Why not pick Nitts?
Penn State looks like genuine article — as does Barkley
1Penn State passes first big test: We got our first look at just how good the Nittany Lions are this season as they got a little revenge on Michigan, rolling to a 42-13 win. Next up is a showdown with Ohio State that will have a big impact on the Big Ten and College Football Playoff race.
2Saquon Barkley continues to lead the Heisman race: From his 69-yard touchdown run during the opening moments of Penn State’s win over Michigan to his juggling 42-yard reception for a touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter, the Nittany Lions running back has made a strong case.
3Notre Dame keeps climbing: Credit Brian Kelly for knowing something wasn’t working and making wholesale changes to his staff in the offseason as the Irish went from four wins in 2016 to being bowl eligible and a possible playoff contender.
4It’s time to hit the panic button in the Pac-12: Losses by Washington (7-1) and Washington State (6-1) last week left USC (6-2) as the conference’s last hope for a playoff contender, but the Trojans’ loss to Notre Dame puts a playoff spot in serious jeopardy.
5Things have gone from bad to worse for Florida State: Jimbo Fisher claims he was just sticking up for his players and coaches when he got into a war of words with a fan after the Seminoles’ loss to Louisville — their fourth loss of the season — but it’s never a good look when a coach loses his cool. The spat made it clear the FSU coach is starting to feel the heat.
6The ACC Atlantic Division is a thing of beauty: How else would you describe it when N.C. State leads the division and Syracuse and Boston College are higher in the standings than Florida State and Louisville?
7Matt Campbell is doing tremendous things at Iowa State: In just two seasons, Campbell has the Cyclones on the verge of bowl eligibility for the first time since 2012 after notching their fifth win, an upset of Texas Tech. Iowa State already has a win over Oklahoma and with TCU, Oklahoma State and West Virginia on the horizon, a Big 12 title run isn’t out of the question.
8Texas heartbreakers piling up: The Texas reclamation project hit another snag as the team dropped its second consecutive game, this one to Oklahoma State in overtime. The father of Texas receiver Armanti Foreman responded by posting on Twitter, “MORAL VICTORIES DON’T COUNT!”
9It’s back-to-back bowls for Army: Twenty-eight teams are now bowl eligible, including Army, which qualified for consecutive bowl games for the first time since 1984-85. The Black Knights still have a chance to compete for the coveted Commander-inChief ’s Trophy, with matchups against Air Force and Navy ahead.
10UCF survives its first true test: On one hand, to say the season has been easy for the Knights doesn’t take into account the team lost two games to Hurricane Irma and had another one cut short because of storms. But Scott Frost’s team cruised for the most part until facing Navy, which gave UCF all it could handle Saturday before the Knights put the Midshipmen away late.