Big 12 Football Week 12 Power Rankings: Dallas could come down to the wire

Big 12 Football Week 12 Power Rankings

For weeks now, pundits, bloggers, and fans have been debating on which team would likely face Oklahoma in the Big 12 Football title game in December. With the Sooners winning Bedlam, Texas sealing a late win against Texas Tech, and West Virginia handling business at TCU, it should come down to those three teams. However, Iowa State has the same record as UT. So things could get interesting down the final stretch. With three weeks left to go, here’s how the Big 12 Football Week 12 Power Rankings stack up.

10. Kansas

17-21 loss at Kansas State

Different week with the Kansas Jayhawks, but it’s the same story following its 17-21 loss to Kansas State last weekend. Kansas might not be the most attractive job in the country right now. But for athletics director Jeff Long to position the Jayhawks to be considered by a bigger (although, perhaps, disgraced) head coaching prospect the team needs to prove that they have a fight in them.  After being down against Kansas State, they showed grit and determination. But they weren’t able to force those turnovers they’ve become so notorious for under coach David Beaty. With Oklahoma and Texas still on the schedule, the odds of things improving for Kansas this season aren’t high, but they have to keep fighting.

9. Kansas State

21-17 win over Kansas

Kansas State managed to squeak out a win over Kansas, but if anything, it highlighted just how much the Wildcats have struggled this season. The Wildcats had issues in all three phases of the game, and only seem to be improving on special teams.  In a game that was decided on which team made the fewest mistakes, the final touchdown play by K-State on a 4th down conversion was as gritty as you could expect from a game like that. But it was just enough to get that fourth-quarter score to move K-State to 4-6 overall. The Wildcats host Texas Tech this week and cap the season against No. 22 ranked Iowa State. Both opponents are showing improvement throughout the season, so K-State must tighten things up this week.

8. TCU

10-47 loss at West Virginia

It’s crazy to think that TCU was ranked in the preseason, and chosen to finish near the top of the Big 12 conference. Following its 10-47 loss in Morgantown against West Virginia, it’s safe to say that a 4-6 overall TCU team will be facing a steep uphill battle trying to get to bowl eligibility with Baylor and Oklahoma State still on the schedule.  While TCU held West Virginia scoreless through the first quarter, it was pretty much “game over” when TCU allowed three touchdowns in just 3:25 in the second quarter. The Horned Frogs scored just one touchdown in the second half and allowed three additional touchdowns and a field goal. They were held to a lowly 222 total yards of offense–a season low. TCU has faced several injuries this season, but so has everyone else. This is where depth plays a factor, and TCU just hasn’t been able to get great play from the “next man up”.

7. Baylor

14-28 loss at Iowa State

Optimism started growing for Baylor following their win over Oklahoma State two weeks ago. But their loss at Iowa State indicated a step backward in more ways than one. On the one hand, Baylor struggled to score, putting up just two touchdowns in the second half. And on the other hand, while several Big 12 teams have proven to be better after the half this season, you can’t be effective if you lose players to ejections, which the Bears experienced with the loss of quarterback Charlie Brewer for a second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Thankfully for Baylor, Brewer will not miss game time against TCU, as the ejection rule only applies to fighting and for targeting penalties.

6. Oklahoma State

47-48 loss at Oklahoma

Oklahoma State is on a two-loss skid. However, with its nail-biting loss at Oklahoma last weekend, it showed that the Cowboys have the talent and drive to finish the season with Bowl eligibility. If their wide receivers continue working defenders as they did against the Sooners, they have a shot. Much like Texas Tech’s late heroics a few weeks against Oklahoma, the Cowboys were one two-point conversion away from pulling the upset. Regardless of the loss, it’s the motivation will certainly be there for the Cowboys with West Virginia on the schedule this weekend. But with a West Virginia team that’s emerged as one of the top defenses in the country, the receivers will be tested–perhaps more in this game than any other time this season.

5. Texas Tech

34-41 loss against Texas

With its loss against Texas, the Red Raiders are now 5-5 on the season, and 3-4 in the conference. The quarterback issue has been a revolving door of speculation and criticism since Alan Bowman’s injury. I think it’s fair to say that Jett Duffey’s 524 total yards of offense which included 80 rushing yards on critical conversions helped the Red Raiders stay in the game. Unfortunately, turnovers have been his biggest issue this season. Instead of losing confidence, though, Duffey had a monster 4th quarter, which included a two touchdown passes to Antoine Wesley and one to T.J. Vasher. Even in what’s perceived as a “down year” for Tech quarterbacks, it’s still important to note that Tech has one of the nation’s top offenses, and Wesley is second in the nation in receiving and leads all Power 5 receivers. Tech could still finish the season at 8-5 with a Bowl win. With Kansas State and Baylor left on the road, penalties and turnovers have to be the focus now.

4. Texas

41-34 win at Texas Tech

Texas is now ranked at No. 15 in the College Football Playoff. While a berth isn’t likely, the Longhorns are on the fringe of the Big 12 title game. If they can defeat Iowa State at home this week, and win on the road against Kansas in two weeks, they have a chance. With Sam Ehlinger’s 4th quarter heroics against Texas Tech in Lubbock last weekend, Texas has all the confidence they need to send Iowa State packing. If this is to happen, the Texas defense has to clean things up, considering they blew a 17-point lead at Texas Tech. Iowa State likes to control the clock, and the Longhorns defense will have to come up in a big way.

3. Iowa State

28-14 Win at home

The Cyclones earned their fifth straight win over Baylor to hit the 6-3 mark on the season, making them Bowl eligible. While the Cyclones blanked the Bears in the first half, they allowed 14 points and were shut out by Baylor in the 4th quarter. As we’ve witnessed this season, most teams have played better in the second half of play. So for Iowa State, which still has Texas, Kansas State, and Incarnate Word (6-4) on the schedule, that is an area where they need to address. The game turned south fast in the third quarter when running back David Montgomery and Baylor linebacker Greg Roberts were ejected. There was an altercation that subsequently almost cleared the bench in a full brawl shortly after. No word from the Big 12 on whether the incident will cause either player to face suspension. But Iowa State will need all hands on deck if they want to pull an upset and land a spot in the Big 12 title game.

2. West Virginia

47-10 win against TCU

I was most critical of the Mountaineers for the non-conference scheduling (minus the NC State cancellation due to Hurricane Florence). After the Iowa State loss at the always dangerous Jack Trice Stadium, I hammered them in the Big-12 Power Rankings. But West Virginia bounced back in a big way and have won three straight, with its most recent win over TCU last weekend. With quarterback Will Grier staying an easy frontrunner for the Heisman, I believe that Dana Holgorsen has a team that could easily go 2-0 in its final games at Oklahoma State, and against Oklahoma at home to finish the season. We can run statistics all afternoon, but the fact remains that West Virginia managed to score four touchdowns against TCU in under 1:30 each. That level of high octane efficiency is tough to defend throughout the conference. One statistic that WVU has a sizable advantage is in total defense, where the Mountaineers rank 37th nationally.

1. Oklahoma

48-47 win against Oklahoma State

The Sooners have nine lives. In every close game, the pendulum seems to swing in their favor. And that was the case again this past weekend against Oklahoma State. Sooners’ quarterback Kyler Murray connected on 21 of 29 passes for 349 yards and a touchdown, with 66 rushing yards. These stats don’t exactly scream “Heisman front-runner,” but he is one. Running backs Kennedy Brooks and Trey Sermon accounted for 3 and 2 touchdowns on the ground respectively. In a league where the game is controlled on time of possession, a strong run game is important. Oklahoma certainly controlled the run game against Oklahoma State. The Sooners earned the No. 6 slot in the College Football Playoff standings this week. They are on the fringe of the top four. But if they can win out, it’s hard to deny their strength of schedule and quality of wins. The Sooners could help the Big 12 squeak in the College Football Playoff.

 

Want More? Check Out: Big Ten Power Rankings Week 12: “The Game” Is On The Horizon

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 12: Chalk for Now…

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 12

The Rules: No Bias, No Bull

There has been no more unbiased ranking out there than the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 12. I get criticized from time to time by people who only want to see the college football world through the lens of the AP Poll. However, if you go back and look at the rankings for each week, I guarantee you would now agree that I have been 100% right and accurate along the way.

The Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11 are not going to look like the AP Poll. Open your eyes to see a different view of evaluating the top 10. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.” I don’t believe in that. The college football top 10 teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Only the games have played matter.

I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information.

Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 10.

Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

1.  Alabama (10-0) Last Week: #1

Watching Alabama play this year is like watching Mike Tyson in the early years. If you tune in 5 minutes late, you will miss the knockout. They were up 14 zero on Mississippi State before you could blink. Alabama did see the best defense they have seen all season. Tua Tagoviloa only finished with 164 yards with a touchdown and an interception. And the offense struggled to put points on the board. Even though this was Alabama’s most competitive game of the season, it still wasn’t close. Their defense has not allowed a single point in consecutive weeks. Very impressive.

As long as Alabama doesn’t look past Auburn and Georgia, they will cruise to the SEC championship and College Football Playoff.

2. Clemson (10-0) Last Week: #2

There are so many similarities between the #1 and #2 teams. The Clemson defense matched Alabama’s defense this week. They pitched a shutout. The only points they allowed were on a punt return. Alabama gave up a touchdown this week as well, but a phantom penalty called it back. The Tigers defense has locked it down for the last month, while their offense has been steady and high powered. Clemson’s true freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence is growing up fast, but his play will be the difference between a trip to the College Football Playoff and a National Championship.

It feels like Clemson and Bama are on a collision course for the national championship.

3. Notre Dame (10-0) Last Week: #3

Any doubt Notre Dame had coming into the game without their starting quarterback Ian Book was quickly forgotten. The Fighting Irish jumped out to a commanding 32-6 halftime lead. It was a 26 point lead, but it felt like 100 points. Brandon Winbush had a couple of interceptions in the 3rd quarter.  It is clear that Notre Dame Book back in the lineup if they hope to beat Syracuse and USC to finish the season undefeated.

Chaos always happens in the rankings in November. Notre Dame will be looking to make sure they are not the victims who miss out on a top-four spot.

4. Michigan (9-1) Last Week: #4

Michigan’s offense is not explosive, but they are efficient. They lean on the defense, don’t make mistakes, and don’t turn the ball over. Then you look up and realize they scored 42 points. And the Wolverines defense is like a boa constrictor. They just squeeze and squeeze the offense until they break and turn the ball over. The #1 defense in college football has only gotten better since their week one loss to Notre Dame. This is an impressive football team.

I’m hesitant to pick Michigan to make the final top four because they have a huge mental hurdle to overcome in two weeks named Ohio State. It does look like the stars are aligning for Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan faithful.

5. Oklahoma (9-1) Last Week: #5

I am still bullish on the Sooners and their offensive prowess. I am also terrified by their defense. This defense hasn’t been much better since they fired Mike Stoops as defensive coordinator. However, the stats and dominance show that Oklahoma’s offense is even more unstoppable than Alabama’s. And that is saying a lot. They put up an eye-popping 702 yards against Oklahoma State. Kyler Murray is the only player that may give Tua Tagoviloa a run for his money for the Heisman trophy.

The Sooners have only been held under 37 points once this season. And that was against Army who had the ball for literally three-quarters of the game.

If you answered 0-20, it only shows your bias. There is not a team in college football that could keep the Sooners under 20 points. I’m not saying they would beat Bama, but damnit their offense will make it competitive.

6. Georgia (9-1) Last Week: 7

The cream has risen to the top in the SEC. Georgia is playing so well right now that there is a lot of “what if Georgia beats Alabama” talk starting. The Bulldogs are dominant running the ball. They have rushed for over 300 yards in back to back weeks. Kirby Smart and the crew have smartly gone all-in on pounding the football. They likely would never have lost to LSU if they had kept running the football. As long as Georgia can run the ball at that pace and isn’t turning the ball over, they cannot be beaten.

If the Bulldogs have an Achilles heel, it is the passing game. If their running game gets slowed can Jake Fromm have 300+ three-touchdown performance to win the game?

7. Washington State (9-1) Last Week: 7

Washington State needed a dominant win after playing a close game against Cal last week. They easily disposed of Colorado on the road. Gardener Minshew has to be on target to take home some postseason hardware for the best passer in college football. He was below his season average, but nobody can complain about 335 yards and a pair of touchdown passes. By the metrics, the committee uses it seems unlikely the Cougars will make the playoffs. But, if a few things break their way, don’t be surprised if they slide in the back door.

8. West Virginia (8-1) Last Week: #8

The Mountaineers dominated TCU in every way possible. West Virginia had two rough weeks in the middle of the season, but it fair to say they are peaking at the right time. Will Grier had another performance that validates his 1st round draft pick hype. He finished with 343 yards passing and three touchdowns. The Big 12 is often criticized for not playing defense because their offenses are so explosive. However, this West Virginia team has allowed 17 points or less in five of their nine games.

If the Mountaineers do win the Big 12, I wonder if the committee will hold the fact that they will have one less win than everyone else against them (NC State game canceled due to hurricane).

9. Central Florida (9-0) Last Week: #9

Last week I said Central Florida had played too many close games against inferior competition to warrant significant #CFBPlayoff consideration. They took that criticism and put up a good performance against Navy. Ultimately the Knights will not make the playoffs. But I do believe missing out two years in a row will create enough momentum for the Group of Five schools to take action and put themselves in a better position to make the playoffs.

10. Ohio State (9-1) Last Week: #10

Another uninspiring victory by the Buckeyes. Michigan State has a tough defense, but Ohio State’s offense continued to struggle. They only converted 33% on 3rd down, and only averaged 2.7 yards per rush. And the Buckeyes only managed two offensive touchdowns. All of these struggles will be erased if they take care of business against Maryland and win the big one against Michigan.

Ohio State is a team that was projected to make the playoffs until about a month ago. They will need some better performances to propel them up the rankings.  If it comes down to the Buckeyes and another one-loss team like Oklahoma they may be on the outs unless something changes.

Next Up:

LSU– (a two-loss team that didn’t score a point against Bama and struggled to put Arkansas away)

Syracuse, NC State, Florida, Texas

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. The College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 12 is accurate, unbiased, and unafraid.

Big 12 Football Power Rankings Week 11: Upsets, and Beaty is OUT

Big 12 Football Power Rankings Week 11

There is certainly a lot to unpack in this week’s Big 12 Football Power Rankings Week 11. Unfortunately, it was one riddled with injuries and coaching moves we all saw coming. There’s a lot to get through, so without further ado, here’s how Big 12 Football teams stack up through 11 weeks of play.

10. Kansas

3-27 loss against Iowa State 

Kansas is now 3-6 following its 3-27 loss against No. 24 ranked Iowa State, and that’s not even bad part. Athletics director Jeff Long announced on Sunday that head coach David Beaty was OUT as head coach for the Jayhawks, but he will continue his role throughout the rest of the season. Kansas would need to defeat Kansas State, Oklahoma, and Texas in order to be Bowl eligible, but that’s unlikely at this point.

It’s hard to find a silver lining in this. And scoring just three points isn’t a highlight to write home about, which paved the foundation for social media to erupt with calls to cancel the program in its entirety. While nobody knows exactly what the future has in store for Kansas Football, there’s already chatter that Beaty could have a home as an assistant receivers’ coach in the Big 12. Stay tuned.

9. Kansas State

13-14 loss at TCU

With all that TCU has been experiencing in all three phases of the game this season, this was the game everyone thought could be the game Kansas State would win to get momentum into the final stretch. Unfortunately, in a battle between beleaguered teams, Kansas State came up short on a missed extra point to fall to 3-6 on the season. The Wildcats lost quarterback Skylar Thompson to an injury early in the game, but it didn’t take backup Alex Delton long to take command of the offense. Delton finished the day 15-25 for 155 yards and a touchdown. But defensively, the Wildcats just couldn’t hang on and allowed a third-quarter touchdown they couldn’t make up for.

Could this season mark the end for head coach Bill Snyder, who signed an extension this year? Perhaps, but Kansas State will have to win out just to become Bowl eligible, and with Texas Tech and Iowa State still on the schedule, it’s certainly anyone’s guess as to how the Snyder Legacy ends.

