Best bet: Bearcats
Cincinnati represents Group of 5’s most legit shot at 1st playoff berth
Welcome to 2020, Penn State. The Nittany Lions found out what everybody else in college football already knew — during a COVID-19 season, anything can happen. ThenNo. 8 Penn State outgained Indiana in every category except the scoreboard as the Hoosiers pulled off a furious comeback. Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr. leaped toward the end zone pylon and the gamewinning two-point conversion in overtime was ruled successful by officials on the field. A replay appeared to show the ball hit out of bounds before it touched the pylon, but replays were deemed inconclusive and Indiana escaped with its first win over a top-10 opponent in 33 years.
Ohio State, Justin Fields make an early statement.
After spending the last eight weeks watching Clemson and Alabama get touted as the best teams in the country, Ohio State finally got the chance to show it deserves to be in the conversation. Quarterback Justin Fields scored three TDs as the Buckeyes scored on six of their first seven possession during a season-opening win over Nebraska.
Michigan passes early test thanks to a new QB. Joe Milton threw for a TDand ran for another as the junior quarterback guided Michigan to an impressive season-opening victory over No. 21 Minnesota. The Wolverines rushed for five scores and the defense proved truly physical up front, sacking Golden Gophers quarterback Tanner Morgan five times as No. 18 UM snapped a losing streak against opponents ranked in the top 25.
Cincinnati makes the case its the best Group of 5 team.
No. 9 Cincinnati shook off some early rust after being sidelined for 21 days due to COVID-19 issues and relied on its defense during dominant 42-13 win over No. 16 SMU. The Bearcats, who have allowed five TDs this season, represent the best chance for aGroup of 5 teams to finally make the College Football Playoff.
Defense could catapult Oklahoma State to a Big 12 title.
The Big 12 and defense have never been synonymous, but that could change thanks to Oklahoma State, which ranks in the top 20 nationally in both scoring and total defense. The No. 6 Cowboys, who earned a 24-21 win over No. 17 Iowa State, are allowing 12 points per game through their first four games and have yet to allow a 300-yard passer this season.
Clemson’s biggest challenge could be itself. Last year’s national runner-up Clemson has been on cruise control so far this season, winningbyanaverageof 36points per game, but Syracuse reminded the Tigers they can still lose. Apick-six by Trevor Lawrence and some defensive lapses saw the Orange get as close as any team has come to upsetting No. 1 Clemson so far this season before Dabo Swinney’s team pulled away late for a 47-21win.
Alabama losing its top player could hamper its title hopes. For the second consecutive year, No. 2 Alabama must overcome the loss of arguably its best player after receiver Jaylen Waddle suffered a seasonending injury during the team’s 48-17 win over Tennessee.
Notre Dame leans on its defense as offense gains its footing.
No. 3 Notre Dame remains stingy on defense, allowing five TDs and an ACC-best 9.8 points per game while waiting for its offense to have the type of breakout performance it did Saturday. Ian Book threw for 200 yards for the first time this season and the Irish’s offense set a season-high in points (45) in a 45-3 romp over Pitt.
BYU QB Zach Wilson could push for the Heisman and an undefeated season. Zach Wilson may not be ahouseholdname, but theBYU QB has been impressive early and is among the top players in the country in passing yards (1,928), passing TDs (16) and passer rating (210.41) while directing the Cougars to an undefeated start and a top 15 ranking. He passed for four TDs during theNo. 12 BYU’s 52-14 win over Texas State.
Wisconsin reinvents itself thanks to QB Graham Mertz.
Wisconsin football is known for fielding a punishing ground game, but that could change after Mertz set a school-record with five passing TDs in his first start. Mertz completed his first 17 passes, finishing with a passer rating of 273.01 as the No. 14 Badgers cruised to a 45-7 win over Illinois on Friday night. It isn’t all good news for Mertz and the Badgers. On Sunday, Mertz reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus.