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.
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?
Defense 😤@Utah_Football ranks top 3 in the nation in multiple stat categories:
1st in rushing defense (56.4 ypg) 2nd in first downs allowed (101) 3rd in total defense (231.0) 3rd in 3rd-down conversions (26.3%)#goutes#Pac12FBpic.twitter.com/fV3gQrvTf8
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
Hey Memphis … THE WAIT IS OVER! WE'RE COMING TO YOUR CITY!@SMU_Football vs. @MemphisFB. See you Saturday!
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.
The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party
Nine years ago, @GatorsFB defeated Georgia 34-31 in OT.
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
This weekend, Pac-12 football fans got it all. Oregon and Washington State certainly lit up the field offensively. The Ducks are currently ranked 6th in Unafraidshow’s College Football Rankings. Likewise, many Pac-12 NFL players gave us memorable performances in week 8. Here they are!
Best Quarterback Performance
Gardner Minshew II – Washington State – Jacksonville Jaguars
Minshew magic is back! Let’s go!
Unlike the rest of football fans, Pac-12 NFL fans knew that Minshew was for real. We knew a long time ago. It’s just great to see everyone else accept it.
Against a competent New York Jets defense, Minshew didn’t flinch. He compiled 279 passing yards and 3 touchdowns. He also let the Jets sack him twice. But, for those who watched the game, his pocket-presence is next level. Minshew’s movement in the pocket and ability to extend plays is incredible.
Last, and definitely important, Minshew threw zero interceptions. Again. Overall, he has just 2 interceptions and 13 touchdowns this season. The sixth-round rookie is playing far above any expectation.
Gardner Minshew for Rookie of the Year!
Best Running Back Performance
Christian McCaffrey – Stanford – Carolina Panthers
Against the league’s second-best defense (New England Patriots are clear first), the Carolina Panthers flopped. They only scored 13 points, while the 49ers rolled through 51 points. However, that didn’t stop all-star, Pac-12 NFL running back Christian McCaffrey from creating highlights.
To say that this season has been rough for the Pittsburgh Steelers is to say the least. After a promising 2017 season and a breakout 2018 season, everyone was ready for Juju Smith-Schuster to keep the hype train going. With the departure of Antonio Brown (to mental illness?), Smith-Schuster was primed for an elite 2019 campaign.
But, all hope went down with Ben Roethlisberger. However, Smith-Schuster still has the ability to pop on the field. In week 8, he cleared the 100-yard mark for the first time this season. Granted, this week he played the Miami Dolphins (#tankfortua), but he’s a good wide receiver.
His plus-16.5 (No. 20) Production Premium and plus-39.2-percent Target Premium (No. 10) show that he still has talent, but he’s just trapped on an anemic offense.
Best Tight End Performance
Austin Hooper – Stanford – Atlanta Falcons
Even with Matt Schaub under center, Austin Hooper was a baller. He reeled in 6 of 7 targets for 65 yards and a touchdown. He was one reason why the Pac-12 NFL fans didn’t switch channels. Hooper’s late score helped the Falcons attempt a last-minute comeback (or at least cover the a plus-7.5 spread).
Austin Hooper has set a new career high with five receiving touchdowns this season, which leads all tight ends this season.
UW Football Faces Oregon and Utah in Back-to-Back Weeks
Thought Oregon was Difficult? Well, this weekend the UW football team faces off against the 9th-ranked Utah Utes. Per Oddshark, the Utes are two-point road favorites.
What Makes Utah so Good?
Dominant Defense
Defense 😤@Utah_Football ranks top 3 in the nation in multiple stat categories:
1st in rushing defense (56.4 ypg) 2nd in first downs allowed (101) 3rd in total defense (231.0) 3rd in 3rd-down conversions (26.3%)#goutes#Pac12FBpic.twitter.com/fV3gQrvTf8
Somehow, the Utah Utes have a fantastic offense as well. Impressively, they’ve scored at least 30 points in six of their eight games. Tyler Huntley’s 10-to-1 touchdown-to-interception rate perfectly complements Utah’s dominant defense.
Additionally, Zack Moss is the perfect game-closing running back. His 6.6 yards-per-carry (on 728 total yards) and 10 touchdowns display this. Moss is the second-best running back in the Pac-12 and Utah’s offense is lucky to have him.
As noted above, Utah has a dominant defense that destroys its opponents. Moreover, they have an offense that routinely scores at least 30 points. The Huskies have to bring their A-game in order to get a victory.
Convert Third and Fourth Downs
Currently, the UW football team ranks 106th in third-down success rate. Against Oregon, this was detrimental. They converted just 3 of 13 third downs. Oregon came back from a 14-point deficit to win. If Chris Peterson wants a UW football win, he needs to create opportunities for success. Third-down play-calling may seem the most important. But, it’s the calls on first and second down that ultimately put a team in third-down success.