8. TCU

14-13 win against Kansas State

The TCU Horned Frogs finally got a win on account of defense and preventing a PAT following a fourth-quarter touchdown. Who knows, maybe if the Wildcats had gone for a 2-point conversion, these frames would look different, but in any event, it was a good “bounce back” win for TCU and certainly should give them some confidence as they prepare for West Virginia this weekend. The end of the season will decide whether a Gary Patterson coached team will make a 16th consecutive Bowl bid. But at 4-5 on the season, it’s going to be a tough uphill climb for the Horned Frogs, although, it is attainable.

One bright spot is quarterback Michael Collins’ cannon of an arm. He connected on a 67 yard touchdown pass to Jalen Reagor, so if TCU can improve on the consistency of throws, they should at least present a fight moving forward, but the key term here is “consistency,” which is kind of hit or miss in Big 12 Football, especially as injuries pile up.

7. Oklahoma State

31-35 loss at Baylor

Like TCU and Kansas State this season, things just aren’t going well for the Cowboys. Oklahoma State is now 5-4 on the season following its loss to a progressively improving Baylor team, and with Oklahoma next, followed by West Virginia and TCU, it’s still possible to become Bowl eligible, but Mike Gundy’s team has to become a more disciplined team and fast.

Against Baylor, the Cowboys amassed 12 penalties for 133 yards. Don’t expect to beat teams if you’re beating yourself up first. This cost them critical yardage in an already close game, where the Cowboys limited Baylor to just 158 passing yards. With Bedlam on Saturday against Oklahoma, it doesn’t give Oklahoma State much time to fix special teams issues, but Gundy has to adjust the game plan to more aggressive plays if they want a shot at another upset.

6.  Baylor Bears

35-31 win against Oklahoma State

Having won just one game in Matt Rhule’s first season with Baylor, the Bears are now just one game away from Bowl eligibility following their win over Oklahoma State over the weekend. But the Bears did receive some assists from an undisciplined Oklahoma State team, so it minimized the interception and missed field goals to start the game.

Against a team like Iowa State this weekend, those mistakes will be costly, so it’s important for quarterbacks Jalan McClendon and Charlie Brewer to get in a rhythm early, regardless of who starts or finishes. Remember that Brewer was in concussion protocol last week. Thankfully for the Bears, Brewer was able to come in late and manage two touchdown drives for the win, but if Rhule goes with it again, a two-quarterback set should make things interesting against Iowa State this weekend.

5. Texas Tech

46-51 loss against Oklahoma

It’s unfortunate that Texas Tech lost starting quarterback Alan Bowman at the half to a re-aggravated collapsed lung. The Red Raiders were rolling, and winning several key battles against Oklahoma on defense, which included a record night from Vaughnte Dorsey where he intercepted two passes in the first quarter. Texas Tech would score touchdowns on both of those turnovers. Texas Tech’s defense has shown tremendous resiliency in the last few weeks, which shows that David Gibbs’ unit should be in business next season, as several backups have seen game time this season. It really makes you wonder what would have happened if Bowman had stayed healthy.

Texas Tech was pretty successful throughout the night on screen passes. However, lack of success on third-down conversions (Tech was 3-13 on the night) hurt. The run game, in particular, wasn’t up to par. Tech finished with just 107 to the Sooners’ 323 total rushing yards. If they can make that adjustment, they’ll have a big advantage over Texas this weekend. And it goes without saying that the Red Raiders are hoping to have some good news on the Bowman and Dakota Allen injuries this week. They need a few days to get the offense back in sync before Tech closes out the season in Lubbock on Saturday against the Longhorns.

4. Texas

41-42 loss against West Virginia

Texas dropped a nail-biter against–arguably–one of the most improved and dynamic teams in the Big 12: West Virginia. Although the game did come down to a 2-point conversion on a keeper by Will Grier, it wasn’t without its share of built-up drama. There was even a polarizing unsportsmanlike call, where David Sills flashed “Horns Down” after a touchdown.

Texas sustained some injuries, including the loss of Davante Davis (neck sprain), and Breckyn Hager with a dislocated radius. UT isn’t providing further information on those injuries, but giving up 578 total yards of offense doesn’t look good for a team that still has to get through a tough Iowa State team for a shot at the Big 12 Football title game.

3. Iowa State

27-3 win at Kansas

The Iowa State Cyclones keep rolling, and are now on a four-game win streak, and currently sit at  5-3 on the season. This team has had the biggest turnaround of all the Big 12 Football teams, and with weapons like quarterback Brock Purdy throwing for 263 yards and three touchdowns against a team that’s the best in college football in takeaways is impressive. Of course, the progressive improvement isn’t without continued speculation that head coach Matt Campbell could leave. Especially with his name being thrown around for head coaching jobs elsewhere. Iowa State still has a Baylor team that’s also improving, Texas, and Kansas State still on the schedule. The Cyclones need to stay focused on crashing the Big 12 Football Championship party.

2. Oklahoma

51-46 win at Texas Tech

Oklahoma wasn’t as aggressive against a Texas Tech team the Sooners were projected to defeat by double-digits in Lubbock. Instead, the Red Raiders held a halftime lead. Few Oklahoma fans will argue that if it hadn’t been for Tech quarterback Alan Bowman missing the second half of play, we might be discussing a very different position.

Running back Trey Sermon picked up where Rodney Anderson left off. He racked up 206 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. That was an area of the play-calling where head coach Lincoln Riley knew they’d have an advantage, especially with Tech linebacker Dakota Allen out with an injury. As I’ve said all season, Oklahoma has been the top team in the Big 12 Conference. But, with the way West Virginia is playing, the Big 12 Football Championship game might be a repeat of the Sooners’ finale on Nov. 23.

1. West Virginia

42-41 win at Texas

With West Virginia’s win over the Texas Longhorns in Austin last weekend, it pretty much elevated their shot at facing the Sooners’ in the Big 12 Football Championship game. Quarterback Will Grier threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns and was responsible for the keeper on the Mountaineers’ 2-point conversion attempt, which not only helped his Heisman credentials but also padded his abilities enough to have NFL people discussing which offense he’d plug into on Sundays.

Texas is always a tough opponent, but the WVU Defense allowing 520 total yards of offense is something they have to work on.

 

Want more? Check out: Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11: No Margin for Error

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11: No Margin for Error

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11

There has been no more unbiased ranking out there than the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11. I get criticized from time to time by people who only want to see the college football world through the lens of the AP Poll. However, if you go back and look at the rankings for each week, I guarantee you would now agree that I have been 100% right and accurate along the way.

The Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11 are not going to look like the AP Poll. Open your eyes to see a different view of evaluating the top 10. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.” I don’t believe in that. The college football top 10 teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Only the games have played matter.

I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information.

Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 10.

Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

1.  Alabama (9-0) Last Week: #2

Alabama is the class of the SEC and College Football. After week 10 I believe we can all agree that Bama is a juggernaut and the rest of the SEC is just like every other conference. Anyone can get beat on any given Saturday (with Clemson as the exception).

Alabama heard all the people saying they would to lose to LSU and told them to have a seat and be quiet. The Crimson Tide’s schedule has been extremely light this season. Playing tougher teams multiple weeks in a week out does fatigue a team mentally and physically. And Alabama has not experienced that, but I’m not sure it would have mattered who they played this season.

It feels like a foregone conclusion that the Crimson Tide will win the National Championship, but remember the New England Patriots looked unbeatable at 18-0, then proceeded to lose the Super Bowl. So, you never know.

2. Clemson (9-0) Last Week: #1

This is the time of year that teams jockeying for playoff seeding are trying to make statements. Clemson clearly made a statement by unmercifully beating Florida State, NC State, and Louisville over the last three weeks.

Dabo Swinney made the correct move when he made Trevor Lawrence the starting quarterback. The Clemson offense has been more dynamic and consistent since then. Winning the ACC is a foregone conclusion for the Tigers. Gearing up for what feels like an inevitable matchup with Alabama for the title has to be priority number one.

3. Notre Dame (9-0) Last Week: #3

If Notre Dame wins their last three games, there is NO chance they get left out of the playoffs. Oklahoma, Michigan, Washington State, West Virginia, Ohio State, and Georgia all have to be rooting for the Fighting Irish to drop a game. Ian Book continues his solid play and feels like the new prototype college quarterback. He is a terrific passer, but also adds a lot of value extending playing and picking up first downs with his legs.

In an interview on College Football GameDay head coach, Brian Kelly was already talking about the playoffs and a potential rematch with Alabama. I have to wonder if Kelly and his team could be looking past games against Florida State, Syracuse, and USC.

