Originally Published: November 3, 2014
Still In Contention
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Alabama: The Crimson Tide had the weekend off before traveling to No. 19 LSU on Saturday night. Alabama fans might have been concerned about three other SEC West teams (No. 1 Mississippi State, No. 3 Auburn and No. 4 Ole Miss) being ranked ahead of the Tide on the first selection committee ballot, but if the Crimson Tide are good enough to make the playoff, the rankings will take care of themselves. Alabama doesn't have many skins on its wall to impress the committee right now, but it'll have three chances to make some noise before the regular season's end. After playing LSU on the road, the Tide hosts Mississippi State on Nov. 15 and closes the regular season against Auburn in the Iron Bowl on Nov. 29. |
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Arizona State: The Pac-12 South is so deep that the winners are probably going to look back at a victory or two and realize how lucky they were to win. Arizona State's moment might have come on Saturday night, when Utah's normally reliable kicker, Andy Phillips, missed a 35-yard field goal attempt to open overtime. ASU kicker Zane Gonzalez made his 36-yard attempt, giving the Sun Devils a 19-16 victory in overtime. The Sun Devils can take a big step toward legitimacy by knocking off No. 10 Notre Dame at home next week. They're in pretty good shape in the Pac-12 South race as well. In fact, ESPN's Football Power Index gives them a 55 percent chance of winning the division, which is markedly higher than that of UCLA (20 percent), USC (13 percent) and Arizona (8 percent). |
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Auburn: Some day soon, Auburn's luck is going to run out. But opponents have to be wondering when that day will come. Last season, Auburn scored a touchdown off a deflected Hail Mary pass to beat Georgia and then ran back a missed field goal attempt for an improbable touchdown to stun Alabama in the Iron Bowl, two victories that helped the Tigers reach the BCS title game. On Saturday night, the Tigers found another unimaginable way to win, when Kris Frost stripped Laquon Treadwell of the ball just before he crossed the goal line. The Tigers might be fortunate, but they're also very good at what they do. Auburn shredded Ole Miss' run defense with 253 yards, including nine rushes of 10 yards or more, the most such runs the Rebels have allowed this season. Ole Miss allowed its second-most yards and the most yards before contact in a game this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. |
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Florida State: The defending national champions had to come back from a huge hole again, rallying from a 21-0 deficit to defeat Louisville 42-31 on the road Thursday night. The trip to Louisville appeared to be FSU's toughest test left, but an upcoming road trip to Miami on Nov. 15 and home games against Boston College and Florida to close the regular season suddenly look a little trickier. First, the Seminoles will play Virginia at home on Saturday. This team isn't nearly as dominant as it was last season, when it finished 14-0, but it keeps finding ways to win, which is really all that matters in the end. |
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Kansas State: On Saturday, Wildcats coach Bill Snyder apologized for appearing in a political ad in which he endorsed a candidate running for re-election to the U.S. Senate. His apology begs the question: Why aren't candidates endorsing Snyder? The venerable coach is once again working miracles at Kansas State, as the Wildcats climbed to 7-1 after an impressive 48-14 rout of Oklahoma State on Saturday. Kansas State seems to be hitting its peak at the right time, too, as it heads to No. 7 TCU for a Big 12 showdown next week. |
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Michigan State: The Spartans had the week off to prepare for Saturday's showdown against Ohio State in East Lansing, Michigan. Last season, the Spartans knocked the Buckeyes out of the BCS title game by upsetting them 34-24 in the Big Ten championship game. Michigan State scored the game's first 17 points, surrendered the next 24 and then scored the last 17 to pull away for a win. The loss ended Ohio State's 24-game winning streak and was its first loss under coach Urban Meyer, so the Buckeyes will undoubtedly be looking for revenge. While MSU appears to be in much better shape than OSU in the eyes of the selection committee, it's ultimately an elimination game for both teams. |
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Mississippi State: Next week's breather against FCS foe Tennessee-Martin couldn't be coming at a better time for the top-ranked Bulldogs. They looked tired and banged up, and, frankly, haven't looked very impressive the past two weeks. After struggling to put Kentucky away on the road two weeks ago, the Bulldogs had to hold off Arkansas in the final minutes of a 17-10 victory at home on Saturday night. The Bulldogs had to stuff Hogs tailback Alex Collins for no gain on fourth-and-goal at the MSU 3 with 5:05 left, then intercepted a pass in the end zone with 15 seconds left to hold on. With an upcoming trip to No. 6 Alabama in two weeks, the Bulldogs need to get healthy -- and better -- quickly. |
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Notre Dame: The No. 10 Fighting Irish were disappointed that the selection committee didn't rank them higher on its first ballot, but they didn't do much on Saturday night to change the committee's mind. The Irish nearly blew a 28-7 lead and trailed Navy 31-28 heading into the fourth quarter. But then quarterback Everett Golson scored twice in the fourth quarter to lead them to a 49-39 victory. Notre Dame's biggest problem is it doesn't have a signature victory on its résumé. That will change if it can beat No. 14 Arizona State on the road next week. |
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Ohio State: There's little doubt the selection committee punished Ohio State for losing to Virginia Tech 35-21 at home on Sept. 6. There's also no doubt the Buckeyes are a much better team now, but the Virginia Tech loss will haunt them. If you didn't notice, the Hokies lost for the third straight time on Saturday, 33-31 to Boston College, dropping to 4-5 overall. Ohio State can attempt to change the committee's mind when it plays at Michigan State on Saturday night. But it's clear the Buckeyes have a long hill to climb to get into legitimate contention for the playoff. |
