Oregon’s overtime win against rival Washington opens a path for the Ducks to be a major-bowl factor while nearly slamming the door for the Pac-12 Conference and its hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff.
Earlier on Saturday afternoon, Notre Dame rode a late touchdown pass and a stingy defense to a 19-14 win against Pittsburgh to remain unbeaten. Few wins seem pretty for the Irish, but the bottom line is what matters: Notre Dame is getting into the playoff at 12-0.
At 12-0, however, Notre Dame would knock a Power Five champion out of the top four. It’s becoming more and more likely that this league will be the Pac-12, which entered the year with Washington as a national contender followed by several teams floundering around the back half of the Top 25. The two-loss Huskies are now out of contention.
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Oregon is undoubtedly better than just another odd team in the Amway Coaches Poll – the Ducks look like a team destined for nine or more wins, at least, with a good shot at the North Division title despite an earlier loss to Stanford. The issue: Even at 12-1 and owners of the Pac-12 crown, the Ducks are a long shot to crack a national semifinal.
The Southeastern Conference champion is in. Likewise with an undefeated or one-loss winner of the Big Ten Conference. Clemson is in from the Atlantic Coast Conference, or maybe a one-loss Miami (Fla.) team. Notre Dame is in at 12-0, as noted. And there's a team from the Big 12 Conference ready to fill the void if the Irish do stumble between now and December, whether that's Oklahoma, West Virginia or even Texas. As of now, the playoff picture has no room for Oregon – and has no room for the Pac-12.
Here are the rest of Saturday’s winners and losers:
Winners
LSU
The Tigers play throwback, SEC-style football, exchanging many of the bells and whistles – if only in relative terms – seen elsewhere in the conference for a playbook and style that harkens to a bygone era. You know, 2011. LSU pushed and shoved Georgia around for 60 minutes in the sort of win that solidifies its place as a team capable of beating any opponent in the country. When they’re good, the Tigers are really, really good.
Michigan State
Dismissed as pretenders just a week ago, the Spartans rebounded from a lackluster first month-plus to net a 21-17 road win against Penn State to keep some pace in the Big Ten race. Losses to Arizona State and Northwestern already sealed Michigan State’s place outside of the playoff hunt. But the Spartans can still play their way into Big Ten title or New Year’s Six bowl during games against Michigan and Ohio State, with both coming at home.
Central Florida
It wasn’t the best performance. Worse yet, it’s one that’ll linger in the minds of voters tasked with ranking UCF against college football’s best. But the Knights found enough in the tank to sneak past Memphis 31-30 and maintain college football’s longest active winning streak – 19 games and counting.
Tennessee
So: Tennessee has a football coach, we think. Jeremy Pruitt landed the marquee moment of his first season with a 30-24 win against Auburn, snapping the Volunteers’ painful losing streak in SEC play and giving his tenure a needed jolt just at the midseason point. This is the sort of win that can beef up the program’s already solid recruiting efforts and lay the groundwork for a strong close to the year.
Losers
Georgia
The worries that this team hadn’t looked the part even in a 6-0 start were real: Georgia faced a real test against LSU and wilted. There are concerns on offense, both in play-calling and execution, and the lack of difference-making starters on the defensive front seven is now plainly evident. Is a quarterback change in the making? Probably not. But in terms of this current season, the Bulldogs were revealed to be a step away from being included among the elite of college football’s elite. Still, it’s hard to shake the feeling that Georgia will rebound and be ready for Alabama in early December.
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