College football round-up

The top teams, week 9

The top four teams all won and remained undefeated. OSU had no trouble at all with a Wisconsin team that was supposed to present a challenge. LSU was the only one of the top four that had a difficult time, but that was to be expected against another tough top-ten team in Auburn. It is not possible for all of the Big Four to remain undefeated because two of those teams, Alabama and LSU, will play on November 9th. The winner of that game seems like a sure bet to make the playoff.

Two other undefeated teams, THE Ohio State and Penn State, will play on the 23rd. It seems that the winner of that game will also determine one of the playoff teams, so the likely playoff teams now seem to be: (1) LSU or Alabama;  (2) Penn State or THE Ohio State; (3) Clemson; (4) ???

That fourth spot was expected to be filled by Oklahoma, but in this week’s shocker, formerly undefeated #5 Oklahoma seems to have dropped out of the playoff picture with a loss to unheralded Kansas State in a typical Big 12 shootout, 48-41. If anyone in the Big 12 ever hires a competent defensive co-ordinator, they might win a national title.

#8 Notre Dame fell totally out of the playoff picture with a humbling 45-14 loss to Michigan.

It appears that a powerful one-loss team will probably make the playoffs, but there is still some faint hope for this year’s Cinderella teams:

The unexpectedly undefeated Golden Gophers of Minnesota (#17), pounded the daylights out of Maryland. Next week may be their Waterloo since they will face Penn State, but everyone will take them seriously if they win that one! If they can also defeat Wisconsin and Iowa, they would still have to win the Big Ten championship game. I’m willing to bet against all of that coming together for them.

#14 Baylor is also undefeated. They must defeat Oklahoma and Texas to stay that way, and would then have to win the Big 12 championship game. That probably ain’t gonna happen, but if it does, they would be the surprise playoff entry of the century.

#16 SMU remained undefeated, and may finish the season that way in the American Athletic Conference, but their schedule is too easy to qualify them for the playoff. They may, however, get a very good bowl game.

#21 Appalachian State also remained undefeated but, let’s face it, they only compete against online universities, and even then they only play against the women’s pickleball team. Do the poll participants really think Appalachin is among the top 21 teams in the country? (And they’ll probably go up by the time you read this, because some of the teams above them lost!) I’m even skeptical of the computer that ranks them #30. I’m betting the worst team in the SEC would kick their asses.

North Dakota State also remained undefeated. Unlike Appalachin, they have received no support in the polls, but you never know what those voters may do. (Sagarin’s computer ranks NDS #37, ahead of South Carolina and Stanford. That computer may need a tune-up.)

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