On top of that, the Huskies need to continue their fourth-down bravery. Last week, against Oregon, their fourth-down conversions were key to offensive success. Even though the last one didn’t work out, Washington needs to keep going for it (process-over-results).
As easy as it is to play the seniors, UW football’s been better with young players. Playing the young, talented wide receivers like Puka Nacua is a big component of success. In order to win, Chris Peterson needs to prioritize talent over age.
Pass-Pass-Pass
Last week, Jacob Eason and company displayed offensive effectiveness against a stout Oregon team. They broke Oregon’s elite defense. Granted, they didn’t win the game, but they still showed life. Eason needs to lead this team to another offensive performance. Utah’s dominant line won’t give any room to Washington’s running backs. So, it’s ultimately up to Jacob Eason to step up.
California Governor Gavin Newsom created a firestorm when he signed the Fair Pay to Play Actinto law. Starting in 2023, college athletes in California will be able to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). They will also be able to sign with agents. After the act became law, several states announced plans to enact similar legislation. Among those states, was the state of Flordia. Two lawmakers in Florida proposed bills seeking to give college athletes including NCAA players the ability to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Last week, Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis, endorsed the proposed legislation. This is a major development regarding college athlete rights. It could mean that if either of the proposed bills makes it to DeSantis’ desk, he will likely sign it into law. Therefore, Florida could become the next state to allow college athletes to profit from their NIL.
However, the NCAA still has a chance to get out ahead of this NIL compensation issue. The NCAA could amend its rules to allow college athletes to profit from their NIL. The NCAA already has a working group set to address the issue soon. What would happen if the NCAA did just that and allowed college athletes to profit from their NIL? Would that make the Fair Pay to Play Act a non-issue? Would the federal government still enact a law addressing the issue? Before these questions can be answered, it is important to understand why so many state and federal lawmakers have come out in support of college athletes’ rights.
The Reason So Many Legislators are Interested in College Athletes’ Rights
The short answer is because it is the right thing to do. College sports are a billion-dollar industry. It is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the blatant inequities in college sports. The benefits that college athletes receive pales in comparison to the benefits that their labor bestows upon others. For example, It was recently reported that several high profile college coaches have access to private jets for personal use. Access to such amenities are apart of their contracts.
PM RT: The hot perk now for college football head coaches is private-jet time for personal use. There are at least 15 coaches — now including 1 in the Group of Five — with this in contracts that also usually add car, country club, tickets, etc. https://t.co/XngJXmEBBf
As if it was not enough for some coaches to make severely more money than the governor of the state in which they coach, they have to have access to private jets too.
PM RT: On average, state governors will make about 6% of what the highest-paid FBS public-school football coach in their state will make in 2019, per @Tom_Schad. A partial list is below. For the full list, go here: https://t.co/cRyxkNWy1vpic.twitter.com/ifmglIjvfN
It is things like this that make it extremely hard to argue that college athletes should not be allowed to have a bigger piece of the college sports pie. Governor DeSantis realized this fact when he was attending a football game. His reason for endorsing the proposed legislation stems from him realizing that members of the marching band can make money promoting music on their YouTube channel. However, the football players who perform in the same field do not have a similar ability to profit from their talents. It is this inherent inequity and unfairness between the rights and abilities of college athletes versus those of other students that have sparked the interest of so many lawmakers.
What Happens if the NCAA Amends its Rules to Allow NIL Compensation?
While state and federal lawmakers are busy drafting college athletes’ rights legislation, the NCAA’s working group plans to address the issue. The working group is expected to announce its findings and recommendations very soon. The pressure is certainly on for the NCAA. Everyone is waiting to see if the NCAA will make recommendations that actually benefit college athletes. If the NCAA does amend its rules to allow college athletes to profit from their NIL, what will that mean for the Fair Pay to Play Act and other proposed legislation?
A World Where the NCAA Allows College Athletes to Profit From Their NIL
If the NCAA amends its rules in a meaningful way to allow NIL compensation, there is a chance that the NCAA could make the need for legislation go away. The Fair Pay to Play Act is not set to go into effect until 2023. Accordingly, the NCAA has time to remedy this situation themselves. However, in order to accomplish that the NCAA has to be willing to make meaningful change and allow college athletes to profit from their NIL and sign with agents with essentially no strings attached. The NCAA should not try to “tether” the endorsements to education or subject them to any other stipulation. The NCAA should do the right thing and allow college athletes to profit from their NIL like the Fair Pay to Play Act other proposed legislation intends to do.