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Oregon: It's amazing what a healthy Marcus Mariota means to Oregon. After losing to Stanford in each of the past two seasons when Mariota wasn't fully healthy, the Ducks routed the Cardinals 45-16 on Saturday. Mariota threw for 258 yards with two touchdowns and ran for 85 yards with two more scores. Oregon became the first team to score more than 30 points against Stanford in 31 games, which was the longest such streak in the FBS. After beating their nemesis, the Ducks are in great shape in the Pac-12 title race. In fact, ESPN's Power Football Index gives Oregon a 39 percent chance of winning out, which is second highest among one-loss teams from the Power 5 leagues, and a 70 percent chance of winning the Pac-12. |
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TCU: Doesn't it seem strange to see the Horned Frogs outscoring opponents, instead of shutting them down? Coach Gary Patterson has adjusted his game plan to life in the Big 12, and the Horned Frogs are as explosive as any team in the country. TCU fell behind 13-0 on the road at No. 20 West Virginia on Saturday, but it forced five turnovers and won 31-30 on kicker Jaden Oberkrom's 37-yard field goal as time expired. Now, the Horned Frogs have to prepare for Kansas State, which might have the best defense in the Big 12. ESPN's Football Power Index gives the Horned Frogs a 43 percent chance of winning out, which is highest among one-loss teams from the Power 5 leagues. |
On The Fence
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Arizona: Maybe UCLA coach Jim Mora has Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez's number. In Rodriguez's first season, the Bruins handed the Wildcats a humiliating 66-10 loss. Last season, UCLA won 31-26. And Saturday night, UCLA's defense suffocated Rodriguez's spread offense, surrendering a touchdown on the game's opening drive and then nothing else. Wildcats quarterback Anu Solomon completed only 18 of 48 passes for 175 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Arizona hosts Colorado next week, and it won't have much margin for error in a difficult three-game stretch to close the regular season: Washington (home), Utah (road) and Arizona State (home). |
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Baylor: The Bears got back on track after suffering their first loss of the season two weeks ago, rolling to a 60-14 victory over Kansas on Saturday. The Bears scored on 11 straight possessions and piled up 669 yards of offense. Baylor's overall body of work still leaves a lot to be desired because of its soft nonconference schedule, but it can earn back some respect by defeating No. 18 Oklahoma on the road next week in what was supposed to be the game of the year in the Big 12. |
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Duke: Give Duke some credit: The Blue Devils are either really lucky or they've really learned how to finish under coach David Cutcliffe. Duke has won its past seven regular-season games decided by seven points or fewer during the past two seasons, with a 51-48 double-overtime win on the road at Pittsburgh on Saturday the latest. The Panthers could have won the game in regulation, but normally steady kicker Chris Blewitt missed a 26-yard field goal wide left with 2 seconds to go. The Blue Devils ended up winning the game on backup quarterback Thomas Sirk's 5-yard run in the second overtime. Duke plays at Syracuse this weekend, then has three straight home games against Virginia Tech, North Carolina and Wake Forest as it tries to win back-to-back ACC Coastal Division titles. |
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Georgia: Stop me if you've heard this one before. Even after playing the previous two games without suspended star tailback Todd Gurley, Georgia might have been in the best position among the SEC contenders to reach the playoff. As long as the Bulldogs beat reeling Florida, Kentucky on the road and Auburn at home, they'd reach the SEC championship game in Atlanta. And if the Bulldogs defeated the SEC West champion in the conference title game, there was no way the committee could leave them out of the four-team playoff. So what did Georgia do against Florida on Saturday? It laid a massive egg, allowing 418 rushing yards in a stunning 38-20 loss. It was the second-most rushing yards ever allowed by the Bulldogs. Worse, it was not as if the Gators tried to hide what they were going to do. They ran the ball 60 times and completed only three passes. In fact, it was the first time since 1977 that Florida won a game while completing fewer than 10 passes. |
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Marshall: The Thundering Herd didn't even play this past weekend, but their chances of making a marquee bowl game increased dramatically after Temple stunned East Carolina 20-10 in Philadelphia. Under the playoff selection rules, the highest-rated champion from the Group of 5 conferences is guaranteed a spot in one of the marquee bowl games. It looked like it would be the Pirates, but now Marshall, Boise State or Colorado State look like the best bets, if they win their respective leagues. The Thundering Herd wasn't even included in the selection committee's initial rankings, but they might be in play if they finish unbeaten. Marshall plays at Southern Miss on Saturday. |
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Nebraska: The Cornhuskers appear to have survived a huge scare after star tailback Ameer Abdullah injured his left knee in Saturday's 35-14 victory over Purdue. Abdullah was injured in the first quarter while trying to recover quarterback Tommy Armstrong's fumble near the goal line. Cornhuskers coach Bo Pelini said Abdullah suffered a bruise and a mild sprain of the medial collateral ligament. At least Nebraska has two weeks off before playing at Wisconsin on Nov. 15. The Cornhuskers won't make the playoff (and probably wouldn't even win the Big Ten West) without Abdullah, who has run for 1,250 yards with 17 touchdowns this season. Backups Imani Cross and Terrell Newby combined for 108 yards with three touchdowns on 29 carries Saturday, but the Cornhuskers desperately need Abduallah healthy for the stretch run. |
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Oklahoma: The Sooners' slim playoff hopes remained intact with a 59-14 rout at Iowa State on Saturday. Quarterback Trevor Knight had perhaps his best performance of the season, becoming the first FBS player to run for three touchdowns and throw for three scores in the same game (Notre Dame's Everett Golson matched the feat Saturday night). Knight finished with 230 passing yards and 146 rushing yards, leading the Sooners in both categories. He might have to be just as explosive against Baylor next week. Last season, OU went 4-for-17 on third down and had only 237 yards of offense in an ugly 41-12 loss at Baylor. |
