The College Football Playoff rankings get a shakeup once again as two undefeated teams fall.
What a day we had in college football. The anticipation was insane heading into the week, especially after the first College Football Playoff rankings from the committee. They ranked LSU at no. 2, Alabama at No. 3, and Penn State at No. 4. With LSU and Alabama squaring off, and Penn State traveling to face undefeated Minnesota, we were in for a treat, and neither game disappointed.
Minnesota pulled off the upset against Penn State with another strong game from quarterback Tanner Morgan and a defense that created turnovers when they needed to.
LSU finally got the elephant off of their back and beat the Crimson Tide in their house 46-41. Joe Burrow and Clyde Edwards-Helaire played outstanding football.
With two teams in the top four going down, the playoff rankings will surely get a shakeup this week by the committee. Let’s project who should be in the top four after an unbelievable week in college football.
1. LSU Tigers
What a game we had in Tuscaloosa. The LSU Tigers came in with more confidence than they’ve ever had to face the Tide, and they came out on top 46-41, finally getting back over the hump in the SEC West.
Joe Burrow was efficient and dominant once again on the big stage. He completed 31 of 39 for 393 yards and three touchdowns, adding 64 yards on the ground. Burrow looked poised and confident all night, responding when he needed to when the Tide threatened to come back in the game.
Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire had a stellar evening, running for 103 yards and three touchdowns, while also catching nine passes for 77 yards and a score. His ability to gain tough yardage after contact and pick up key first downs was huge for the Tigers.
The defense didn’t play outstanding, but they got a huge turnover before the half, picking off Tua Tagovailoa, which led to a score to extend the lead to 33-13. They made Tua uncomfortable in the pocket for most of the day.
With a resume this strong, there’s no way anyone else deserves the top spot. The Bayou Bengals travel to Mississippi next week.
2. Ohio State Buckeyes
The Buckeyes got awful news during the week, hearing that edge rusher Chase Young would be suspended indefinitely because of an NCAA violation.
They came out angry and didn’t hold back against the helpless Maryland Terrapins, dominating them 73-14. Justin Fields completed 16-of-25 for 200 yards and three scores while running back J.K. Dobbins had 90 yards rushing and scored two touchdowns on the ground. The defense had seven sacks and one interception on the afternoon. Don’t forget about the special teams, where they pulled off an impressive pooch onside kick in the first quarter. It was a beating from the Buckeyes.
Even with Penn State’s loss, the Buckeyes need to take care of business when they play them in two weeks. It’s unclear how long Young will be out, but if Ohio State plays like this every week, they shouldn’t have anything to worry about. They get Big Ten doormat Rutgers next.
3. Clemson Tigers
All it took was one week for the Clemson Tigers to find themselves in the top four of the College Football Playoff rankings. With losses from Alabama and Penn State, they slide right back in the mix.
Clemson took it to the North Carolina State Wolfpack in a 49-10 rout. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence continues to improve this season after a shaky start, completing 20 of 27 for 276 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Travis Etienne continued his hot streak, rushing for 112 yards and two scores on the evening. The offense once again got to rest in the second half.
The ACC will continue to be a (mostly) one team conference, so the strength of schedule for Clemson still leans on the Texas A&M game, but as long as they keep winning games, they’ll be in the playoff. Next week’s contest against Wake Forest was gaining some steam (the Deacons were ranked 19th coming into the week), but they lost to Virginia Tech this week.
4. Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia is back in?! How? Well, the Bulldogs have a path to the playoff after beating the Florida Gators last week. Their goal now is to get to Atlanta unscathed for an SEC title game bout with LSU.
They played well against Missouri this week, shutting them out 27-0 at home. Jake Fromm was very pedestrian in this game, completing just 13 of 29 for 173 yards and two touchdowns, but he did enough guiding the Bulldogs offense on their scoring drives. D’Andre Swift posted another solid game with 83 yards on 12 carries, and they had good balance with a lot of backs getting work.
The defense obviously played well pitching a shutout, and they have yet to allow a rushing touchdown this year. They kept Missouri to just 4-14 on third downs. Safety Richard LeCounte got their one turnover of the evening. The path is set, and it’s up to Georgia to keep winning. They get a tough test going to Auburn next week.
Just Missed: Oregon, Alabama
Oregon was off this week, but they are happy to see Alabama lose. Their path is clear to potentially get a playoff spot. They have Arizona, Arizona State, and Oregon State left on their schedule before the Pac-12 title game against Utah. Win four straight, and we will see what happens.
Alabama losing is a big shot to their chances, but it isn’t over yet. We’ve seen them make the playoff before in this situation. They just need LSU to win out and beat Georgia and have the Pac-12 and Big 12 implode on themselves.
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