College Football - Week 13 (Nov. 23)

[Andy]

Top 25 games

(5) Indiana at (2) Ohio State (12 pm, FOX)

Kentucky at (3) Texas (3:30 pm, ABC)

(4) Penn State at Minnesota (3:30 pm, CBS)

(19) Army vs (6) Notre Dame - at Yankee Stadium (7 pm, NBC)

(7) Alabama at Oklahoma (7:30 pm, ABC)

Wake Forest at (8) Miami (12 pm, ESPN)

(9) Ole Miss at Florida (12 pm, ABC)

UMass at (10) Georgia (12:45 pm, SEC Network)

UTEP at (11) Tennessee (1 pm, ESPN+)

(12) Boise State at Wyoming (7 pm, CBSSN)

(13) SMU at Virginia (12 pm, ESPN2)

(14) BYU at (21) Arizona State (3:30 pm, ESPN)

(15) Texas A&M at Auburn (7:30 pm, ESPN)

(16) Colorado at Kansas - in Kansas City (3:30 pm, FOX)

The Citadel at (17) Clemson (3:30 pm, CW)

Wofford at (18) South Carolina (4 pm, ESPN+)

(22) Iowa State at Utah (7:30 pm, FOX)

(23) Missouri at Mississippi State (4:15 pm, SEC Network)

(24) UNLV at San Jose State (10 pm Friday, FS1)

(25) Illinois at Rutgers (12 pm, Peacock)

 

Other nationally available games
Tuesday

Akron at Kent State (7 pm, CBSSN) 

Western Michigan at Central Michigan (7:30 pm, ESPN2) 

Northern Illinois at Miami (OH) (8 pm, ESPN)  

 

Wednesday

Ohio at Toledo (7 pm, ESPN2)

Buffalo at Eastern Michigan (7 pm, ESPNU) 

Thursday

NC State at Georgia Tech (7:30 pm, ESPN)

Friday

Temple at UTSA (7 pm, ESPN2)

Purdue at Michigan State (8 pm, FOX)

Saturday TV

North Carolina at Boston College (12 pm, CW)

Iowa at Maryland (12 pm, BTN)

UConn at Syracuse (12 pm, ACC Network)

Sam Houston at Jacksonville State (12 pm, CBSSN)

Northwestern at Michigan (3:30 pm, FS1)

Wisconsin at Nebraska (3:30 pm, BTN)

UCF at West Virginia (3:30 pm, ESPNU) 

Stanford at California (3:30 pm, ACC Network)

San Diego State at Utah State (3:30 pm, CBSSN)

Pittsburgh at Louisville (4 pm, ESPN2)

Washington State at Oregon State (7 pm, CW)

Baylor at Houston (7 pm, FS1)

Marshall at Old Dominion (7:30 pm, ESPNU)

Vanderbilt at LSU (7:45 pm, SEC Network)

Cincinnati at Kansas State (8 pm, ESPN2)

Virginia Tech at Duke (8 pm, ACC Network)

USC at UCLA (10:30 pm, NBC)

Air Force at Nevada (10:30 pm, FS1)

Colorado State at Fresno State (10:30 pm, CBSSN)

 

Saturday Streaming (all ESPN+)

Western Kentucky at Liberty (1 pm)

Charleston Southern at Florida State (1:30 pm)

Bowling Green at Ball State (2 pm)

Rice at UAB (2 pm)

James Madison at Appalachian State (2:30 pm)

New Mexico State at Middle Tennessee (2:30 pm)

Arizona at TCU (3 pm)

Charlotte at Florida Atlantic (3 pm)

FIU at Kennesaw State (3 pm)

UL Monroe at Arkansas State (3 pm)

South Alabama at Southern Miss (3 pm)

East Carolina at North Texas (3:30 pm)

Georgia Southern at Coastal Carolina (3:30 pm)

Texas Tech at Oklahoma State (3:30 pm)

Tulsa at South Florida (3:30 pm)

Louisiana Tech at Arkansas (4 pm)

Troy at UL Lafayette (5 pm)

Georgia State at Texas State (7 pm)

Edited November 20, 2024 by Andy

[Andy]

I don't think it will ultimately hold up, but this week's rankings put Boise State into position to get the #4 seed and first-round bye. Would be hilarious if the G5 gets a bye after all these years of crapping on them.

What's even more wild is that if Army were to beat ranked ND and Tulane in the next few weeks and get to 12-0, there's a nonzero chance the Big 12 could be left out of the playoff entirely. Army and Boise could be automatic bids 4 and 5.

Edited November 20, 2024 by Andy

[Tim]

Illinois won convincingly and moved down a spot? Meh, whatever.

[Andy]

4 minutes ago, Tim said:

Illinois won convincingly and moved down a spot? Meh, whatever.