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Ole Miss: The Rebels might want to put in a patent application on how to lose games in the worst way. Saturday's night 35-31 loss to No. 3 Auburn at home couldn't have been more gut-wrenching. A week after losing at LSU in the final minutes, the Rebels seemed ready to turn the tables on Auburn. After catching a short screen pass, Ole Miss receiver Laquon Treadwell broke three tackles and was running for the end zone. But Auburn linebacker Kris Frost pulled him down from behind near the goal line, and Treadwell fumbled the ball into the end zone. Treadwell fractured his fibula and dislocated his left ankle on the play and will miss the rest of the season. Adding insult to injury, Auburn recovered the ball in the end zone for a touchback and won the game. Ole Miss' playoff hopes aren't over, but they'll need help in the SEC West. |
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UCLA: After allowing 30 points or more in five of its first eight games, UCLA's defense finally showed up Saturday night, shutting down Arizona's high-powered spread offense in a 17-7 victory. The Bruins limited Arizona to only 255 yards of offense, and the Wildcats' only score came on their opening possession. The Bruins, who are one game behind Arizona State in the Pac-12 standings, play at Washington on Saturday. |
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Utah: Just when the Utes were surfacing on the national radar and looking like a potential playoff spoiler, they suffered their worst offensive performance of the season in a 19-16 loss in overtime at No. 14 Arizona State on Saturday night. The Utes, who were playing without injured star receiver Dres Anderson, had a season-low 241 yards of offense and tied a season low with 13 first downs. Utah is still alive in the Pac-12 South, where four teams have two conference losses and trail Arizona State by one game in the loss column of the division standings. The Utes can get back on the right side of the fence by upsetting No. 5 Oregon at home on Saturday. |
Better Luck Next Season
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| No teams were eliminated after Week 10 | ||
| Teams eliminated after Week 9 -- notes not updated after elimination | ||
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Minnesota: Oh, no you didn't Gophers. Minnesota blew a chance for its first 4-0 start in Big Ten play since 1967 by losing 28-24 at struggling Illinois on Saturday. The Gophers went 4-for-16 on third down and turned the ball over three times, including a crushing David Cobb fumble, which was scooped up by linebacker V'Angelo Bentley and returned 12 yards for the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Illini had dropped 17 of their previous 18 Big Ten games under coach Tim Beckman. The Gophers remain tied with Nebraska for first place in the Big Ten West standings, but they're not getting into the playoff after losing to Illinois. |
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USC: The Trojans had been teetering on the edge all season under first-year coach Steve Sarkisian, and their inability to finish caught up with them again in a 24-21 loss at Utah on Saturday night. The Utes scored the winning touchdown with eight seconds left, after driving 73 yards in two minutes. USC lost to Arizona State 38-34 on a Hail Mary pass on the game's final play, and survived a 28-26 victory over Arizona because the Wildcats missed a last-second 36-yard field goal. The Trojans are still in the Pac-12 South race, but they're not getting into the playoff with three losses. |
| Teams eliminated after Week 8 -- notes not updated after elimination | ||
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Georgia Tech: Two weeks ago, Georgia Tech was 5-0 and looking like a favorite to win the Coastal Division. Two losses later, and the Jackets are back in the middle of the cluttered Coastal pack. Turnovers did GT in against Duke. But on Saturday in a 48-43 loss to North Carolina, the Jackets gave up 579 yards, and the game-winning score with 11 seconds left. |
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Iowa: Everyone was bullish on the Hawkeyes this preseason because of their highly advantageous schedule. But they still had to, you know, win the games. Kirk Ferentz's team lost for the second time this season Saturday, falling 38-31 at Maryland in a sloppy performance. Iowa still controls its Big Ten destiny, but its playoff hopes are kaput. |
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Kentucky: The Wildcats were long shots even before Saturday's loss, especially with No. 1 Mississippi State and No. 9 Georgia on the horizon. The embarrassing 41-3 defeat to LSU simply put to rest any lingering hope of becoming surprise contenders. Mark Stoops' squad couldn't run (2.6 yards per carry), couldn't pass (146 yards, 0 TDs) and struggled on defense against the Tigers. It won't get any easier in the SEC, either. |
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Oklahoma State: Let's be honest: The Cowboys did well to last this long. Mike Gundy's roster is full of baby-faced, albeit talented, youngsters who don't know what they're doing but kept finding a way to win. OSU has done well to win five of its first seven games, but its College Football Playoff hopes were stomped on by TCU 42-9 over the weekend. |
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Oregon State: The Beavers might feature a player -- QB Sean Mannion -- who could break the Pac-12 passing record this year, but they don't feature an offense (or a defense) that's dominant enough to win big games, let alone the biggest game in the Pac-12. Better luck next year, Beavs. |
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Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights were the Big Ten's surprise team at the halfway point, but it's clear they're still not in the same class as the conference's elite. Rutgers fell to Ohio State 56-17 on Saturday, and if Urban Meyer hadn't taken his foot off the gas in the final quarter, it could've been even uglier. |
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Stanford: If Stanford only featured an average offense, they'd still be in playoff contention thanks to their rugged defense. But while Andrew Luck mans the NFL's top-performing offense, his alma mater's production ranks last in the Pac-12. Another anemic Cardinal offensive effort led to a loss at ASU that eliminated the team from playoff contention. |
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Texas A&M: It wasn't long ago the Aggies were still in contention. They were in the thick of College Football Playoff talk as recently as the first of October. Three consecutive losses brought that all crashing down, and now they're searching for answers about how a once-promising season went awry. |
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Washington: Losing 11 consecutive games to Oregon is pretty bad, but losing in the manner in which they lost to the Ducks was even worse. Oregon dominated in every facet of the game, and Washington proved that Chris Petersen's first season in the Power 5 is not going to be like his first season at Boise State. |
