Patrick Jones
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TBBC Top Ten: Week of 11/16
Patrick Jones via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Welcome to the week 11 top ten! What a weekend it was. The Pac 12 eliminated itself and most of the top ten winners didn’t do anything spectacular. The playoff committee agreed with my top four last week, they just didn’t get the order correct. So, without further ado, here we go…….
1. Ohio State (10-0 LW -1 beat Illinois 28-3)
The Buckeyes continued their march towards the B1G title game with a ho hum win in the battle for the IlliBuck. JT Barrett returned and was less than spectacular but still did enough to silence his doubters. Barrett finished with two total td’s, one in the air and one in the ground and Ezekiel Elliott continued his consistent season with 181 yards on the ground and 2 td’s. Ohio State’s offense may have been slow by subpar offensive line play. What was a strong point during the title run last year has now become a very suspect unit. The Buckeyes return home this week to battle Sparty in what could be not only a B1G title eliminator game but also a playoff eliminator game.
2. Clemson (10-0 LW -2 beat Syracuse 37-27)
Clemson went on the road this week to battle ACC foe Syracuse and just like Ohio State, won in ho hum fashion. DeShaun Watson continued his Heisman campaign with 360 yards through the air and another 105 yards on the ground with 3 total tds. The Tigers have clinched their division in the ACC and finish out with 3-7 Wake Forest and 3-7 South Carolina before heading to Charlotte for the ACC Championship Game. Short of a miracle, the Tigers should be undefeated heading into that game.
3. Alabama (9-1 LW – 3 beat Mississippi State 31-6)
The Tide had the most dominating performance of any of the top 4 this week. Once again Bama’s defense shut down the Bulldogs offense and Derrick Henry solidified his lead in the Heisman with 204 yards and 2 tds on the ground. Bama welcomes in 9-1 Charleston Southern to Bryant Denny this weekend before a matchup in the Iron Bowl with Auburn.
4. Notre Dame (9-1 LW – 4 beat Wake Forest 28-7)
The Irish gave the country nothing to talk about this week in their win over Wake. Short of Josh Adam’s 98 yard td run, this game may have been as boring as raking the leaves this weekend. The Irish have Boston College this week before their battle with Stanford. If the Irish run the table and some things happen behind them, it will be very interesting to see if the committee would put a 1 loss Notre Dame in over a 1 loss conference champ from the B1G or Big 12.
5. Oklahoma (9-1 LW – 8 beat Baylor 44-34)
Ahhhhh, the Big 12 portion of our poll. Just as I predicted Ronda Rousey would lose last week, I said that Oklahoma would beat Baylor. I think that Oklahoma may just be the most dangerous team heading into the final month of the season. Baker Mayfield led the Sooners with 370 and 3 tds in the air while Perine rushed for 166 and 2 more tds on the ground. The Sooners D “held” the Bears offense to “just” 34 points and solidified that the Sooners can play D. The Sooners will welcome TCU this week and it will be interesting to see if Trevon Boykin is healthy enough to go. The Sooners arguably have the toughest remaining two games as they travel to Stillwater in two weeks to take on Oklahoma State.
6. Iowa (10-0 LW – NR beat Minnesota 40-35)
Ahhhhh Iowa. You put on one heck of a wrestling match before your blackout, it’s too bad your football team couldn’t perform as well as the wrestlers. The Hawkeyes let the Gophers hang around and had the Gophers not kicked the onside kick out of bounds, we may not be talking about Iowa right now. Iowa welcomes Purdue this week before traveling to Lincoln next week before a possible B1G Championship Game. It’ll take ALOT to get Iowa into the college football playoff, but stranger things have happened.
7. Oklahoma State (10-0 LW – 6 beat Iowa State 35-31)
Mike Gundy may be a man and Mike Gundy may be 40 but Mike Gundy sure can’t let his team barley beat Iowa State and hope to win the Big 12. Jeff Carr caught a 7 yard td pass with 3:06 to go, to secure the W. The Cowboys get Baylor at home this weekend and I predict this will be the end of the ‘Poke’s run. Baylor will more than likely score 60 and give up 50 but the Bears will beat Oklahoma State.
8. Florida (9-1 LW – NR beat South Carolina 24-14)
The Gators enter the poll this week thanks to several losses by other teams. The Gators have quietly put themselves in a position to face Alabama in the SEC title game and with a win, quite possibly put themselves into the playoffs. Like their SEC counterpart to the west, the Gators have the “tough” portion of their schedule this week when they welcome 2-8 FAU.
