Luicci's College Football Plus: Week 15 Recap
Five questions
Q. What impact will the loss by No. 6-ranked Florida’s loss to LSU have on the next Playoff Rankings?
It’s certainly a boost for Texas A&M, Cincinnati and Iowa State in their respective quests to make the playoffs. The Aggies will likely stay at No. 5 when the next rankings are revealed on Tuesday, with Iowa State probably getting a bump from No. 7 to No. 6 while unbeaten Cincinnati figures to go from No. 8 to No. 7.
But will any of it matter when – not if – Alabama wins the SEC championship game, if Ohio State wins in the Big Ten and if Clemson beats Notre Dame in the ACC? In that scenario, those four look to be in. Where it gets interesting is if the Irish beat Clemson for a second time, leaving an opening for A&M, Cincinnati and/or Iowa State for that fourth playoff spot.
Florida should drop out of the top 10 off its loss, with No. 10 Miami plummeting as well after getting steamrolled by North Carolina. The intrigue this week will be how the playoff committee views 11-0 Coastal Carolina – No. 13 last week – and how much of a jump 5-0 USC makes from No. 15. It’s probably too little too late for the Trojans to be a serious playoff contender but they will rise in the rankings.
Q. Does any league give us any more ridiculous game-costing antics than the SEC?
Last year the culprit was Mississippi WR Elijah Moore, who caught a TD pass with seconds remaining in the Egg Bowl to bring the Rebels within 21-20 of Mississippi State. After the score, Moore got on all fours, lifted his leg, and mimicked urinating on Mississippi State’s field. That resulted in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, making the potential game-tying extra point longer and more difficult. When the PAT was missed, Ole Miss lost.
Saturday’s selfish antics – which may have ruined Florida’s season -- came courtesy of Gators cornerback Marco Wilson. With Florida and LSU tied at 34 and just under two minutes remaining, the Gators came up with a crucial third down stop that would have forced the Tigers to punt. But after stuffing LSU tight end Kole Taylor short of a first down on the play Wilson inexplicably picked up Taylor’s shoe and fired it “20 yards downfield” according to the referee’s bizarre announcement. That resulted in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to keep LSU’s drive going and the Tigers cashed it in for a 57-yard field goal by Cade York with 23 seconds left for a stunning 37-34 upset.
Part of college is learning. One of these days you would think that notion would sink in for SEC football players. Selfish acts in football have consequences.
Q. Can we just call the College Football Playoff Rankings what they really are – The Power 5 College Football Rankings?
Start with the fact that just two Group of 5 schools – Cincinnati and Coastal Carolina, which are both unbeaten – were ranked among the top 17 last week. Then explain how Cincinnati dropped a spot while being idle and how 9-2 Iowa State rose to No. 7 while 9-1 Louisiana – which won handily at Iowa State – is No. 19 with a better record and a convincing victory over the Cyclones.
No matter what the Playoff Selection Committee may claim about all schools being equal, the reality is they are not. The rankings are heavily tilted toward the Power 5 schools. That’s fine. TV wants it. The fans want it. Just be upfront about it. Watch how quickly USC rises in the rankings this week compared to the climb the Group of 5 schools have to make. They already start out with the disadvantage of being lower in the initial rankings, making it nearly impossible to make up ground on the “big boys.” Ohio State is a perfect example of the Power 5 advantage, starting out at No. 4 and being able to remain there despite playing just five games and owning one quality win.
Q. Can Nebraska football be fixed?
The evidence is flimsy supporting the notion that Scott Frost will get it done in Lincoln. Saturday’s 24-17 home loss to depleted Minnesota – the Gophers were missing 19 players due to COVID-19 protocols and were playing for the first time since star WR Rashod Bateman opted out – was the latest head-scratcher, with Frost falling to 11-20 for his three seasons (2-5 this year). The once-mighty Cornhuskers will suffer their fourth straight losing season, the longest stretch of sub-.500 seasons since five straight losing years from 1956-61.