| Teams eliminated after Week 7 -- notes not updated after elimination | ||
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Arkansas: If the much-improved Razorbacks played in the SEC East or another conference, they'd probably have a much better record than 3-3. After losing to Texas A&M 35-28 in overtime two weeks ago, the Hogs held Alabama to only 227 yards of offense (66 rushing) but still lost 14-13 at home on Saturday night. The Hogs have dropped 15 consecutive SEC games, dating to the 2012 season. |
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Florida: The Will Muschamp era was pretty much encapsulated in the final two minutes of Saturday night's 30-27 loss to LSU. Trailing the Tigers 27-24, the Gators had a chance to win the game, but Tevin Westbrook dropped a third-down pass in the end zone. Florida had to settle for a field goal to tie the score, and then LSU won on Colby Delahoussaye's 50-yard field goal as time expired. UF has dropped nine of its past 12 games, putting Muschamp firmly on the hot seat. |
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Louisville: The Cardinals squandered a golden opportunity in a 23-17 loss at Clemson on Saturday, as they couldn't punch the ball in from the Tigers' 2-yard line on fourth down with 21 seconds to go. Louisville probably had to win the ACC championship to reach the playoff, and it's two games behind FSU in the loss column of the Atlantic Division standings. The Seminoles aren't losing two ACC games. Plus, the Cardinals have defeated only one FBS team with a winning record (4-3 Miami). |
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Missouri: Talk about a flop. How poorly did Missouri's offense play in Saturday's 34-0 loss to Georgia at home? The Tigers ran four plays inside UGA territory -- and three of them resulted in turnovers. Missouri had only 147 yards of offense, went 0-for-7 on third down and committed five turnovers. And we thought Missouri's 31-27 home loss to Indiana on Sept. 20 was bad. |
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Penn State : The Nittany Lions might get to play in this postseason, but it won't be in the College Football Playoff. Penn State lost its second straight game on Saturday, falling 18-13 at Michigan, which snapped a three-game losing streak of its own. The Nittany Lions had only 214 yards of offense, including 54 rushing. Their offense has produced only one touchdown in the past nine quarters. |
| Teams eliminated after Week 6 -- notes not updated after elimination | ||
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BYU: The Cougars' 35-20 loss to Utah State at home on Friday night was very costly for a couple of reasons. Because of BYU's independence and relative schedule strength, it probably had no margin for error, whether that's fair or not. Worse, star quarterback Taysom Hill fractured his left leg and will miss the rest of the season. Junior college transfer Christian Stewart, who threw three interceptions against the Aggies, takes over at quarterback, starting with Thursday night's trip to UCF. |
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LSU: The Tigers picked a terrible time to field a young team in the SEC West. For the second straight conference game, LSU looked completely overwhelmed in an ugly 41-7 loss at Auburn on Saturday night. It was LSU's worst loss in 15 years and it's the first time it started 0-2 in the SEC since 2001. The Tigers are also unranked in the AP poll for the first time since 2008. |
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Maryland: The Terrapins were given a pretty big dose of reality in Saturday's inaugural Big Ten home game, as Ohio State rolled past them 52-24 in the first sellout at Byrd Stadium in six years. Maryland turned the ball over four times and had only 66 rushing yards, leaving little doubt that it has a long way to go in being able to compete with the Big Ten's upper echelon. |
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NC State: Talk about a hangover. After giving No. 1 Florida State a scare two weeks ago, the Wolfpack laid an egg in a 41-0 loss at Clemson on Saturday night. NC State had only 156 yards of offense, including 35 passing, in Clemson's first shutout of an ACC opponent since 1998. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who was electrifying against the Seminoles, completed only 4 of 18 passes for 35 yards. |
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South Carolina: The Gamecocks, who were a popular choice to win the SEC East this season, suddenly can't figure out how to win. South Carolina blew a big lead in the fourth quarter for the second straight game, falling 45-38 at Kentucky on Saturday night. The Wildcats scored 21 straight points in the final eight minutes, including Alvin Dupree's 6-yard interception return for a touchdown with 2:29 left. It was only the second time a Steve Spurrier-coached team lost to UK in 22 games. |
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Wisconsin: The Badgers can run the ball against anyone, but they can't seem to throw it against anybody. Star tailback Melvin Gordon ran for a career-high 259 yards with one touchdown in Saturday's 20-14 loss to Northwestern, which was the Badgers' first loss since their opener against LSU. But the Badgers completed only 12 of 29 passes for 138 yards with four interceptions. |
| Teams eliminated after Week 5 -- notes not updated after elimination | ||
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Cincinnati: The Bearcats won't make the playoffs after losing at Ohio State 50-28 on Saturday, but they'll still have a chance to get into one of the marquee bowl games if they can recover and win the AAC. Cincinnati will face one of its more difficult AAC games when it hosts Memphis next week. |
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Pittsburgh: The Panthers have one of the country's best running backs (James Conner) and receivers (Tyler Boyd), but they couldn't beat Akron at home Saturday. The Zips defeated a Power 5 opponent for the first time in six years by upsetting the Panthers 21-10 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. The Zips held Conner to only 92 yards on 25 carries. |
| Teams eliminated after Week 4 -- notes not updated after elimination | ||
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California: If Clemson blowing a late lead is "Clemsoning," what in the world do you call what the Bears did at Arizona on Saturday night? Cal blew a 31-13 lead in the fourth quarter, giving up 19 points in the final 3:30. The Bears surrendered a 47-yard Hail Mary on the final play in a 49-45 loss. |