9. Michigan State (9-1 LW NR beat Maryland 24-7)
Sparty finally makes it into my poll this week much like the Gators, thanks to several key losses. MSU was without Connor Cook for the second half of their win versus Maryland and they prepare to take on Ohio State this week with their start qb very hurt. The Spartan defense may have to shut down the Buckeye offense much like it did in the 2013 B1G Championship Game in order to pull the upset, BUT, we all remember 1999.
10. Navy (8-1 LW – NR beat SMU 55-14)
I know this isn’t a popular pick for the number ten team in the country but I think it’s the right one. If you haven’t watch Navy this season, you should. They have quite possibly the most valuable player in the country and why Keenan Reynolds is not in the Heisman talk is absurd. All Reynolds went and did this week was set the NCAA career rushing touchdowns record and rush for 137 yards and 4 tds. An act of congress would have to happen to get Navy into the college football playoff but I hope they run the table and we get to see them on New Years Day. Navy still has 3 games remaining including traveling to Houston to battle the unbeaten Cougars. If Navy runs the table, I see them playing on New Years Day.
Dropped Out
Stanford, Baylor, LSU, and Utah. Short of Baylor’s loss to Oklahoma, all of these losses were downright sad. LSU was dominated by a bad Arkansas team, Stanford found a way to choke against Oregon, and Utah let RichRod put the PAC 12 out of its misery. All 4 teams have virtually been eliminated from playoff contention and will be jockeying for bowl games now.
Of the teams on the outside looking in this week, I have Baylor, North Carolina, and Houston. I’m still putting Baylor in there for the sake that they could run the table and creep back in with some help. The ‘Heels have quietly crept into the conversation with winning every game since their week 1 loss to South Carolina. If they win out and somehow find a way to beat Clemson in the ACC title game, it will make for a very very interesting debate when it comes to the 1 loss teams. Houston hasn’t lost this year and after their win over Memphis have began to pound their chest very loudly. I’m still not convinced. We’ll see what happens in two weeks when they take on Navy. Or maybe I’m still bitter at Tom Herman for wearing a Houston hat while celebrating the Buckeyes national championship.
There’s your top ten folks, stop back next week to see how right I am again!!!
The post TBBC Top Ten: Week of 11/16 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
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Patrick Jones via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Welcome to the week 11 top ten! What a weekend it was. The Pac 12 eliminated itself and most of the top ten winners didn’t do anything spectacular. The playoff committee agreed with my top four last week, they just didn’t get the order correct. So, without further ado, here we go…….
1. Ohio State (10-0 LW -1 beat Illinois 28-3)
The Buckeyes continued their march towards the B1G title game with a ho hum win in the battle for the IlliBuck. JT Barrett returned and was less than spectacular but still did enough to silence his doubters. Barrett finished with two total td’s, one in the air and one in the ground and Ezekiel Elliott continued his consistent season with 181 yards on the ground and 2 td’s. Ohio State’s offense may have been slow by subpar offensive line play. What was a strong point during the title run last year has now become a very suspect unit. The Buckeyes return home this week to battle Sparty in what could be not only a B1G title eliminator game but also a playoff eliminator game.
2. Clemson (10-0 LW -2 beat Syracuse 37-27)
Clemson went on the road this week to battle ACC foe Syracuse and just like Ohio State, won in ho hum fashion. DeShaun Watson continued his Heisman campaign with 360 yards through the air and another 105 yards on the ground with 3 total tds. The Tigers have clinched their division in the ACC and finish out with 3-7 Wake Forest and 3-7 South Carolina before heading to Charlotte for the ACC Championship Game. Short of a miracle, the Tigers should be undefeated heading into that game.
3. Alabama (9-1 LW – 3 beat Mississippi State 31-6)
The Tide had the most dominating performance of any of the top 4 this week. Once again Bama’s defense shut down the Bulldogs offense and Derrick Henry solidified his lead in the Heisman with 204 yards and 2 tds on the ground. Bama welcomes in 9-1 Charleston Southern to Bryant Denny this weekend before a matchup in the Iron Bowl with Auburn.
4. Notre Dame (9-1 LW – 4 beat Wake Forest 28-7)
The Irish gave the country nothing to talk about this week in their win over Wake. Short of Josh Adam’s 98 yard td run, this game may have been as boring as raking the leaves this weekend. The Irish have Boston College this week before their battle with Stanford. If the Irish run the table and some things happen behind them, it will be very interesting to see if the committee would put a 1 loss Notre Dame in over a 1 loss conference champ from the B1G or Big 12.
