An in-state rivalry that turned into a classic headlined a basic week for the competition. Here's who came up big and who fell short.
Winner: Michigan State: Michigan's in-state rivalry means a lot to its residents. You constantly hear the bickering of who's better: Green or blue? Once again, green prevails as Sparty knocked out the Maize and Blue, 37-33. Led by Heisman favorite Kenneth Walker's 197 yards on 23 carries and five touchdowns, the Spartans proved their strength on the ground, beating Jim Harbaugh once again (we'll get into this part later).
Winner: Oregon: The Ducks needed to make a statement for the committee before the first rankings are released on Tuesday. They did more than that, demolishing the Colorado Buffaloes, 52-29. Anthony Brown was efficient, going 25-for-31 for 307 yards and three touchdowns. Byron Cardwell was also a beast on the ground, running the ball seven times for 127 yards and a touchdown. If this is the Oregon team that shows up every Saturday, there's no reason to discount their playoff significance.
Winner: Wisconsin: Another Big Ten team that had a Big Saturday was Wisconsin. The Badgers' defense came up with THREE fumble recoveries, six sacks, and allowing only 156 total yards. As a result, Wisconsin knocked out #9 Iowa, 27-7. That's a big statement win for a Badger team looking to disrupt the Big Ten.
Loser: Jim Harbaugh: A common hallmark among Jim Harbaugh teams is the lack of discipline in key moments. That included eight penalties, two turnovers, and blowing a 23-14 halftime lead. The Wolverines must reevaluate their future after another disappointing loss in a key game, and that starts with their head coach.
Loser: Texas: The Longhorns don't seem to be ready for their move to the SEC. That was evident in their 31-24 loss to #17 Baylor. That was evident when Texas went 3-for-14 on third downs, capping off a nightmare month for the Horns. It's going to be a long time before Texas does anything significant again, especially with the program's direction.
Loser: This "Touchdown" That Wasn't: Never celebrate too early...
Other Winners: Kenny Pickett, Tyler Van Dyke, passing during the Miami-Pittsburgh game
Other Losers: Brawls in TCU-Kansas State, Kentucky, defense in Virginia-BYU
College Football Playoff Four
Georgia
Michigan State
Cincinnati
Alabama
