BowlBox score
Dec 30, 2017Iowa State 21, 19Memphis 20upsetLiberty BowlBox score
Dec 30, 20179Penn State 35, 12Washington 28Fiesta BowlBox score
Dec 30, 20176Wisconsin 34, 11Miami 24Orange BowlBox score
Jan 1, 2018South Carolina 26, Michigan 19Outback BowlBox score
Jan 1, 201810UCF 34, 7Auburn 27upsetPeach BowlBox score
Jan 1, 201814Notre Dame 21, 16LSU 17upsetCitrus BowlBox score
Jan 1, 20183Georgia 54, 2Oklahoma 48Rose Bowl, CFP SemifinalBox score
Jan 1, 20184Alabama 24, 1Clemson 6Sugar Bowl, CFP SemifinalBox score
Jan 8, 20184Alabama 26, 3Georgia 23CFP National ChampionshipBox score

Everyone else

Dec 15, 2017Mount Union 12, Mary Hardin Baylor 0Box score
Dec 15, 2017North Dakota State 55, Sam Houston 13Box score
Dec 16, 2017North Carolina A&T 21, Grambling 14Box score
Dec 16, 2017James Madison 51, South Dakota State 16Box score
Dec 16, 2017East Texas A&M 37, West Florida 27Box score
Jan 6, 2018North Dakota State 17, James Madison 13Box score