Seven ranked-vs.-ranked games in Week 10 did exactly what they were supposed to do: sort the pack. The playoff picture is still messy, but a few teams moved a lot closer to safety while others got shoved to the edge. With the committee set to release its next Top 25 on Tuesday night, the bracket should shift again - and that may actually make the race feel smaller, not bigger.
The ACC still has a path to two bids, though it depends on Wake Forest keeping the momentum going and Miami finding itself again against Duke in the Darian Mensah bowl. That’s where the conference stands after a weekend that didn’t create much movement overall, even with a heavy nonconference slate around the league.
James Franklin’s team is out, and the timing makes it sting a little more. A school near two major airports sent them packing just days after Franklin complained about travel, and that was enough to end any lingering playoff talk. Virginia Tech can still salvage a rebuilding season, but a surprise CFP push was never really in the cards.
The Big 12 remains the league where chaos is part of the product. There’s still plenty of entertainment value there, and the Holy War pushed Utah a step closer to locking down a playoff spot. The Utes are trending toward a favorable Fiesta or Rose Bowl quarterfinal, while BYU can still dream about a 10-2 at-large bid even if the Big 12 title game now feels harder to picture.
Ohio State, though, looks nearly finished. The Buckeyes are probably dead for the playoff even at 9-3, and the committee would have every reason to leave them out in favor of a healthy SEC team - or even a 10-2 Iowa. Their only real route now is chaos elsewhere, plus a win over Indiana and a way into the final Big Ten title game for the automatic bid.
Minnesota and Northwestern are done too, even if both games felt closer than the final scores suggested. Their playoff paths are over, but in a 24-team future they’d still have life, and there are still some huge wins available for both programs later this month.
Georgia is right on the doorstep. Beat Missouri on Saturday and the Bulldogs can effectively lock up their playoff place. Beyond that, the door is still cracked for a three-loss team to slide into the field, especially with top-15 wins still on the board.
Florida remains impossible to pin down from week to week, and Jon Sumrall probably feels the same way. There are signs of progress, but the Gators still haven’t settled into anything consistent.
Ole Miss, meanwhile, took such a hard hit that a return to the CFP can be ruled out. Their résumé took another blow over the weekend, and the offense hasn’t been the same with Kewan Lacy out there.
Notre Dame added another classic to its series with Miami and took a major step toward the playoff with a must-win result in South Bend. For Marcus Freeman’s team, the math is simple now: win two of the final three and the Irish can start planning for next month.
The Group of 6 race still has some moving parts, but a couple teams may already be on the outside looking in. Tulsa and North Texas likely won’t crack the committee’s Top 25 before Selection Sunday, though both can still finish 11-2 and force the issue against Boise State or New Mexico for the spot.
UTSA’s shot at the Group of 6 bid took a major hit after getting torched by Easton Messer and FAU. The Roadrunners can still win the conference, but allowing 60 likely ends any realistic path to the playoff unless the rest of the month turns into complete carnage.
New Mexico still has work to do, too. UNLV, Wyoming and Air Force are waiting to close the season, and while the Lobos’ defense keeps them in the Mountain West title picture, they’ll need to look sharper across the board if they want to catch Boise State in the rankings.
The Broncos, for their part, keep finding answers. Even without their starting quarterback, Boise State torched Colorado State with the backup leading the way. Next up is a visit from College GameDay and what could be the toughest test left on the schedule from the original Pac-12 member.
In Other News...
Minnesota Just Landed The Kind Of Win Its NCAA Case Needed
Minnesotas early-season resume got a meaningful boost in a tight 63-61 win over Cincinnati, a game that had the feel of a November grinder from the opening tip. Kyan Evans carried the Gophers offensively with 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, while Minnesota found enough second chances on the glass to offset a Cincinnati defense that forced 17 turnovers and kept the pressure on throughout.
The finish was the kind that can matter long after the box score fades, because this was the sort of non-conference test Minnesota needed to survive rather than simply play. Bobby Durkin delivered the decisive shot in the final seconds, with Isaac Asuma helping set up the closing possession, and the Gophers left with a 3-0 record and a win that should travel well when the NCAA conversation starts to sharpen later in the season. [Read more 🡒]
Gophers Face A Brutal Test As Momentum Starts To Slip
Minnesotas latest setback came in painful fashion, with UCLA slipping away on two late touchdown passes and handing the Gophers their second straight loss to a top-five opponent. The timing makes the defeat sting even more, because the season still has a clear checkpoint ahead and the margin for error is shrinking as the schedule tightens.
The next step is a daunting one against Penn State, and Minnesota is trying to steady itself while dealing with injuries up front on defense. At 5-4, the Gophers are still in position to reach bowl eligibility, but the recent slide has made the path feel much less comfortable than it did a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]
Bobby Durkin Just Delivered A Gophers Road Win Fans Needed
Minnesota got the kind of road win that can steady a team early, and it came in a tense finish at Fifth Third Arena. The Gophers slipped past Cincinnati 63-61 behind a clutch night from Kyan Evans, who led Minnesota with 26 points, while Tylen Riley answered with 25 for the Bearcats in a game that stayed tight all the way down the stretch.
Bobby Durkin ended up with the shot Minnesota will remember, drilling the decisive three after Isaac Asuma helped set up the final possession following a Cincinnati miss at the line. It was the sort of finish that can change the mood around a team in a hurry, especially on the road, and it gave the Gophers a result they badly needed after a game that could have gone the other way in an instant. [Read more 🡒]