College FB Plus: Chaos, then order in CFP picture
For a moment on Saturday, the College Football Playoff picture became blurry, perhaps unrecognizable.
Ohio State had been again knocked to the floor with a third consecutive loss to Michigan, Alabama coach Nick Saban watched almost hopelessly as the Tide's playoff hopes rolled out to sea against Auburn, unbeaten Washington was in last team with the ball tussle against Washington State, and uinbeaten up Florida State was mired up to its neck against Florida in The Swamp.
Even mighty Georgia looked vulnerable against upset special expert Georgia Tech.
In the last unofficial week of the regular season, college football had once shown its many critics that despite serious flaws in the system, on Game Day, the "game'' itself Addalmost never disappoints
Let's start with THE GAME of the day, No. 2 Ohio State vs. embattled No. 3 Michigan in perhaps the highest stakes game in the series long and storied history.
Even Bo and Woody, the two main protagonists of this rivalry, must have looked down from above and told their friends, "This is what we were talking about with this game.'"
Added to the intrigue was the turmoil of the three game suspension imposed by the Big Ten on Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh in the ongoing "stolen signs'' scandal still brewing with the Wolverines.
But what Saturday proved is that Ohio State and coach Ryan Day can't beat Michigan right now with Harbaugh across the field or watching from his house.
Final score: Michigan 30-24, which puts the Wolverines in next week's Big 10 championship game against Iowa and Ohio State hoping that upsets next week involving Texas and Florida State get them back into the Final Four party.
Day, who has yet to lose to another Big Ten team in his four years in Columbus is 1-3 vs. Michigan, which is a guaranteed way to say "Good bye, Columbus'' , no matter what you do against the rest of the CFB world.
But the OSU-Michigan game was tame compared to the wild finish of the Iron Bowl, where Alabama was looking more and more like the most dangerous challenge to back-to-back defending national champion Georgia.
Not only was the Tide losing, but it was facing a 5-6 Auburn team which had lost by 20 points at home to New Mexico State a week ago
Small wonder, Alabama was a two touchdown favorite in the Auburn home game.
Not so fast my friend as ESPN's Lee Corso has has said countless times.
Final Score 27-24 Alabama, with the winning score coming with 32 seconds left on a fourth and goal TD pass by Alabama quarterback Jalin Milroe to Isaiah Bond from the Auburn 31 yard line.
That situation was set up when a bad snap sent the Tide back 18 yards, setting up a fourth down situation was that so bleak that the computers gave Auburn a 99.5 percent chance of winning.
Which didn't happen when Milroe's pass floated into Bond's hands in the left corner of the end zone.
""One hundred percent,'' said Milroe, when asked about the chances of success. ""I saw I.B. one on one and I knew we were going to score.''
Yeah, ok.
Anyway, Alabama wins and moves on to the SEC title game against Georgia, 31-23, joining Michigan-Iowa (Big 10, Washington, a 24-21 winner over Washington State on a last second field goal, against Oregon in the Pac-12 title game FSU, a 24-15 winner over Florida in the ACC title game and Oklahoma State vs Texas in the Big 12 championship game.
Just another CFB weekend.
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Biggest Winners
Alabama
The Tide had definitely run out against Auburn, which even Saban was ready to acknowledge, but then,''
"There's been some weird stuff happen here,'' said Saban, "and this is the first time I can remember it going in our favor.''
Saban's sense of history is correct.
Ten years ago, Bama lost on the Kick Six, a return by Auburn of 57 yard Alabama field goal attempt for a game winning TD on the final play of the game, four years ago, Bama needed 4 OT's to beat The Tigers.
Jayden Daniels
The LSU QB may be the best player in college football, which means Heisman Trophy riight?
Well not exactly. Daniels again lit of the scoreboard in LSU's 42-30 win over Texas A&M on Saturday, with 4 TD passes and 355 yards of total offense, but the clear front runner if his team beats Washington the Pac-12 title game is Oregon QB Bo Nix.
Who's Not
Auburn.
A two game 0-2 stretch in which the Tigers lose 31-10 to New Mexico State followed by the melt down to Alabama on Saturday is piling on for War Eagle fans.
Boston College
An embarrassing home loss to Miami, which means another 6-6 season. Mediocrity thigh name is Boston College. Small wonder BC coach Jeff Hafley is sitting on a coaching seat that is getting wamer by the minute.
Play it Forward (upcoming games of note)
SEC title game--Alabama vs. Georgia. Presumably winner gets in Final Four as does the loser if its Georgia.
Pac-12 title game--Playoffs start with this game. Winner moves to the Rose Bowl and Final Four semifinal. Loser probably goes to Fiesta Bowl.
AAC title game-Tulane vs. SMU
.Interesting match up between two dangerous .