College football is unpredictable and enjoyable, which is why we live for what happens on Saturdays. And week 7 absolutely delivered, with five (!) top 10 teams losing on the same day.
Each Sunday, I’ll post my biggest takeaways from the college football weekend. I’ll highlight the most interesting storylines, track the College Football Playoff contenders, and specifically highlight individual and team performances that are worth highlighting.
1. Maybe there are no elite teams in college football this year?
I don’t think there’s any other conclusion possible after a weekend in which five of the top eight teams in college football fell. And Miami almost lost to its rival Florida State in double overtime! There seem to be a lot of really good college football teams that have flaws that can be exploited. No one is infallible. There are no more undefeated SEC teams left. UCLA (!) is the last undefeated team in the Big Ten. This season is not going as planned, teams that looked dominant against inferior competition are struggling to match up against a team with comparable talent on the field. Or maybe they just succumbed to the SEC’s game of musical chairs. Or maybe their famous quarterback didn’t show up.
The college football environment is flatter than it has ever been in the era of NIL and the transfer portal. Talent is more widely dispersed. If Alabama and Georgia can’t stockpile talent like they used to, then more teams will have good players who can beat teams with other good players. It’s a lot of fun but also chaotic. And it seems to be one of those years in this crazy, beautiful sport.
2. Gunner Stockton is less reliable than we thought.
I never thought Georgia’s starting quarterback was one of the best in the sport. But I thought he was reliable and consistent, someone who wasn’t going to cost his team games. That’s not how I feel about Stockton anymore! His three turnovers against Auburn – especially the last-minute fumble – put the Bulldogs in a precarious, if not terrible, position. I know Georgia had an emotional (and physically grueling) win over Alabama a week ago, so Auburn was catching the Dawgs in prime upset position. But Georgia is supposed to be unfazed. Supposed to be ultra-reliable on defense, and supposed to put the team in good positions offensively. What Stockton did to cost his team was both out of character and truly shocking. And that’s a wake-up call.
3. Notre Dame would probably just have to win to qualify for the College Football Playoff. Unless he wants a few sleepless nights.
The Irish are essentially in the same situation as last year. Their season comes down to two games, and they need to win at least one of them, you might think. Notre Dame could certainly benefit from a win worthy of supporting a CFP-worthy resume! To avoid the stress of the bubble, Notre Dame should simply beat Miami on November 7. Then there are no ifs or buts. Because otherwise, it’s a 10-2 record with two defeats against the two best teams on the schedule — and we have to hope to stay in the top 12 of the CFP rankings. It’s probably best to avoid that stress (and subjectivity) and finish 11-1.
4. BYU’s big win was perhaps even more important for the Big 12 Conference.
And the league knows it.
5. Both Ohio State and Indiana have legitimate defenses. But what about their quarterbacks?
Ohio State starting quarterback Julian Sayin will likely be out for “several weeks,” Ryan Day said after the Buckeyes held on to beat the Hoosiers on Saturday. The last time we saw Sayin on the show, he was off to the side with his right arm in a sling. Josh Hoover also played through a shoulder injury suffered mid-game. But even before being injured, neither quarterback really played in a game primarily defined by defenses. Sayin and Hoover both missed wide-open receivers, and Sayin’s touchdown pass to Jeremiah Smith only succeeded because, well, it’s Jeremiah. He adjusted and played with the ball.
Even Hoover’s potential game-winning throw to Nick Marsh should have been a lot easier – if he had gotten the ball out quicker. This final Indiana play will be the one that keeps Curt Cignetti up at night; he said after the match that it was “hard to swallow”. Have we ever had this many questions about a QB who has an 18-0 TD/INT ratio?
Ohio State and Indiana both appear to have championship-caliber defenses. But due to health issues (with Sayin) and performance issues (with both healthy Saturday), it’s worth wondering what to expect from the quarterback position in the big moments ahead.
6. Texas is going through a bad, even very bad period.
Two weeks ago, the Longhorns were ranked No. 1 in the nation – thanks entirely to this spectacular fourth-quarter comeback against Ohio State. But they didn’t look like the best team in the country. And now they have suffered two bad losses in a row. The Longhorn offense remains confusing and unimpressive, putting more pressure on Steve Sarkisian to potentially give up his calls. Texas must do something.
Saturday’s loss to Florida was the Longhorns’ biggest home lead against an unranked opponent since 1965. Against one of the worst pass defenses in the country, Arch Manning and co. accounted for just one passing touchdown and 173 total passing yards (and Manning fumbled with less than two minutes left in the fourth quarter).
There is far too much talent in this offense – at least on paper – for this unit to be this ineffective. And now the season seems to be slipping away, with two losses already and games left against Ole Miss, Missouri and LSU.
7. It’s all coming JMU – again.
Earlier this week I wrote about James Madison’s former football coaches and what they are doing at Indiana and UCLA.. But what about the current head coach? Billy Napier’s Dukes are 7-0 and the clear favorite to win the Sun Belt. Could JMU make the College Football Playoff for a second straight year? The eventual Pac-12 champion will have something to say about that, but it will be worth watching.
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