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Clemson: The Tigers will probably have a very difficult time bouncing back from Saturday night's 23-17 loss at No. 1 Florida State. Clemson had a chance to win at the end of regulation, but it fumbled inside FSU's 20-yard line. In overtime, the Tigers failed to convert on fourth-and-inches from the FSU 16, and then the Seminoles won on Karlos Williams' 12-yard touchdown run. |
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Miami: Miami and Nebraska rekindled their rich rivalry on Saturday night, but the Hurricanes looked overmatched against the Cornhuskers, who have looked like a middle-of-the-pack team in the Big Ten the previous few seasons. Miami will attempt to avoid an 0-2 start in ACC play when it hosts Duke next week. |
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Michigan: The Wolverines are reeling after a 26-10 loss to Utah in the Big (Empty) House on Saturday. After going 19-0 at home to start coach Brady Hoke's tenure, the Wolverines are 2-3 in their past five home games, with each of the losses coming against Power 5 opponents (Nebraska, Ohio State and Utah). |
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North Carolina: Tar Heels coach Larry Fedora was supposed to bring a fast-paced spread offense to Chapel Hill. Apparently he forgot about bringing a defense. The Tar Heels gave up a school-record 789 yards -- 446 passing and 343 rushing -- in an ugly 70-41 loss at East Carolina on Saturday. |
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Northern Illinois: College football's road warriors finally lost away from home on Saturday, as the Huskies fell 52-14 at Arkansas. The loss snapped Northern Illinois' 17-game road winning streak, which dated back to a loss at Central Michigan in 2011. It also was the Huskies' first regular-season loss since 2012. |
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Syracuse: Sure, I guess the Orange could win out and make the playoffs, but it's hard to imagine the selection committee taking a team that needed triple-overtime to beat FCS foe Villanova 27-26 in its opener and lost to Maryland 34-20 at home. Syracuse outgained the Terrapins 589-369 in total offense but surrendered 17 points in the final 12:38 of the first half to fall way behind. |
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Virginia: The Cavaliers look like one of the country's most-improved teams and might make the postseason. But Virginia won't be appearing in the playoffs after dropping their second game, 41-33 at BYU on Saturday. The Cavaliers outgained the Cougars 519-332 in total offense and held the ball twice as long, but couldn't finish when it mattered most. |
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Virginia Tech: Since winning at then-No. 8 Ohio State 35-21 on Sept. 6, the Hokies have dropped consecutive home games to East Carolina (28-21) and Georgia Tech (27-24). Dating back to the 2013 season, Virginia Tech has lost four straight home games against FBS foes for the first time since 1978-79. Quarterback Michael Brewer, who sparked the upset of the Buckeyes, has thrown seven interceptions in the past three games. |
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West Virginia: The Mountaineers also look a lot better than they did last season, but their second loss of the season, 45-33 to Oklahoma at home on Saturday night, eliminates them from playoff consideration. After playing No. 2 Alabama and No. 4 Oklahoma in its first four games, West Virginia can now focus on making some noise in the Big 12 race. |
| Teams eliminated after Week 3 -- notes not updated after elimination | ||
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Army: The Black Knights went out to The Farm and got blown out 35-0 at Stanford. Army can look ahead to the next two weeks, when it will probably be favored in road games at Wake Forest and FCS foe Yale. |
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Central Michigan: It must have been one heck of a celebration in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, last week after the Chippewas blasted Purdue 38-17 on the road. Central Michigan had 34 rushing yards and two turnovers in an ugly 40-3 loss to Syracuse on Saturday. |
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Illinois: Illini coach Tim Beckman actually thought his team was only three plays from being competitive in a 44-19 loss at Washington. Illinois would have been more competitive if it had quit giving the ball to Huskies linebacker Shaq Thompson. |
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Indiana: Maybe Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany needs to issue a leaguewide ban on playing MAC opponents. Bowling Green defeated a Big Ten foe for the first time since 2007 with a 45-42 upset of the Hoosiers. |
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Kansas: No wonder Lil Wayne talked about Jayhawks coach Charlie Weis' "big-boy money." Weis has collected nearly $19 million since he was fired as Notre Dame's coach at the end of the 2009 season -- about $14.6 million from the Fighting Irish and at least $5 million in two years' salary from Kansas. That's an average of about $4 million per victory during the past three seasons. |
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Louisiana-Monroe: After close victories over Wake Forest and Idaho to start the season, the Warhawks were no match for LSU on Saturday night, falling 31-0 at Tiger Stadium. Louisiana-Monroe had only 93 yards of offense -- 77 passing and 16 rushing. |
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Nevada: Now we know why Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez didn't want to see Wolf Pack quarterback Cody Fajardo again. Fajardo completed 29 of 39 passes for 321 yards with three touchdowns in a 35-28 loss at Arizona on Saturday night. He had his team near midfield but threw incomplete on fourth down with 2:23 to go. |
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New Mexico State: The Aggies' first 2-0 start since 1999 came to a screeching halt with a 42-24 loss at UTEP. The good news: Saturday's Rio Grande Rivalry game against New Mexico will include a team with a winning record for the first time since 2007. |
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South Alabama: Four turnovers, dropped passes and a missed field goal doomed the Jaguars in a 35-3 loss to Mississippi State on Saturday. But South Alabama still won by having more than 38,000 fans in attendance for the first game against an SEC opponent at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Alabama. |
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Tennessee: The Volunteers have improved enough in coach Butch Jones' two seasons to beat somebody they're not supposed to beat, but I had a feeling it wouldn't be Oklahoma on the road. The Vols committed three turnovers in a 34-10 loss to the Sooners. |
