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Three ranked teams on upset alert in Week 10

These top ranked teams may get caught lacking this week
Three ranked teams on upset alert in Week 10
Three ranked teams on upset alert in Week 10

As we approach the final stretch of the college football season every game's importance only heightens with about 14 teams vying for four playoff spots.

Obviously the playoffs always settle themselves as a lot of the teams face off, but this year has the makings of a very different postseason. Teams that we are accustomed to being in the top four every year like Alabama and Clemson appear to be having down years, while programs such as Tennessee, USC, and TCU are trending in the right direction. 

Earlier in the week we saw the College Football Playoff Committee release their first rankings, and while some teams may have been too high or too low, this is the week to prove whether their ranking was right or wrong. Unfortunately for a handful of teams, this could be the week that they drop a game which is not an ideal time.

With that being said, I personally think there are three teams that legitimately get upset this weekend, so let's take a look as to who is on upset alert. 


#4 Clemson

Opponent: Notre Dame

Favorite: Clemson -4

ESPN FPI: 64.8% Chance to win 

Reason for Concern: Clemson has looked extremely vulnerable all season, and last game's come from behind win over Syracuse only emphasized that. It took the benching of quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei for the team to win. Notre Dame has won 26 straight against ACC teams in the regular season, and are looking to continue this streak. The Tigers have won their last two games by a combined 12 points, and this team just looks like they are poised to stumble.

 

#6 Alabama

Opponent: #10 LSU 

Favorite: Alabama -13.5

ESPN FPI: 76.5% Chance to win

Reason for Concern: The CFP sees something in LSU apparently as they jumped all the way into the top 10 in the first rankings. A win here helps control the fate of the SEC West for either team. Despite the game being in Death Valley, Alabama hasn't lost at LSU since 2010, but they also hadn't lost to Tennessee in 15 years before this year. This Alabama team is undisciplined when it comes to penalties, and they have will have their hands full with the major dual threat that is Jayden Daniels. 

#18 Oklahoma State

Opponent: Kansas 

Favorite: Kansas -1

ESPN FPI: 54.2% Chance to win

Reason for Concern: Even though Halloween has passed, this game is beginning to look more and more spooky as the week goes on. First of all, Oklahoma State got absolutely walloped 48-0 against Kansas State's backup quarterback last week. Their run game hasn't been as good as in years past, and Spencer Sanders hasn't completed 60% of his passes in four weeks and there seems to be a constant question about whether he is playing or not due to injury. On the flip side, there are murmurs and faint hopes that Jalon Daniels will start at quarterback for the Jayhawks despite suffering a shoulder injury earlier in the year. With all of the unknowns surrounding this game, it was hard to over look the upset potential. 

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Kevin Borba
KEVIN BORBA

Managing Editor and Publisher of CardinalCountry.com, formerly a Pac-12 Network Production Assistant and a contributing writer for USA Today's Longhorns Wire. I am a proud graduate of Quinnipiac University's sports journalism master's program. Follow me on Twitter @Kevin__Borba 

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