It’s ‘Shakeout Saturday’ for many teams–in or out of conference championship and/or CFP contention.
1. Alabama [11-0]: A wobbly start against The Citadel made us all question our sanity–at least for 30 minutes. In the end, though, the Tide got the job done However, the next two games might be closer than we had envisioned. Injuries are piling up.
2. Clemson [11-0]: A beatdown of Duke emphasized what we already know about Clemson: this is a CFP semi-finalist. According to FPI, Clemson’s chances of winning each of its next two games stands at 94% or more.
3. Notre Dame [11-0]: I was shocked by ND’s destruction of Syracuse. Why? They weren’t blowing out anybody until they did that to the Orange. This is a good team, but not a great team, that’s in the Top 30 in both total offense and total defense. The 2018 edition reminds me of the 2013 team.
4-T. Michigan [10-1]: A slow start against Indiana is cause for some concern, but it’s likely that the Wolverines were looking ahead. Michigan continues improving on offense. Karan Higdon has surpassed 1100 yards on the year.
4-T. Georgia [10-1]: This is another team that’s improving offensively. They’ll need to. Before their date with ‘Bama, the ‘Dawgs must face Georgia Tech, a team that has won two-in-a-row in Athens.
6. Oklahoma [10-1]: Kyler Murray is incredible, but the defense continues to struggle. By virtue of having a less terrible loss than others, OU stays #6. Only D’Eriq King is responsible for more PPG than Kyler.
7. Washington State [10-1] (+1): I thought Arizona might be a trap game for WSU, but the ‘Cougs by slapped the ‘Cats with 55 points … in the first half. Minshew threw a school-record 7 TDs and Wazzou is now 4th nationally in offensive efficiency.
8. Ohio State [10-1] (+1): Who would have thought? OSU had a nail-biter against middling Maryland. Well, at least the game made the Bucks more battle-tested than they were. J.K. Dobbins ran for over 200 yards and seems to have brought balance to the Buckeye attack. But is this team good enough to challenge Michigan?
9. Central Florida [10-0] (+3): UCF proved that they could score against anyone, putting up 38 against Cincy’s solid D. That win means nobody left on the schedule will challenge the Knights.
10. LSU [9-2]: As expected. the Bengals took care of business against Rice. A&M now looms on the horizon–a team that matches up well with the improving Tigers. LSU is now 8th nationally in scoring defense.
11. West Virginia [8-2] (-4): It’s hard not to feel bad for the Mountaineers. WVU is no longer a playoff contender. But the Big 12 Championship game is still a possibility. OU stands in the way.
12. Texas [8-3] (+3): The Longhorns took care of ISU more easily than many thought. Now the KU game becomes a “win-and-you’re-in” (Big 12 championship game) scenario. UT is showing defensive capability, which is vital to achieving continuing success.
13. Utah State [10-1]: The Aggies survived by way of a game-ending penalty against Colorado State–a flag that nullified what would have been a winning Hail Mary TD. That means USU remains alive in the NY6 bowl race. And even with the surprising offensive stall against CSU, the Aggies remain 2nd nationally in scoring offense.
14. Washington [8-3] (+2): After taking care of business against Oregon State, the Huskies seem poised to spoil WSU’s playoff hopes. While UW boasts a top-10 scoring defense, an improving offense brings balance to this team.
15. Penn State [8-3] (+2): Despite its overall success, there may not be a more ho-hum team in the country. Should the Lions beat Maryland, PSU will notch its 3rd-straight season with double-digit wins. But a less-than-dominant performance against Rutgers represents this team’s flip-side reality.
16. Kentucky [8-3] (+2): Like Penn State, virtually nobody is talking about the ‘Cats anymore. But just like Penn State, Kentucky can reach 10 wins with a win against (reeling) Louisville. Benny Snell remains in the top-15 in rushing YPG and the defense is 12th in points allowed.
17. Florida [8-3] (+2): UF recovered from their big scare against the Gamecocks by beating the potatoes out of Idaho (unoriginal joke, I know). After a shaky start to the season offensively, the Gators are now top-30 in scoring.
18. Northwestern [7-4] (+2): The ‘Best in the West’ (Big Ten, that is) took care business against Minnesota. How is NU winning? Discipline is one reason. No team has committed fewer penalties than NU.
19. Mississippi State [7-4] (+4): The defense dominated once again in MSU’s crushing win against Arkansas, 52-6. The numbers impress: Moorhead’s squad is 2nd in scoring defense, 4th in total defense, and 3rd in passing efficiency defense.
20. Syracuse [8-3] (-9): There’s no way around it: that loss to ND was awful! Yes, the Orange still have a shot at 10 wins, but Eric Dungey’s questionable condition makes it a dicey proposition.
21. Utah [8-3] (+3): The injuries are concerning, but the Utes were still able to take care of their rivals from Boulder. Now they return to Santa Clara with the goal of exacting revenge on the PAC-12 North.
22. Pittsburgh [7-4] (NR): Thanks to an improved defense, the elevated play of Qadree Ollison, and contributions from the unfortunately named Kenny Pickett, the Panthers find themselves with a chance to destroy the college football world.
23. Boise State [9-2] (NR): With continued success after losing two of three games, the Broncos are back in the rankings with a crucial home matchup looming against Utah State. The play of QB Brett Rypien is the key to sustaining that success.
24. Army [9-2] (NR): The Knights continue to win, in large part to a defense that’s 11th nationally in yards allowed. Should the Cadets beat lowly Navy in December and follow up that win with a bowl victory, Army will have notched an 11-win season for the first time EVER.
25. Fresno State [9-2] (NR)
The BSU loss was disappointing. But if Boise gets past Utah State this Saturday, the Bulldogs will get a chance to exact revenge in the MWC Championship game. No matter, though: a championship match-up with nationally-ranked USU will suit FSU just fine.
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Others Receiving Votes: Auburn, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Iowa State, NC State