4. Michigan (8-1) Last Week: #6

I officially believe in Michigan. The Wolverines did horrible things to Penn State. Their defense is smothering, and unquestionably the #1 defense in the nation. This defense could absolutely slow Alabama’s offense down. The only question is will their offense be able to produce against Bama’s notoriously stingy defense.

The “eye test” tells me that Michigan is a better team than Notre Dame, at this point. However, the fact that Notre Dame beat Michigan week one cannot be ignored. If it came down to the last playoff spot could anyone in good conscience put Michigan over an undefeated Notre Dame?

5. Oklahoma (8-1) Last Week: #5

We have learned two things about Oklahoma this season. Their offense is unstoppable, and their defense can’t stop nosebleed most times. Unless the Sooners lose another game, they will 100% be in the top four of the CFB Playoffs. Chaos always ensues in November and the Sooners will be the beneficiary. It will be interesting to see if a team like Michigan or Alabama who is so good defensively can stop the most potent offense in college football.

Kyler Murray has to be a Heisman Finalist and could possibly win the award if he has more heroics over the last month of the season. Oklahoma is what Washington State would be with 4-5* athletes all over the place, except Washington State plays better defense.

6. Georgia (8-1) Last Week: 7

We have to give Georgia credit for wins against Florida and Kentucky though neither team is nearly as good as the hype that surrounded them. The Bulldogs are in a tight spot when it comes to making the College Football Playoffs. They already have one loss and have to play Alabama in the SEC championship. Anything but a win will keep them out of the top 4, but a New Years Six bowl is surely in Georgia’s favor.

The Bulldogs only need to guard against a let down versus Auburn or Georgia Tech over the next three weeks.

7. Washington State (8-1) Last Week: 9

Something special is brewing in Pullman, Washington. Mike Leach has turned one of the worst college football teams into a playoff contender. No one expected their success after they lost their starting quarterback Tyler Hilinski to suicide during the offseason. However, graduate transfer Gardener Minshew II has shown up and thrown for nearly 400 yards per game.

If one of nations top defenses cannot stop the Cougars, they should be able to finish their Pac-12 schedule unscathed.

8. West Virginia (7-1) Last Week: #NR

It seems Will Grier and the Mountaineers are peeks at the right time. They had ugly games against Kansas and Iowa State in the middle of the season, but have bounced back nicely. We appear to be headed for an Oklahoma vs. West Virginia Big 12 championship game. Dana Holgorsen has his opportunity to deliver on the expectations of West Virginia fans if he can get 3 more wins out of his team.

Just like every other Big 12 team, the only question about this team is their defense. Can they get enough stops against teams that want to run the football to win in the playoffs?

9. Central Florida (8-0) Last Week: #8

Central Florida is the Rodney Dangerfield of college football. They do good things but get no respect. The Knights have won 21 straight football games going back to last season, but have no hope of making the top four. Their schedule has not been good, but until last week had been better than Alabama and other teams in the top 12.

Central Florida is not doing themselves any favors by playing close games against Memphis and Temple. Neither of those teams is as bad as some of the cupcakes on other top 10 teams’ schedule. However, the other teams in the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 11 have been dominating their inferior competition.

10. Ohio State (8-1) Last Week: #10

The Buckeyes are sitting at 8-1, but they do not look good right now. They have struggled both offensively and defensively in three consecutive weeks against Minnesota, Purdue, and Nebraska. There is no lack of talent with this team, so their play of late has to be concerning for Ohio State fans. A one-loss Big Ten champion will likely end up in the College Football Playoffs, so there is still time for the Buckeyes to pull it together. Michigan is hot right now, and the last thing Ohio State wants is to be playing poorly heading into their most crucial game of the season.

Next Up:

LSU, Texas,

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. The College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9 is accurate, unbiased, and unafraid.

Big 12 Power Rankings Week 10: Butt Fumbles, and Playoff Implications

Big 12 Power Rankings Week 10

There were several upsets and losses throughout the Big 12 conference that could shape things as we head towards the final stretch in November. But with teams like West Virginia back in sync, and Oklahoma State taking down Texas, the path to the Big 12 Championship is truly open hunting season–with the exception of Oklahoma. Without further ado… here’s the Big 12 Power Rankings Week 10:

10. Baylor

The Baylor Bears took a few steps forward in their loss to Texas a few weeks ago. But it’s hard to find strengths in this week’s 14-58 loss at the hands of West Virginia. Baylor was limited to just 287 total yards of offense and didn’t appear to be prepared to face a team looking to make a statement.

Early on, quarterback Charlie Brewer was replaced by Jalan McClendon after throwing three interceptions and throwing just 1 of 8 for 22 yards. To contrast, Brewer was 20 of 39 for 240 yards, a touchdown and an interception against Texas the week prior. With a struggling TCU on the schedule on Nov. 17, Baylor could become bowl eligible at five games. However, on all three phases of the ball, the adjustments need to be made fast–especially with an Oklahoma State team on the schedule this week.

9. TCU

With TCU’s 26-27 loss at Kansas, it’s safe to say there might be some job security volatility in Fort Worth. The Horned Frogs knew how effective Kansas had been this season in forcing turnovers. Yet, TCU still fell prey to a disastrous one when quarterback Michael Collins butt fumbled during a critical drive. Head coach Gary Patterson attributed to the loss and mistakes as TCU being a young team. He continued by saying, “The bottom line is, we’re going to keep fighting. We’re going to keep getting better so we can move forward If we do that, we’ll have a chance.”

But fighting might be a bigger issue, especially with TCU having to replace KaVontae Turpin who was kicked off the team last week due to allegations of assault. Quarterback Shawn Robinson is also out. That forced a young Michael Collins to step up. Turnovers were an issue for Collins against Kansas, but Patterson has a point that he’s young, and he will learn.

8. Kansas State

Kansas State is now 3-5 overall and 1-4 in the Big 12 following a 14-51 loss to Oklahoma–yet another collapse in the season following Bill Snyder’s extension. While the Wildcats weren’t touted as a defensive team this season. It’s never a good day when your defense only forces one punt, regardless of how potent the opposing offense is. Another point of concern is that quarterback Skylar Thompson looked good against an Oklahoma State. But Thompson followed that up with 108 yards against the Sooners and amassed just 137 yards on the ground.

The schedule is full of offense and blooming defenses awaiting Kansas State the rest of the season. The Wildcats might find themselves ineligible for Bowl season of things don’t change, and fast.

7. Kansas

One thing people don’t realize about the Kansas Jayhawks is that they rank first in the nation in turnovers gained at 21. Through eight games they have 12 interceptions and nine fumbles. With TCU playing a sophomore quarterback, it was easier for the Jayhawks to turn up the dial and earn its first Big 12 win in 14 games. Kansas was able to snap the longest losing streak in conference losses in the nation. What’s more, in the past three seasons, the Jayhawks have just three conference wins in 33 games.

The defense was key against an unusually down TCU team. This could be David Beaty’s last season at Kansas even though it really shouldn’t be. It’s not all doom, and gloom like others who are already writing on his tombstone would tell you. This weekend, Kansas faces an Iowa State team that just defeated a very good Texas Tech team. So if Kansas wants a shot at inching one step closer to Bowl eligibility, this is definitely the weekend to pull out all the stops. Hopefully, they are playing in an empty stadium, which Beaty says he prefers.

6. Texas Tech

Texas Tech certainly didn’t play its best on offense, and it not only cost them a win, but it also exposed some serious areas of concern. The primary concern is whether quarterback Alan Bowman had his confidence shaken following his partially collapsed lung injury against West Virginia. He’s shown flashes that mirror the gunslinger Tech fans saw in the first part of the season. But, he showed trepidation against an Iowa State defense that Tech should have handled. Penalties were an issue for the Red Raiders, who finished the day with 10 for 85 yards. Most of those penalties were questionable, and this isn’t debatable. But in any event, when players are suspicious of inconsistent calls, it’s no excuse to pull up. And penalties are certainly no excuse why Tech could only amass 30 rushing yards.

Texas Tech blew a major opportunity to take control of a third-place spot in Big 12 standings. Tech gets Oklahoma and Texas at home in back-to-back weeks. Performance, discipline, and execution will decide whether this team truly can overcome adversity and retake their chaotic reign in the Big 12. Tech certainly has “Sunday” receivers and special teams that are making a mark this season. In any event, Tech is sitting at 5-3 overall and 4th in the Big 12. With Baylor and Kansas State still, on the schedule, head coach Kliff Kingsbury has all the tools to pull off his best season since taking the job in 2015.