If the NCAA does that there will not be a need for legislation and it will make the Fair Pay to Play Act obsolete. However, the NCAA’s track record paints a pretty bleak picture that they will do that. Furthermore, the stance that members of the working group have taken on the issue does not lead one to believe that meaningful change will be coming from the working group. Based on this, it is likely that some form of legislation will be necessary. However, the true outcome of the NIL compensation working group remains to be seen.
For the third weekend in a row, we learn that no team in the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 9 As it Should Be is safe from upsets. First, it was Georgia, followed by Wisconsin and now Oklahoma. I will note that Oklahoma’s loss to Kansas State is a better loss than Georgia’s to South Carolina who sported a losing record. The AP poll likely won’t reflect that and we all know why. Rankings should be fair and unbiased, but that’s not the world we live in when preseason polls ultimately affect the final rankings.
We always think there will be chaos in college football, but it rarely happens. However, this season it is clear that nothing can be taken for granted.
College Football Playoff
We now have enough information to start putting together CFB Playoff scenarios. So here is how it should shake out at this point.
Undefeated Big Ten Winner- (Ohio State/Penn State). But Minnesota could mess everything up by winning the Big Ten with one loss. Assuming that loss is to Penn State or Wisconsin, Minnesota would still have a real chance to get in.
SEC Champion- This gets a little complicated because Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and LSU could all win the conference and the winner could have 2 losses. Or you could have 1-loss Georgia or Florida beating an undefeated Alabama or LSU.
Clemson- They have no competition in the ACC so they will finish undefeated with a string of blowout victories.
Pac-12 Champion- (Oregon/Utah) If both teams finish the season 11-1 the conference championship game will featured a top 10 showdown.
The way this season is shaping up, everyone may be on board with an 8 team playoff. There will be so many 1 loss teams who will be deserving of a chance to play for a championship. Wouldn’t it just make more sense to have the five Power 5 champions and highest-ranked Group of 5 team to get automatic bids? There would still be two spots left for at-large bids. You would always get the best and most deserving teams in the tournament. That might actually cause teams to schedule better non-conference games because they would know they could still get in the CFB Playoffs with 1-2 losses. Fans would then get better games.
The Rules: No Bias, No Bull College Football Rankings
There is no more unbiased ranking out there than Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6. 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. These rankings 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. Teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. After the preseason rankings, only games played matter. No consideration is given for future games.
I re-rank the top 10 every Sunday 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. So make sure to come back every Sunday. For reference, you can check College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 9.
College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 10:
Next Up: Minnesota, Georgia, SMU, Michigan
Before you even ask: Auburn led Oregon for :09 of that game and Bo Nix has been awful passing the ball against any team with a pulse. Georgia has to play their way back in the mix after losing to 2-3 South Carolina at home.
10. Oklahoma Sooners (7-1)
Last Week: at 41-48 (L) Kansas State
Bad Loss to a good opponent. This is a much better loss that Georgia losing to S. Carolina The Sooners just ran out of time on their comeback against Kansas State. There are still no concerns about the Oklahoma offense even though they were stalled for much of the 2nd and 3rd quarters. However, the same cannot be said about Oklahoma’s leaky defense. At one point K-State scored on seven straight drives.
Alex Grinch had Oklahoma’s defense playing better but we should have seen this coming. They got no turnovers in the last three games and none Saturday either. Good defenses get stops and turnovers.
People are writing the Sooners out of the playoff, but it’s much too early, and way too many games left to do that.
9. Baylor Bears (7-0)
Last Week: 45-27 (W) at Oklahoma State
Baylor is a clear case of why preseason rankings matter in college football when they really shouldn’t. If any big named Power 5 conference team was 7-0 they would have so much more buzz around them. People would be talking CFB Playoff and Big 12 championship. I would be willing to bet most college football fans can’t name two players off their team. So, I’ll help out…
QB: Charlie Brewer, RBs: John Lovett, JaMycal Hasty, WR: Denzel Mims, Tyquan Thornton
8. Utah (7-1)
Last Week: vs 35-0 (W) vs Cal
Over the last two weeks, Utah has given up a total of 3 points and 230 yards of total offense. There is no more suffocating defense in college football. My question about Utah has been surrounding their offense. Can they score enough points in a shootout? Can Tyler Huntley be great passing the ball when someone stops their running game?
Since their surprising loss to USC, the Utes have been lights out. They do not have any signature wins set, but their dominance has been top tier and they have knocked down the opponents on their schedule. Things are falling into place for a top 10 showdown with Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship.
7. Florida Gators (6-1)
Last Week: IDLE
This week off came at the perfect time for the Gators. They need to get a few guys healthy, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. And the Gators need to get their offense together during the first 3 quarters of the game. They are money in the 4th though!
