Saturday rundown: Takeaways from Week 13's biggest games

theScore runs down the top storylines and developments from Saturday's college football games, and what it all might mean moving forward.

No Saban, no problem for Alabama

There was no Auburn magic at the Iron Bowl this year, as Alabama absolutely dominated its rival for a statement victory. Nick Saban's absence due to COVID-19 didn't affect the Crimson Tide one bit, with offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian calling a masterclass to see the team score at least 35 points for the 21st straight game.

Mac Jones looked incredibly comfortable throughout, tossing five touchdowns in the contest, but it might have been DeVonta Smith who stole the show. The star receiver finished with seven catches for 171 yards and two scores, including this display of incredible speed that will surely have Alabama fans buzzing:

Alabama finishes the season with a road game against LSU next weekend before likely meeting Florida in a high-powered matchup for the SEC title.

Texas A&M is spectacularly boring

Sitting at No. 5 in the CFP rankings, Texas A&M was likely pleased with Saturday's 20-7 win over LSU, a result that improved the program's record to 6-1. But neutral fans who tuned in for an entertaining game of football aren't likely to seek out Aggies broadcasts again anytime soon.

Thanks to a stout defense and a litany of Tigers turnovers, the result never looked to be in question. Kellen Mond only completed 11-of-34 passes for 105 yards, going a paltry 2-of-16 on 3rd-down conversions. Isaiah Spiller finished with 27 carries for 141 yards, but outside of a 52-yard touchdown scamper, the star running back only averaged 3.4 yards per carry.

Playing strong defense and running the football seems like a lost art in 2020, but Texas A&M is riding that style to great success - and possibly a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Northwestern runs out of magic

A week after knocking off Wisconsin in a huge home win, Northwestern turned in a shocking performance, falling to 13.5-point underdog Michigan State in its first loss of the season. While the Wildcats are still in the driver's seat for the division crown, the loss likely ends any small hope for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

What the setback means for the Big Ten's overall CFP hopes remains to be seen. Northwestern is still likely to qualify for the conference title game, but Saturday's loss severely dented its resume. Ohio State was sidelined this weekend due to COVID-19 for the second time on the season. One more cancellation would render the Buckeyes ineligible for the Big Ten title, and most likely a playoff berth as well.

How the Big Ten fares in the second edition of the CFP committee's rankings is likely the biggest question mark ahead of Tuesday's unveiling.

Clemson delivers a statement

It's pretty clear Dabo Swinney was in a foul mood after the Florida State postponement, and the Clemson head coach took out his frustrations on Pitt early and often Saturday in Death Valley. The Tigers showed ruthless efficiency in racing out to a 31-0 lead after the first quarter, coasting for the remainder of play to a 52-17 win.

Trevor Lawrence showed virtually no rust in his first November game, throwing for 403 yards and two scores with Cornell Powell supplying the big-play threat through the air. While it was a quality win for Clemson, the Tigers need to address their rushing attack as they head toward a rematch with Notre Dame in the ACC title game; Swinney's outfit was held without a 100-yard rusher for a fifth straight contest.

Sarah Fuller makes history

Vanderbilt got smoked by Missouri to fall to 0-8 on the season, but nobody will remember the score in this one thanks to Sarah Fuller. The star goalkeeper of Vanderbilt's women's soccer team made history by becoming the first woman to appear in a Power 5 football game when she executed a perfect squib kick to open the second half. After COVID-19 issues left Derek Mason without a kicker for his team's matchup with the Tigers, the Commodores head coach enlisted Fuller. Vanderbilt's struggles on offense may have kept Fuller from attempting a field goal, but she will forever be remembered for her role in Saturday's contest.

Kyle-to-Kyle shines for Florida

A two-game absence certainly didn't cool Kyle Pitts off, as Florida's star tight end continued his insane 2020 production with three more touchdowns versus Kentucky. Pitts now has 29 catches on the season. An absurd 11 of them have gone for touchdowns, tying him for the national lead. The trio of scores also gave Kyle Trask a whopping 34 on the campaign. Trask entered the contest as the Heisman favorite, and he'll certainly leave the weekend in the same spot. A clash with Alabama and Mac Jones for the SEC title - and likely the Heisman - looks more likely by the week.

Penn State ends skid

A matchup between Penn State and Michigan would usually have national implications, or at the very least constitute a huge contest in the Big Ten East. But Saturday's tilt saw a Nittany Lions team with the first 0-5 record in program history travel to face the 2-3 Wolverines. The result? Some long-awaited good news for James Franklin and Penn State as Keyvone Lee and Sean Clifford ran all over Michigan in a 27-17 win. Questions surrounding Jim Harbaugh's future in Ann Arbor will only intensify after the supposed "quarterback whisperer" once again failed to get any production in the passing game. Cade McNamara and Joe Milton combined for just 112 yards through the air in the loss.

Oklahoma State stays alive in the Big 12

It got a little tight at the end of Saturday's contest against Texas Tech, but Oklahoma State remains in contention for the Big 12 title game. The Cowboys overcame the absence of star running back Chuba Hubbard thanks to an all-world performance from Dezmon Jackson. The backup played like anything but, torching the Red Raiders' defense for 235 yards and three scores on the ground.

The Cowboys need some help from Oklahoma or Iowa State to make the title game, but wins in their remaining matchups against TCU and Baylor should keep them in the race.