Wish list growing for Wolverines
Jim Harbaugh finally wins the big one. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh shook off years of frustration from not beating rival Ohio State with a resounding 42-27 win over the Buckeyes on Saturday. The win earned the Wolverines a trip to the Big Ten championship game and a shot at their first conference title since 2004, while also strengthening their case for the College Football Playoff.
The Buckeyes’ defense let them down when they needed it Ohio State spent much of its nine-game winning the most. streak thrashing teams with an offense averaging 49 points per game. The offense covered up a lot of underlying problems facing the Buckeyes on defense, including their inability to stop the run, which teams like Oregon and Michigan were able to exploit to their benefit.
Georgia remains the overwhelming title favorite. With Ohio State out of playoff contention, the divide at the top has widened as contenders like Alabama and Cincinnati struggle to make their cases the best of the rest. Georgia steamrolled its way through much of the season and, without a clear-cut challenger, appears to be a safe bet for a title favorite.
Alabama survives the Iron Bowl, but its playoff hopes remain faint. Alabama doesn’t look like a team capable of returning to the playoff, not after struggling for the second straight week. The offensive line couldn’t protect quarterback Bryce Young, and mistakes nearly cost the Crimson Tide against Auburn. It all spells trouble leading into their matchup with Georgia in this week’s SEC championship game.
Cincinnati moves one step closer to a historic playoff bid. After dispatching East Carolina on Saturday, the Bearcats continued their quest to become the first team outside of the Power Five to earn a spot in the playoff semifinals. All Cincinnati needs is a win over Houston in the American Athletic Conference championship game to earn a spot in the top four of the playoff rankings.
Oklahoma State enters the playoff discussion. If the Cowboys hoped to catch the attention of the playoff selection committee, they did a pretty good job by shutting down Oklahoma’s high-powered offense in the second half and snapping a six-game losing streak to the Sooners. Oklahoma State can claim its first Big 12 title since 2011 with a win over Baylor, and hopefully make a case for a playoff spot.
Notre Dame’s postseason plans rest in the hands of others. Notre Dame wrapped up the regular season by winning 11 games for the third time in the last four years, but whether a spot in the playoff semifinals awaits remains up in the air. The Irish need plenty of help for that to happen.
Young makes a push for the Heisman Trophy. It hasn’t been one of the clearest Heisman Trophy races, but Young might have done enough to take college football’s top honor. Young rallied the Crimson Tide from 10 points down to overcome Auburn in overtime and keep Alabama’s slim playoff hopes alive.
Wake Forest and Pitt set up the unlikeliest of ACC championship games. It’s safe to assume not many people came into the season picturing this matchup, but that’s what happens when you play in the ACC. Wake Forest has won 10 games for the second time in school history, while Pittsburgh is riding high on the arm of quarterback Kenny Pickett.
Florida moves on from the Dan Mullen era. It may not have been the rivalry game everyone was watching, but Florida pulled itself out of freefall with a win over Florida State less than a week after the school fired coach Dan Mullen. The Gators are now bowl-eligible for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. On Sunday, they hired Louisiana-Lafayette’s Billy Napier, 42, as their next coach.