College football: 10 best, 10 worst teams of Week 13 – Ohio State, Michigan roll

As teams position themselves for the College Football Playoff, we look beyond the final scores to find the best and worst team performances of Week 13.

The first 13 weeks of the 2019 college football season are in the books, leaving just one full slate of action across the country. And if Saturday’s results were any indication, Week 14 should provide plenty of intrigue with rivalry week and playoff positioning going on.

Thanks in part to many SEC and ACC powers scheduling FCS opponents or an idle date to afford an extra week of rest and preparation for rivalry games at the end of the schedule, the Big Ten and the Pac-12 were pushed to center stage in Week 13.

Ohio State and Penn State met in Columbus in the only matchup of ranked teams. The Buckeyes secured their spot in the conference championship game with a 28-17 victory and posted one of the highest CFB Winning Edge Team Performance ratings of the week in the process. But Ohio State, which maintained its No. 1 average game grade this year, wasn’t the top-performing team of the week. In fact, it was “the team up north” that secured the top spot and will carry a great deal of momentum into The Game next Saturday.

Oregon and Utah, each hoping to navigate the final weeks of the season and qualify for the Pac-12 Conference title game with an 11-1 record, both traveled to the desert. One survived, and one didn’t, potentially opening the door to arguments for an eventual Big 12 champion, or a second team from the Big Ten or SEC, to secure the No. 4 spot in the College Football Playoff spot.

With much still at stake, including conference championships to playoff position, and everything from bowl eligibility to head coaching job security, we take a look back at the penultimate week of the 2019 campaign to find out who played the best, and who fared worst, using our analytically driven Team Performance grading formula.

10 Best Team Performances of Week 13

10. Arizona State Sun Devils, 90.45

The most important upset of Week 13 was Arizona State knocking off No. 6 Oregon 31-28 at home. Not only did the loss dash the Ducks’ playoff hopes, but the Sun Devils also secured bowl eligibility in the process.

Arizona State amassed 535 total yards of offense against one of the highest-rated defenses in the country, averaging an incredible 12.4 yards per pass attempt. True freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels completed 22 of 32 pass attempts for 408 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. He connected with Frank Darby on a 57-yard touchdown in the first quarter and hit Brandon Aiyuk for an 81-yarder in the fourth to seal the victory.

9. Boise State Broncos, 90.53

With the Mountain West Mountain Division title on the line, Boise State left no doubt in a 56-21 victory over Utah State. The Broncos exploded for 42 points in the first half despite starting third-string quarterback Jaylon Henderson for the second straight week. Henderson threw for 187 yards and three touchdowns and added 45 on the ground to lead the charge.

George Holani led the Broncos with 178 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and his 11.1-yard average boosted Boise State to 6.5 yards per carry. Defensively, the Broncos held Utah State to 3.6 yards per rushing attempt, and the unit held star quarterback Jordan Love to 229 passing yards on 21-for-36 passing with one touchdown and one interception. Boise State also intercepted backup Henry Colombi to win the turnover battle 2-0.

8. Eastern Michigan Eagles, 90.71

On Tuesday night, the Eastern Michigan Eagles traveled to DeKalb as a slight underdog and blasted Northern Illinois 45-17 to secure an all-important sixth victory. Quarterback Mike Glass III and running back Shaq Vann led the Eagles offensively. Glass threw for 235 yards and three touchdowns while averaging 9.8 yards per pass attempt and added 31 rushing yards and another score on the ground, and Vann needed just 14 carries to run for 101 yards and a touchdown.

Eastern Michigan shut down the NIU passing attack and held quarterback Marcus Childers, who started in place of the injured Ross Bowers, to just 99 yards, and an average of 3.8 yards per pass attempt, on 12-of-26 passing. The Eagles forced four turnovers, including three interceptions of Childers.

7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 90.83

Notre Dame has been on a roll in recent weeks, and with only a trip to Stanford left on the regular-season schedule, the Fighting Irish have positioned themselves for a spot in a prestigious bowl game, and likely plenty of preseason hype ahead of the 2020 campaign.

The Irish dominated Boston College in a 40-7 victory at home Saturday. The Eagles’ usually-potent rushing attack managed just 128 yards and 3.0 yards per carry, and quarterback Dennis Grosel completed just nine of 20 pass attempts for 63 yards (3.2 yards per pass) and one interception.

Overall, Notre Dame outgained BC 501-191, and by an average of 2.91 yards per play. The Fighting Irish won the turnover battle 2-0 and turned both second-half turnovers into quick touchdown drives to bust open the scoring margin.

6. Colorado Buffaloes, 91.24

Washington entered the 2019 college football season with high expectations. The Huskies were the favorites to win the Pac-12 North, and were the pick of many fans and experts to win the conference title outright and compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff. However, following a 20-14 loss to Colorado, which marked the fifth loss of the year for Washington and its third in four games, the Huskies need a win in the Apple Cup next to guarantee even a winning record.

Colorado had more modest expectations under first-year head coach Mel Tucker, and following a solid 3-1 start, the Buffaloes endured a five-game losing streak that nearly doomed the season. However, Tucker has led his squad to back-to-back upset wins, and now, the Buffs have an opportunity to earn bowl eligibility with a win in their regular-season finale against Utah.

