We're moving along in the college football season. There are plenty of winners and losers in this installment, with some surprise upsets happening. Who's bundling up and who's frozen solid?
Winner: Big 12: Current members such as Oklahoma, Kansas State, and Baylor won their games. D.J. Graham even had a breathtaking interception that saved the game and left Spencer Rattler speechless. There was also an upset from West Virginia, staving off a late comeback from #15 Virginia Tech to win. The conference's future might look bleak. But this week's performance was enough to inspire confidence in the short term.
Winner: Big 10: Another conference that won big was the Big Ten. Michigan State's showing they're the school for running backs with Kenneth Walker III's 172 rushing yards. Penn State got a marquee win against an SEC team. Michigan rolled with an excellent rushing attack of their own. Iowa and Ohio State took care of business. Even Indiana hung around with #8 Cincinnati. There are plenty of reasons to be excited about midwestern football, even with the Buckeyes losing last week.
Winner: D.J. Graham's One-Handed Catch: I just wanted to show this one more time to show the ridiculousness behind the catch. Lincoln Riley nearly challenged his own player's catch because it was that epic.
Loser: Pac-12: Arizona State couldn't escape committing so many penalties in their loss to BYU. UCLA was flat in the first half against Fresno State and never recovered. Arizona lost to an FCS school. Even Oregon was a bit sluggish before demolishing Stony Brook in the second half. If the conference is to shed Larry Scott's shadow of no leadership and accountability, it starts with better football. Otherwise, there will be no playoffs for the conference once again.
Loser: Alabama's Defense: It's extremely rare to see Alabama in the loser section (like, once in a blue moon). However, that's the case with the Crimson Tide, who lead by 18 points after the first quarter. They nearly squandered the lead, stopping Florida from getting a two-point conversion with 3:10 left in the game. Nick Saban called out his team, calling for better play and effort across the board. Suddenly, the defending champs look vulnerable, leaving a window of opportunity for schools like Texas A&M and Georgia.
Loser: Mississippi State's Special Teams: What were they thinking on this play?
Other Winners: BYU, SMU's Hail Mary heave, Fresno State
Other Losers: Clemson's passing game, Dillon Gabriel, Pittsburgh
College Football Playoff Four
Alabama
Georgia
Oregon
Iowa