5. Iowa State

Iowa State’s 40-31 victory over Texas Tech has the Cyclones undefeated through the month of October. Now, it’s one of those fringe teams that could be coming alive in the final quarter of the season. In an afternoon riddled by penalties by Tech, Iowa State was able to capitalize on the mind game. A costly safety by Tech quarterback Alan Bowman with 4:39 in the 4th quarter turned into the nail in the coffin for the Red Raiders. The Cyclones got the ball back and capped a well-played game with a 38-yard touchdown pass from Brock Purdy to Hakeem Butler to seal the game.

Iowa State’s defense could be what continues to swing the pendulum this season, especially with a schedule of top teams that have been caught unprepared throughout the season.  With a motivated Kansas on the schedule this weekend, Iowa State has to stay focused and keep improving.

4. Texas

We’ve posed the same question throughout the season for a reason, “Is Texas back?” While at times the Longhorns have shown that they deserve to be in the Playoff discussion. But following its loss to a struggling Oklahoma State team on Saturday, the bigger concern is whether Texas blew a shot to guarantee a trip to Dallas for the Big 12 Championship game.

Texas got quarterback Sam Ehlinger back following a shoulder injury he sustained against Baylor. Ehlinger wasn’t as effective in his return as many Texas fans feared. He connected on just 22 of 42 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns. Texas did manage to put up 119 yards rushing, which helped to extend drives. But the Cowboys limited star receiver Lil’Jordan Humphrey’s production to just 69 receiving yards and 0 touchdowns. The loss sprung Texas from No. 6 to No. 15 in the AP Poll. And with a West Virginia team this weekend that put away K-State easily, Tom Herman certainly has his hands full.

3. Oklahoma State

Things came alive for the Oklahoma State Cowboys last weekend in Stillwater. A 38-35 victory over Texas was impressive. Texas was being discussed as a fringe team into the College Football Playoff just two weeks ago. Well, the Cowboys might have ended that talk last weekend, as quarterback Taylor Cornelius connected in 23 of 34 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns. Oklahoma State put up 502 total yards of offense, even managing 181 yards rushing. Penalties were pretty limited to just 4 for 52 yards, and the Pokes controlled the time of possession for almost 10 minutes longer than the Longhorns.

One area of concern, however, was that the Cowboys’ defense allowed the Longhorns to put up 402 yards of offense. While they managed to hold on to the win, a second-half comeback was in full swing, and Texas might have earned a dub if it weren’t for Cornelius turning on the jets on 3rd & 10 for the go-ahead score and an aggressive 4th & 1 approach throughout the game. At 5-3 currently, Oklahoma State still has the potential to pull off a very good season, and it’s entirely possible to keep the momentum up with Baylor this weekend.

2. West Virginia

Two weeks ago I wrote that “every game matters,” and took some flack about where West Virginia was ranked. They are a team with tons of talent and potential, but I felt like their play wasn’t earning nods in a way that matched the caliber of talent. Well, this week, the Mountaineers shut everyone up, including me, and just in time. West Virginia has a real shot at taking Texas out this weekend… if they play with the same physicality they showed against Baylor.

Deficits are always tough to overcome. And West Virginia put up 31 points in a single quarter which gave Baylor a 41 point hole to crawl out of. Aside from the WVU defense allowing 14 points in the third quarter, they pitched a shutout through three. Will Grier threw 17 of 27, for 353 yards and three touchdowns. WVU put up 172 yards on the ground, which assisted in 22 first down conversions, despite having the football for 3:40 less than the Bears.  This week the Mountaineers draw the Longhorns. Texas is 24th in the nation in red zone defense, so two issues WVU needs to correct are third-down conversions, where they were just 1-10, and penalties last week.

1. Oklahoma

Throughout the season, I’ve said that it’s Oklahoma versus everyone, and through nine weeks, that’s still true. Incredibly enough, the Sooners have only seemed to improve throughout every phase of the game. Quarterback Kyler Murray is only inching his way higher and higher on Heisman radars. In OU’s 51-14 route over the Kansas State Wildcats last weekend,  the Sooners only punted the ball once, and even gave reps to backup quarterback Austin Kendall late in the fourth quarter’s “garbage time.”

Kyler Murray did Kyler Murray things, connecting on 19 of 24 passes for 352 yards and three touchdowns. He also made things happen on the ground, running for 46 yards and a rushing touchdown. His receivers hauled in 22 catches for 280 yards and three touchdowns, and CeeDee Lamb posted his seventh consecutive game with a touchdown catch. With the unveiling of the College Football Playoff Standings on Tuesday evening, Oklahoma knows there’s a marginal shot of being inside the Top 6, so every game–including style points–counts from here on out.

 

Want more? Check out: Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 10: New Sheriff in Town

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 10: New Sheriff in Town

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 10

Chaos Showed Up: Eleven of the top 25 teams lost in week 9.

The Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 10 are not going to look like the AP Poll. Open your eyes to see a different view of evaluating the top 10. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.”  I don’t believe in that. The college football top 10 teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Only the games have played matter.

I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information.

Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 8, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 9.

Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

1. Clemson (8-0) Last Week: #2

Clemson is at #1 because they deserve to be. I know everyone expects to see Alabama at #1 because of their dominance, but they haven’t played anybody yet. Clemson has played a tougher schedule than Alabama but has been equally as dominant in the last two weeks.

Dabo Swinney has his defense peaking at the right time. They followed up a fantastic performance against NC State with a more dominant performance against Florida State.  You could get arrested in multiple states for what Clemson did to Florida State. Their young quarterback Trevor Lawrence has full command of their offense and their defensive performance now matches the hype.

Clemson should breeze to the CFB Playoffs.

2.  Alabama (8-0) Last Week: #1

A week off doesn’t change the dominance that Alabama has displayed. The Crimson Tide have LSU, Mississippi State, and Auburn in three of the next four weeks. So they should get at least one close game in the next four weeks.

3. Notre Dame (8-0) Last Week: #3

After a forgettable offensive performance against Pittsburgh, the Fighting Irish showed up big against Navy. They got good performances from their quarterback Ian Book, and lead back Dexter Williams. Notre Dame will need dominant performances in their last four weeks to ensure they make the top 4.

4. LSU (7-1) Last Week: #4

This week Ed Orgeron has his biggest game since becoming the head coach at LSU. The Crimson Tide rolls into town. The Tigers are on the short list of teams that could knock off Alabama. LSU has already played in big games against Miami, Auburn, and Georgia. Joe Burrow is battle tested at quarterback and shouldn’t be fazed by the moment. LSU’s defense is stout and should be able to hold their own against Alabama. If they beat Alabama, the entire college football landscape will be turned upside down.

5. Oklahoma (7-1) Last Week: #6

The domination is back. The best offense in college football put up another 50 point performance against Kansas State. As long as the Sooners can play a reasonable amount of defense they can score on anybody. The best move Lincoln Riley has made this season is was replacing Stoops as defensive coordinator.

A lot of people are sleeping on the Sooners because they lost a game. However, this team can compete with anyone.

6. Michigan (7-1) Last Week: #8

After getting a huge road win at Michigan State, the Wolverines got a much-needed BYE week. There is no question that the Michigan defense is one of the three best in the nation. The only questions surrounding this team are on the offensive side of the ball. Can the Wolverines score enough point to beat Penn State this week, and Ohio State in the regular season finale?

Jim Harbaugh has a chance to get his team to the Big Ten championship game and the College Football Playoffs.

7. Georgia (7-1) Last Week: NR

Georgia finally got a quality win. We have known they were a talented team, but they hadn’t earned a ranking in the College Football Top 10 Rankings. There was a major difference in how Jake Fromm played without looking over his shoulder wondering if Justin Fields is coming in to replace him. The Bulldogs committed to running the football against Florida, and it paid off.

Kentucky and Auburn should provide enough competition over the next two weeks to have Georgia ready for the SEC championship.

