On the adjustments on third down defense from the first half to the second half: “I thought we were much better up front”. North Carolina could upset Clemson in Charlotte.
Advertisement
Iowa is sitting pretty in the College Football Playoff rankings this week at number 4. The nation’s most versatile threat is averaging 255.2 all-purpose yards per game and is a threat as a runner, receiver and returner. We’re just going to get that out of the way right now. Below are all of our recaps from Week 13, plus five takeaways.
With 12-0 Iowa slated to face 11-1 Michigan State for the Big Ten title, it’s clear that whoever wins will earn a playoff berth. It got that on Friday, winning 28-20 despite converting zero third downs, thanks in part to the Cornhuskers’ turnover problems.
Big 10: Stanford is currently ranked ahead of MI, who is now our favorite team in the Big Ten (go Harbaugh!). Baylor, Florida and Oklahoma State all took second losses and dismissal from view.
With the college football regular season over, ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit released his top four teams.
Irish players looked stunned as they walked off the field, led by captain and linebacker Joe Schmidt.
The Iron Bowl is the biggest rivalry in college football, and if Auburn has any shot at pulling the upset over No. 2 Alabama (2:30 p.m. CT kick time) its offensive line (left tackle Shon Coleman and center Austin Golson have been banged up) will have to play its tail off against the Crimson Tide’s rugged defensive line.
Florida State @ Florida: Oh boy, this is the game to keep an eye on. Could an ACC champion be left out of the College Football Playoff?
Clemson beat SC – who finishes 3-9 – just 37-32.
Wisconsin at Minnesota – I have a hard time seeing a 9-3 Wisconsin not being ranked. A Crimson Tide win would turn Clemson-North Carolina and Iowa-Michigan State into CFP quarterfinals. It wasn’t the most encouraging performance from Clemson, but nobody should overreact to it either. He rushed for 94 yards, but needed 27 carries to get there, and didn’t have a run over 11 yards all night.
Respecting conference champions is how the committee took Ohio State past year. But it’s possible, the way the committee lifted the Sooners by four spots this week, that they would get in over Notre Dame even with an Irish victory in Palo Alto.
#7 Baylor at #19 TCU – This one is a tough one.
Path to the playoff for Iowa: Beat Michigan State in the Big Ten title game and the Hawkeyes are in. Teams in bold have already lost.
That’s not going to happen to the Sooners. “If you compare us with last year’s Big Ten champion [eventual national title victor Ohio State], that’s what they were able to do”. The Sooners have played exceptionally well down the stretch, with an improved defense, a Heisman candidate quarterback in Baker Mayfield and excellent running backs.
Kevin Hogan led Stanford down field and the Cardinal booted a 45-yard field goal as time expired as Stanford beat Notre Dame 38-36 in an instant classic at Stanford Stadium.
Oklahoma and Ohio State have each lost one game and won all the rest. The committee thought so last week, placing Oklahoma third and Notre Dame sixth.
Notre Dame could still have gotten in with the help of some chaos, but instead the dreams have been dashed by the Cardinal. But even if neither of those things happens, honestly, look at how far this team has come; the very worst that can happen for us in the Pac-12 Championship is that we’re still playing for a Rose Bowl.
No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes defeat No. 10 Michigan Wolverines handily in The Big House 42-13 Saturday. It is too late for Stanford.
Advertisement
Path to the Playoff: Beat No. 10 Michigan today and have Penn State knock off Michigan State the same day. McCaffrey tops team rushing. And we truly thought that we were one of the best teams in the country, so, yes, the goal was to make it to the playoffs and we know that opportunity is kind of fell away with this loss.
