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It’s been a thrilling, dramatic, kooky and flat-out fun college football season. And while we’re in the thick of the College Football Playoff now, we can’t ring in 2026 without looking back at some of the best plays of the 2025 season.
From Fernando Mendoza’s Heisman Trophy heroics in a game-winning drive against Penn State, to Lane Kiffin spurring Ole Miss for LSU right before the CFP, to the selection committee drama with Notre Dame, Miami and Alabama, to some memorable moments on Big Noon Kickoff, it’s been an eventful year to say the least.
Now, ahead of the New Year while the college football season winds down, here are our top-25 moments of the 2025 season:
25. Illinois K David Olano’s walk-off FG vs. USC
The 16-yard touchdown pass from USC quarterback Jayden Maiava to wide receiver Makai Lemon with 1:55 remaining appeared to complete a multi-score, fourth-quarter comeback for the previously unbeaten Trojans. But Illinois swiftly covered 51 yards in eight plays to set up a 41-yard, game-winning field goal by kicker David Olano as time expired at Memorial Stadium.
It was a kick that proved to have a long-lasting influence on the College Football Playoff, as USC might have been included in the field had Olano missed. In that alternate world, the Trojans finish 10-2 overall and 8-1 in the Big Ten with their only losses to then-No. 13 Notre Dame and then-No. 7 Oregon.
Illinois’ David Olano drills game-winning 41-yard field goal vs. USC
Illinois’ David Olano drilled a game-winning 41-yard field goal vs. USC.
[College Football Playoff: 8 CFP Teams, 8 Stats You Need to Know, Players to Watch]
24. Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire saying Notre Dame should join a conference
The 12-team College Football Playoff was designed with Notre Dame in mind, and the Fighting Irish benefited nicely from it in 2024. As the top-ranked non-league champ, they were awarded the No. 5-seed and a home playoff game.
They expected similar treatment in 2025. When the Fighting Irish became the first team left out of the CFP, many fans and aficionados believed it was just. I did not expect Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire to say the quiet part out loud, though.
“I don’t want to make Notre Dame mad, but be in a conference, and you’re in the playoffs,” he said.
23. Arch Manning’s 75-yard swing pass to Ryan Wingo vs. Vanderbilt
On the first play from scrimmage, Texas quarterback Arch Manning hit Ryan Wingo with a swing pass, and after breaking a couple tackles, the wide receiver was off to the races for a touchdown to give Texas a quick 7-0 lead over Vanderbilt.
The Longhorns won, 34-31, securing their second top-10 win of the season. Entering the matchup, Texas was 6-2 after some tight games with lesser opponents. This was a chance to make a statement coming into a critical November, and this play set the tone.
(Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
22. Indiana’s 63-10 demolition of Illinois
From the moment the Big Ten released its schedule, this game between potential College Football Playoff hopefuls was circled as a late September measuring stick. Could Illinois really be a dark-horse contender for the national championship after winning 10 games in 2024? Was Indiana just a one-hit wonder under lightning-rod head coach Curt Cignetti? Those were the questions fans wanted answered.
What followed was a 53-point destruction that entrenched the Hoosiers as one of the best teams in the country — better than last year’s version, even — and left Illinois searching for answers in a season that never lived up to expectations. It was the third of an eventual eight wins by 20-plus points for Indiana.
21. Big Noon Kickoff: Brady Quinn and Mark Ingram mess with Rob Stone
While FOX Sports’ Rob Stone was doing his report during the Ohio State-Penn State game in Columbus on Nov. 1, his Big Noon Kickoff colleagues, Brady Quinn and Mark Ingram, had a little fun with him mid-broadcast.
[More CFP: How Matt Patricia Found ‘Different Joy’ as Ohio State’s Defensive Coordinator]
20. Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas’ scoop-and-score against Alabama
In a win that defined the Sooners’ season, Sooner edge rusher R Mason Thomas’ scoop-and-score to tie Oklahoma with Tennessee at 7-7 in the early stage of the game rang out. It’s not just that Thomas came up with a signature takeaway and returned the fumble for a touchdown. It’s that he also held off a Tennessee defender with a stiff arm and injured his quad on the way to the end zone. The win helped earn Oklahoma an invitation to the CFP for a fifth time.
19. Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza’s 49-yard TD pass vs. Iowa
For the better part of four quarters, Iowa’s defense had skewered Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with one blitz after another, one hit after another, to the point where it was fair to question if he’d be able to finish the game. But when the Hawkeyes dialed up a last-gasp, all-out blitz on third-and-10 with fewer than two minutes remaining, Mendoza hung in the pocket and fired a slant to wide receiver Elijah Sarratt for a 49-yard touchdown that proved to be the winning score. That Mendoza was in tears after the game reflected just how much punishment he’d absorbed from one of the best defenses in the country.
(Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images)
18. Stanford’s Jay Green interrupts Andrew Luck interview with a scoop-and-score
This was one of the funnier moments of the season. Former Stanford quarterback and current program general manager Andrew Luck was doing an interview on the sideline during Stanford’s 31-10 win over Cal. Literally in the middle of said interview, safety Jay Green scooped up a fumble and ran right past Luck on his way to the end zone.
Luck saw the play unfold, abruptly stopped his interview, and cheered Green on as he scored a touchdown.
17. Texas Tech backup QB Will Hammond vs. Utah
A huge early season matchup in the Big 12 pitted No. 17 Texas Tech against No. 16 Utah at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, with legitimate College Football Playoff ramifications for both sides. The Red Raiders lost starting quarterback Behren Morton to a head injury early in the third quarter of a one-score game, and backup Will Hammond was thrust into duty. Hammond was a former four-star prospect and the No. 226 overall player in the 2024 recruiting class, an Elite 11 Finalist who chose Texas Tech over scholarship offers from Penn State, Oregon and Auburn, among others. He answered the call by completing 13 of 16 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns during an eventual 34-10 triumph for the Red Raiders.
No. 17 Texas Tech Red Raiders vs. No. 16 Utah Utes Highlights | FOX College Football
Check out the best moments from this Big 12 clash between the No. 17 Texas Tech Red Raiders and the No. 16 Utah Utes.
16. Kadyn Proctor’s lateral catch for Alabama in an upset win against Georgia
No team had walked into Athens, Georgia, and walked out with a win against the Georgia Bulldogs in six years. The 24-21 win for the Crimson Tide was punctuated by 6-foot-7, 359-pound offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor catching a lateral and running over multiple Georgia players to advance the ball to the Georgia two-yard line.
15. Prospect Jared Curtis flips from Georgia to Vanderbilt
Off-the-field stories count, too, and there was no bigger recruiting news than when five-star quarterback Jared Curtis — the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2026 class — flipped his commitment from Georgia to Vanderbilt on Dec. 2, signing with the Commodores shortly thereafter. While it’s true that Curtis played his high school football in Nashville, not far from Vanderbilt’s campus, the decision still registered as seismic given the contrasting historical profiles of both programs. It was a feather in the cap for Vanderbilt head coach Clark Lea, who guided the Commodores to a 10-2 mark in the regular season, and a reminder that nearly every fan base can make compelling financial offers in the NIL era.
14. Georgia’s onside kick vs. Texas
In a November battle between SEC heavyweights, Georgia narrowly led Texas, 14-10, entering the fourth quarter in Athens. That’s when Kirby Smart called a gutsy onside kick to start the quarter, which his team recovered. The Bulldogs scored on the drive and went on to outscore the Longhorns 21-0 in the fourth quarter and pull off a 35-10 win.
This was Georgia’s third straight win over Texas over the past two seasons. It was also a key victory for Smart’s team on its way to winning the conference title and earning a first-round bye in the CFP.
(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
13. Big Noon Saturday: Ohio State’s tunnel run after beating Michigan
The scene of Buckeyes players running through a tunnel decorated with “GO BLUE” on the walls after the program’s first win against Michigan since 2019 is indelible. For Ohio State coaches and staffers who had not experienced a win against Michigan in the 2020s and for players who capitalized on an opportunity to win on the field against the Wolverines, the catharsis was palpable as Julian Sayin embraced a Buckeye coach in celebration.