8. Central Florida (7-0) Last Week: #9

The Knights have won 20 straight games going back to last season and have earned their spot in the College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 10. The committee will have a tough task keeping UCF out of the top four if everyone around them continues to lose. It will cause too much commotion if UCF doesn’t get in the playoffs after two consecutive undefeated seasons. The only team people wish losses on more than the UCF Knights is Notre Dame. Both teams could take a spot for a Power 5 team.

9. Washington State (7-1) Last Week: NR

If you haven’t heard of Gardener Minshew, you should Google him. He is the graduate transfer quarterback for Washington State. Minshew is throwing for nearly 400 yards per game while completing an extremely high percentage of his passes. The Cougars defense is stout as well. A lot of people around the nation aren’t giving Washington State the credit they deserve. However, if the Cougars finish 12-1 with a Pac-12 championship there is an outside chance they could make the playoffs.

Washington State has something special going on this season.

10. Ohio State (7-1) Last Week: #10

The last two weeks against Minnesota and Purdue exposed some glaring weaknesses in Ohio State’s game. Urban Meyer should have spent their off week finding ways to turn all those yards into points, and sure up their defense. A birth in the College Football Playoffs is still within their grasp, but they must finish the season unblemished.

Next Up:

Penn State, Kentucky, West Virginia

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. The College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9 is accurate, unbiased, and unafraid.

Big 12 Conference Football Week 9 Power Rankings: The Good and Bad Remix

Big 12 Conference

Much of the Big 12 Conference was on a bye last weekend, so you’ll notice a little change up with this week’s power rankings. While just four teams played last weekend, the result was what we expected, with Texas Tech defeating an improved Kansas team, and Oklahoma defeating a beleaguered TCU. So for this week’s Power Rankings The Remix, we’ll be bringing you recap of which teams are trending up or down, and reports from around the Big 12 conference. 

Trending Up

Texas Tech is trending up and in a big way. After defeating the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday, a major statistic emerged, that through four games of Big 12 conference action: Texas Tech has allowed the least amount of points at 89. What’s more, teams that were lauded for their defenses headed into the season in West Virginia and TCU have allowed 92 and 114 points, respectively. More interesting statistics about Texas Tech’s defense, are that the Red Raiders have surrendered 20 or fewer points in three of their four conference games thus far, all of which have ended in victories.

Offensively, Texas Tech has proven why head coach Kliff Kingsbury is heralded as one of the offensive geniuses of this era. During the preseason, most (if not all) media outlets were drawing concern to several key areas on the offense, including how Texas Tech would perform with unproven quarterbacks, and whether those quarterbacks could even come close to comparing to the Patrick Mahomes era, which has had a lasting hangover on Texas Tech fans since his departure to the NFL two seasons ago. It’s safe to say that true freshman quarterback Alan Bowman has quashed those sentiments, as he’s already broken Mahomes records set as a freshman, and even through Bowman’s partially collapsed lung, backup Jett Duffey has made tremendous plays when they mattered.

This is Texas Tech’s best start since Kingsbury’s first season as Tech’s head coach, where he became the first, first-year coach to win his first seven games in Big 12 history–a record he still holds. Tech is certainly showing it has the fortitude to truly be competitive this season, and that’s largely in part to the consistency they’ve had since the arrival of Strength and Conditioning coach Rusty Whitt and Director of Speed and Power Scott Salwasser four years ago.

Texas Tech had a touchdown wiped on a holding call on the offensive line, which isn’t surprising as Tech is one of the most penalized teams in the nation at No. 114, with 59 penalties for 525 yards. Those yards have proven costly through several games, so if Tech is to continue to trend upward, discipline is a major issue that must be fixed.

Also trending up…

Texas Tech faces Iowa State this week, and it’s a team that others only really starting respecting until two years ago. On other sites, I warned that the Cyclones had become one of the more improved teams, and it wasn’t until Texas Tech faced the Cyclones in 2016 that the warning was truly heeded when the Red Raiders were blown out at home, 66-10.

Iowa State is that team where once you feel confident that they’re not as good as the stat sheets tell you, they attack and make you regret everything you ever wrote or said badly about them. In other words, they’re silent but deadly, and you feel their sting long after they’ve left you and your coordinators scrambling for answers.

This season didn’t start out the strongest for the Cyclones, but since defeating Oklahoma State 48-42, and No. 6 West Virginia, 30-14, the Cyclones have come alive, and just in time to face the Red Raiders, which are now tied for second place in the Big 12 Conference, and looking in on a potential trip to Dallas if things pan out.

If history repeats itself, however, any trips to Dallas for the Big 12 Championship will be through Ames, and the Cyclones are already a -3.5 favorite according to ESPN.

Reports from the League:

KaVontae Turpin

TCU already faced some serious issues having lost two of its last games to Texas Tech and Oklahoma, but the Horned Frogs are now without leading wide receiver and return man, KaVontae Turpin. Turpin was arrested and charged with assault on a woman earlier this week and dismissed from the TCU program on Tuesday. The woman who alleges the assault says she was romantically involved with Turpin for several years. She claims that Turpin assaulted her after he suspected she was sending photographs of herself to people. She was able to break free and find help. The Star-Telegram reported that a similar incident occurred in March, and according to TCU officials, Turpin hid that from them. According to the Star-Telegram, ” if convicted, Turpin could face up to one year in prison and a $4,000 fine.”

In the March incident, a bench warrant was issued to Turpin who failed to appear to a July 16 pre-trial. He was participating in the TCU Program the entire time, apparently, unbeknownst to anyone at TCU.

Sam Ehlinger

According to Anwar Richardson, quarterback Sam Ehlinger is on schedule and progressing with his shoulder injury rehab he sustained in the first quarter against Baylor.

According to Richardson, Texas head coach Tom Herman also said, “It is easy to plug-and-play quarterbacks in his offense. Does not believe Texas needs to change its offensive game plan if Shane Buechele has to.”

In the Longhorns’ 23-17 victory over the Bears two weeks ago, Buechele threw for 20-34 for 185 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The Longhorns were able to make some noise on the ground with freshman running back Keaontay Ingram, who carried the rock 19 times for 110 yards. Texas was just 9-18 on third down conversions, so if Buechele is a go on Saturday against Oklahoma State, those conversions will be critical, as this is a night game, and we all know how weird those get in the Big 12 conference.

Want More? Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9: Chaos is Coming

Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9: Chaos is Coming

College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9

Chaos is Coming

The Unafraid Show College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9 are not going to look like the AP Poll. Open your eyes to see a different view of evaluating the top 10. Most polls including the College Football Playoff Committee give college blueblood teams a massive “benefit of the doubt.”  I don’t believe in that. The college football top 10 teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. Only the games have played matter.

I re-rank the top 10 every week from scratch. The previous week’s rankings do not factor into the next week. So, the rankings will change, sometimes drastically every week because we will have new information.

Before we get to College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 8, you can reference the Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings for Week 8.

Leave a comment or shoot an email: ImMad@unafraidshow.com… Yes, that is the real email address.

1.  Alabama (8-0) Last Week: #1

The Crimson Tide ran through Tennesse like they were a JV team. Tua Tagoviloa finished the game healthy after a scare last week. Alabama fans know they cannot be beaten if Tua is healthy. The truth is Bama has not played any real competition, and their resume suggests they should not be #1. However, their dominance has been unprecedented.

The thing that makes the Crimson Tide so impressive is how fast they play on both sides of the ball. Every player knows their assignment and executes in a hurry. There is never any second-guessing.

They are off next week, and then finally get to a real game in week 10! Smh.

2. Clemson (7-0) Last Week: #4

Clemson has their best game of the year against undefeated NC State. Their defense finally displayed the dominance we all expected preseason. They Trevor Lawrence had another solid performance. The Tigers defense turned a trap game and a top NFL quarterback draft prospect into lunch meat. The ACC runs through Clemson at this point. They can’t go to sleep next week as they head to Tallahassee to play Florida State.

3. Notre Dame (7-0) Last Week: #3

Notre Dame was on a BYE this week. They better be prepared for NAVY next Saturday. Triple option teams are always tricky matchups. Brian Kelly is only five wins away from securing a spot in the College Football Playoffs. However, they cannot have another performance like against Pitt, or they may not be lucky enough to survive.

