USA TODAY International Edition
Buckeyes top seed for now
Even as Ohio State rolled through the early part of the season, it was hard to get an accurate gauge on what we were seeing.
The Buckeyes looked dominant, yes, but the competition in their first five games was less than stellar. A date with Michigan State promised a challenge and provided clarity: Yup, what we saw was real. Ohio State is real good, y’all.
In the words of selection committee chairmen past, the Buckeyes look complete: powerful offense, dominant defense combining to overwhelm opponents. It’s why they ascend to the top seed in this week’s Football Four.
The rest of the playoff bracket? Alabama is similarly difficult to assess – and no fair just saying “because ’ Bama” – but if the Crimson Tide have not been as complete ( that defense has work to do), it shreds opponents anyway. It’s the same with Oklahoma. And LSU has gotten plenty of credit for that win at Texas a month ago but has feasted on pastries since.
Bottom line: Even with clarity slowly emerging, we’re still at the point where it would be easy to take the top seven or so, rank them in any order and make a good case. As always, remember we pick the bracket as if the season was over today.*
Football Four
1. Ohio State – Through six games, Ohio State is the nation’s most impressive team. Michigan State was the first test? Sure – and the Buckeyes looked very much like they’ve looked in the first five games.
2. Alabama – No truth to the rumor that Tua threw six touchdown passes against BYE ( though that’s pretty much what he’s been doing, and who the Tide have been playing). Things could get at least a tad more difficult this week at Texas A& M … but probably not.
3. Oklahoma – Trailing 7- 0 at Kansas, sound the alar – oh wait, never mind, the Sooners ran off 42 points after that. It was sloppy, yeah, but convincing. Up next, the annual showdown in the Cotton Bowl with Texas.
4. LSU – The Tigers just keep rolling. Joe Burrow and the newfangled offense have been terrific. Utah State had no shot. Here comes a showdown with Florida. The Gators’ defense figures to be much more challenging than anything LSU has seen so far.
Four More ★★
5. Clemson – The Tigers took the weekend off, which was probably good after that scare at North Carolina. Now for Florida State, though that’s not exactly the same kind of challenge as it was a few years back.
6. Georgia – If you’re concerned because it took the Bulldogs a while to pull away from Tennessee, you’re overanalyzing things. Just keep it simple, like Kirby Smart would want: These are very good Dawgs.
7. Florida – The Swamp was as loud as it has been for many years as the Gators smothered Auburn. Up next, a trip to Baton Rouge, where the Gators will encounter LSU in a stadium that is that loud every Saturday night.
8. Wisconsin – Jonathan Taylor runs for four touchdowns, catches a TD pass, and the Badgers keep rolling. Not that Kent State was going to provide much resistance.
A few more after that ★★★
Auburn – That defense is terrific, but the offense ran into a buzz saw at Florida. Freshman quarterback Bo Nix has been good and getting better but had a significant hiccup.
Notre Dame – OK, it was Bowling Green. It was still impressive. Ian Book threw five TD passes. The Irish rolled. Yeah, it was Bowling Green.
Penn State – The Nittany Lions just keep winning, and impressively. Maybe we shouldn’t concede the Big Ten East to Ohio State just yet.
Texas – The Longhorns pulled away from West Virginia, Sam Ehlinger flashed the Hook ’ em sign at the Mountaineers fans, let’s move on to Dallas. * The season is not over today. ** Don’t be worried that your team sits just outside the cut. This is a weekly snapshot. What do we know, anyway? *** See the previous note, but it’s OK to be slightly concerned or very angry. But what do we know, anyway?
Corrections & Clarifications
❚ A column in some editions Friday misstated the playoff history between the Twins and the Yankees. They have met six times, the first in 2003.
❚ The TV listings in some editions Friday included an incorrect day for the Chelsea- Southampton EPL soccer game. It was played Sunday.
❚ The Broncos- Chargers preview Friday mentioned defensive end Bradley Chubb. He suffered a season- ending injury in Week 4.