The countdown to this year's college football playoffs begins now!
With the first installment of College Football Playoff rankings set to be unveiled on Election Day, each game from this point onward could determine the fate of each team looking to gain one of the twelve spots.
All this noted, let's review what we learned from Week 10.
What Did We Learn From Week 10 ?
Penn State and Ohio State clashed in a contest between two teams with elite defenses. Yet, one of the biggest takeaways from this game was that both teams have too many offensive inconsistencies to compete against the likes of Oregon or Georgia in a playoff situation. For example, the Nittany Lions' failure to score late in the fourth quarter on the Buckeyes' goal line; essentially, it was the moment when everyone knew they were going to lose this game. For head coach James Franklin, it marks another year in which his team failed to win a big game.
Georgia beat Florida, but don't be fooled by the score. The majority of the game was a battle until later in the fourth quarter. The biggest concern for the Bulldogs is Carson Beck. Set aside the fact he threw three interceptions; his overall play as of late has been underwhelming. As good as Kirby Smart's defense may be, this team's success runs through Beck, and they need him to return to the version he was in 2023.
At this point, we can't deny that Indiana is a playoff team. With their latest win over Michigan State, they improved their record to 9-0. What is impressive about this team is how balanced they are on both sides of the ball. It's a team with no real superstars, just a collective group working in unison to achieve the goal of making the college football playoffs and beyond.
To Michigan's credit, they were more competitive than expected against Oregon. The reality is that it is not 2023, and this year's team may not even qualify for a bowl game, let alone make this year's college football playoffs.
Yes, Miami won, but let's be real, they are seemingly a one-dimensional team; that being Cam Ward. Their run offense is mediocre at best, their defense doesn't produce enough splash plays (although this week was an improvement), and overall, they relinquish leads quickly. The person that makes this team elite is Ward, and they'll need much more than him to make it in the playoffs.
It seemed like forever since Clemson last lost a game, but Louisville bested them this week. Even so, they're still in the driver's seat for a playoff spot.
South Carolina was bound to secure an upset win with the way they've played this season, and they finally achieved it at the expense of the No. 10 ranked Texas A&M Aggies.
Ole Miss destroyed Arkansas, and quite frankly, they needed this win. Three losses could mean the end of their playoff hopes. Let's see what happens next week against Georgia.
Vanderbilt has done it again, taking down another big-name program with their win over Auburn. This victory makes them bowl-eligible for the first time since 2018. The lingering question is how much longer Hugh Freeze will remain in his head coaching job.
Despite Ashton Jeanty's subpar rushing performance (by his standards), Boise State easily defeated San Diego State. Not needing Jeanty to carry the team bodes well for their climb in the AP polls.
Top Week 10 Performers
- Offense -
QB Jaxson Dart - Ole Miss
RB Cam Skattebo - Arizona State (Week MVP)
WR Jordan Watkins - Ole Miss
QB Cameron Ward - Miami
RB RJ Harvey - UCF
RB Kaleb Johnson - Iowa
RB Phil Mafah - Clemson
WR Xavier Restrepo - Miami
RB Brashard Smith - SMU
RB Jovantae Barnes - Oklahoma
RB Dylan Sampson - Tennessee
QB Maddux Madsen - Boise State
RB Isaac Brown - Louisville
RB Lequint Allen - Syracuse
QB Kurtis Rourke - Indiana
RB Ashton Jeanty - Boise State
RB Makhi Hughes - Tulane
QB Keyone Jenkins - FIU
- Defense -
DL Mikail Kamara - Indiana
LB TJ Dottery - Ole Miss
LB Abdul Carter - Penn State
LB Princely Umanmielen - Ole Miss
DB Amare Ferrell - Indiana
LB Darius Thomas - Western Kentucky
LB Cody Simon - Ohio State
DT Ricky Barber - UCF
DL Malachi Lawrence - UCF
LB Marlowe Wax - Syracuse
LB David Omopariola - Syracuse
LB Jacob Rodriguez - Texas Tech
S Tyrone Lewis - Louisiana
LB Jamon Dumas-johnson - Kentucky
DL JT Tuimoloau - Ohio State
DL Kody Harris-Miller - Army
DB Malik Verdon - Iowa State
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