Dan Mullens will have a chance to get his biggest win at Florida when they play Georgia this week.
6. Oregon Ducks (7-1)
Last Week: vs 37-34 (W) Washington State
Playing against the #1 offense in the nation is tough, but the Ducks passed the test. Injuries are starting to mount for the Ducks. They were without their best LB Troy Dye for the Washington State game and it showed. The Ducks offensive line is the reason this team is 7-1. If you have not watched Oregon’s left tackle Penei Sewell play please do so. He is the best OL in the country and he’s only a sophomore.
Justin Herbert’s stats aren’t eye-popping, but he is playing extremely efficiently and he’s not turning the ball over.
People thought the the Pac-12 was out of the CFB Playoff conversation. But ten weeks into the season Oregon and Utah are squarely back in the conversation.
Check out our Pac-12 Football Podcast, Pac-12 Apostles:
DOMINATION. This was probably Clemson’s most complete game of the season. It was good to see Trevor Lawrence have a game without an interception. I know it was against Boston College, but Alabama played Arkansas, the same thing. Dabo Swinney knows that his team just has to make it through their rather soft schedule unscathed to get to the CFB Playoff. The only difference between the Tigers and Bama is that Clemson struggled against UNC and Bama has struggled against no one.
Without any obvious opportunities for quality wins on the schedule, it is crucial the Clemson’s dominance remains on max.
4. Alabama Crimson Tide (8-0)
Last Week: 48-7 (W) vs Arkansas
No Tua, No Problem. Mac Jones stepped in and threw three touchdown passes to help Bama cruise to victory. All eyes will be on Tua’s ankle health over the next two weeks. Will he be back for the LSU game? We do need to see Bama’s rushing game improve.
It sure will be nice to see the Crimson Tide play a good team this season. Eight wins and no games against teams currently ranked in the top 25. The fact they have been #1 in the AP poll makes ZERO sense.
3. Penn State (8-0)
Last Week: 28-7 (W) at Michigan State
Slowly but surely the Nittany Lions are getting the respect they deserve. They have knocked off Iowa, Michigan, and Michigan State in consecutive weeks. Don’t even try to say Michigan is not good. They just blew the doors off Notre Dame who took Georgia to the edge. Penn State won’t be confused with an offensive juggernaut, but they do have serious big-play potential with WR KJ Hamler.
If Penn State finishes the season undefeated they will be the most battle-tested team in the nation. They would have beaten Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, and the winner of the Big Ten West.
2. LSU (8-0)
Last Week: vs 23-20 (W) Auburn
We finally have seen someone slow down LSU’s explosive offense. Joe Burrow still finished 32-42 for 321 yards and a touchdown. The Tigers just keep passing every test thrown at them. A lot of people questioned their defense, but they showed up big against Auburn. Aside from one 70 yard run that didn’t score, Auburn got nothing.
Everything is on the line for LSU against Alabama next week. Will Ed Orgeron be able to dethrone Alabama even though they were crowned preseason champions?
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (8-0)
Last Week: vs 38-7 (W) Wisconsin
A lot of people expected the Wisconsin game to be close because of the bad weather, but I knew the Buckeyes would blow them out. This was a case of styles make fights. OSU’s high-powered offense against Wisconsin’s run the ball with ball-control style. The Buckeyes’ defense was just lights out. Chase Young is clearly the BEST defensive player in the country right now. There is no reason he shouldn’t be one of the frontrunners for the Heisman trophy. He dominated a very good offensive line with 4 sacks and 5 tackles for loss.
OSU continues to prove they are the most complete team in the country. They are dominant on offense, defense, and special teams. Plus they have multiple top 25 wins. They are the #1 team in the country.
Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 10.
Huge Performances from Pac-12 NFL Players in Week 7
Marvin Jones has come a long way since Cal
While the Oregon-Washington game was the most exciting game of the weekend, our Pac-12 alumni showed up in Week 7 of the NFL. The best Pac-12 NFL players were clearly Aaron Rodgers and Marvin Jones. They unleashed their abilities in full strength. No one could stop them and we couldn’t get enough. Who else joined them this week?
Best Quarterback Performances
Aaron Rodgers – Cal – Green Bay Packers
Against the Oakland Raiders, Aaron Rodgers went full God-mode. He dismantled them in every way possible for a quarterback. Rodgers finished with this stat line:
25 of 31 (80.65-percent completion percentage)
429 Passing Yards
5 Passing Touchdowns
1 Rushing Touchdown
With a game like that, it’s no wonder that Rodgers notched his first perfect-Passer Rating of the season. It was a vintage performance from the Cal product and it’s why he is one of the best Pac-12 NFL players of all time.
