The final month of the college football season is considered the witching hour for most programs. Promising campaigns can come crashing down and once-doomed years can be turned around. Sometimes a single player can lead such pushes.
In this case, there are a handful of teams that are set up for potential national championship runs but the success of those runs — or even getting a chance to go on such a run — depends on how their stars show up. Playing up to their potential could result in a title, while underwhelming will just end a campaign prematurely. Let's examine who falls under that category in the final phase of the season.
Malachi Toney, WR, Miami Hurricanes
The nation's third-leading receiver this year is going to miss the remainder of the regular season after undergoing ankle surgery. His absence could very well put the Hurricanes in a vulnerable position to fall from the No. 1 overall ranking, especially with a loss to No. 11 Notre Dame on Saturday. Toney has accounted for 39 percent of his team's total receiving yards (1,027), with the next closest target coming nowhere close (372 yards).
If no other receiver can step up in Toney's absence, Miami is going to be in a world of trouble. Like, to the point where its next three games after Notre Dame (Duke, Virginia Tech, Boston College) could wind up being a lineup of spoiler's row. Quarterback Darian Mensah will have to figure out how to use his legs more or lean on his running backs to keep the offense humming. If that's not possible, Toney's goal of returning by the College Football Playoff may be all for naught.
Bear Bachmeier, QB, BYU Cougars
Bachmeier ranks No. 50 in the nation in passing yards (1,750) and boasts a rather average 12-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Yet, the Cougars managed to leap all the way to No. 2 anyway before being exposed against UCF. That loss was the first major reckoning for the team when it came to Bachmeier's inefficiencies. He also nearly blew things against Arizona State the following week.
Bechmeier has to tighten things up, especially with the Holy War against Utah arriving Saturday. BYU, being a member of the Big 12, cannot afford another loss unless it's going to run the table and win the conference title. Bachmeier has the ability to be a Heisman-contending passer (though he won't actually receive votes this year) and that will only catapult the Cougars to the Playoff. If he slips into an average streak, it may doom BYU for yet another season.
Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State
Without starting QB Julian Sayin to sling him the football for record-breaking performances, Smith is going to have to create magic all on his own — that is, if freshman passer Luke Fahey finally finds a rhythm with him. In the loss to USC, the pair connected for 10 completions, 83 yards and a touchdown. That's not a bad stat line by any means but it's well below Smith's standard. He's still a Heisman Trophy favorite, but without his normal QB, he's looking rather average.
This could easily be a section dedicated just to Fahey because he has to be the one to get Smith the ball for him to earn all that YAC he's known for. However, Fahey just has to play at a steady clip and not make many mistakes going forward. It's Smith who has to resume being special for Ohio State to have any hope of finishing out the year with a CFP berth.
George MacIntyre, QB, Tennessee
Tennessee has every right to feel like it's been set up to fail by the CFP selection committee. Though the concerns the committee has about the Volunteers most likely (understandably) revolve around the inconsistencies at the quarterback position. Faizon Brandon was benched mid-year for George MacIntyre and it doesn't look like head coach Josh Heupel is going to make another change unless there's a serious injury.
MacIntyre has more passing yards than Brandon but he's only managed to throw two touchdowns compared to his predecesor's seven. That number needs to skyrocket across the final month of the year in order for Tennessee to beat opponents and impress the committee enough to secure a Top 10 ranking by December. If he continues his current mediocrity, despite victories, the committee is going to label Tennessee a potential fraud and keep them on the bubble.
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