Georgia’s defense tops another foe
1. Georgia passed its biggest test before SEC Championship: Georgia has run roughshod over the competition with the help of its dominant defense. That defense was put to the test against an explosive Tennessee offense and while the Bulldogs buckled – they gave up a season-high 17 points – they didn’t break on their way to a 10-0 start.
2. Oklahoma stumbles in Big 12 race: Oklahoma hasn’t looked like a complete team, just doing enough to get by but this time around that wasn’t enough as Baylor held OU quarterback Caleb Williams in check on its way to a win. It’s another late-season loss that could do damage to the Sooners’ chances of making the College Football Playoff.
3. Ohio State finally looks like a playoff contender: Ohio State has spent much of this season playing down to its competition but against Purdue, the Buckeyes played their most complete game as the offense amassed 624 yards behind quarterback C.J. Stroud’s 5 touchdowns while the defense forced 2 turnovers in holding off the upset-minded Boilermakers while keeping their playoff hopes alive.
4. Michigan State controls its path to a Big Ten title: Michigan State bounced back from last week’s disappointing loss to Purdue to dominate Maryland, 40-21. The win sets up this week’s crucial showdown with Ohio State as the Spartans can get a leg up in the Big Ten East divisional race by defeating the Buckeyes and knocking off Penn State in the regular-season finale.
5. Mistakes cost Texas A&M a win and the SEC West: Texas A&M’s path to a possible SEC West crown was clear with the Aggies needing to win out while Alabama needing at least one loss. Unfortunately for the Aggies, they couldn’t overcome two turnovers including a pick-six in a loss to Ole Miss. TAMU has turned the ball over 4 times in its three losses.
6. Mike Leach has found his footing at Mississippi State: The enigmatic coach struggled to make his mark when he first arrived at Mississippi State but he’s made up for it in 2021 as the Bulldogs rallied from a 25-point deficit to knock off No. 17 Auburn Saturday. MSU has three wins over ranked teams and is bowl eligible with two games remaining.
7. Florida State gets a signature win for Mike Norvell: In the nearly two seasons at the helm of the FSU program, Mike Norvell has had his share of close losses but Saturday’s thrilling come-from-behind win over rival Miami was the type of win that can go far in helping the Seminoles in establishing their football identity moving forward.
8. ACC title could come down to Wake Forest, Pittsburgh: With preseason favorite Clemson out of the picture, the ACC championship could come down to Wake Forest and Pittsburgh. The Demon Deacons have two road contests against Clemson and Boston College to clear things up in the Atlantic Division while the Panthers need to beat Virginia next week to all but wrap up things in the Coastal.
9. Dan Mullen’s time at Florida appears to be winding down: Nobody assumed a win over Samford would calm the waters around Dan Mullen’s job at Florida but nobody could have foreseen the defensive disaster the Gators would put out against the Bulldogs Saturday, allowing an FBS-record 52 points and 530 yards of offense in an ugly win. It’s hard to imagine there is much that Mullen can do in the last two games to keep his job at this point.
10. Longhorns face a Texas-sized mess: If Texas coach Steve Sarkisian thought things couldn’t get any worse after his Longhorns dropped four straight, he obviously couldn’t imagine losing to Kansas in overtime Saturday. UT has been a disaster, losing 5 straight games for the first time since 1956 sending fans into a frenzy calling for the firstyear coach’s job.