I don't know about you, but I have a pretty good idea as to what teams should be in the playoffs compared to those looking at celebrating the new year playing in a run-of-the-mill bowl game.
The talk around the office this week is about how the Florida Gators SEC title hopes are still in good shape after Tennessee lost to Alabama.
"We are 5-1 going into the cocktail. We're one bad half of football from being perfect."
That's my buddy Eric speaking and, let me tell you, he had the biggest grin on his face until I replied with, "Do you really think Georgia will lose four in a row?"
TO KICK OR NOT TO KICK
Every Monday morning quarterback/coach in North Carolina is giving NC State's Dave Doeren some heat for his lack of football IQ. Don't get me wrong, he's a great coach, but relying on a kicker to win a game is not a fool-proof plan.
Here's the deal, the Wolfpack had been beating Clemson all game long despite the lack of help from officiating. Thirteen flags on NC State, zero for Clemson. The ACC is protecting their only unbeaten.
Oh, this happens, just look at Alabama -- "And we're heading to Birmingham for the official SEC ruling."
With all that, NC State still had a chance to win outright. If you were a coach and had the ball on your opponent's 12-yard line with two time outs and a minute to go in the game, what would you do?
If you said run one pass play and take a sack setting your kicker up in the middle of the field for a kick, you are correct. Dave Doeren's offense had been running all over the Tigers, why not try to ram it down their throat? This is where a team just needs to man up and get it done. Instead, Doeren played for the kick and, wouldn't you know it, his kicker missed.
Lesson learned. He had plenty of time to stick it in the end zone.
I feel for NC State fans, they were robbed of football glory in Death Valley. Thirteen to zero in penalties makes one channel his inner C+C Music Factory days.
Ah man, now that we have cut up the rug to some of 90's greatest tunes, do you remember when you heard the Hurricane warnings last week? Miami fans are about as quiet as Central Florida fans; North Carolina is the reason for that.
Seminoles fans however are smitten knowing they cleared a hurdle in Wake Forest. Now the ACC title matchup between Clemson and Florida State happens in two weeks.
And since we're talking ACC, what on earth happened to Virginia Tech? Yes, we have an Orange in the office giving the Hokies some love. When's the last time Syracuse did anything in football? You may have to go back to the McNabb days where he learned overtime rules.
LES MILES SWEEPSTAKES
Kudos to Purdue for making their play for Les Miles. Interestingly, Miles could have been the coach at Michigan. Now, if he wants it, he could be a Boilermaker.
If this happens, it would be a big win for the Big Ten.
Boiler up!
Now for this week's Top 20:
1. ALABAMA
Alabama is the No. 1 team in the nation, and it's not even close. But be careful if you think they are unbeatable, I still believe they have two losses in them. Tennessee just doesn't have the horses that Alabama has. The 49-10 loss was the worst beating since 1906 for Tennessee. The Vols are burning redshirt statuses for freshman because they've been hit with a number of injuries on both offense and defense. Alabama's Nick Saban used it to his advantage by playing fast on offense. To use a basketball cliché, the Vols were literally run out of the gym. Tennessee was without six starters, and lost another three during the game, so how can you compete with five-star Alabama?
I still think 'Bama will drop a game it shouldn't because of a freshman quarterback. However, I loved Lane Kiffin using Jalen Hurts as a tailback. Hurt is averaging just under six yards a carry. The cross action in the backfield read option was nearly impossible to stop. But mark my words, there will be a defense that will make Hurt beat them with his arm and not feet. When that happens, will Alabama be able to survive the tide?
2. OHIO STATE
Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Gareon Conley (8).
I know Michigan fans everywhere think they are the best team in the nation. Michigan is great because it has a lot of five-year seniors with a couple of five-star players who are making plays. But they have played nobody other than Wisconsin. NOBODY!
The Buckeyes just went into Camp Randall and beat the eighth best team in the nation in their house. That's two, count 'em, two road wins against top 10 opponents. If the playoff committee voted today, they'd have to consider Ohio State the No. 1 seed based on resume. Even the Buckeyes lose to Michigan at home, it's possible they can remain in the playoff picture due to their impressive resume. And before you roll your eyes, they will have another top 10 meeting when it faces Nebraska in a few weeks. What other team in the nation will face three or four top 10 opponents?
J.T. Barrett had a blue-collar type of day in Madison -- 17 for 29 for 226 yards with one TD passing, 92 yards on the ground and two TDs rushing. He had one interception that you can blame on the pouring rain. I question why they were even throwing the ball in those elements. Regardless, Barrett was surgical against Wisconsin's defense and did enough to keep himself in the Heisman race. He wasn't super flashy, but he did avoid sacks and moved the chains. His football IQ is where he is better than Lamar Jackson. Just remember that OSU has three or four more national games to play before voting happens. Louisville has one. I honestly believe the Heisman will be won after the Michigan/Ohio State game. Peppers vs. Barrett.
3. MICHIGAN
The Wolverines had a bye week. Jim Harbaugh was handing out prom queen crowns at high school while Urban Meyer was showing recruits how to get it done in Wisconsin. The Big Blue is riding a high this week as it gets set for another home game when it faces Lovie Smith's Fighting Illini. Chris Evans is Michigan's best running back in my eyes over Kareem Walker and Ty Isaac. If Harbaugh wants to keep doing it by committee though, that's fine by me. He knows what he's doing. I'm just saying this kid is a star in the making. A game breaker. A guy who can take it to the house anytime he touches the ball. Only Jabrill Peppers has that capability in that backfield. I just call it like I see it, and Evans' speed and shiftiness makes the offensive line look brilliant.
Now, like the Buckeyes, the Wolverines have beaten Wisconsin, but other than that they have played NOBODY. They haven't even gone on the road, other than playing Rutgers. If I'm fan of the boys in blue, I'd be a little concerned with that. Now it seems heading to Michigan State won't be as hard as it was with them dropping out of the college football hemisphere. But heading to Iowa and Ohio State is not going to be easy.
The rest of the country is just going to have to deal with two Big Ten teams on top of the college football world. It may be Michigan who is the last team standing, but for now they are second fiddle to Ohio State because the Buckeyes have beaten better teams and have done it before. Michigan is still waiting for that signature win under Harbaugh. And since we're talking about signature wins, how about this?
4. WASHINGTON
The Huskies are the best team in the Pac-12 right now. I'm not certain they can be beaten. They face off with Oregon State this week before heading to Utah. I'm just not hot on the Pac-12 because they don't play defense in this conference. Jake Browning is inserting his name into the Heisman race with 23 TDs this season. But here's my take, if you have to play your games on Friday night just so you can be seen, then I'm guessing you aren't on the same level as anybody else. Seriously, Friday night is for high school football. I like Washington, and Chris Peterson as a coach. They may end up being the only unbeaten team in the nation come playoff time. I just don't think they would beat Alabama, Ohio State or Michigan at home, much less on a neutral field.
5. CLEMSON
Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson (4).
The Tigers dodged a bullet when Kyle Bambard pushed his 33-yard game-winning field goal wide right. The fact remains that Deshaun Watson is great, but he's not putting away opponents like he should. Clemson faced a tough NC State team and lost everywhere but the final score. They played the same game they played against Troy. If they do that in Tallahassee in two weeks, say goodbye to the playoffs. Clemson will do its best to remain unbeaten, I'm just not as confident in them. The Tigers are surviving, and sometimes a team needs that to be perfect, but, eventually, it will catch up with them.
5. TEXAS A&M
The party at Gatsbys in College Station may be coming to an end. You probably will be hearing the following song in your head.
The Aggies are perfect on the season, but now face Alabama on Saturday in Tuscaloosa. Kevin Sumlin has beat Nick Saban before, I'm just not as confident he can do it again. The Aggies do not even rank in the top 50 in the NCAA when it comes to defense; Alabama is sitting at No. 5 nationally. The party is over kids, just try to make it more of a game than Tennessee did, please.
6. NEBRASKA
I'm thinking the Aggies vs. Nebraska would make for a great bowl game. These two teams are pretty darned equal. The Huskers have quietly racked up victory after victory. But, like Michigan, they have not played any strong opponents to truly give me a gauge of how they measure with the rest of the nation. In the end, Nebraska isn't as good as Ohio State, but could win the rest of their games in the Big Ten. They will not play Michigan unless they see them in the Big Ten title game. Their first true test will come when they head to Wisconsin on Halloween weekend. That's truly scary!
7. WISCONSIN
The Badgers have two tough losses to Michigan and Ohio State, but have beaten LSU, so there's that feather in the cap. The Badgers defense is really good. I stated weeks ago that the party is over for Wisconsin when it faced a gauntlet of Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Nebraska, and Iowa. I said they'd lose four of the five, so far they are 1-2. But regardless of record, they are a top 10 team.
8. LOUISVILLE
Is it possible that the Cardinals have peaked? The Duke Blue Devils are better than their record indicates. Lamar Jackson is not putting up six TDs a game anymore. This time around he was a part of two scores. While he was the Heisman winner in September, it remains to be seen if he can continue to hold on to his lead as other unbeatens fight to erase his PlayStation-like highlights against less competition. Louisville faces NC State this week and will give them a run for their money compared to Duke. I think Bobby Petrino will be shopping for a New Year's Day bowl vs. Florida or even a Washington. Even if they win the rest of their games, this is where they should be ranked.
9. NORTH CAROLINA
The Tar Heels went into Miami and beat the Canes 20-13. I still don't know how they lost to Virginia Tech, but it happened. The difference in this game? The Heels got their top rusher back in T.J. Logan. Logan ranks 11th in the conference in rushing. That's not bad considering he shares carries and has played less games due to injury. If you have not heard of Mitch Trubisky, you need to start paying attention. He's second in the ACC in passing with 2,068 yards. He may be a better NFL prospect than Deshaun Watson. UNC should win out the rest of the way. We will see the Tar Heels in the ACC title game, book it.
