The first College football playoff rankings have been released, which means we’re getting down to the business end of the season. And, with the calendar turning from October to November, the championship weekend isn’t all that far away.
So, wins and losses are more important than ever before, and there’s great potential for some ranking upheaval once we’re done on the weekend. Here are some things to watch:
Alabama versus Louisiana State
The semi-annual SEC gladiatorial contest takes place at an interesting time, with Alabama somehow in the CFP rankings ahead of five unbeaten teams, despite losing to a not-that-great Memphis squad at home, and LSU looking for a serious statement win to prove that they’re the real deal.
Alabama come into this game as mild favourites, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see the contest decided by which team has the better quarterback play at a clutch moment. We know that both teams have great running backs – Leonard Fournette for LSU and Derrick Henry for Alabama – but Saturday night looms as a battle between Alabama’s Jake Coker and LSU’s Brandon Harris.
Both defences are obviously going to be looking to stop the run and make either of those two quarterbacks (who have both shown flashes of brilliance and mediocrity through the first nine weeks of the season) win the game through the air. Which quarterback has a better shot? Hard to definitively say, but I’m leaning towards Coker, thanks purely to home-field advantage.
Alabama need this win badly. Two losses in-conference just about counts them out of the playoff race.
Clemson versus Florida State
An ACC Atlantic Division match-up to determine who is the best team in that conference, and the Seminoles have their work cut out for them as they prepare for Clemson’s do-everything quarterback DeShaun Watson. Let us not forget that the Tigers came very close to winning the corresponding game one year ago, and with an extra year of experience and maturity, Watson is going to prove a handful for the FSU defence.
What I’m most looking forward to seeing is how Florida State’s quarterback, the Notre Dame transfer Everett Golson, goes. He’s quietly had a pretty good season, throwing just one interception compared to 11 touchdowns. Of course, he hasn’t seen a defence quite as talented as Clemson’s, yet. At least Florida State have running back Dalvin Cook returning to the line-up. His inclusion will take some pressure off of Golson’s shoulders.
It’s going to be tough sledding for the ‘Noles in Death Valley, but stranger things have happened in this series. It should be a close game, right to the end.
Memphis
The Tigers were snubbed by the College football playoff committee early in the week, not awarded a slot in the top four despite their undefeated season, which includes a win over Ole Miss, who had earlier beaten Alabama – the same one-loss Alabama team who somehow managed to vault their way into the top four.
Despite the snub, the Tigers must get ready to deal with Navy and the tricky option offence that the Midshipmen run. This looms as a trap game for quarterback Paxton Lynch and his teammates. How Memphis deals with this game after a week of ranking-related controversy will be interesting. It’s a pivotal American Athletic Conference West Division contest.
Texas
A week ago, the insipid Longhorn offence was dominated by an Iowa State Cyclones defence that hasn’t done much in the way of dominating teams all year. Seven days on, the Horns welcome a very bad Kansas Jayhawks team into Austin, and if Texas can’t kick-start their offence against KU, the program has giant problems.
Texas should win comfortably – but will they?
Iowa
The Hawkeyes remain undefeated, and have Indiana on the road in Bloomington. Iowa are the most surprising no-loss team anywhere in college football – yeah, even more surprising than, say, Memphis or Houston – so every game from here on out is a trap game for a team that really isn’t accustomed to such a lofty
position on the national rankings.
A win this week means Iowa gets to write a new school record for the best start (8-0) in program history. IU’s defence isn’t great, but the offence, when on song, can score big.
The Hawkeyes need to continue their domination on the ground, with the flotilla of backs Kirk Ferentz can call on. They’re dangerous even without starter Jordan Canzeri.
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