Wow. Talk about composure and stepping up. Somehow, even though Matt Moore hasn’t played since 2017, he sealed the win for the Kansas City Chiefs. With the loss of Patrick Mahomes to a dislocated knee, fans were panicking. But, calm and collected, Moore displayed exactly what teams need from a backup quarterback. He threw for a modest 117 yards, no interceptions and dropped a dime to Tyreek Hill for a touchdown.
Without Moore on the team, they’d be tempted to trade for a potential quarterback bridge until Mahomes gets healthy. But, like New Orleans and Teddy Bridgewater, the Chiefs have it covered.
Best Wide Receiver Performances
Marvin Jones – Cal – Detroit Lions
Even though he was up against the Minnesota Vikings defense, Marvin Jones erupted for four touchdowns. Four! It’s rare for an NFL receiver to get three touchdowns in a game, let alone four.
He was unstoppable. Uncoverable. On 13 targets, he caught 10 for 93 yards and 4 scores. To the delight of fans’ eyes, Jones had himself a game.
Now, this isn’t one of those Pac-12 NFL tight end games for the record books. But, Rhett Ellison had one of his better performances. He caught both targets for 33 yards and a touchdown. In a tight loss to the Arizona Cardinals, those were needed receptions.
Especially considering how inconsistent and poor Daniel Jones was playing. Hopefully, Ellison can find the end zone again this season. But, at least he joined the ranks of other Pac-12 NFL greats this week.
Disagree with our Pac-12 NFL List?
If you disagree with this list or want to add anyone else in, comment or Tweet at us.
In back to back weeks we have a major upset that affects the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 9 As it Should Be team. Wisconsin fell to Illinois a week after Georgia got stunned by South Carolina. UGA fell to #10 in the AP poll despite losing at home to a team with a 2-3 record. But, watch how far Wisconsin falls down the polls after losing on the road. This is the entire reason the CFB rankings As It Should Be was created. Rankings should be fair and unbiased, but that’s not the world we live in when preseason polls ultimately affect the final rankings.
The way this season is shaping up, everyone may be on board with an 8 team playoff. There will be so many 1 loss teams who will be deserving of a chance to play for a championship. Wouldn’t it just make more sense to have the five Power 5 champions and highest-ranked Group of 5 team to get automatic bids? There would still be two spots left for at-large bids. You would always get the best and most deserving teams in the tournament. That might actually cause teams to schedule better non-conference games because they would know they could still get in the CFB Playoffs with 1-2 losses. Fans would then get better games.
The Rules: No Bias, No Bull College Football Rankings
There is no more unbiased ranking out there than Unafraid Show’s College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 6. 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. These rankings 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. Teams are ranked by the correct criteria: quality wins, schedule played, and dominance. After the preseason rankings, only games played matter. No consideration is given for future games.
I re-rank the top 10 every Sunday 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. So make sure to come back every Sunday. For reference, you can check College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 8.
College Football Top 10 Rankings Week 9:
Next Up: Auburn, Georgia, SMU, Baylor, Wisconsin
Before you even ask: Auburn led Oregon for :09 of that game and Bo Nix has been awful passing the ball against any team with a pulse. Georgia has to play their way back in the mix after losing to 2-3 South Carolina at home.
10. Utah (6-1)
Last Week: Arizona State
Utah has really good players, but they also have grown men playing. Behind BYU, they may have the oldest average age in college football. I have tried to doubt this team offensively but Zack Moss and Tyler Huntley just keep getting it done. The best thing Utah has going is their defense. They are physical, stout, and stingy. Through seven games they are barely giving up over 10 points per game in a conference known for scoring points.
9. Notre Dame (5-1)
Last Week: IDLE
A week off won’t hurt the Fighting Irish. Their body of work is solid so far. But they will need to be dominant to finish the season to have any chance at the CFB top 4 with one loss. Notre Dame doesn’t face another team that will be ranked for the rest of the season (maybe Virginia Tech).
8. Florida Gators (6-1)
Last Week: 38-27 (W) at South Carolina
If this team is nothing, they are resilient. The Florida Gators fight till the end. They are a 4th quarter team. They seem to make plays on defense and offense when it matters the most. Kyle Trask has been the best thing to happen to this team offensively. He is not the runner that we are used to seeing on Dan Mullen led teams, but he is a good passer.
This team seems to have the inside track to the SEC East right now. But a November 2nd date with Georgia will be the deciding factor.
7. Oregon Ducks (6-1)
Last Week: 35-31 (W) vs at Washington
The Ducks marched into Husky Stadium to play their biggest rival Washington and walked out with a win. Washington threw everything except the kitchen sink at the Ducks and they responded in a major way. The biggest concern for Oregon at this point is injuries. They have to keep their key players healthy if they want to finish the season 12-1 and have a legit shot at the CFB Playoff.
