Week 12 Winners and Losers: Tennessee's collapse highlights a nearly Earth-shattering weekend of college football

We were so close.

Week 12 very nearly became the most consequential in a season that has featured some absolutely wild weekends. One team in the top five lost in Tennessee — which was demolished by Spencer Rattler and South Carolina — and three more almost suffered the same fate.

Both Michigan and Ohio State were on the ropes against Illinois and Maryland, respectively, and needed comebacks to stay undefeated. TCU, meanwhile, pulled out perhaps its most improbable victory of the season to remain perfect.

Still, considering how much of a snooze-fest the weekend before rivalry week often becomes, it’s hard to complain about the product we received on Saturday. Here are the winners and losers from Week 12 with a focus on College Football Playoff implications as we prepare for the final week of the regular season.