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Texas: I'm not 100 percent sure the Longhorns should be criticized for inexplicably deciding to kick off at the start of both halves in Saturday night's 20-17 loss to UCLA. If you coached Texas' offense, you might not want the ball, either. |
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Texas State: If the Bobcats thought they were catching a break in not having to face injured Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds, they were wrong. Backup Tago Smith helped the Midshipmen gain 469 yards of offense, including 352 rushing, in a 35-21 win on the road. |
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Texas Tech: If Red Raiders coach Kliff Kingsbury was the best-looking coach on the sidelines at AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas, on Saturday, Arkansas' Bret Bielema was the bully. The Hogs ran for 438 yards with seven touchdowns in a 49-28 win and didn't throw the ball in their final 30 offensive plays. |
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Wyoming: The Cowboys were 43-point underdogs at No. 2 Oregon on Saturday, so their 48-14 loss was hardly a surprise. The loss ended Wyoming coach Craig Bohl's 26-game winning streak; his North Dakota State teams won 24 straight games while winning three consecutive national titles from 2011-13. |
| Teams eliminated after Week 2 -- notes not updated after elimination | ||
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Akron: There's no shame in losing 21-3 at Penn State on Saturday, and the Zips will have two more chances to make big statements in a Sept. 20 home game against Marshall and Sept. 27 road game at Pitt. Akron won't make the playoff, but it might be a factor in the MAC championship race. |
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Air Force: The Falcons lost at Wyoming 17-13 on Saturday, allowing the Cowboys to score the winning touchdown in the final minute. Air Force will face another heartbroken team next week when it plays at Georgia State, which fell in the final seconds against New Mexico State on Saturday. |
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Arkansas State: The Red Wolves, who have won at least a share of the last three Sun Belt Conference championships, haven't fared well against SEC foes in nonconference games. Arkansas State fell to 0-45 in such games after Saturday's 34-19 loss at Tennessee. (The Red Wolves did beat Ole Miss in 1915 and Texas A&M in 2008 when those schools belonged to other leagues.) |
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Ball State: The Cardinals had a golden opportunity to record one of the biggest wins in school history Saturday, but they blew a 10-point lead in the final three minutes of a 17-13 loss at Iowa. Still, it was a heck of an effort by the MAC team. |
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Boston College: The Eagles did a pretty good job of running the ball and stopping the run in coach Steve Addazio's first season in 2013. Against Pittsburgh on Friday night, the Eagles didn't do either very well in a 30-20 loss. BC allowed 303 rushing yards and ran for only 142. It won't get any easier against USC next week. |
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Buffalo: The Bulls' furious rally fell short in a 47-39 loss at Army on Saturday. The Bulls piled up 549 yards of offense but were undone by three turnovers and going 3-for-9 on third down. It figures to get worse against Baylor at home Friday night. |
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Colorado State: After an impressive opening win over rival Colorado, the Rams weren't much of a challenge for Boise State in a 37-24 loss on the road. The Rams allowed 676 yards of offense and fell behind 30-10 at halftime. |
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East Carolina: The Pirates put up a pretty good fight at South Carolina on Saturday night, falling 33-23 on the road. The Pirates turned the ball over twice and had a field goal blocked but still had a chance to tie the score in the fourth quarter. ECU gets two more chances at a signature win this season: at Virginia Tech on Saturday and against North Carolina the following week. |
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Eastern Michigan: The Eagles' trip to Florida on Saturday went about as expected, as they had only 125 yards of offense, seven first downs and five turnovers in a 65-0 loss. At least Eastern Michigan went home with an $850,000 check. |
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Georgia State: After ending a 16-game losing streak in Week 1, the Panthers had a great chance to move to 2-0 on Saturday. But New Mexico State's Tyler Rogers hit Teldrick Morgan with an 11-yard touchdown with 15 seconds left, handing Georgia State a heartbreaking 34-31 loss at the Georgia Dome. |
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Idaho: Bad weather seems to be following the Vandals. After their opener at Florida was canceled after only one play because of lightning, the Vandals had to sit through a two-hour weather delay in a 38-31 loss at Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday. At least they collected $975,000 from the Gators without even playing. |
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Louisiana-Lafayette: The Ragin' Cajuns allowed a 99-yard touchdown to Louisiana Tech's Kenneth Dixon in the first quarter, and it never seemed to get better in a 48-20 loss at home. It doesn't figure to get any better at Ole Miss next week. |
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Memphis: The Tigers might have been knocked out of the playoff, but they have been one of the biggest surprises in the first two weeks of the season. After dismantling FCS foe Austin Peay in their opener, the Tigers gave UCLA all it could handle in a 42-35 loss at the Rose Bowl on Saturday night. |
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Middle Tennessee State: The Blue Raiders dug themselves too big of a hole at Minnesota on Saturday, falling behind by four touchdowns in the first half of a 35-24 loss. Turning the ball over three times and committing nine penalties certainly didn't help MTSU's chances. |
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Northwestern: After losing to Northern Illinois 23-15 at home on Saturday, the Wildcats are 0-2 for the first time in coach Pat Fitzgerald's nine seasons. In fact, Northwestern has dropped nine of its last 10 games after starting 4-0 in 2013. The Wildcats will try to end the slide against FCS foe Western Illinois on Sept. 20. |
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Ohio: The Bobcats couldn't muster much offense in a 20-3 loss at Kentucky, finishing with only 223 yards, including 74 rushing. The Bobcats avoided a shutout on Josiah Yazdani's 44-yard field goal in the third quarter. |