This is not the same Oregon team that got conservative and lost to Auburn in the second half of week one. Their defense has been one of the best in the country and they have hit their stride offensively.
6. Penn State (7-0)
Last Week: 28-21 (W) vs Michigan
I have mixed feelings about their win against Michigan. They jumped out early 21-0 early in the 1st half, but couldn’t put the Wolverines away. Their offense was largely ineffective after that. Their defense allowed multiple big plays as well. But at the end of the day, a win is a win. Michigan is not a great football team, but they are a good football team. A quality win for the Nittany Lions. It was very tight decision between PSU at #6 and #4 ahead of Bama and Clemson because of their schedules.
The winner of the Big Ten is 100% getting in the CFB Playoff if they are undefeated. Penn State is more than halfway home and has earned their way into the #6 spot of College Football Rankings Week 9.
Check out our Pac-12 Football Podcast, Pac-12 Apostles:
The Tigers’ defense is so good, and they might be even better than last year. Good thing because Trevor Lawrence is having a real sophomore slump. He now leads the ACC in interceptions thrown. But he finished the game with a solid stat line, 20-29 233 yards, and 3TD, 2ints. This team is still dominating everyone so how can you dock them too many points. Florida and Georgia have offensive struggles too, but nobody seems to discount them for that. Weird right… SEC bias?
The only thing separating Alabama and Clemson right now is that Clemson struggled against UNC. Neither team has played anybody worth talking about.
4. Alabama Crimson Tide (6-0)
Last Week: vs 35-13 (W) at Texas A&M
Alabama has not played one team that is currently ranked in the top 25. The fact they have been #1 in the AP poll makes ZERO sense.
Alabama is vulnerable this year. This is not the same team we are accustomed to seeing. They aren’t running the ball dominantly and their defense is young and inexperienced. Tua Tagoviloa is the engine that makes this team go. His leadership, accuracy getting the ball to their talented WRs is what makes this 2019 team special. He left the Tennessee game in the second half and everything changed.
If he has to miss any time Bama could be in trouble. They should be able to get past Arkansas next week, but LSU on November 9th won’t go well.
3. Oklahoma Sooners (7-0)
Last Week: 52-14 (W) vs West Virginia
The numbers for Jalen Hurts are just getting silly at this point. He added another nearly 394 yards of total offense and 5 touchdowns. He now has 25 total touchdowns through seven games. It is hard to believe that Oklahoma’s offense is better than it was last year with Kyler Murray at QB, but they are.To make Oklahoma even more absurd, their defense is finally decent. They aren’t good yet, but are MUCH improved from the Swiss cheese defense last year.
2. LSU (7-0)
Last Week: 36-13 (W) at Miss State
LSU is destroying everyone in their way. Joe Burrow looks like not only an NFL quarterback, but he may be a franchise QB. I cannot wait to see this team play over the next three weeks against Auburn and Alabama. If they can win those two games, the path is clear to the College Football Playoff.
The only question is can their defense keep up when they get into a shootout.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0)
Last Week: 52-3 (W) at Northwestern
Ohio State chewed Northwestern up and spit them out. This team looks incredible. Their offense and defense have cut through any resistance like a hot knife through butter. Justin Fields clearly made the right move by leaving Georgia. He looks better than Jake Fromm, and his team does too.
The Buckeyes will breeze to the CFB Playoff top four if they beat Penn State on November 23rd.
Check back next Sunday morning for the College Football Top 10 Power Rankings Week 9.
Last week, I said, “Where is the chaos?” Well, the football gods were listening because #3 Georiga lost at home to unranked South Carolina. The first domino fell in Week 7. There will be more to fall. It’s only a matter of time. Going into Week 8, my College Football Playoff includes:
LSU
Alabama
Ohio State
Oklahoma
Ladies and gentlemen, I have a new number one in my College Football Playoff rankings. To be honest, LSU should have already been number one after their win over Texas, but thanks to their second win against a top-ten opponent, moving them to the top position was a no brainer. Also, Oklahoma slides in at number four thanks to their win over Texas.
Week 8 is highlighted by Oregon traveling to Husky Stadium to take on Washington in a battle for Pac-12 supremacy. Here are the Top 5 CFP storylines heading into Week 8.
Trap Game For Ohio State
No player, coach, or team has been able to stop the Ohio State offense in 2019. The Buckeyes average 534 yards per game while scoring a total of 39 touchdowns on the season, which is tied for second in the nation. The offense may be great, but the defense is even better as the Buckeyes come into this game ranked second in the country in total defense. If the Buckeyes can get past Northwestern on Friday night in Evanston, it sets up the potential Big 10 “Game of the Year” next week when Wisconsin strolls into Columbus.
