1. Alabama still owns Georgia
Although the Bulldogs deserve credit for fighting back and have plenty of talent, the Alabama Crimson Tide proved they are still the same college football program under Kalen DeBoer they were under Nick Saban…at least for now. Jalen Milroe had a Heisman-caliber game, and Ryan Williams had the best game ever by a 17-year old in the sport.
2. Miami survives…controversially
Mario Cristobal’s Hurricanes nearly suffered a horrible upset Friday to the Virginia Tech Hokies, but a seemingly game-winning Hail Mary by VT was waived off at the end. The call was right, if you really look at it, which keeps The U in the driver’s seat among ACC teams trying to reach the CFP, but it sure raises some cracks in the program.
3. Clemson is low-key rolling…Duke on their tail
Ever since losing to UGA in the opener, Dabo Swinney and the Tigers have quietly been dominating. They have just blew out the Stanford Cardinal 40-14, and thy control their own destiny for the College Football Playoff. Of all their competitors, though, the Blue Devils came back to beat the North Carolina Tar Heels to remain undefeated at 5-0, so they are just as much in the running to win the ACC.
4. The Florida State disaster keeps getting worse
Speaking of the ACC, the Seminoles sued the league for adding the SMU Mustangs, and then SMU beat them 42-16. Mike Norvell’s program looks more and more like a one-year wonder, and the disaster that permeates all of Florida outside of the Miami area continues. Could Norvell be fired after an undefeated regular season? It’s possible.
5. Colorado takes back to being a college football story
Beating the UCF Knights 48-21 may be the most impressive win of Deion Sanders’ tenure with the Buffaloes. All of a sudden, Colorado may be the talk of college football again under Coach Prime. They control their own destiny to reach the CFP, and Travis Hunter is in the running for the Heisman after another game with a forced turnover, this time an interception and 89 yards receiving with a touchdown.
6. BYU is the clear Big 12 frontrunner
While CU is becoming a story again, the Cougars continue to be the favorites in the Big 12 to reach the College Football Playoff. This time, they held off the Baylor Bears 34-28 after leading 28-7, but it was on the road. At 5-0, Kalani Sitake may have his best team yet, particularly with their in-state rival the Utah Utes losing over the weekend.
7. Ole Miss exposed
Lane Kiffin and the Rebels may not be as good as we thought. The Kentucky Wildcats took advantage of a series of mistakes by them to win in Oxford, and this loss shakes up the College Football Playoff race in underrated fashion. Mark Stoops may be leading a better-than-expected UK team, too, by the way, with that loss to the South Carolina Gamecocks looking like a fluke.
8. UNLV has the inside track to the CFP
The Runnin’ Rebels lost Matthew Sluka earlier in the week and then dominated the Fresno State Bulldogs 59-14. With the Washington State Cougars losing to the Boise State Broncos, they are now the favorite among the Group of Five teams in the College Football Playoff hunt, but watch out. The Army Black Knights and Navy Midshipmen remain undefeated as well.
9. College Football Heisman race
1. Jalen Milroe
2. Travis Hunter
3. Cam Ward
4. Kurtis Rourke
5. Dillon Gabriel
10. College Football Top 10
1. Alabama
2. Texas
3. Tennessee
4. Oregon
5. Penn State
6. Miami
7. Missouri
8. Georgia
9. Ohio State
10. Michigan
