The first College Football Playoff rankings have already scrambled the board, and this weekend should sharpen a lot of the questions that will matter when the next set comes out on Nov. 10. The spotlight may be locked on Miami-Notre Dame, but there’s a full slate behind it that could shake up the committee’s thinking in a hurry.
One of the most intriguing windows comes Friday night, when Virginia Tech visits SMU at 7 p.m. on ESPN. It’s the kind of game that can get lost on a crowded schedule, but it carries real weight in the ACC race.
There’s a cluster of teams hanging around Wake Forest in the chase to face Miami in the ACC Championship Game, and Virginia Tech has been one of the more interesting teams all season. The Hokies are probably a year away, but they’re still good enough to make the championship game in James Franklin’s first year.
SMU, though, is a different team at home - and a better one - which makes this an important test for the Mustangs and for Rhett Lashlee’s tenure.
Saturday opens with two games that could ripple through the playoff picture. No.
9 BYU travels to No. 3 Utah at noon on ABC, while No.
7 Texas heads to No. 18 Missouri on ESPN.
BYU-Utah has the feel of a classic rivalry game every time out: hard-hitting, nasty and very personal. It’s the Holy War, even if it’s being played at 10 a.m. local time, and it deserves more attention beyond The Beehive State.
Texas-Missouri brings a different kind of pressure. The Longhorns have a strong case at No. 7, but a third loss would change the conversation fast.
A third loss is a killer, and they would have to be punished for it . . .you think? Missouri also has its own subplot, with Eli Drinkwitz and whatever effect the FSU talk has had on him this week.
These are the games that can help a coach in contract negotiations.
The 3:30 window may be the most loaded of the day. No.
5 Alabama goes to No. 14 LSU on ABC, and No.
23 Oregon visits No. 12 Ohio State on CBS.
Alabama is the big question mark here. If the committee is going to overemphasize every Crimson Tide win and neglect all their losses, why do the results of their games even matter?
That’s the tension around a third-loss Alabama team. On the other side, if LSU loses, the Tiger faithful can probably start buying those Citrus Bowl tickets.
Ohio State has its own issue to sort out. Ryan Day made it clear that Julian Sayin isn’t coming back for a while, so it’s Luke Fahey’s show.
Oregon, meanwhile, is in the same conversation about what a third loss means. If three-loss teams are the new two-loss teams, is Oregon a CFP threat with a win?
That’s one of the biggest questions sitting in this matchup.
Then comes No. 2 Georgia at No.
10 Ole Miss at 7:30 on ABC, which might be the best flip-game of the night once attention shifts to Miami and Notre Dame. Trinidad Chambliss against that fire-breathing Bulldogs defense is a terrific matchup, and Georgia is walking into a stretch where No. 2 teams have been falling on the road for three straight weeks.
The question now is simple: is Georgia next in line?
In Other News...
Miamis Notre Dame Plan Hinges On One Massive Malachi Toney Unknown
Notre Dame is still planning as if Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney could be part of the picture, even though the early read has him trending toward the sidelines after a high ankle sprain and surgery. Marcus Freeman said the Irish are preparing for the possibility Toney suits up, which tells you how much respect Notre Dame has for Miamis offense and how much uncertainty still hangs over this matchup.
For the Hurricanes, the bigger issue may be how they adjust if Toney is unavailable again, not just for this game but for the rest of the regular season and potentially the College Football Playoffs. Notre Dame also expects All-American cornerback Leonard Moore back after he missed recent games with a concussion, adding another layer to a game plan that already has to account for one major unknown on Miamis side. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Now Gets A Notre Dame Team With Everything To Lose
Notre Dames playoff positioning already has a strange look to it, sitting 11th in the first College Football Playoff rankings despite being fourth in the AP poll. The reason is pretty clear: the committee has not been sold on the Irishs resume, and the lack of signature wins has left little margin for error as the season tightens. Now the next stop brings a trip to No. 1 Miami, and for a team trying to prove it belongs in the top tier, the timing could hardly be more demanding.
The Hurricanes also know they will see Notre Dame without wide receiver Malachi Toney, who is out after ankle surgery and expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks. Even with that setback, the bigger pressure point is on the Irish, who need a win in Miami to strengthen their playoff case before the schedule offers fewer chances to recover from another loss. For a team already facing scrutiny from the committee, this is the kind of game that can reshape the conversation quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Darian Mensahs Huge Season Has Sparked A Real NFL Draft Debate
Darian Mensah has done just about everything a quarterback can do to force his way into the NFL conversation. Through eight games, Miamis signal-caller has thrown 25 touchdowns against just one interception while completing more than 80 percent of his passes, a run that has made him one of the most efficient passers in the country and a big reason his name is drawing so much attention beyond Coral Gables.
The debate now is less about whether Mensah belongs on draft boards and more about where he fits. Some analysts view him as a top prospect, while others have pushed him outside the first round, pointing to questions about his arm strength and the level of competition he has faced. For Miami, it is a reminder that a big season can change the conversation fast, even if the final verdict on a quarterback is still very much up in the air. [Read more 🡒]