Hats off to the Baylor Bears. This past offseason, head coach Matt Rhule was one of the final candidates in the Jets’ coaching search. Rhule didn’t get the job and returned to Baylor, which turns out to be the best thing that happened for the program. Rhule has led the Bears to an undefeated 6-0 start. With the mess that Art Briles left a few seasons ago, Rhule has done a hell of a job making the Bears relevant again. Baylor will look to remain undefeated when they travel to Stillwater to play Oklahoma State.
Boise State, SMU Look To Stay In The Race For The New Year’s Six
The race to represent the “Group of Five” in the New Year’s Six is heating up. Right now, the two teams fighting for the spot are #14 Boise State and #19 SMU. Both teams are 6-0 thanks to stellar quarterback play from freshman Hank Hank Bachmeier at Boise and Texas transfer Shane Buechele at SMU. However, Bachmeier injured his hip last week against Hawaii so he’s most likely not going to play this weekend against BYU. On the flip side, Buechele and the SMU offense are firing on all cylinders as they average close to 500 yards per game. SMU faces a tough Temple team this weekend.
For Penn State, One Down, Two To Go
It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win. Despite gaining less than 300 yards of total offense, Penn State survived a tough trip to Iowa and left Kinnick Stadium with a hard-fought 17-12 win. As I mentioned last week, Penn State was entering their “Murderer’s Row” section of their schedule. It doesn’t get any easier for the Nittany Lions as they welcome the Michigan Wolverines to Happy Valley on Saturday night. Win that game and Penn State could crack the top five in the polls.
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Battle For Pac-12 North Supremacy
Every game is a must-win, but for Oregon, this game against Washington is a must-win game to the tenth power. The Ducks travel to Seattle to take on the Washington Huskies in a game that has huge implications on who will represent the Pac-12 North in the conference championship. Washington (most likely) can’t make the College Football Playoff, but Oregon still has a shot. The Ducks’ only loss on the season came Week 1 against Auburn so they still have a shot to be in the final four if they run the table. The quarterback matchup between NFL prospects, Justin Herbert and Jacob Eason, should be as good as advertised.
What are your top College Football Playoff storylines for Week 8? Leave your thoughts in the comments or tweet us, @unafraidshow.
The PAC-12 may not be nationally known for having elite defenses, but this season it has become clear that many of the best overall defensive teams reside on the west coast, along with some of the best individual defensive players.
Of course, the other side of that coin is that four other teams are actually among the 33 worst defenses in the NCAA at preventing scoring: Washington State, Arizona, Oregon State, and UCLA, who is allowing opponents to score a whopping 37.7 points on average.
So, as one might expect, the PAC-12 is actually pretty average defensively – at least when evaluating them based on points allowed.
Let’s take a look at those elite defenses though, and how they are getting it done in 2019.
Best Pac-12 Defenses 2019
Oregon Ducks
The Ducks have long been stigmatized as a speedy, offense-oriented team with little attention or care for their defense – a stigma that has lasted well past the Chip Kelly era despite a reality that contradicts that narrative.
This season, Oregon is allowing the third-fewest points per game on average, at just 8.7 points per game. They are successful at limiting both the run game (107.5 rushing yards per game – 23rd in the nation) and the pass game (196.2 passing yards per game – eighth in the nation) which of course means they are in the top 10 in fewest yards allowed per game – eighth to be exact, at just 267.7 yards per game.
Linebacker Troy Dye, a potential first round pick, has been perhaps their biggest performer on defense, with 33 combined tackles and one sack.
Mase Funa and Kayvon Thibodaux are getting it done off the edge with 5.5 combined sacks, and safety Jevon Holland already has three interceptions.
The Ducks still have an outside chance at a college football playoff appearance, and while their strength is still their quarterback, Justin Herbert, their defense will have played a big role if they make it that far.
Utah Utes
The Utes are probably the PAC-12’s most impressive defensive team, although they are limited somewhat against the pass.
Led by a flurry of playmakers, including Devin Lloyd, Francis Bernard, Julian Blackmon, and Bradlee Anae, the Utes have held opponents to just 13.2 points per game on average.
Their run defense is elite, and would be the best in the entire NCAA were it not for the ridiculousness that is the University of Wisconsin’s defense.
While their pass defense still leaves something to be desired, they do have seven interceptions as a team, including three that have been returned for touchdowns.
Utah will contend for a Rose Bowl appearance this season, thanks primarily to their defensive prowess.
Arizona State may not have the playmakers that Utah or Oregon have, but as a team, they have allowed just 17.7 points per game on average, good for 16th in the nation.
They are considerably better against the run than the pass, giving up big games to Washington State and Colorado who both like to attack through the air.
