College FB Plus: Chaos in the ACC
Got things figured out in college football do you?
You know who the top teams from each conference, the elite of the elite?
Forget about it.
Mama told us there would be weekends like this in college football and now we have seen it in the Top 25, at the top, in the middle and at the bottom.
Where to begin.
Let's begin with our ABC's, or rather ACC's.
What odds would you have gotten from the Vegas boys on Wake Forest and Boston College being the only two unbeaten teams on the ACC on Sept. 26?
But that's what we have after the carnage among the perceived top teams in the ACC continued over the weekend.
Wake Forest is unbeaten after posting back to back double digit wins over FSU and Virginia.
Boston College, which was tossed into the discard pile by some folks after starting QB Phil Jerkovic went down for the season with a right wrist injury against UMass, remains alive and 4-0 after a pulsating 41-34 overtime win over Missouri.
Leading the way was back up QB Dennis Grosel, who was a workman-like 18 of 29 for 175 yards and a pair of TDs, including the game winner in OT.
Wake and BC were the ACC's "have nots'', projected as also rans in the ACC Atlantic Division.
Missing anyone?
How about Clemson, which has been staggering since its season opening loss to Georgia. On Saturday, the bandwagon finally crashed as the Tigers lost in double overtime to North Carolina State.
Georgia Tech rolled past North Carolina and FSU continued its downward spiral by being trounced by Louisville.
Let's start with Clemson
TheTigers are now fighting to become bowl eligible.
As for the "elite'' of the ACC
Clemson is 2-2, FSU is 0-4, North Carolina is 2-2 as is Miami.
Right now, the championship game would be Virginia Tech vs. Wake Forest.
An CFP Final Four bid is almost certainly gone, with the ACC champion filling a spot in the Orange Bowl.
And the best "rivalry'' week game?
Wake Forest at Boston College on Nov . 27?
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Who's Hot
Baylor
The Bears were picked 8th in the conference in pre-season, but after a 31-29 win over Iowa State, a pre-season Top 10 team, Baylor is a toasty 4-0 and 2-0 in the Big 12, a game ahead of pre-season favorite Oklahoma, which continues to look unimpressive in its 4-0 start.
The Big Ten East
Where do you want to start?
Once Ohio State proved vulnerable after its home loss to Oregon, everyone else stepped up.
Maryland is 4-0, Penn State is also 4-0 and may be the best team in the Big Ten, as are Michigan and Michigan State, which are slowly regaining the respect they once had.
Even Rutgers, which dropped a 20-13 decision at Michigan for its first loss, has shown signs of life. of which there is a high amount.
The SEC West
No surprise here.
Alabama is the reigning king and Auburn and Texas A&M have only one loss, but Ole Miss and Arkansas, with back to back wins over Texas and A&M, are still unbeaten.
Arkansas deserves special recognition for wiping out its old SWC foes in back to back weeks with wins over Texas and Texas A&M.
Who's Not
Clemson
The Tigers are offensive in the lack of their offense and now have as many losses in the regular season (2) than at any time since 2014 when they finished with a 10-3 season. There is now some question of whether Clemson's streak of double digit win seasons dating back to 2009 will continue.
FSU
Losing a 31-22 decision to Louisville dropped FSU to 0-4, their worst start since 1974.
UMess
Coastal Carolina 53 UMass 3
Winless Minutemen looking forward to their meeting against winless UConn in a couple of weeks.
Milestones
We will mention this because it is an accomplishment. When Notre Dame rolled over Wisconsin 41-13, Irish coach Brian Kelly crossed an historic threshold.
No other ND coach had won more games (106) than Kelly, who moved ahead of Knute Rockne on that list.
Kelly is one of the better coaches of his generation.
But that's where the comparison ends.
Rockne's career record (105-12-5) included 3 national championships, while Kelly's career record in South Bend (106-39) includes none.
In order for Kelly to surpass Rockne's winning percentage. Notre Dame would have to win its next 200 games in succession.
They did what?
Alabama and Georgia weren't fooling around against weaker opponents.
In beating So Miss and Vanderbilt, the Tide and Dawgs won by a combined score of 125-14.
Play it Forward
(Games of interest next week)
Ole Miss at Alabama--Tide's toughest test to date.
Cincinnati at Notre Dame--If Cin can pull off this upset, CFP Final Four slot may be very possible.
Florida at Kentucky--Gators are better, but this road game will provide as big a challenge as Alabama
Arkansas at Georgia--Can Hogs pull off third consecutive upset?