Couch Power 10 + Bowl Projections, Week 11
Last week was a rough, rough week so I didn't write anything. Week 9's rankings and projections can be found here.
To quote SNL's Kenan Thompson: "Uhhhh. So, DAYUM!" That weekend didn't go according to plan. A season that had been so uneventful at the top suddenly saw three of the five remaining undefeated teams fall, in upsets ranging from shocking to somewhat predictable. First, after weeks of playing with fire, Clemson finally blew it...at the hands of a kicker named Blewitt. Then, a ranked USC squad proved their mettle by suffocating Washington in Seattle. Not half an hour later, Michigan got lost in the cornfields of Iowa, who also scored a season-salvaging upset thanks to a field goal. Elsewhere, UNC and Virginia Tech both crapped away chances to gain control of the ACC Coastal, Texas A&M dropped their second straight (falling out of the New Year's Six picture), Auburn lost all of their momentum in an ugly loss to Georgia, and America elected a sexist troll. Madness! To the rankings.
1. Alabama
Another week, another Bama blowout over an inferior SEC team. This team ain't losing, folks. At least not in the regular season.
2. Ohio State
The side that had been on the outside looking in is now, well, still probably on the outside looking in. In a cruel twist of fate, their hated rivals' loss actually hurt Ohio State, as now the Buckeyes either a: beat Michigan and hand the Big Ten East to Penn State, or b: lose to Michigan and fall out of Playoff contention altogether. Either way, this team probably isn't going to Indianapolis, which seems wild, given that they look like they could tear through the entire Big Ten the way they're playing.
3. Louisville
The other side that had been on the outside looking in is now, well, still probably on the outside looking in. Louisville plays some of the best football in the country, have the nation's best player, and their only blemish is a last-second loss at Clemson. Yet, that blemish will likely keep them out of the ACC Championship, and the Cardinals are the second at-large bid in line at the moment.
4a. Clemson
Well, it had been a long time coming. Week after week, Clemson seemed to pull impressive, closely-fought victories out of nowhere. Somehow, Pittsburgh was the nut that proved too tough to crack, as they fought back from a late deficit to stunt he Tigers in Death Valley. All is not lost for Clemson, not by any means; they simply need to win out to re-insert themselves in the Playoff, and with their remaining opponents being Wake Forest, South Carolina, and a 9-3 Coastal team, you have to imagine they will do that.
4b. Michigan
Michigan fans, this is why I harped on how little the Wolverines had traveled out of the state. In their first true road test of the season, Wilton Speight and the Michigan offense failed to generate any consistency. An enormous amount of credit needs to go to Iowa, particularly the Hawkeye defense, but still-- this was a night Michigan will want to forget soon, particularly with Ohio State on the horizon.
6a. Washington
It's not that losing to USC is a bad loss, by any means. But when most of the country is skeptical of your quality, and you lose by two touchdowns on your home field, it does you no good. They still are actually in fairly good shape for the playoffs, however; if they are to win out and take the Pac-12, that path would include wins over Washington State and either Colorado or Utah, either of which would boost their strength of schedule.
6b. Wisconsin
Honestly, they've done just about everything that's expected of them thus far. They gave Ohio State and Michigan serious frights despite a big talent gap, and they've run the table otherwise, including a victory over LSU that's only looking better. If Penn State is indeed to be their opponent, you have to imagine that the Badgers are Big Ten Championship favorites. Whodathunk?
8. West Virginia
I'm really not sure what the Playoff Committee isn't seeing in this team. Their one loss is on the road to a highly ranked Oklahoma State side, and they have some solid wins otherwise (BYU, Kansas State, at Texas). They're dangerous on offense and stifling on defense. I guess we'll see how legit they are when they host Oklahoma this weekend, in what is essentially a Big 12 semifinal.
9. Penn State
What James Franklin's team has been able to accomplish this season is incredible, and the fact that they very well could end up in the Big Ten Championship is testament to that. But consider me just a little less high on them than the media is. They lost to good-not-great Pittsburgh, and got waxed by Michigan. Their win over Ohio State came at home on a fluke play, and their schedule otherwise has been unimpressive. This isn't to say they're not a good team. I just don't think they're Playoff good.
10. Utah
My apologies to Colorado; I think the Utes are actually the best team in the Pac-12 South. They have a loss to Cal that looks bad, but in actuality was a road loss that literally came on the goal line. Their other loss is by a touchdown to Washington, and they own wins over USC, BYU and in the desert against Arizona State.
Just missed: Colorado, Western Michigan, Boise State, LSU, USC, Nick Weiler's consistency
Bonus: New Year's Six Predictions!
Orange Bowl
Louisville vs. Michigan
Cotton Bowl
Boise State vs. Penn State
Rose Bowl
Wisconsin vs. Utah
Sugar Bowl
West Virginia vs. LSU
PEACH BOWL (Semifinal)
Alabama vs. Washington
FIESTA BOWL (Semifinal)
Ohio State vs. Clemson