Illinois wasn't ranked in the CFP rankings last week, so they moved up.

[Tim]

7 minutes ago, Andy said:

Illinois wasn't ranked in the CFP rankings last week, so they moved up.

huh...I could swear I saw them listed at #24 in your thread last week. But I just went back and checked and they weren't there. Wishful thinking on my part, I guess.

[Andy]

25 minutes ago, Tim said:

huh...I could swear I saw them listed at #24 in your thread last week. But I just went back and checked and they weren't there. Wishful thinking on my part, I guess.

I had them at 24 in the original post for this week - that was their AP rank. I always switch them to the CFP rankings after they come out.

[Derwood]

Indiana wasn't ever going to win that game, but it would have been within a touchdown if they didn't step on a half dozen rakes along the way

[Andy]

What kind of odds can I get on the #11 seed (regardless of who it is) making the final 4?

[Derwood]

1 hour ago, Andy said:

What kind of odds can I get on the #11 seed (regardless of who it is) making the final 4?

Based on what? The fact that #3-12 is a pretty even field?

[jersey cubs fan]

Been a sooner fan my whole life 

[bukie]

Can't wait until Alabama plays Illinois in the Citrus bowl to play for the claim of best 4 loss team in the country.

[Derwood]

Guess they don't teach "how to read a clock" at the state schools anymore

[Derwood]

aTm just dropped the tying catch in 5OT

3-loss chaos in the SEC

Now I'm rooting for aTm against Texas next week

[Andy]

3 hours ago, Derwood said:

Based on what? The fact that #3-12 is a pretty even field?

Based on I think Penn State, who is all but locked into #6 now after escaping Minnesota, is going to lose to #11 and the ACC champion is going to be who the winner of that game plays in round 2.

All due credit to James Franklin for that fake punt call, though. I thought it might be coming but still takes some cojones to call for it.

Edited November 24, 2024 by Andy

[CubColtPacer]

 5, 7, 9, 14, 15, 16, and 19 lose today.  

And projecting the last at-large team is kind of crazy right now.  If SMU beats Miami in the ACC title game and the ACC becomes a 2 bid league, that's a solution.  If that doesn't happen, it feels like there are 8 schools who all have a claim to the last spot.

[Andy]

8 minutes ago, CubColtPacer said:

 5, 7, 9, 14, 15, 16, and 19 lose today.  

And projecting the last at-large team is kind of crazy right now.  If SMU beats Miami in the ACC title game and the ACC becomes a 2 bid league, that's a solution.  If that doesn't happen, it feels like there are 8 schools who all have a claim to the last spot.

Clemson probably has a case if they can beat South Carolina.

But yeah, it's pretty wild out there. IU fans didn't even have time to worry if they were gonna get bounced out of the CFP before Ole Miss lost, and then 2 more teams lost too. Funny what happens when the GOAT coach is no longer around.

[bukie]

10 minutes ago, Andy said:

Based on I think Penn State, who is all but locked into #6 now after escaping Minnesota, is going to lose to #11 and the ACC champion is going to be who the winner of that game plays in round 2.

All due credit to James Franklin for that fake punt call, though. I thought it might be coming but still takes some cojones to call for it.

So the 2-3 loss SEC teams are dangerous but the 1 loss B1G teams are weak because...reasons?

And I'd probably give 50-50 that ND is #4 next week after this week's results despite playing a weaker schedule than any of the other top 10 teams not named Indiana (though after this week, maybe?) and having a worse loss than anyone else.

[Andy]

8 minutes ago, bukie said:

So the 2-3 loss SEC teams are dangerous but the 1 loss B1G teams are weak because...reasons?

And I'd probably give 50-50 that ND is #4 next week after this week's results despite playing a weaker schedule than any of the other top 10 teams not named Indiana (though after this week, maybe?) and having a worse loss than anyone else.

I was thinking this stuff before a few SEC teams faceplanted today, and it's possible the #11 seed is going to be more like an SMU than a Georgia. In that case I'm prepared to tweak my take.

I'm lost on what Notre Dame has to do with this but I don't think they're going to be passing Penn State or Texas, which is what they'd have to do to be ranked #4.

Edited November 24, 2024 by Andy

[bukie]

3 minutes ago, Andy said:

I was thinking this stuff before a few SEC teams faceplanted today, and it's possible the #11 seed is going to be more like an SMU than a Georgia. In that case I'm prepared to tweak my take.

I'm lost on what Notre Dame has to do with this but I don't think they're going to be passing Penn State or Texas, which is what they'd have to do to be ranked #4.

You're lost on what Notre Dame has to do with this when they're the primary competition for that #6 spot? C'mon, don't be that obtuse.