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Old Dominion: Don't sleep on the Monarchs, who are playing their first season in the FBS. Old Dominion lost at NC State 46-34 on Saturday but was pretty impressive in defeat. Quarterback Taylor Heinicke completed 35 of 49 passes for 274 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. |
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Purdue: Is Purdue coach Darrell Hazell's seat getting a little warm in only his second season? The Boilermakers lost for the 12th time in 14 games under Hazell on Saturday, falling to Central Michigan 38-17 at home. Next up: Purdue plays Notre Dame at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis next week. |
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San Diego State: The Aztecs blew a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter of a 31-27 loss at North Carolina on Saturday, but they look like they might have a say in which teams win the Mountain West this season. San Diego State plays at Oregon State on Sept. 20. |
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San Jose State: The Spartans were thoroughly overmatched in Saturday's 59-13 loss at Auburn, allowing 493 yards of offense, including 358 rushing. The Spartans will play at Minnesota on Sept. 20. |
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South Florida: There might be a reason to get back on Bulls coach Willie Taggart's bus. After a dismal 2-10 campaign in Taggart's first season, the Bulls showed a lot of improvement in their first two games. They squandered a late lead against Maryland on Saturday, as the Terps used a blocked punt in the end zone to come from behind for a 24-17 victory. |
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Temple: After blowing out Vanderbilt on the road in Week 1, the Owls couldn't slow down Navy's triple-option offense in a 31-24 loss at home Saturday. The Midshipmen ran for 487 yards and stopped the Owls at the Navy 10-yard line at the end. |
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Toledo: The Rockets got off to a slow start against Missouri at home Saturday, falling behind 35-7 early in the fourth quarter before trying to mount a furious comeback. The Rockets play at Cincinnati on Friday night. |
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Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane trailed 31-0 at the half and lost 52-7 to Oklahoma on Saturday, their eighth consecutive defeat against the Sooners. At least they will get to take out their frustrations on lowly Florida Atlantic next week. |
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UAB: The Blazers continued to look like one of the country's most-improved teams under first-year coach Bill Clark, losing at Mississippi State 47-34 on Saturday. The Blazers had 548 yards of offense, with quarterbacks Jeremiah Briscoe and Cody Clements combining to throw for 398 yards and three touchdowns. |
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UTEP: The Miners had a 26-23 lead with about five minutes to go in Saturday night's game at Texas Tech but couldn't finish in a 30-26 loss. The Red Raiders scored on Davis Webb's nine-yard touchdown pass to Bradley Marquez with 2:32 to go, and then the Miners moved the ball inside Tech's 30-yard line with about 2:23 to play. Their pass fell incomplete on fourth-and-6. |
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UTSA: The Roadrunners put up a heck of a fight against Arizona on Thursday night before falling in a 26-23 loss. The Wildcats ended UTSA's last-ditch effort when Jared Tevis intercepted a pass with 1:20 to go. |
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Washington State: This isn't how Mike Leach's third season at Washington State was supposed to go. After going bowling last season, the Cougars were supposed to be even better this year. But Wazzu dropped its first two games, falling to Rutgers in Week 1 and at Nevada 24-13 on Friday night. |
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Western Kentucky: In only two games under new coach Jeff Brohm, the Hilltoppers have shown they are going to be a tough out in Conference USA. WKU had Illinois on the ropes Saturday before giving up three touchdowns in the fourth quarter of a 42-34 loss. The Hilltoppers had 400 yards of offense but turned the ball over three times. |
| Teams eliminated after Week 1 -- notes not updated after elimination | ||
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Appalachian State: The Mountaineers received a rude welcoming to FBS on Saturday, falling 52-14 at Michigan. It was the seven-year anniversary of Appalachian State's 34-32 upset of the Wolverines, one of the biggest upsets in college football history. |
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Boise State: The Broncos went nose-to-nose with Ole Miss for three quarters on Thursday night, but then the Rebels scored four touchdowns in the fourth quarter of a 35-13 victory in Atlanta. The Broncos' only chance at making the playoff was going unbeaten. |
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Bowling Green: The Dino Babers era wasn't supposed to start with a 59-31 loss at Western Kentucky on Friday night. But the defending MAC champions surrendered 708 yards of offense to the Hilltoppers, including 569 passing yards. |
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Colorado: The Buffaloes blew a 10-point lead in the second half of a 31-17 loss to rival Colorado State in Denver on Friday night. With games left against No. 19 Arizona State, No. 15 USC, No. 7 UCLA, No. 25 Washington and No. 3 Oregon, the Buffs really needed to win their opener. |
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Connecticut: Former Notre Dame defensive coordinator Bob Diaco started the rebuilding job at Connecticut by playing 50 players in a 35-10 loss to BYU on Friday night. It might be a long season in Storrs, Connecticut. |
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Florida Atlantic: Do you think Nebraska coach Bo Pelini still has hard feelings about the way FAU treated his brother, Carl? The Cornhuskers piled up 784 yards of offense in a 55-7 victory over the Owls on Saturday. FAU gets No. 2 Alabama on the road next. |
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Florida International: FIU officials denied a Miami Herald beat reporter a credential to their opener on Saturday. They did him a favor. He didn't have to watch the Panthers fall to FCS foe Bethune-Cookman, 14-12. |
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Fresno State: The Bulldogs probably don't want to see USC anytime soon. The Trojans steamrolled the Bulldogs 45-20 in the Las Vegas Bowl at the end of the 2013 season and then blasted them 52-13 in Saturday's opener. Apparently, what happened in Vegas didn't stay there. |
