College Football Plus: Fraud Alert: ND, Miami and Texas
They are all iconic programs with big reputations, carrying ambitions for schools who have not been in the final spotlight dance for years.
If you are a college football fan and wanted a new look to this year's final Final 4 show with a four-team playoff, you probably were rooting for Texas, Notre Dame and Miami to return to prime time exposure in January.
All three programs started the season with positive signs
Miami crushed another potential contender in Texas A&M.
Texas went to Tuscaloosa and stunned Alabama
Notre Dame showing some poise, breezed through its first four games, getting ready for a showdown against Ohio State in South Bend, which was a positive start for second year coach Marcus Freeman who drew as much criticism as praise in his rookie season.
Then it started to unravel.
ND had control of the game in the second half against Ohio State, but then lost in the final minute, with some questionable coaching mistakes by Freeman and his staff.
A week later, the Irish went to Duke and struggled until the final seconds before beating the previously unbeaten Devils
That set up Saturday night.
ND hit the road again and faced another unbeaten Atlantic Coast Conference opponent in Louisville and was totally exposed in an 33-20 loss.
That dropped the Irish to 5-2, with unbeaten USC coming to South Bend next Saturday.
With 2 losses, the Irish are already on life support for the playoff hopes.
Texas ran into a reality check in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday when the Horns lost a 34-27 shoot out to Red River rival Oklahoma in a defeat which came in the final seconds and which exposed the Longhorns vulnerability to any kind of QB who can throw the ball.
Oklahoma, with UCF transfer, Dillon Gabriel can do all of that and then some, which means that a potential rematch in the Big 12 championship game in Arlington, Texas in December looms.
Texas can still climb back into the fight, but now they have no margin of error remain.
And then there is Miami and second year coach Mario Cristobal, a Miami alum who bounced around the country for years, earning a reputation as an excellent recruiter and a questionable game coach.
On Saturday against 3 TD underdog Georgia Tech, he proved it.
The Canes struggled all night but with under 40 seconds left in the game, clung to a 20-17 lead, with a third down situation and Georgia Tech out of time outs
Two QB takes a knee plays and Miami moves on for next week's game against unbeaten North Carolina in Chapel Hill, with its unbeaten record and rising status secure, right?
No the call from Miami OC Shannon Dawson and approved by Cristobal was to give the ball to RB Donnie Chaney, ,who promptly fumbled as he struggled for more yards he did not need.'
Four plays later, Georgia Tech QB Haynes King threw a 44-yard TD pass to Christian Leary with 2 seconds remaining and Tech had a 23-20 victory.
And Miami and Christobal, who said, "He should have over ruled the call by Dawson to run the ball, had a season-breaking loss which will not easily be erased.
Bet the under on Dawson remaining as Miami's OC.
Three programs, needing help to climb back to the top, three mistakes, losses, etc and three championship aspirations dead or severely damaged.
Who's Hot
Pac 12 remains the best overall conference with Washington, USC, and Oregon all unbeaten and Oregon State, Washington State, UCLA and Utah all with one loss.
Of the 12 teams in the soon to be shrunk Pac 12, only Stanford and Cal are really non-contenders or problem makers.
ACC lost Miami, but FSU, North Carolina and Louisville all look like solid picks to make to the Orange Bowl, if not higher.
Boston College
Look at it quickly. BC is now 3-3 going into a bye-week after pulling another victory from defeat by beating Army 27-24.
The Eagles need to win three of remaining six games, which include UConn and Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Pitt, to become bowl eligible.
Who's Not
Texas A&M
The Aggies continue to be a team that does not win big games. They went to Miami in September and were shut down in the second half of a 48-33 loss.
On Saturday in a key SEC West game against Alabama, the Aggies came up short again in the second half of a 26-20 loss to the Tide.
With road games remaining at Tennessee, Ole Miss and LSU, A&M is looking at another 4 or 5 loss season.
The Big 12
With Texas and Oklahoma leaving next season for the SEC and the addition of Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State, the Big 12 looks more like a second tier conference type of school with few perennial Final Four contenders.
Play it Forward (Games of Note for next week)
USC at Notre Dame--Notre Dame's loss to Louisville tarnishes this a bit, but still a prime time, must see CFB game, with unbeaten Trojans a one point underdog (go figure).
Oregon at Washington--Crown jewel of the weekend. Winner is a legit Final Four contender.
Miami at North Carolina--Again Miami's loss to Georgia Tech spoils this, but a Miami win would tighten up ACC race considerably.