[Andy]

1 minute ago, bukie said:

You're lost on what Notre Dame has to do with this when they're the primary competition for that #6 spot? C'mon, don't be that obtuse.

As you so helpfully noted, Notre Dame's schedule is even worse than Penn State's. If they haven't passed them yet, they're not going to unless PSU loses next week.

[bukie]

Just now, Andy said:

As you so helpfully noted, Notre Dame's schedule is even worse than Penn State's. If they haven't passed them yet, they're not going to unless PSU loses next week.

Notre Dame definitely looked better against Army on the road than PSU looked against Minnesota. Granted, I think Army was significantly over-ranked based on not having lost yet (i.e. I think Minnesota is actually a better team than Army), but I'm mostly just trying to figure out why PSU doesn't deserve their spot over some of these other teams, or now that Indiana lost to Ohio State they don't deserve to be in the playoffs either, as if the SEC just is by default better than anyone else despite not really having shown much to support this other than their purchased support from ESPN.

I'd definitely prefer to see, like, SMU and Miami both in the playoff over, say, 3-loss Alabama, even if they did beat up Wisconsin and squeaked by Georgia.

Just for posterity, this would be my top 12 right now:

1. Ohio State - Yes, they lost to Oregon, in Oregon, by one point. I think the rest of their resume is more impressive overall, and I think they'd be favored right now in a neutral environment that we'll see in two weeks anyway.
2. Oregon - They'll get a chance at OSU again, most likely. Win again, and there's no doubt they're #1.
3. Notre Dame - Inexplicable loss to NIU. Just bonkers. Still have the best win among the 1 loss teams and continue looking impressive week in, week out.
4. Texas - Explain to me a second what Texas' best win is? Is it at 6-5 Vandy or at 6-5 Michigan? They have a shot at a good win next week, but that will just give a direct point of reference against ND.
5. Penn State - Lost a close one to Ohio State at home, like they do every year. Beat everyone else, sometimes impressively, sometimes not. Boring team, but consistently good and beat everyone but Ohio State.
6. Georgia - Two losses, one bad, one close. Three good wins, which IMO puts them ahead of Indiana, Miami or SMU. Probably would be favored against Texas on a neutral field and would climb up to the #2 seed if they win the SEC.
7. Miami - See Texas. Miami's best win is probably at Louisville, as there are 3 good ACC teams and none of them play each other in the regular season.
8. Indiana - Yes, they lost by 23 to Ohio State. They've also beat up almost everyone else they've played, and have earned their way into the playoff discussion.
9. SMU - Same as Miami, but their loss was to a better team, but haven't been as impressive in wins. Maybe a straight pick-em vs Miami in a potential ACC championship, winner gets a mostly undeserving 3 seed.
10. Tennessee - This was probably A&M until that last Auburn loss. Good win against Bama, but their record is buoyed by their forgiving schedule more than most SEC teams.
11. Boise State - Gets the nod over whoever is the best team left in the Big 12. Still won't be ranked higher than anyone they'd potentially play in the playoff.
12. Arizona State - I guess? What's happening in this conference this season?

[Andy]

My favorite current subplot is Boise State maybe possibly getting the #4 seed and first-round bye as the 4th highest ranked conference champion. The Big 12 champ simply isn't going to be good enough to justify being ahead of Boise after both BYU and Colorado lost. Arizona State winning out would be the closest, but if they don't...?

Had Army beaten Notre Dame and gone on to win the AAC, there'd be a real chance of the Big 12 just not getting a team in.

[bukie]

10 minutes ago, Andy said:

My favorite current subplot is Boise State maybe possibly getting the #4 seed and first-round bye as the 4th highest ranked conference champion. The Big 12 champ simply isn't going to be good enough to justify being ahead of Boise after both BYU and Colorado lost. Arizona State winning out would be the closest, but if they don't...?

Had Army beaten Notre Dame and gone on to win the AAC, there'd be a real chance of the Big 12 just not getting a team in.

I am officially rooting for chaos in the Big 12 next week:

Kansas State beats Iowa State
Houston beats BYU
Arizona beats ASU
Oklahoma State beats Colorado
Baylor beats Kansas
TCU beats Cincy

Result: 8 way tie for Big 12 champion at 6-3 in conference.

[Derwood]

Decades of propaganda has people convinced that a bunch of 2-3 loss SEC teams = "toughest conference all beating each other up" while a bunch of 1-loss B1G teams = "soft conference with no good teams"

Going into the 12-team format, I was convinced that the 7-12 seeded teams would never have a shot and that the idea of a Cinderella team making the CFP final would never happen, but it feels like anyone not named Oregon or Ohio State is pretty interchangable

[CubinNY]

Definitely a weird year in college football. Saban created a power vacuum.