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Georgia Southern: Maybe the Eagles can be competitive as an FBS program. Georgia Southern led NC State 20-10 on the road entering the fourth quarter Saturday, but the Wolfpack came back for a heartbreaking 24-23 loss. |
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Hawaii: After going 1-11 in 2013, the Warriors nearly spoiled new Washington coach Chris Petersen's debut on Saturday night before falling 17-16 at Aloha Stadium. Hawaii had 424 yards of offense and shut out the Huskies in the second half. |
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Houston: With quarterback John O'Korn and receiver Deontay Greenberry, the Cougars are still capable of putting together a good season. But Friday night's 27-7 loss to UTSA ended their playoff chances. |
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Iowa State: When will FBS teams stop scheduling North Dakota State as an opponent? The three-time defending FCS national champions stampeded the Cyclones 34-14 on Saturday, their fifth consecutive win over an FBS opponent. Sorry, Iowa State. You're definitely not getting into the playoff with an FCS loss on your résumé. |
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Kent State: The Golden Flashes came up just short in an emotional 17-14 loss to Ohio on Saturday, as the Bobcats kicked a 44-yard field goal as time expired to win. Kent State honored center Jason Bitsko, who passed away in his off-campus apartment on Aug. 20. |
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Louisiana Tech: The Bulldogs' revamped defense had no answer for Oklahoma's high-powered offense, as the Sooners ran for 183 yards and passed for 253 in a 48-16 rout on Saturday. At least quarterback Cody Sokol played better after a shaky start. |
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Massachusetts: The Minutemen's playoff hopes lasted for, well, about a minute. Boston College kicked a 44-yard field goal in the game's opening minute and never looked back in a 30-7 victory on Saturday. The loss spoiled the start of Mark Whipple's second tenure as UMass coach. |
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Miami (Ohio): The RedHawks put up a much tougher fight than expected in a 42-27 loss to Marshall on Saturday. Miami had 418 yards of offense, and Notre Dame transfer Andrew Hendrix threw for 318 yards with three touchdowns in Chuck Martin's debut as coach. |
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Navy: The Midshipmen put up a tremendous fight in a 34-17 loss to No. 5 Ohio State in Baltimore on Saturday, but they had absolutely no margin for error because of their soft schedule. Navy plays only one more ranked opponent: Notre Dame on Nov. 1. The Midshipmen are still capable of putting together a special season, but it won't end in the playoff. |
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New Mexico: The Lobos are showing some life under former Notre Dame coach Bob Davie. After going 3-9 last season, the Lobos rallied from a 24-7 deficit against UTEP in the second half on Saturday. But the Miners scored the winning touchdown with 2:18 left after the Lobos muffed a punt at their 6-yard line. |
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North Texas: The Mean Green proved to be a sacrificial lamb for Texas coach Charlie Strong's debut, as they threw three first-half interceptions in a 38-7 loss in Austin on Saturday night. North Texas' only touchdown came on a fumble recovery in the end zone in the fourth quarter. |
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Rice: The Owls didn't have an answer for Notre Dame quarterback Everett Golson in Saturday's 48-17 loss on the road. How do you think they'll fare against Texas A&M's offense in two weeks? |
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SMU: It might not be too long until Mustangs coach June Jones is back at the islands -- as a retiree. SMU had 67 total yards in Sunday night's 45-0 loss at Baylor, the second time the Mustangs have been shut out in the past three games. |
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Southern Miss: The Golden Eagles played in-state rival Mississippi State for the first time since 1990 on Saturday night. They'd probably prefer not to see the Bulldogs for another 25 years after being on the wrong end of a 49-0 rout. Southern Miss has dropped 24 of its past 25 games. |
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Troy: Life without record-setting quarterback Corey Robinson didn't go very well for the Trojans, who lost at UAB 48-10 on Saturday. Troy hosts Duke this week and plays at Georgia on Sept. 20. |
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Tulane: The Green Wave blew an eight-point lead in the final three minutes of regulation and then lost 38-31 in double overtime at Tulsa on Thursday night. |
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UCF: Life without quarterback Blake Bortles started with a last-second 26-24 loss to Penn State in Dublin, Ireland, on Saturday. The Knights might still win the AAC and have a chance at a marquee bowl game, but they're out of the playoff hunt with one loss. |
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UNLV: The Rebels were no match for Arizona for a second straight season, allowing 787 yards of offense in a 58-13 loss Friday night. The good news: UNLV was blown out by the Wildcats last season, but it still recovered to play in a bowl game. |
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Utah State: Aggies quarterback Chuckie Keeton can't do it by himself. He didn't get much help in Sunday night's 38-7 loss at Tennessee, in which Utah State had three turnovers and went 3-for-14 on third down. |
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Vanderbilt: New Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason's debut couldn't have been much worse, as the Commodores had seven turnovers in an ugly 37-7 loss to Temple in Nashville, Tennessee, on Thursday night. Mason, a former Stanford defensive coordinator, faces one heck of a rebuilding job. |
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Wake Forest: It was hardly the start new Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson wanted, as the Demon Deacons had five first downs and 94 yards of offense in an ugly 17-10 loss at Louisiana-Monroe on Thursday. |
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Western Michigan: The Broncos looked a lot better than they did in coach P.J. Fleck's first season, losing at Purdue 43-34 on Saturday. The Broncos pulled to within 37-34 with about eight minutes to play, but Purdue's Akeem Hunt scored on a 38-yard touchdown to help the Boilermakers pull away. |
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