4. LSU (7-1) Last Week: #7

LSU handled their business against Mississippi State. The Tigers offense is still not as explosive as it will need to be to give Alabama some competition in a couple of weeks. Their defense continues to have dominant performances each week. LSU is the most battle-tested team in the country. I double dog dare anybody to try and say Coach ‘O’ is not the right man to lead the Tigers. He has knocked off Miami, Auburn, and Georgia, so far this year. So technically he does have three top 10 wins. The fact is that Miami and Auburn (lost to Tennessee) were ranked WAY too high in the preseason and neither is currently ranked.

If Joe Burrow and the Tigers offense continue to improve, Bama better watch out.

5. Texas (6-1) Last Week: #5

The Longhorns fans have to be saying prayers every night for Sam Ehlinger’s shoulder to be healed. His legs and improved passing have been the difference in Texas starting the season 6-1 instead of 3-4. Texas will be hard pressed to finish the season 11-1 heading into the Big XII championship game if Ehlinger misses extended time. The Longhorns will need all hands on deck if they want to escape Stillwater with a win against Oklahoma State on Saturday.

6. Oklahoma (6-1) Last Week: #NR

Oklahoma has the best offense in the country. Yes, they are better than Alabama. Their offense is more explosive and dynamic with Kyler Murray at quarterback than last year with Baker Mayfield. The only concern surrounding the Sooners is their defense. They played much better against TCU without Mike Stoops as defensive coordinator. Oklahoma’s offense is so good that if the defense can keep everybody under 30 points, they will cruise to the playoffs. I hope we get to see the Alabama defense try and stop this offense in the Playoffs.

7. Florida (6-1) Last Week: #6

Florida had a BYE week and is preparing for their most important game in at least 4-5 years. Dan Mullens is preparing to take his team to Jacksonville, Florida for the “Biggest cocktail party in the world” to play Georgia. This is going to be a must win for both teams. The loser will undoubtedly be eliminated from College Football Playoff consideration. Feleipe Franks will need to have his most efficient game thrown the ball if the Gators are going to put the Bulldogs down.

8. Michigan (7-1) Last Week: #9

The Michigan game against Michigan State was painful to watch. There is no doubt Michigan’s defense is dominant and one of the top in the country. However, the offense leaves a lot to be desired at times. Jim Harbaugh’s offense seems to get ultra conservative in big games. I have no Idea why he likes to play a plodding style of offense instead of opening things up. Michigan’s roster is littered with top recruits who are potentially explosive playmakers that go unused. The Wolverines will need better offensive performances against Penn State and Ohio State to get wins.

9. Central Florida (7-0) Last Week: #10

The Knights have won 20 straight games going back to last season and have earned their spot in the College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9. Much to the chagrin of the CFB Playoff committee, UCF beat East Carolina badly in week 8. It will cause too much commotion if UCF doesn’t get in the playoffs two years in a row undefeated. The only team people wish losses on more than the UCF Knights is Notre Dame. Both teams could take a spot for a Power 5 team.

10. Ohio State (7-1) Last Week: #2

Dwayne Haskins threw for 470 yards and two touchdowns, but the Buckeyes offense only managed 20 points. Ohio State’s offense has struggled running the football in back to back weeks against Minnesota and Purdue. The Buckeyes are one of the most athletic, dynamic, and talented teams in the nation. I wonder if Ohio State started to read it’s own press clippings and lost focus against Purdue. Maybe this piece of 49-20 humble pie will keep the Buckeyes energized for the rest of the season.

I believe Ohio State will bounce back unless Urban Meyers’ “memory loss” has finally started to affect his coaching.

Next Up:

Iowa, Georgia (needs a quality win), Washington State, Oregon, Penn State, Texas Tech

I know some of you are steaming mad right now because your team is ranked too low or is unranked. Take a breathe and realize that your fandom is causing irrational thoughts. The College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9 is accurate, unbiased, and unafraid.

Big 12 Football Fan Reactions: Which teams are trending up, down?

Big 12 Football

It’s hard to believe that the 2018 Big 12 Football season is halfway over. It’s been interesting tracking these teams since the season kicked off in late August, especially considering how extreme the conference has been with coaches on scalding hot seats, and others kicking the 2018 season off with Heisman, and national championship caliber talent, and expectations.

Teams with the lowest expectations coming in have seemingly had the most improvement, while others are right where they should be, making Big 12 Football one of the toughest conferences, with potential for the most unpredictable finales. With plenty of football left to play, it could be Oklahoma, Texas, West Virginia, or even one of the dark horse teams such as Texas Tech or Iowa State at the Big 12 Football Championship game. While writers get criticized often for their opinions, it’s always important to test the spectrum of the conference on social media to see what others think, too.

With teams still hitting their stride, anything is possible as we enter the final stretch, but the competition is only exploiting weaknesses that are difficult to recover from in the eyes of the CFB Playoff Selection Committee.

With that said, here’s what fans are saying about which teams are trending up, or trending down:

Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell started teetering on the hot seat after losing to Oklahoma and a TCU team that’s been struggling. But after defeating No. 6 West Virginia, the Cyclones have proven they have the talent and the fight to make things interesting down the stretch. Quarterback Zeb Noland has shown a lot of promise this season, but with junior running back David Montgomery as the No. 7 ranked all-purpose player through Week 8, don’t expect the Cyclones to drop in consistency. It appears that several fans–even those outside of Big 12 Football agree:

Texas Tech’s defense is trending way up, and it’s showing that athletic director Kirby Hocutt’s 2018 gamble on staying the course with Kliff Kingsbury is paying off. What I mean by that is that three years ago when Kingsbury brought in Strength and Conditioning coach Rusty Whitt and Director of Speed and Power, Scott Salwasser, most people new it was going to take several seasons to recondition the Texas Tech players to become the prototypical athlete Kingsbury envisioned. With defensive coordinator David Gibbs having equal time to develop the defense, it’s fortified the expectations, compared to the turnover and inconsistencies players experienced before the culture was changed.

For some statistical measure, Texas Tech is No. 1 in third down defense, No. 1 in fourth down defense, No. 3 in forced turnovers, the No. 3 scoring defense, and the No. 3 ranked rushing defense. If Texas Tech can get its quarterback depth healthy, they could be morphing into a very lethal team.

Texas is absolutely trending up, and it’s hard to deny that head coach Tom Herman understands that “rebuilding” just isn’t an acceptable excuse when you’re guaranteed blue chips and have a national brand to maintain. While UT still struggles to truly establish an offensive identity, it’s one of those teams that always manages to come up with major defensive plays in critical games. So far, defensive back Kris Boyd is the third-ranked played in the conference in passes defended with 9 breakups and one interception, and safety Caden Sterns has also come up with four interceptions. Texas is allowing just 23 points-per-game, so if they can keep that momentum going, we might see a replay of the Red River Showdown in a few months.

For measure, Oklahoma has a 22 percent chance at making it to the College Football Playoff, but the Sooners will need to win out, bank on Notre Dame losing at some point, and hope the Pac-12 keeps weakening its odds one upset at a time in order to move on–but that’s the less complicated version of the multiple scenarios that could play out. But another point to consider is this: Just what will Oklahoma look like defensively, under interim defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill? Stay tuned.

Big 12 Football is notorious for upsets, high flying offenses, and plenty of coaches on hot seats, or on the non-stop carousel of reshuffling. But the good thing is that there’s still ample time to prove you’re the real deal or turn things around if you’re in a slump.

 

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Big 12 Power Rankings Week 8: Every Game Matters

Big 12 Power Rankings Week 8

Week 7 wasn’t just a crazy week for all of college football; it was a very telling one for the Big 12 Conference. With Iowa State taking down the conference’s only undefeated team, it might have knocked the Big 12 out of the Playoff, but as the conference says, “Every Game Matters,” and that was proven last weekend.

With players emerging as the future for their respective teams, as well as overall play and coaching providing a more solid snapshot of the identity of each team last weekend, Week 7 certainly set the tone for what could create some interesting scenarios as we focus more on December 1–the Big 12 Championship Game in Dallas.

Without further ado, here’s how the teams stacked up last weekend, and what to look for this weekend.

Disclaimer: These Power Rankings are based off WEEKLY observations of games and performances. These are NOT based off an entire body of work on the season. 

10. Kansas

Kansas was on a bye last weekend, but the Jayhawks didn’t go without their share of drama. It was announced last week that offensive coordinator Doug Meacham was OUT, and that head coach David Beaty would be the primary play-caller from here on out. After spending a couple of seasons with TCU, Meacham was hired by Kansas to overhaul the Jayhawks, but as of Week 7, Kansas had the 107th ranked offense in the nation, averaging just 5.29 yards-per-play.

