Now it’s the opposite. The Crimson Tide were listed as 6:5 favorites by the Westgate Las Vegas sportsbook to win the College Football Playoff, according to ESPN’s Brett McMurphy. Buckeye bliss came to a screeching halt last week, as not only did OSU fall to Michigan State on a game ending field goal, but Ezekiel Elliot had some choice words after the game.
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The poll is conducted weekly by the National Football Foundation and the Football Writers Association of America, determined by a panel of sportswriters, hall of fame coaches and players and football dignitaries.
In 2003, Buddy Teevens’ job at Stanford was more secure than USC’s seemingly rock-solid national standing.
The playoff committee finally gave Iowa a spot in the Top 4.
But if everything holds in the final week, there should be no debating, no arguing and no handwringing this year. The Cotton Bowl in North Texas will host the other semifinal. If all three of these things happen-and two of them are likely-Florida will be a lock.
Now Oklahoma would have to get past Baylor, with the Bears playing a backup quarterback, to have a chance to make it in the top 10.
Coaches are getting canned while getting haircuts while Oklahoma is resting comfortably only weeks after a loss to Texas that, in today’s toxic environment, might have also gotten Bob Stoops fired.
Derrick Henry: The Alabama Heisman candidate became the school’s single-season rushing leader surpassing Trent Richardson’s mark, set four years ago. That’s because two of North Carolina’s wins came against FCS opponents, and the Tar Heels also have a loss against a team that fell to The Citadel, South Carolina.
In the end, of course, it was just sloppy reporting by over-caffeinated, overextended media members trying to get the scoop by “confirming” reports from other news outlets that weren’t true in the first place.
Mike London resigned as head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers, athletic director Craig Littlepage announced Sunday.
All this unfolded while reports swirled that Chip Kelly was in trouble with the Philadelphia Eagles and could be interested in USC should anyone have a mind to reach him via back channel, post-it note or the medium who tried to contact the deceased Harry Houdini every Halloween.
Chaos prediction: The committee could not ignore Ohio State. They waited until every game had been played, then picked what they thought were the best four teams in the country.
Two leagues already have playoff confirmations.
Oklahoma dominated Oklahoma State in the one Bedlam game that decided the Big 12 championship.
(10-1) Michigan State (#4 in the A&H Rankings): Win out (at home against Penn State (#37 the A&H Rankings) and versus Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game).
The victor of the Big Ten championship game between Michigan State (11-1) and Iowa (12-0) will get one of the four playoff invitations.
Two positions are reserved for No. 1 Clemson and No. 2 Alabama so long as they win their conference title games next week.
Admittedly, a few dominoes must fall to make the case for the Irish – the first being a USC victory over Stanford in the Pac-12 title game. Thanks to résumé builders in the form of wins vs. Oregon, Michigan and Ohio State, Michigan State has an extremely strong case if it can add the conference title. They’ll be favored against North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship game, but that guarantees nothing.
Simple: The Cardinal would be Rose Bowl-bound for the third time in four years.
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The Trojans ended their three game losing streak to the Bruins winning 40-21.