12. Curry College RB Montie Quinn’s record-setting day
For one Saturday in mid-October, amid the thick of conference play, Division III Curry College made national news because of an incredible performance from tailback Montie Quinn, who set the single-game NCAA rushing record for all divisions. Quinn carried 20 times for a staggering 522 yards and seven touchdowns in his team’s 71-27 victory over Nichols.
The previous NCAA and Division III record was held by former Heidelberg running back Cartel Brooks, who amassed 465 yards in 2013. What made Quinn’s stat line even more preposterous is that he did not play the final nine minutes of a lopsided game.
“What Montie did today was nothing short of amazing,” Curry head coach Todd Parsons said that day. “Breaking the NCAA rushing record is a monumental achievement.”
11. Gunner Stockton’s 4th-and-7 TD to London Humphreys in comeback win vs. Tennessee
Down, 38-30, to the Volunteers, Georgia coach Kirby Smart let quarterback Gunner Stockton take a shot in a game that felt like it was going to be won by the offense with the most guts.
“I felt like they were defending the sticks, and we were looking for a touchdown, and sometimes you get an advantage when they’re defending the sticks,” Smart said after the game.
Stockton found receiver London Humphreys in a one-on-one situation and threw the ball where only Humphreys could catch it for a touchdown. That play was the biggest in a 44-41 overtime win against Tennessee at Rocky Top that kept the Bulldogs in the chase for the SEC championship game and put them in position to win it.
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
10. Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith’s catch at Penn State
We’ve seen some pretty wild and crazy catches from Ohio State star receiver Jeremiah Smith, and this one-handed grab against Penn State was a nice addition to his resume.
The Buckeyes beat the Nittany Lions, 38-14, and Smith had six catches for 123 yards with two touchdowns.
[Game Changers: Why Jeremiah Smith Almost Flipped From Ohio State to Miami]
9. Texas A&M’s stunning comeback vs. South Carolina
In one of the most jaw-dropping, see-it-to-believe-it games of the season, then-No. 3 Texas A&M preserved its undefeated record by erasing a 30-3 halftime deficit against South Carolina — at home, no less — to secure the largest comeback in program history. Prior to that game, SEC schools were 0-286 in conference games when trailing by at least 27 points since 2004. The Aggies scored four unanswered touchdowns in the opening 20 minutes of the second half to take a 31-30 lead with 10:47 remaining in a game that ended by the same score. Quarterback Marcel Reed completed 22 of 39 passes for a career-high 439 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.
(Photo by Adam Davis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
8. Texas A&M’s late TD to beat Notre Dame
Quarterback Marcel Reed found tight end Nate Boerkircher for an 11-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds left, and Randy Bond kicked the extra point to lift Texas A&M to a 41-40 win over Notre Dame in South Bend back in early September.
It was a massive road win for the Aggies and an important win on their CFP resume. Texas A&M coach Mike Elko’s team proceeded to go 11-1 in the regular season and clinch the program’s first-ever playoff berth.
(Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
7. Big Noon Saturday: Brutus’ Ohio dots the snowy “I”
It’s not just that Brutus had the audacity to sketch out the “Ohio” script in a snow-laden Michigan end zone — he dotted the “I”! — but he also found a way to X out the “M” in “Michigan” in the end zone at Michigan Stadium in a game the Buckeyes won. Elite trolling.
6. UCLA shocks Penn State, and players carry Jerry Neuheisel off the field
It wasn’t a good season for UCLA, which went 3-9 and fired coach DeShaun Foster after an 0-3 start. But a highlight for the Bruins was when they stunned Penn State, 42-37, at the Rose Bowl behind quarterback Nico Iamaleava’s five touchdowns.
