2020 Couch Power 10, Week 7
Last weekend, the MAC and Pac-12 finally joined the ranks of college football conferences playing in 2020. And as a welcoming gift, the season decided to tune down the madness for a week! 4 ranked teams lost still, true, but all were to fellow ranked teams. For maybe the first week of the season, there were no major upsets to write home about. That said, we did see something we are not used to, something that hasn't happened in over 3 calendar years: a loss by Clemson in the regular season.
Just a reminder that this is not a definitive ranking on how good the teams are, or on who I think will be/deserves to be in the playoff at the end of the year. Rather, it's more of a "What if preseason rankings and bigwig bias didn't predetermine the top teams" kind of thing, an ideal ranking of the country's teams based on what they've actually proved on the field to date:
1. Alabama
The now-almost-undisputed number 1 got a bye week to rest up from the whooping of their opponent's butts. A date with LSU awaits this weekend, and while preseason this date might have been circled on the calendars, it's pretty easy to tell now that the defending champions are shells of themselves.
2. Notre Dame
I think I speak for everyone when I say it would have been nice to be able to see how Clemson at full speed would have matched up with Notre Dame, considering the Tigers took the Irish to double overtime with a backup QB, backup DT, and two backup LBs. That said, give credit where credit is due: I ragged on the Irish for a long time for not living up to their lofty preseason hype, but the signs were there with two blowouts over half-decent teams in the weeks preceding (while Clemson stumbled to less-than-impressive victories during that same span), and they made the most of their moment, going toe-to-toe with college football's standard and ultimately pulling off the momentous win.
3. BYU
BYU beat up on another non-Power 5 opponent this week, something that's becoming a trademark of their 2020 season. The key difference this time? The quality of the opponent. For the first time this season, the Cougars beat a ranked opponent in their 51-17 pummeling of Boise State. Sure, Boise State was just a couple games into their season, but you could also make the argument they should have then had fresher legs; any way you cut it, this is turning into a remarkable year for BYU, who might be entering UCF territory in terms of "right to feel jilted if not included in the playoff field."
4. Cincinnati
It may not be the Houston teams of the Tom Herman era, but still, Cincinnati beating Houston by 4 touchdowns is impressive, and caps off three consecutive games in which they've demolished some of the most respected teams in the American. Road games at UCF and Tulsa will be real tests, but pass those and the Bearcats might-- might -- face a play-in game for the College Football Playoff in their conference championship.
5. Ohio State
Rutgers legitimately looks like a solid team this year-- or at least vastly improved. But come on...there was no way this was going to be anything but an Ohio State blowout.
6. Indiana
What a remarkable start to the season for this Hoosiers team! It's not too hot of a take to argue that maybe, just maybe, Michigan and Penn State are a little overrated this year, but ask fans of either of those programs if they expected to lose to Indiana this year. Don't think so. Yet, here IU sits at 3-0, in the AP Top 10, and a win against Michigan State away from setting up an undefeated Big Ten East showdown with Ohio State.
7. Coastal Carolina
Coastal Carolina's 17-point win over South Alabama won't move the needle a whole lot, but it maintains a perfect season for this Cinderella team, who is proving to be one of several impressive mid-majors this year.
8. Marshall
Marshall's big win over UMass won't move the needle a whole lot, but it maintains a perfect season for this Cinderella team, who is proving to be one of several impressive mid-majors this year.
9. Northwestern
While Ohio State's dominance, Wisconsin's COVID-19 rates, and Indiana's ascendancy have been controlling most of the Big Ten headlines, one of their peers has quietly put together an impressive start to the season. Northwestern is 3-0, too! And while narrow wins over Iowa and Nebraska won't have the sway they would in past years, a 40-point win over an apparently legit Maryland side is noteworthy indeed. Don't sleep on Pat Fitzgerald and co.
10. Liberty
I'll admit, I had been aware of Liberty's unbeaten start for some time now. I can act like I was yet to give them a shoutout because of their relatively weak schedule strength, but the truth of the matter is my own disdain for that institution and their politics played a major role in their snub. Fortunately, with the election over (yes, it is over) I can put my differences aside, and with Liberty's 7-0 record now including wins over two ACC foes, I feel justified in welcoming the Fightin' Falwells to the Couch Power 10.
Just missed: Oregon, USC, Wisconsin, Texas A&M, Florida, Javonte "Best RB Not Named Travis" Williams
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