Can Top 10 teams still beat unranked opponents? In the past three weeks, Georgia, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma all fell victim to unranked opponents, jeopardizing their chances at the College Football Playoff. If I’m Clemson, Utah, and Oregon, I’m a little worried this week. Ahead of Week 10, my College Football Playoff includes:
- LSU
- Ohio State
- Alabama
- Clemson
Goodbye, Oklahoma, and hello, Clemson. I was worried about Clemson’s strength of schedule and lack of quality wins because it would be less than those of Oklahoma, Georgia, and Wisconsin if all finished undefeated. That being said, if Clemson goes undefeated, they will make the playoff.
The marquee game of Week 10 is No. 8 Georgia taking on No. 6 Florida in Jacksonville. From there, the Pac-12 has two interesting games with No. 9 Utah taking on Washington and No. 7 Oregon taking on USC. Here are the Top 5 CFP storylines heading into Week 10.
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Can Baylor Run The Table?
If you haven’t already, now’s the time to start taking Baylor seriously. The Bears are 7-0 and first in the Big 12 standings. The Bears are winning the close games and getting it done with their defense, which allows a conference-best 19.1 points per game. Baylor still has to play Oklahoma and Texas back-to-back, but both of those games are at home. It’s unlikely that Baylor makes the playoff but never say never.
Can Utah survive in Seattle?
Utah has slowly but surely crept its way into the Top 10 in the AP Poll. The Utes are getting it done with their dominant defense, which is ranked third in the country. Plus, it also helps to have an offense that has scored over 30 points in six of eight games. That being said, Washington is a team you can’t look past especially with Jacob Eason under center. Two weeks ago, the Huskies held a 14-point lead over Oregon before the Ducks scored late to win do the Huskies can rise to the occasion. If Utah can survive, they should win out to end the season.
Oregon Can Make The College Football Playoff
I’ve mentioned this before, but now I actually believe it. Oregon can make the College Football Playoff. They survived last week against Washington State thanks to a last-second field goal, but a win is a win. The last couple of weeks have been full of upsets in the Top 10, which has opened the door for the Ducks. More teams are going to lose in the Top 10. Georgia vs. Florida, Alabama vs. LSU, and Ohio State vs. Penn State will all be Top 10 matchups. It’s simple math. Oregon must win out, which is not up for debate, but with teams in front of them losing, the Ducks case for the CFP will be strong. That being said, USC is no easy out. The Ducks have not won in LA since 2012 so Saturday night in the Coliseum should provide fireworks.
The AAC Goes To Primetime
Who said the AAC doesn’t have big games? It’s a huge weekend for the AAC as the undefeated SMU Mustangs go on the road to take on the 7-1 Memphis Tigers. It’s arguably the biggest day in Memphis’ football history as College GameDay will be on Beale Street. The winner of this game will take control of the American Athletic Conference West. However, the stakes are even higher as the winner of this game will be in the driver’s seat to represent the Group of Five in the New Year’s Six. Memphis is a 5.5 favorite, but I expect this game to be decided by a last-second field goal.
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Grab your favorite drink and turn to CBS at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday because Jacksonville will be rocking when Georgia battles Florida for the SEC East. If you want a shootout, this is not the game for you as Georgia ranks seventh and Florida ranks 25th in total defense. However, this game is going to come down to quarterback play. For Kyle Trask and Jake Fromm, whoever makes fewer mistakes should come out on top. With both teams in the Top 10, a win here could catapult the winner into the Top 5, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
What are your top College Football Playoff storylines for Week 10? Leave your thoughts in the comments or tweet us, @unafraidshow or email us immad@unafraidshow.com
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