Here are 10 things we learned about college football after the first weekend of November.
They range from the crazy races in the ACC and Big 12, to the fact that Georgia and Ohio State need to be more dominant, to the idea that Miami might be that good, and to the fact that Nebraska needs to get better quickly in the money month.
10. There’s no dogging Indiana right now
It is 9-0 in Indiana.
For the first time in school history, the team will have ten wins. For fans, this is such a magical time of year that the phrase “long suffering” does not even come close.
Most people just accept that IU football is what it is, and then basketball season comes around. That is why it needs to be said over and over again.
THIS IS INDIANA FOOTBALL.
If it were Ohio State or Michigan, we could talk about how the schedule has been a little light and how the wins over Nebraska and Michigan State are not that big of a deal. But this is not Ohio State or Michigan, so nope.
This is something that Indiana has never seen or heard of before.
And finally, I agree that the schedule has been pretty bad, but 1) you play average teams by beating them by a gazillion points, and 2) Ohio State and Michigan are on the schedule, so the big games are coming.
It does not matter what happens next, though; this yum is too good to pass up. There is nothing bad about this.
9. Who did you lose to?
A simple man’s wish.
Suppose a team is 7-1. Pay more attention to the seven than the one, unless the one is against a great team.
So many people are interested in head coaches like James Franklin who win all but one of their games, which is incredibly difficult. The other side should be seen as more typical, though.
Who can not beat the top five teams? Everyone. That is because the top five teams are very good at college football.
What gets lost is that you need to keep being one of those teams that can play in big, important games.
Aside from the two Big Ten teams that have been the best over the past few years, Penn State is one of the teams that other teams have bad records against under Franklin.
8. Could Nebraska whiff this AGAIN?
Really, Nebraska? I thought this corner had been turned.
People are yelling about the offensive and coaching staff, and no, you DO NOT lose at home to UCLA when bowl eligibility is on the line.
After going 5-1 to start the season, the Huskers lost badly to Indiana, beat Ohio State, and then lost to UCLA 27–20.
They have a chance to win at USC, Wisconsin, or Iowa. For the first time since 2016, they need just one more win to make it to a bowl game. But…
Nebraska was 22-1-1 in November from 1991 to 1997 and 17-0 from 1993 to 1997. It was 29-6 in November for Nebraska from 1979 to 1988, with all six losses coming to Oklahoma.
Nebraska is now 5-25 in November since the middle of 2016, when they lost to UCLA.
7. Is Tulane a part of this?
The winner from Group of Five will likely be 12–1, or 11–2 if everyone else loses. That team will make the expanded College Football Playoff.
Boise State seems to be getting the spot, but Tulane is playing well enough to be right there and ready to jump if the Mountain West games change.
After losing to Kansas State and Oklahoma early in the season, the Green Wave need help. However, Louisiana’s only loss of the season was to them.
With games against Temple, Navy, and Memphis coming up, anything less than 11-2 will not do at this point. New head coach Jon Sumrall is as quietly great as it gets. The team is rock solid right now, even if it is not quite as good as previous versions.
6. SMU has to be taken really, really seriously now
It seems like nobody wants to really believe it.
There are about 12,000 students at SMU, so it is not a very small private school. The only reason that really matters is that it is not as popular or as well-known across the country as schools in mega-states.
It was not supposed to make a fuss in the ACC, but after beating Pitt way too easily, it is almost a sure thing to play for the conference title.
This really is a case of the underdog.
Stanford was in bad shape going into the ACC, and Cal is trying to keep its bowl head above water.
Last year, BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF all made mistakes in their first seasons as members of the Power Five. The ACC is getting paid by SMU to be its best team.
If SMU beats Boston College, Virginia, and Cal, they will be 11-1. Right now they are 8-1.
5. This week’s hidden team “no one is talking about”
When did the LSU football team get good again?
After beating a tough Texas State team on the road, it is the only Sun Belt team that has not lost in conference play. It may not be as strong as it was when Billy Napier was head coach at Florida. It will now play three of its last four games at home.
The Ragin’ Cajuns probably will not even get close to a CFP spot, even if they go 12-1 and win the Sun Belt title.
But since the only loss was to a good Tulane team in a tough game, win, go 12–1, and make the CFP committee worry about it.
4. It’s time to believe in Miami
That 41–17 win over Florida to start the season might have been great.
People did not care about Miami’s loss; they were more interested in Florida and how badly it was doing under Billy Napier. It turns out that the Gators are good, but their schedule is really tough.
I am still not sure. Miami is on track to play for the national title or even come close. But Duke is a good defensive team that just gave up 53 points.
But the Canes need to be more consistent during games if they want to do something with the third seed they will get in the CFP. The same goes for…
3. Ohio State and Georgia are the best teams in college football, but …
They need to do better.
Yes, Oregon and all that, but Ohio State and Georgia have the best players in college football. We saw it over the weekend.
In the win over Penn State, the Buckeye defense only let in six points. Penn State’s touchdown came from a pick six. Georgia beat Florida with thunder when it was time to do so.
What these two could do was step up their games even more when they had to. But it seems like they are playing SO TIGHT that they are almost cooking their way out of the College Football Playoff.
They are both better than everyone else. They have coaches and people expecting them to do well, but they are not playing like they can not lose.
Still. Both Ohio State and Georgia still have games coming up. In the next two weeks, Georgia has Ole Miss and Tennessee. Neither team can afford to lose a second time and feel good about it. On the other hand, everything has to come together now.
They are the best. Display it.
2. Really, Clemson?
Everyone thought Clemson was great again.
It ripped through Georgia and everyone else, was going to be the third seed in the CFP after winning the ACC title, and… Louisville 33, Clemson 21.
It was not real. NC State is one team that might go bowling, and the Tigers beat them. But last week, they lost. The ground game was great, there were not many turnovers, and the defense was not bad. They really lost.
The three teams Miami, Clemson, and SMU do not play each other. When the ACC was trying to figure out how to break ties, that was a big deal. But if the Canes and Mustangs win, it does not matter as much now.
Clemson used to be sure to make the CFP, but if they lose again, they might not even make the top 25.
1. The new Big 12 just went new Big 12
This is what people thought before the season, and it turned out to be true, but in a different way.
Utah State, Arizona State, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State. Those four teams were the best in the Big 12. Other teams, like Cincinnati and Houston, could beat anyone on any given day.
Utah, Arizona, and Oklahoma State probably will not go bowling. Iowa State and Kansas State had a clear path to take over, but they blew it at home against Texas Tech, and Kansas State could not beat an improving Houston team on the road.
As always, BYU and Colorado were the big winners, and this will not stop. Keep an eye out! The Big 12 champion will have at least two losses, and the winner of the title game could have three. For all the fun, there may only be one Big 12 team in the expanded CFP.