5. Oklahoma (9-1 LW – 8 beat Baylor 44-34)
Ahhhhh, the Big 12 portion of our poll. Just as I predicted Ronda Rousey would lose last week, I said that Oklahoma would beat Baylor. I think that Oklahoma may just be the most dangerous team heading into the final month of the season. Baker Mayfield led the Sooners with 370 and 3 tds in the air while Perine rushed for 166 and 2 more tds on the ground. The Sooners D “held” the Bears offense to “just” 34 points and solidified that the Sooners can play D. The Sooners will welcome TCU this week and it will be interesting to see if Trevon Boykin is healthy enough to go. The Sooners arguably have the toughest remaining two games as they travel to Stillwater in two weeks to take on Oklahoma State.
6. Iowa (10-0 LW – NR beat Minnesota 40-35)
Ahhhhh Iowa. You put on one heck of a wrestling match before your blackout, it’s too bad your football team couldn’t perform as well as the wrestlers. The Hawkeyes let the Gophers hang around and had the Gophers not kicked the onside kick out of bounds, we may not be talking about Iowa right now. Iowa welcomes Purdue this week before traveling to Lincoln next week before a possible B1G Championship Game. It’ll take ALOT to get Iowa into the college football playoff, but stranger things have happened.
7. Oklahoma State (10-0 LW – 6 beat Iowa State 35-31)
Mike Gundy may be a man and Mike Gundy may be 40 but Mike Gundy sure can’t let his team barley beat Iowa State and hope to win the Big 12. Jeff Carr caught a 7 yard td pass with 3:06 to go, to secure the W. The Cowboys get Baylor at home this weekend and I predict this will be the end of the ‘Poke’s run. Baylor will more than likely score 60 and give up 50 but the Bears will beat Oklahoma State.
8. Florida (9-1 LW – NR beat South Carolina 24-14)
The Gators enter the poll this week thanks to several losses by other teams. The Gators have quietly put themselves in a position to face Alabama in the SEC title game and with a win, quite possibly put themselves into the playoffs. Like their SEC counterpart to the west, the Gators have the “tough” portion of their schedule this week when they welcome 2-8 FAU.
9. Michigan State (9-1 LW NR beat Maryland 24-7)
Sparty finally makes it into my poll this week much like the Gators, thanks to several key losses. MSU was without Connor Cook for the second half of their win versus Maryland and they prepare to take on Ohio State this week with their start qb very hurt. The Spartan defense may have to shut down the Buckeye offense much like it did in the 2013 B1G Championship Game in order to pull the upset, BUT, we all remember 1999.
10. Navy (8-1 LW – NR beat SMU 55-14)
I know this isn’t a popular pick for the number ten team in the country but I think it’s the right one. If you haven’t watch Navy this season, you should. They have quite possibly the most valuable player in the country and why Keenan Reynolds is not in the Heisman talk is absurd. All Reynolds went and did this week was set the NCAA career rushing touchdowns record and rush for 137 yards and 4 tds. An act of congress would have to happen to get Navy into the college football playoff but I hope they run the table and we get to see them on New Years Day. Navy still has 3 games remaining including traveling to Houston to battle the unbeaten Cougars. If Navy runs the table, I see them playing on New Years Day.
Dropped Out
Stanford, Baylor, LSU, and Utah. Short of Baylor’s loss to Oklahoma, all of these losses were downright sad. LSU was dominated by a bad Arkansas team, Stanford found a way to choke against Oregon, and Utah let RichRod put the PAC 12 out of its misery. All 4 teams have virtually been eliminated from playoff contention and will be jockeying for bowl games now.
Of the teams on the outside looking in this week, I have Baylor, North Carolina, and Houston. I’m still putting Baylor in there for the sake that they could run the table and creep back in with some help. The ‘Heels have quietly crept into the conversation with winning every game since their week 1 loss to South Carolina. If they win out and somehow find a way to beat Clemson in the ACC title game, it will make for a very very interesting debate when it comes to the 1 loss teams. Houston hasn’t lost this year and after their win over Memphis have began to pound their chest very loudly. I’m still not convinced. We’ll see what happens in two weeks when they take on Navy. Or maybe I’m still bitter at Tom Herman for wearing a Houston hat while celebrating the Buckeyes national championship.
There’s your top ten folks, stop back next week to see how right I am again!!!
The post TBBC Top Ten: Week of 11/16 appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
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