It’s unknown just what Kansas will look like against Texas Tech this weekend, but with the Red Raiders’ defense improving week-after-week, it’s time for the Jayhawks to step up if Beaty is to have a job at the end of the season.

9. TCU

There were high expectations from TCU this season, both offensively and defensively. Heading into Week 1, the Horned Frogs were ranked No. 16 in the nation. Despite losses against Ohio State and Texas, however, the TCU defense was still in the Top 15 nationally, so there was still a possibility to turn the tide, and hope to rely on a high powered defense to win games. Unfortunately against Texas Tech last Thursday, TCU–which was a touchdown favorite at kickoff–was handed its third loss of the season and its second loss in the Big 12.

TCU allowed 353 total yards of offense against the Red Raiders, which is relatively low for Tech’s standards, however, TCU’s offense had three turnovers, including a critical turnover by QB Shawn Robinson on a scramble with just: 43 left in the 4th quarter. A 17-14 score in the Big 12 proves just how much defenses are stepping up, and if TCU can’t rely on its unit to close games out, and with Oklahoma shuffling its defensive identity around with the firing of Mike Stoops, Saturday could be an interesting game in Fort Worth.

8. West Virginia

West Virginia took a massive tumble this week, and with good reason. The Mountaineers were routed 14-30 against an Iowa State team that continues to repeat history year after year, and throttle teams that don’t take them seriously. As a result, Will Grier was immediately thrown on the fringe in Heisman conversation after throwing for just 100 yards and finishing with -33 rushing yards.

Much of the discussion after the ISU game was that several teams had exposed West Virginia’s flaws throughout the season already, but against the Cyclones, those weaknesses just imploded. Whatever is happening with the synergy between the Mountaineers needs to be corrected, and soon, as the schedule won’t get any easier after the bye week.

7. Oklahoma State

Following its 12-31 loss against Kansas State, Oklahoma State has now dropped three of its four Big 12 games, so far. Much like TCU, the Cowboys were predicted to have a strong showing this season, but since facing Texas Tech in Week 4, they’ve now slid to a point where speculation on social media is running rampant as to whether Mike Gundy will even be in Stillwater next season.

The thing about speculation is that unless it’s from a primary source, nothing can be substantiated, but if the Cowboys want to keep it that way, things have to change for OSU and fast. First, Taylor Cornelius had a quarterback rating of just 40.7 against K-State, having thrown for zero touchdowns and two interceptions. Moreover, the Cowboys had just 15 first downs, 311 total yards of offense, and were just 5-15 on third down conversions. Penalties were also an issue, with 7-70 yards. Thankfully, OSU has a much-needed bye this week, as they prepare to face a Texas team that just might be back.

6. Kansas State

Although Kansas State blew out Oklahoma State 31-12 last weekend, the Wildcats still lack an identity, but the win was a confidence boost at a time when teams really need them. The most interesting part about the Wildcats’ game plan, however, is that in a league where passing is king, it’s almost as if OSU didn’t know how to defend the run game K-State was implementing all afternoon. The Wildcats put-up 291 rushing yards to just 130 in the air, with junior running back Alex Barnes accounting for four rushing touchdowns, and three receptions for 51 yards.

While K-State hasn’t been as effective in the passing game,  these metrics certainly give defensive units on K-State’s schedule a blueprint as to what’s working, so that’s definitely something to look at, especially with the Wildcats taking on Oklahoma after their bye this weekend.

5. Baylor

Baylor found its rhythm in the passing game under quarterback Charlie Brewer. Dare I say, this has been Baylor’s most complete team in the Matt Rhule era, and against Texas, the offense certainly showed flashes of what we should grow to expect from here on out.

Against a Texas team without its starting quarterback, perhaps Baylor took advantage of UT’s more limited playbook–especially on defense, where UT was shutout of the end zone the entire second half. The only score that came out of the second half was in the third quarter on a two-yard touchdown run by Jalen Hurd. But the bigger storyline here was that Brewer connected on 20 of 39 passes, throwing for 240 yards and a touchdown. While that might not seem like “Big 12 numbers,” it’s a step in the right direction and indicates that Brewer has Baylor’s offense trending upwards. Baylor has a bye this weekend but will head to Morgantown on Thursday, Oct. 25 to play the No. 13 ranked West Virginia Mountaineers.

4. Iowa State

Iowa State is another team that appears to be trending upward in terms of quarterbacking, and with that talent lying at the talented hands of freshman Brock Purdy, the Cyclones should be in business for a few years. Ames is always a tough venue to play in, and perhaps the Mountaineers got ahead of themselves and forgot just how hard Iowa State plays, but in WVU’s biggest test of the season, the Cyclones throttled the Mountaineers and continues its streak of holding teams well below their usual level of productivity.

Purdy finished the day at 18-25 for 254 yards, three touchdowns, and a single interception. The Cyclones also finished the day with 244 yards rushing, which is a pretty incredible number, especially when you consider how the ISU defense held Will Grier to just 100 passing yards, a single touchdown, and a 16.6 QBR, and limited WVU to just 52 yards in the ground. It could have been worse for the Mountaineers, but with the win, it gives the Cyclones a week to dial as they host Texas Tech after the bye.

3. Texas Tech

Texas Tech really turned a corner this season, defensively. And although the Red Raiders are still allowing chunks of yardage, the red zone stands, forced field goals, and ball-hawking are really making a difference in close games, as was the case in Tech’s 17-14 victory on the road at TCU on Thursday. Tech still ranks at the bottom of the conference in total defense, but Adrian Frye leads the Big 12 in passes defended at 13, and in interceptions at 4. The list also features Demarcus Fields at No. 7 and Douglas Coleman III at No. 18. Tech is also No. 20 in the nation in third-down defensive stops, so with quarterback Alan Bowman still recovering from a partially collapsed lung, the defense has been coming up big.

Quarterback Jett Duffey made some huge plays in the win, including a 62-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Deion High in the third quarter to give Texas Tech the lead, and on a 38-yard keeper for a go-ahead score in the 4th quarter. With TCU driving late in the 4th, TCU quarterback Shawn Robinson had a costly interception while trying to scramble, which Adrian Frye was able to come up with to ice the game.

Texas Tech faces Kansas this week, and with Iowa State the week after, I have a feeling head coach Kliff Kingsbury will be testing some new packages on the Jayhawks in preparation.

2. Oklahoma

The Sooners were on a bye last weekend, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect, as Big 12 interim journeyman Ruffin McNeill took over duties for Mike Stoops, who was relieved following OU’s loss against Texas in the Red River Showdown. With the Sooners’ defense being the biggest cause of concern over the years, it had many wondering why it took them so long to make a change at defensive coordinator, and it makes you wonder what we can expect from the Sooners moving forward.

In any event, with the way things are going, OU is still stacked and at this point, whoever ends up in Dallas on December 1 is anyone’s guess. But with the Sooners facing a TCU team that can’t seem to cauterize the bleeding this season, it’s time for Kyler Murray to go back to work.

1. Texas

Texas, once again, finds itself at the top of my Power Rankings because they’re undefeated in Big 12 play. Numbers don’t lie, and if you think this team is going to take a vacation now that they’re in the Top 10 for two consecutive weeks, you’re wrong, but maintaining momentum could be a challenge. For starters, starting quarterback, Sam Ehlinger left the game in the first quarter with blood visible on his hand. When he returned to the field, he set his helmet down, picked up a headset, and Shane Buechele finished the game.

Buechele finished the day 20-34 for 184 yards, with a touchdown and an interception in UT’s 23-17 victory over Baylor. The issue here, is that Ehlinger is a true dual-threat quarterback, known for extending plays on the ground and making up for a significant chunk of rushing yards. Ehlinger was diagnosed with a first-degree shoulder sprain, but head coach Tom Herman says he could be throwing by the end of the week.

The Longhorns have a bye this week before going on the road at Oklahoma State on the 27th, which should give Ehlinger ample time to recover, but the bigger concern for UT might be in the kicking game. Since his thrilling game-winning field goal against Oklahoma, Cameron Dicker’s production has decreased, and he finished the day 3/5 on field goals against Baylor. With how close that game was, and with how close several games have been in the Big 12 this season, that’s something the Longhorns have to work on.

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