College football’s Week 12 results made the playoff race a little bit clearer. Many programs have just two games remaining to lock up their spot or crumble under the pressure.
Here are some knee-jerk reactions to Saturday’s action:
The SEC won’t be decided until the final week
No. 12 Georgia’s 31-17 win over No. 7 Tennessee didn’t feel like an upset. The Dawgs extended their historic home win streak to 29 games (third longest in the SEC) off a red-hot second-half performance. The Volunteers were shut out in the final two frames, with quarterback Nico Iamaleava stymied at 167 yards and a fumble.
The conference race is down to six teams with absolutely no sign as to who has the true inside track. With just two weeks remaining to decide who will play in Atlanta, it’s evident at least four of the six contenders will clinch College Football Playoff berths, barring any collapses.
Texas has regressed to non-playoff contender form
The Longhorns offense was lethargic from the jump, only managing 10 points in each half. Despite quarterback Quinn Ewers throwing for two touchdowns, it was the Texas defense that kept Arkansas’ comeback bid at bay.
The Razorbacks got as close as 13-10 early in the fourth quarter before Ewers engineered a solid drive to put the game out of reach. But the performance was not up to standard for the No. 3 team in the country nor that of a program with SEC and national title expectations. Three of Texas’ last four games have ended within one score.
The AAC champion is one Boise State stumble away from the CFP
No. 25 Tulane (9-2) and No. 24 Army (9-0) will face one another in the AAC Championship Game on Dec. 6, and the winner could very well be headed to the College Football Playoff. It will, however, require No. 13 Boise State (9-1) to lose at least once more.
Because the Broncos’ only loss is to Oregon (now undefeated and No. 1), Army’s strength of schedule is a detriment regardless of its record. If Tulane were to pull the upset, it would have a ranked win and have a greater chance at gaining the committee’s approval — provided Boise State also has two losses.
The Heisman Trophy is now Travis Hunter’s to lose
It’s hard to make a case for anyone other than Hunter to win the season’s most coveted individual award at this point. With 55 receiving yards, a rushing touchdown and an interception on Saturday, Hunter became the first player since 1996 to log such a stat line, per the Fox broadcast.
Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel put up a suboptimal performance in his team’s 16-13 win over Wisconsin, failing to throw a touchdown pass. Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty’s 159 yards and three scores are admirable, but strength of schedule aids the Colorado star. Barring an injury, there’s nothing left to deny Hunter the 2024 Heisman Trophy.
Brian Kelly is the problem at LSU; Billy Napier is not for Florida
After a 6-1 start to the season, Kelly and the No. 22 Tigers have lost three straight contests by two or more scores. And scenes like that of Kelly chewing out a receiver on the sideline are not signs of health in the locker room. Inversely, Napier’s squad has shown flashes of progress with freshman quarterback DJ Lagway under center.
Florida has something to look forward to next season, while LSU will have to look in the mirror and decide if the Brian Kelly experience in Baton Rouge has been worth it after three years. No SEC titles nor playoff appearances isn’t what the school is paying him nearly $10 million for.
South Carolina is the best non-playoff team in college football
The No. 21 Gamecocks have won four straight games, including two against ranked opponents. At 7-3, they won’t qualify for the SEC title game, let alone the College Football Playoff, but based on how they’re playing, they’re on track to be one of the first two teams outside the 12-team field.
Saturday’s 34-30 win over No. 23 Missouri was primed to be a close loss with just over a minute remaining, but a clutch drive proved South Carolina could’ve been one of the nation’s best programs had one or two plays gone their way at the start of the year.
