Irish good as gold
Prime-time victory over top-ranked Clemson makes major statement
Notre Dame came up big when it counted. The Irish have earned their share of statement wins during coach Brian Kelly’s tenure, but Saturday’s doublewin over top-ranked Clemson could be a defining moment for a program eager to win its first national championship since 1988. Quarterback Ian Book shook off a fumble and the defense held the Tigers to 34 yards rushing in a potential preview of the ACC championship game.
Path to the playoff still clear for Clemson. Clemson saw its streak of 39 consecutive regular-season wins snapped with the loss toNotreDame, but the Tigers are by nomeans out of the picturewhen it comes to the College Football Playoff. If Dabo Swinney’s team runs the table, including a win in the ACC championship potentially against the Irish, it likely will to open the door to a Clemson return to the semifinals for the fifth consecutive year.
Justin Fields makes his case for the Heisman. Ohio State is 3-0 so far this season thanks in large part to quarterback Justin Fields, who’s off to a phenomenal start for the Buckeyes. The junior has completed 86% of his 82 pass attempts for 908 yards, 11 touchdowns and no interceptions. With Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence out the last two games, it’s a safe bet Fields has moved into the top spot for theHeisman Trophy.
Dan Mullen gets his signature win at Florida. Dan Mullen has won 24 of his first 30 games since arriving at Florida in 2018, including three wins over top 10 teams, but he hadn’t beaten rival Georgia (0-3). That changed Saturday after Kyle Trask threw for 474 yards and four touchdowns in a dominant win over the Bulldogs, leaving the Gators in control of their own destiny in the SEC East and on track to reach the SEC championship game.
USC avoids letdown to remain Pac-12 favorite.
Perhaps it was the 9 a.m. kickoff time, but USC appeared to sleepwalk its way through the first 57 minutes of its game against Arizona State. The Trojans had to score two touchdowns in the final three minutes to overcome a 13-point deficit and salvage a crucial win in the opener. The Sun Devils were the biggest hurdle the Trojans faced as they push for Pac-12 division crown.
a Raise your hand if you had Indiana and Northwestern perfect through the first three weeks of the BigTen season. TheHoosiers haven’t played this well since the mid-1980s andNorthwestern is 3-0 for the first time since 2015 thanks to a stingy defense that is holding teams to 12 points per game this season.
Indiana, Northwestern remain pleasant surprise in the Big Ten.
Michigan, Penn State continue to disappoint. While Indiana and Northwestern have surprised some with their hot starts, Michigan and Penn State have been utter disappointments in theBigTen. The two teams are a combined 1-5 and looked underwhelming in losses Saturday to Indiana andMaryland, respectively. It’s a far cry from both teams starting the season ranked in the top 20 during preseason polls.
Texas A&M remains a playoff wild card. While Alabama, NotreDame, Clemson and Ohio State are viewed as top playoff contenders, Texas A&M could push for a spot in the semifinals. The Aggies are 5-1 with four winnable games ahead of them and could finish 9-1, staying in themix for a top-four spot dependingon what happens in the next fewweeks.
Bedlam could determine the Big 12 champion. While aplayoff spot seems out of the question at this point, the Big 12 championship picture could clear up a bit whenOklahomaStateandOklahomameet on Nov. 21 during their traditional rivalry series. Oklahoma State owns wins over Iowa State andKansas State and awin over the Soonerswould set it up for a shot at its first title since 2011.
BYU, Cincinnati thrill fans by staying undefeated. BYU and Cincinnati remained perfect Saturday with wins over Boise State and Houston, respectively, giving both teams’ fans hope of a possible trip to aNewYear’s SixAccessBowl ifnot a shot at the College Football Playoff semifinals.