10. FLORIDA STATE
It's tough to put the 'Noles in the top 10 with losses to Louisville and North Carolina. But when it comes down to it, they have too much talent to not put them here. They face Clemson in two weeks; that's for all the marbles. Jimbo Fisher needs to win that game. Every recruit who's pondering which Florida school they should attend will be watching. The Seminoles have two weeks to prepare for their most important game of the year. A loss virtually ends the season, while a win has every fan praying for losses from the guys in the top five.
11. FLORIDA
Florida Gators running back Jordan Scarlett (25).
The Gators now have two weeks to prepare for the nation's biggest cocktail party. To me, it's a battle of former Alabama assistants who may be in over their head. Gators fans are all smiles now, but in two weeks those may be frowns. The Gators have no excuses now with Luke Del Rio back at quarterback. Florida had two defensive scores that helped them chomp the Missouri Tigers 40-14. The reality is that Florida could lose to Georgia, LSU, Arkansas and Florida State, or they could get better and better each week and win out. The reward? Alabama in the SEC title game.
12. HOUSTON
I still can't get over how the Cougars lost to Navy. As great it was, it has messed up the rest of the rankings. Houston has a victory over the best team in the Big 12 in Oklahoma. The Cougars have a dance with Louisville near the end of the season. They could be one of those teams facing off with Tennessee in the "Who Cares" Bowl. Houston would not have a prayer in beating anybody in the top 10, but the rest of the teams, they can beat.
13. OKLAHOMA
The Sooners may have had the earliest exit from playoff contention ever. But don't look now, they are sneaking back up the rankings because they keep winning. I know, I know, it's the Big 12 right? They are better than unbeaten Baylor, who has played nobody. Bob Stoops takes his team on the road to face Texas Tech for what I expect to be a high scoring affair under the lights. The Big 12 can make noise by not expanding to let others into the league, they just don't want to oversaturate the market I suppose. Right now, though, the Big 12 football conference is not on par with the SEC or Big Ten or even the ACC.
14. TENNESSEE
Poor Rocky Top, Butch Jones just can't catch a break. He has his best team in years and can't remain healthy enough to even keep a game close. If you haven't seen Alvin Kamara play yet, he's really fun to watch. The Vols should win out the rest of the way, nobody of substance stands in the way. Tennessee is battling to remain at the top of the SEC East. My guess is that they will be playing Alabama again in the SEC title game. I hope Butch Jones took some great notes on this loss.
15. ARKANSAS
The Razorbacks have two losses in the SEC West, that's it. They are the third best team in that division behind Texas A&M and Alabama. They knocked off Ole Miss, but still have a dance with LSU and Florida. Just wait and sit back and listen to everybody talk about how great this conference is. I'm not certain they are, but Arkansas did beat TCU, who is one of the best teams in the Big 12.
16. OLE MISS
I know, I know, the Rebels have three losses already. At this point I don't want to reward teams for not playing anybody outside their conference. Ole Miss is guilty of losing to better teams in the conference. The SEC West is better than most of the Pac-12 and Big 12. I'm looking forward to seeing the second-best Pac-12 team lose to Ole Miss in a bowl game. Yup, pathetic, isn't it?
17. BAYLOR
Baylor Bears defensive tackle Ira Lewis (97).
Ok, so going undefeated and playing nobody gets them a look in the Woodshed top 20. They'd be higher if they faced the better teams in the conference, but for some reason the Big 12 had Baylor playing cupcake city until now. Like Wisconsin, they now have a gauntlet to run through. Texas, TCU and Oklahoma all await Baylor in their next three games. I'm certain they will lose two of the three.
18. WEST VIRGINIA
See above. The Mountaineers have handled everybody on their schedule. They have wins over Missouri and BYU. It looks like they may have the only defense in the Big 12, so it will be interesting to see what they do when they host TCU this week in Morgantown. If I'm Baylor, I'm looking over my shoulder at West Virginia just as much as Oklahoma. West Virginia very well could be the second best team in the conference. On Nov. 19 they host the Sooners for what could be all the marbles in the Big 12. The only way a Big 12 team gets to the playoff is by beating Oklahoma easily and running up scores on the rest. Because, as of now, nobody, I mean nobody, is giving anybody in the Big 12 respect. They are Rodney Dangerfield!
19. UTAH
The Utes have that one loss to California that's keeping people from taking them seriously. Utah faces UCLA and Washington the next two weeks, so I'm guessing this will be the last we hear of them for a while. If you're a fan that thinks they are the only team that can stop Washington, you're wrong.
20. WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan has beaten some of the bottom tier Big Ten teams including Northwestern. P.J. Fleck has the Broncos riding on an all-time high. They will face off with Toledo for the West Division lead of the MAC. The Broncos already took down East-leading Akron 41-0. These guys can play. It's too bad they don't have Boise State on their schedule. Boise State has three wins over Pac-12 teams, but I'm thinking the Big Ten is that much better than the Pac 12 at this point. Go Broncos!
