Four teams have taken 17 of the 28 spots in the College Football Playoff’s first seven years. They are Alabama; Clemson; Ohio State; and Oklahoma. The sport is on the verge of a playoff, despite a wild rivalry week.
Criticisers of the four-team payoff argue that expanding the field will benefit the game and allow more programs to participate. Instead, the football middle class chose to defeat the programs that have ruled the sport since 2014.
No. 10 Oklahoma was edged out by No. 7 Oklahoma State suffered its first Bedlam defeat since 2014, and only third since Mike Gundy assumed control of the Cowboys in 2005. No. 2 Ohio State was physically defeated by No. 5 Michigan- This is the first loss in The Game since 2011. No. 3 Alabama survived barely against rival Auburn. But, Alabama is still limping and is preparing to enter the wood chipper No. 1 Georgia.
CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm is currently No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Cincinnati, and No. 4 Oklahoma State is the most likely playoff field. The Wolverines hold the latest crown, a split national title in 1997 which ushered in BCS. Georgia is next, with a 1980 title. Oklahoma State claims the title of national champion in Sagarin ratings, but Cincinnati does not have a title or even a top-five finish.
Some fans are about to become happy. It’s clear that expanding the playoff field will be a priority when this happens.
Few people, if any, would expect teams to rank No. 15, No. 47 and No. 54 in 247Sports talent composite to have beaten team that ranks No. 3, No. 3, No. 6. 6 and 12 respectively in championship-defining situations. 12, respectively, in championship-defining situations. There are plenty of good coaches and players that can produce chaos when everything is at stake. The middle class will have more chances than ever to prove that they can compete with the best with Oklahoma State, Ohio State, and Clemson going to “regular bowl games”.
These are the winners and losers of Week 13 of college soccer.
Winners
Michigan: Jim Harbaugh finally has his moment. His Wolverines won the largest win since Harbaugh arrived in Ann Arbor after losing five of his matchups against Ohio State. In one of the most physically demanding matches of the season, Michigan ran for almost 300 yards and made Ohio State look weak. It’s suddenly Ohio State that has to answer existential questions regarding the possibility of competing for national championships. This is the team Harbaugh promised in 2015. With Josh Gattis as their offensive coordinator, the Wolverines won with their efficient quarterback play, strong defense and powerful run game. If the Wolverines win next week’s lowa and take their first Big Ten Championship since 2004, there might be no bigger winner in college football.
Ed Orgeron: –Coach O has lived a full life on the Bayou. In one of the most remarkable runs of all-time, he led LSU towards a national championship alongside Heisman winner Joe Burrow. After his highly-regarded assistants had left, he won a substantial golden parachute. He left to loud applause as he defeated — who else? Jimbo Fisher, LSU’s No. 1 coach, and his assistants. 15 Texas & AM team 27-24 in his final game of his tenure as Tigers head coach. Orgeron will remain a Louisiana icon despite the ending.
Oklahoma State: Oklahoma State’s struggles with its rival have shaped the program over the past decade, just like Michigan. Only two wins for the Cowboys were when they had the best team in program history, in 2011 and 2014. This was a different one. Oklahoma State did not catch Oklahoma in an off-season; both programs were in contention for the playoffs as the Sooners end their time in the Big 12. Oklahoma State led by two scores at the end of the fourth quarter. They outscored Oklahoma State 14-0, and did not allow a single offensive point during the second half. Oklahoma State fans can take comfort in knowing that this is the last moment of Bedlam in Stillwater.
Washington State: Few programs have been subject to the same adversity as the Cougars in the past year. Nick Rolovich, the former head coach, had a very public spat with the administration about the COVID-19 vaccination. He was eventually fired due to the statewide mandate. Midway through the year, Jake Dickert, a young assistant, was given the reins of the program. The Cougars won their fourth Pac-12 game, beating rival Washington by a score of 40-13. This was their first Apple Cup victory since 2012. Wazzu honoured Dickert with the tittle of full-time coach.
Losers
Nebraska: Cornhuskers, I don’t believe that jinxes and curses exist, but Cornhuskers, what did your team do to upset the football gods. Nebraska finished off one of the most unlucky seasons ever in college football history by suffering a record ninthloss. This was a 28-21 loss against No. 16 Iowa. With 5:54 left in the third quarter, the ‘Huskers led 21-6, but gave up 22 points down the stretch, including a 2-yard run by Iowa quarterback Spencer Petras, who won the game. Nebraska coach Scott Frost will be back in 2022 for another season. However, for his own good, he should exorcise Memorial Stadium.
UTSA: Good news: UTSA will still host Western Kentucky at the Conference USA Championship Game. The 11-1 record is a milestone for one of America’s youngest teams. Head coach Jeff Traylor has committed to the program over the long-term. Unfortunately, the Roadrunners ended their perfect season with a stunning 45-23 defeat at North Texas. This result allowed the Mean Green to qualify for bowl eligibility. UTSA won’t finish the season ranked among the top 25 due to the loss. The likelihood that quality bowls will be interested in a one-loss Conference USA team has decreased significantly.
Wisconsin: The season of Wisconsin could be divided into two parts as it heads into rivalry week: pre-Braylon and post-Braylon. The No. The 14 Badgers showed that second-half revival had more to do with competition than just the addition of a talented running back. Badgers were unable to score Big Ten Championship Game points as Wisconsin was held to just 62 yards of rushing yards and 233 total yards by the Gophers.
Bryce Young has been named the new Heisman frontrunner
With only 90 seconds left and the ball at Auburn’s 3-yard line, Alabama was writing the final chapter of its 2021 campaign. Then, Young happened.
Despite being under immense pressure from a struggling offensive team, the redshirt freshman completed four passes of 83 yards in 71 second, including a 28 yard bomb to Ja’Corey Brooks, to send the Iron Bowl into overtime. Young then completed a touchdown and two more 2-point conversions to the end zone to win the 24-22 victory.
Auburn is not a good opponent, and the Crimson Tide don’t have a clear shot at winning the national title. But that doesn’t matter. C.J. Young, a fellow lead contender, lost his rivalry game to miss the Big Ten title game. Young’s heroisms will propel him to the front in the Heisman race, even though Stroud was eliminated from his rivalry game and missed the Big Ten title games. He just needs to do it again against Georgia’s No. To win, he must defend the No. 1.
The “new” Big 12 is establishing itself nicely
Bob Bowlsby, Big 12 commissioner, received the message from Texas that Oklahoma and were leaving the conference in July. He couldn’t have imagined that November would bring such bright prospects.
The six-year-old reign of Oklahoma dominance ended Saturday. Elsewhere, No. 24 Houston has remained in the top 25 and could be a spoiler for No. Next week, Cincinnati will play in the AAC Championship Game. The league will not be able to host Oklahoma. Instead, the Big 12 adds the Bearcats to its roster, which is a likely playoff participant. Texas was unable to reach its fourth bowl game in 1998 after suffering their worst losing streak since 1956. Even though it was in decline, UCF managed to win eight games under Gus Malzahn, its first-year head coach.
Although Oklahoma and Texas remain the only Big 12 programs to have won multiple national championships in their respective sports, the top-to bottom football quality of the new Big 12 suddenly appears to be strong. The new league’s on-field prospects look bright with Baylor and Oklahoma State on the brink of locking down their highly-regarded coaches for the long-term.
The $100 million question is literally how broadcast networks see the Big 12 moving forward. Power-brokers in the sport may not value winning football, but there is no guarantee. Shoutout to the Longhorns. The league’s potential playoff contenders in the future years is a good sign.