The Buffs outgained Washington 430-238 overall, and by an average of 2.68 yards per play. Colorado racked up 207 rushing yards on 5.0 yards per attempt, and the defense held the Huskies to just 32 yards on 32 carries thanks in part to five sacks. CU also averaged 8.0 yards per pass while holding Washington to 5.9 yards per attempt through the air.

5. Nebraska Cornhuskers, 91.55

Like Washington, Nebraska was expected to compete for a division title but has severely underachieved. However, the Cornhuskers had plenty to celebrate Saturday following a 54-7 victory over Maryland on the road. The win snapped a four-game losing streak and set up an opportunity to secure bowl eligibility next week with a victory over Iowa.

Nebraska outgained Maryland 531-206 overall and by an average of 2.14 yards per snap. The Huskers held a 7.5-2.7 edge in yards per pass attempt and outgained the Terrapins 5.4-4.8 on average rushing. Quarterback Adrian Martinez accounted for three total touchdowns, including two touchdown passes to leading receiver J.D. Spielman.

4. Tennessee Volunteers, 91.81

Colorado and Nebraska both need one more win to secure a bowl bid, but Tennessee sealed the deal with a 24-20 victory over Missouri on the road Saturday night. The Vols, who stumbled out of the gate on the way to a 2-5 start, have now won four straight games.

The final score doesn’t indicate just how thoroughly the Vols dominated Mizzou statistically. Tennessee outgained the Tigers 526-280 overall and by an average of 2.96 yards per play. Quarterback Jarrett Guarantano averaged 10.4 yards per pass attempt on his way to 415 yards and two touchdowns. Guarantano spread the wealth among a trio of 100-yard receivers: Josh Palmer, Jauan Jennings and Marquez Callaway. Defensively, the Vols held Missouri to 99 rushing yards and 2.7 yards per rushing attempt.

3. Utah Utes, 91.98

Oregon’s loss to Arizona State hurt Utah, given the fact the Utes need all the help they can get to sneak into the College Football Playoff, and beating a one-loss Ducks squad in the Pac-12 Championship Game would offer a bigger boost to the Utes’ resume. But Utah took care of its business in a 35-7 victory over Arizona on the road.

The Utes averaged 9.2 yards per pass attempt and 5.9 yards per carry, and held Arizona to 5.0 and 2.4, respectively. Overall, Utah outgained the Wildcats 517-196 and by an average of 3.22 yards per play, though 85 of Arizona’s total yards (and its only score), came on the final offensive drive of the game. Nevertheless, running back Zack Moss outgained the Wildcats by himself with 203 rushing yards and 32 receiving yards.

Utah has now won seven games in a row. Since the 30-23 loss to USC (during which Moss was injured, for what it’s worth), the Utes have posted an average Team Performance rating of 92.18 – second-highest nationally only to Ohio State (93.33) during that span.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes, 92.24

Ohio State posted another excellent game grade Saturday and maintained its spot atop the national Team Performance leaderboard in the process. But it could have been even better if not for three lost fumbles, two of which led quickly to 10 Penn State points in a 28-17 victory over the Nittany Lions.

The Buckeyes also sewed up the Big Ten East (again) thanks to another dominant defensive performance. Ohio State held Penn State to 227 total yards and an average of 3.55 yards per snap. Chase Young picked up right where he left off as the nation’s most dominant pass rusher, tallying three of Ohio State’s five sacks. Penn State managed just 128 passing yards, and quarterbacks Sean Clifford and Will Levis combined for an average of 4.6 yards per attempt. Levis provided a spark as a runner, but the Nittany Lions were nevertheless held under 100 rushing yards and 2.8 yards per attempt.

Offensively, Justin Fields posted solid passing numbers, including 8.5 yards per attempts and two touchdowns, and he added 68 rushing yards on 21 carries. Running back J.K. Dobbins led the way with 157 rushing yards and two scores on 36 attempts. But, Fields lost two of his three fumbles, including one that first appeared to be a touchdown run, and Dobbins lost one.

1. Michigan Wolverines, 93.60

Michigan ranks No. 14 in Team Performance this season, but the Wolverines have posted the fifth-best average game grade (90.85) nationally since Week 5 (or in other words, since being blown out by Wisconsin). And with a 39-14 victory over Indiana last week, which included a 25-0 run over the final 41 minutes of the game, Michigan secured the No. 1 spot in Week 14.

The Wolverines outgained the Hoosiers 453-321 overall and by an average of 2.64 yards per play. Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson threw for 366 yards with five touchdowns and only one interception while averaging 11.4 yards per attempt. Nico Collins was on the receiving end of three scoring strikes and led the team with 165 yards and six receptions.

Defensively, Michigan limited Indiana to 97 rushing yards and 2.6 yards per attempt. The Hoosiers threw for 224 yards, but could not find the end zone through the air, and Daxton Hill intercepted Indiana quarterback Peyton Ramsey in the first quarter to stop a promising Indiana drive, and Josh Uche recovered Ramsey’s fourth-quarter fumble to set up a quick touchdown for the final scoring margin.