Still, it’s been a wildly successful season for the Sun Devils, who held the Michigan State Spartans to just seven points and only gave up 17 to Cal.
The team still has Utah and Oregon on their schedule, however, so they’ll need to really tighten up if they want to contend for the Rose Bowl this year.
Cal Golden Bears
Cal has one of the most exciting playmakers in the nation in linebacker Evan Weaver. Weaver leads the entire nation with 83 combined tackles, an absolutely ridiculous total through just six games.
Cal has only allowed one team to score over 20 points this season, in their 24-17 loss to Arizona State.
As such, their 18.3 points per game allowed ties them with Auburn for 18th in the nation – despite only average numbers in run and pass prevention.
The PAC-12 may not be known for their defensive prowess, but there are still a handful of elite defensive teams that can manhandle any opponent on any given night.
Pac-12 defenses are some of the best in all of college football in 2019.
Last week, California Governor Gavin Newsom set a trend when he signed the Fair Pay to Play Actinto law on LeBron James’ hit show The Shop. The new law will take effect in 2023. The Fair Pay to Play Act will give college athletes in California the ability to profit from their name, image, and likeness (NIL). Specifically, college athletes will be allowed to garner endorsement deals and otherwise monetize their NIL without losing eligibility. The law also allows college athletes to sign with agents. The Fair Pay to Play Act is proving to be a trendsetter. Several states have announced plans to join the college athlete NIL movement.
Prior to the Fair Pay to Play Act being signed into law, a few other states had plans to introduce similar legislation to comp. Since the Fair Pay to Play Act became law states in almost every region of the country have announced plans to create similar legislation. The NCAA’s threats to ban California colleges from post-season play has been no match for legislators who are determined to do what is right for college athletes. These legislators are determined to create a more equitable college athletics system.
Currently, college athletes propel a billion-dollar college sports industry and are limited to a cost-of-attendance scholarship for their efforts. Meanwhile, coaches’ salaries continue to grow and the non-profit NCAA generates a billion-dollars per year. Several state and federal lawmakers are determined to give college athletes a bigger piece of the pie. Let’s take a look at the states that have joined the college athlete NIL movement since the passage of the Fair Pay to Play Act.
States With Plans to Introduce College Athlete NIL Legislation
In the midwest, Illinois and Minnesota state lawmakers have announced plans to introduce a college athlete NIL bills. Pennsylvania and Maryland are both considering introducing legislation similar to the Fair Pay to Play Act. Several lawmakers in Nevada have stated that they would consider introducing similar legislation. A lawmaker in Kentucky is reportedly drafting a bill addressing college athlete compensation. Perhaps the most notable state to join the college athlete NIL movement is the state of Florida.
Two Florida lawmakers have already filed bills. On October 4, Chip LaMarca filed HB 287. This bill seeks to allow college athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness. If signed into law, it will become effective on July 1, 2020. Prior to HB 287, Florida representative Kionee McGhee filed HB 251. That bill is also set to become effective on July 1, 2020. HB 251seeks to allow college athletes to receive “specified compensation.” The bill will also create a Florida College System Athlete Name, Image, and Likeness Task Force. With these two bills, Florida is bound to give college athletes the ability to profit from their NIL.
Download the Podcast Detailing CA and the Other States Legislation
The College Athlete NIL Movement has a Potential Newcomer on the Federal Level
The current collegiate model is not only being challenged on the state level. The collegiate model is being challenged at the federal level as well. Earlier this year, U.S. Congressman Mark Walker introduced the Student-Athlete Equity Act. The NCAA is exempt from federal taxation as an organization that organizes amateur sports and national championships. The Student-Athlete Equity Act seeks to remove that exemption if the NCAA continues to enforce rules that prohibit college athletes from profiting from their NIL. In addition to this fight at the federal level, the NCAA is about to face another one.
A U.S. Congressman from Ohio is planning to introduce a federal bill similar to the Fair Pay to Play Act. Representative Anthony Gonzalez, a former Ohio State wide receiver, plans to introduce a federal bill that will allow college athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness. Gonzalez would like to see NIL compensation become a reality before 2020. However, he may wait until the NCAA’s NIL working group releases its’ findings before introducing legislation.
Paying College Athletes has Bipartisan Support
As more state and federal lawmakers announce plans to introduce college athlete legislation, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the issue has bipartisan support. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been vocal in support of the legislation. Perhaps this is because they all can see the blatant inequities in the current collegiate sports system. In a capitalist society, no one can reasonably support the notion that college athletes should be prohibited from profiting from their NIL. The bipartisan support will continue to grow. The NCAA will be forced to enact a meaningful change on the issue or sit back and watch lawmakers do it for them.
