BIG 10 Continues to Shine
It appears that the CFP Committee may have actually watched some College Football last Saturday. On Election Day Tuesday, the committee released its second attempt at a top 25 ranking. I think everyone is still trying to figure out what criteria they are using, but their second attempt is much more inline with the national perspective. So for this reason, I will use the CFP standings to discuss the current state of College Football.
Top Ten:
#1 Alabama (9-0) – I don’t see this changing anytime soon. Alabama finishes the season with 3 straight home games versus; Miss St, Chattanooga, and then Auburn. It was very interesting to see Alabama struggle on offense (10 points) last week against an LSU defense who ranks 13th in total defense. FYI, there are teams who will more than likely be in the playoffs with better defenses.
#2 Clemson (9-0) – Clemson continues to win in the ACC. This is another team that should run the table, as they have 3 easy wins left on the calendar.
#3 Michigan (9-0) – Michigan continues to dominate teams in the Big 10. They do have an interesting test this week, as they go on the road against an underperforming Iowa team under the lights Saturday evening. This could be the Hawkeyes chance to save their season.
#4 Washington (9-0) – The Huskies rolled Cal last Saturday, which may have caused the committee to take notice. The offense looked very impressive against an inferior defense, and the Huskies defense played a good second half. They have a huge test this week at home against #20 USC.
#5 The Ohio State (8-1) – The Buckeyes offense finally woke up against the Cornhuskers last Saturday, winning 62-3. No question, the best performance by the Bucks in Big 10 play. They should have no problems on the road against Maryland this week.
#6 Louisville (8-1) – Lamar Jackson continues to roll towards the Heisman Trophy. They have an easy home game this week, but looking forward they are on the road at Houston next week. Tom Herman might be looking to pad his resume for bigger schools looking for a HC.
#7 Wisconsin (7-2) – The Badgers took care of Northwestern last week, and made it look fairly easy. Their schedule sets up well for them to finish 10-2.
#8 Texas A&M (7-2) – Texas A&M made the committee look foolish last week, as they lost to an unranked Miss St. They lost by 7pts, but the game didn’t look that close from the beginning.
#9 Auburn (7-2) – Auburn is making its first appearance this year in the CFP top ten. The Tigers started out the season 1-2, and have reeled off 6 wins in a row. They do have a tough couple of games upcoming, as they will be on the road at Georgia and Alabama in two of their final 3 games.
#10 Penn State (7-2) – The Nittany Lions are also making their first CFP top ten appearance this season. They gained national attention when they beat the Buckeyes at home a few weeks back. They should be favored in their final 3 games, and have a great chance at finishing the season 10-2.
Recommend Saturday TV Schedule:
*Not the greatest schedule this week
-9am (ESPN) Miss St at #1 Alabama – Miss St had a huge win last week over then #4 Texas A&M. Alabama should win this game easily, but I will be watching to see how their offense performs after a 10 point showing against LSU.
-12:30pm (CBS) #9 Auburn at Georgia – Is Auburn for real? This game should give us some insight into this question. *note, I’ll be watching the Buckeyes at Maryland
-4:30pm (FOX) #20 USC at #4 Washington – This is the game of the weekend. USC has looked much better as the season has progressed, and are now ranked in the CFP standings. This will be the Huskies second chance to impress the committee against a ranked opponent.
-7:30pm (ESPN) Cal at #23 Washington St – This game should be entertaining from an offensive standpoint. If the Cougars keep winning, it will set up for one hell of an Apple Cup.
Deplorable Tribe