10 Worst Team Performances of Week 10

10. Troy Trojans, 65.14

Troy was simply no match for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, who wrapped up a spot in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game with a 53-3 victory. The Trojans surrendered 598 total yards and lost the turnover battle 3-0 in the loss, which dropped their record to 5-6 overall and 3-4 in conference play with the regular-season finale with Appalachian State on deck.

9. North Texas Mean Green, 65.12

North Texas head coach Seth Littrell was a hot name in the coaching carousel following the 2018 season, but his Mean Green have stumbled following the loss of offensive coordinator Graham Harrell to USC. Senior quarterback Mason Fine was held to 163 passing yards and an average of 5.1 yards per attempt, and North Texas managed just 75 rushing yards in a 20-14 loss to Rice Saturday. The loss was the seventh of the season for UNT and knocked the Mean Green out of bowl contention.

8. Southern Miss Eagles, 65.11

Southern Miss had its three-game winning streak snapped in a 28-10 loss to Western Kentucky. The lack of a running game and three turnovers were the difference in the loss. A win would have kept the Eagles in the driver’s season in the West Division of Conference USA, but instead, Southern Miss is now in a three-way tie atop the division ahead of next week’s clash with East Division leader FAU.

7. New Mexico Lobos, 64.93

New Mexico and Air Force had been scheduled to play Nov. 9, but the game was postponed following the tragic death of Lobos defensive lineman Nahje Flowers.

Both teams ran the ball effectively, but it was the surprisingly excellent Air Force passing attack that proved to be the difference in a 44-22 Falcons win. The Lobos surrendered 327 passing yards and four touchdowns on 9-for-10 passing – an incredible average of 32.7 yards per attempt. Meanwhile, New Mexico managed just 90 yards through the air and 5.0 yards per attempt.

6. Old Dominion Monarchs, 63.41

The connection of quarterback Hayden Wolff, who threw for 321 yards in his third career start, and receiver Aaron Moore, who caught 14 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown, was a bright spot for Old Dominion. But the Monarchs only averaged 4.9 yards per pass attempt, and the ODU defense couldn’t slow Middle Tennessee quarterback Asher O’Hara (who averaged 9.0 yards per pass and led all players with 78 rushing yards) in a 38-17 loss to the Blue Raiders.

5. UTEP Miners, 63.32

UTEP quarterback Kai Locksley had arguably his best all-around performance for the Miners, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Jason Huntley and rival New Mexico State in a 44-35 loss. Locksley threw for 358 yards, ran for 103, and accounted for three total touchdowns, but he was also responsible for two costly fourth-quarter turnovers in the period of three offensive plays that resulted directly to 10 points for the Aggies.

4. Maryland Terrapins, 62.70

Remember when we thought Maryland was good? The Terrapins posted game grades of 92.18 and 94.51, respectively, in their first two games of the season, but have managed an average score of 74.00 in the eight games since, including a season-low mark in Week 14.

3. Massachusetts Minutemen, 61.84

Mercifully, the 2019 Massachusetts football season has ended. The Minutemen lost 56-24 to BYU to cap a 1-11 season. UMass was outgained by an average of 4.88 yards per play by the Cougars (second-worst of the week for an FBS squad) and fell behind 49-0 before halftime.

Now the pressure is on for Akron, whose 37-29 loss to the Minutemen and an 0-11 overall record to date, has kept the Zips in the No. 130 spot in Team Performance overall – mere percentage points behind the Minutemen.

2. Northern Illinois Huskies, 61.62

Northern Illinois’ slim bowl hopes were dashed by Eastern Michigan Tuesday. Though the Huskies had some success on the ground and averaged 5.0 yards per carry while posting 238 rushing yards, NIU was outgained by an average of 3.37 points per snap in the loss.

1. Bowling Green Falcons, 59.11

Bowling Green surrendered 9.98 yards per play in its 66-24 loss to Ohio Tuesday. Only one FBS defense (Arkansas, which allowed an unspeakable 12.75 yards per play to LSU) was worse in Week 14. The Falcons were outgained by 4.48 yards per play, which ranked behind only the Razorbacks (-8.47) and UMass (-4.88) last week.

Top 10 Teams of 2019, average Team Performance

10. Wisconsin Badgers

9. Baylor Bears, 89.26

8. Florida Gators, 89.58

7. Utah Utes, 90.26

6. Oklahoma Sooners, 91.15

5. Georgia Bulldogs, 91.26

4. LSU Tigers, 92.33

3. Alabama Crimson Tide, 92.57

2. Clemson Tigers, 92.74

1. Ohio State Buckeyes, 93.76

Worst 10 Teams of 2019, average Team Performance

121. Texas State Bobcats, 72.60

122. Bowling Green Falcons, 72.13

123. Connecticut Huskies, 72.08

124. South Alabama Jaguars, 71.33

125. New Mexico Lobos, 71.03

126. New Mexico State Aggies, 70.65

127. Old Dominion Monarchs, 70.25

128. UTEP Miners, 69.53

129. Massachusetts Minutemen, 67.70

130. Akron Zips, 67.54

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