Tight ends coach Jerry Neuheisel called the offensive plays that day after offensive coordinator Rino Sunseri left the program earlier in the week. The former UCLA quarterback — and son of former Bruins’ coach Rick Neuheisel — didn’t have much time to prepare a game plan, but his players showed up for him. When the final whistle blew, they hoisted the coach on their shoulders and carried him off the field in celebration.
UCLA Bruins vs. No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions Highlights | FOX College Football
Check out the best moments in this Week 6 matchup between the UCLA Bruins and the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions.
5. Dillon Thieneman picking off Drew Allar to seal Oregon’s 2OT win vs. Penn State
In a rematch of the 2024 Big Ten championship game, quarterback Drew Allar and the Nittany Lions needed a touchdown while down, 30-24, to stave off an upset at Beaver Stadium. Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman’s pick to end the game proved to be one of the most important for the season.
First, it kept Oregon on its path to CFP participation for a second consecutive year. Second, it was the play that began the unraveling of the James Franklin era at Penn State. In fact, just two games later, both Franklin and Allar would be done at Penn State for the season.
(Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
4. Penn State beats Rutgers to become bowl eligible
Given where Penn State’s program stood following its loss to Northwestern on Oct. 11 — a third consecutive defeat that resulted in both the firing of head coach James Franklin and a season-ending injury for quarterback Drew Allar — it’s fairly remarkable that the Nittany Lions clawed their way to bowl eligibility when all was said and done. A six-game losing streak that spanned the end of Franklin’s tenure and the transition to interim coach Terry Smith sunk Penn State to 3-6 overall and 0-6 in the Big Ten before a late-season rally that featured wins over Michigan State, Nebraska and Rutgers. Even the program’s circuitous coaching search ended with a favorable result when athletic director Pat Kraft succeeded in plucking Matt Campbell from Iowa State.
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights Highlights | FOX College Football
Check out the best moments between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights Highlights in Week 14!
3. Carter Davis’ late 47-yard FG in Miami’s win against Notre Dame
At the time, it felt like an important field goal. But no one knew it would be one of the most defining plays of the season. Had Davis missed that field goal with 1:04 left and Miami lost its season-opener to Notre Dame, there’s every reason to believe the Fighting Irish would be Ohio State’s opponent in the Cotton Bowl and not Miami.
Head-to-head is one of the criteria the selection committee uses to select teams for the CFP. While Notre Dame and Miami each won 10 games and played similar (ACC) opponents, it’s that late field goal to win in Week 1 that allowed the Hurricanes to participate in the CFP for the first time.
(Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
2. Lane Kiffin’s airport departure
Only in college football — and, perhaps, only in the SEC — could a head coach’s decision to bounce from one program to another result in scores of fans flooding the local airport to hurl expletives and middle-finger gestures at a man who oversaw three consecutive 10-win seasons culminating in the school’s first College Football Playoff appearance. But such was life for the enigmatic Lane Kiffin, whose choice to leave Ole Miss for LSU is arguably the sport’s defining storyline in 2025. Images of Kiffin boarding the private plane in Oxford while his dry cleaning was left outside the Rebels’ football facility won’t fade from memory any time soon. Perhaps it really does just mean more in the SEC.
(Photo by Jason Homan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
1. Fernando Mendoza’s Heisman moment vs. Penn State
Indiana’s nerviest moment of the season came against Penn State when it gave up a 20-7 lead and trailed, 24-20, late in the fourth quarter. That’s when Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza turned on the jets and led his team on an epic game-winning drive that would become a pillar of his Heisman Trophy candidacy.
With fewer than two minutes to go and no timeouts left, Mendoza marched his offense downfield and eventually found himself facing third-and-goal. On the play, Mendoza hit Omar Cooper Jr. in the back of the end zone for one of the most wild catches of the season. After review, it was ruled that Cooper had his left foot down and the touchdown was good. The play saved Indiana’s undefeated season and Mendoza’s Heisman campaign.
Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She is the author of “Strong Like a Woman,” published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her at @LakenLitman.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him @RJ_Young.
Michael Cohen covers college football and college basketball for FOX Sports. Follow him at @Michael_Cohen13.
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