Q. Did Texas make the right decision by announcing that coach Tom Herman will be back for the 2021 season?
It turns out that even independently wealthy Texas football has to worry about money in a pandemic year, which may explain why AD Chis Del Conte felt the need to announce that Herman would return next season. According to published reports, the school would owe Herman $15 million for the remaining three years of his contract if he were fired, with an additional $10 million due to his assistants. Even for a school with its own TV network, $25 million can cause a strain on the budget.
Herman is 31-18 overall, with the underachieving Longhorns going 6-3 this year despite having a four-year starter at quarterback in Sam Ehlinger. There is some promising young talent at the QB position, but Herman never gave anyone else a chance, with Ehlinger accounting for 306 of the team’s 317 pass attempts this season. That’s a sign that Herman knew it was a win-now season. But he has left himself open to more speculation with the likelihood that he will begin 2021 with an unproven quarterback.
Herman’s biggest failing at Texas (besides not winning enough): the inability to develop players from recruiting classes that have been among the nation’s best.
On the Rise
Army (8-2)
Black Knights thoroughly dominated Navy in a 15-0 victory on Saturday, recording the first shutout in the series since 1969. With a bid to the Independence Bowl secured, Army can now focus on earning the Commander-in-Chief’s trophy when it hosts Air Force this weekend.
Ball State (5-1)
After losing their opener to Miami of Ohio, the Cardinals have reeled off five straight wins to earn a spot in the MAC championship game against Buffalo on Saturday. Ball State has also shown a penchant for winning the close ones, with five of its six games this year decided by seven points or less.
USC (5-0)
Trojans proved resilient in a 43-38 victory at UCLA, getting the game-winning score with 16 seconds left on Kedon Slovis’ fifth TD pass of the game. The season started too late for USC to be a national player this year, but coach Clay Helton has guided his team to the Pac-12 title game and a possible New Year’s Six bowl game.
On the decline
Wisconsin (2-3)
Remember when the Badgers were ranked No. 10 – another example of why the polls should wait at least a month before releasing any rankings – and looked like the favorite in the Big Ten West? Seems like a long time ago. Saturday’s 28-7 loss to Iowa was their third straight defeat. More alarming was the offensive ineptness, with Wisconsin rushing 56 yards on 33 carries. After combining for 94 points during a 2-0 start the Badgers have scored a combined 20 points the past three games.
Illinois (2-5)
Illini managed to wake up Northwestern’s sleeping ground game in a 28-10 loss, meaning the program will have its ninth straight losing season. For a guy who drew raves from TV announcers every time Illinois played, the reality is Lovie Smith went 17-39 with the Illini -- which is why he was fired today.
Arizona (0-5)
There’s losing and then there’s being embarrassed. Wildcats were guilty of the latter in a 70-7 home loss to Arizona State, suffering seven turnovers while allowing the most points since 1949 as their losing streak was extended to 12 games. It proved to be too much for Arizona’s administration, which fired coach Kevin Sumlin after the game.
Who’s hot
Michael Carter and Javonte Williams, RBs, North Carolina
Carter rushed for 308 yards and two scores while Williams went for 236 rushing yards and three TDs as the duo set an NCAA record for combined rushing yards by teammates in a game in a 62-26 rout of Miami. They were also the first teammates in ACC history to each rush for 200 yards or more in the same game as the Tar Heels rolled up 778 yards of total offense.
Cade York, PK, LSU
The sophomore delivered a crushing blow to Florida’s season with a career-long 57-yard field goal through the fog and mist with 23 seconds left in the Tigers’ 37-34 upset victory.
Grayson McCall, QB, Coastal Carolina
McCall managed to drive the Chanticleers 75 yards with no timeouts remaining, capping the game-winning march with a 23-yard TD pass to Jaivon Heiligh with 45 seconds left in a 42-38 victory over Troy that preserved Coastal’s perfect season. McCall finished 24-of-29 for 338 yards and three TDs and rushed for 40 yards and a score.
Who’s not
Larry Rountree III, RB, Missouri
After rushing for 160 yards and 185 yards the previous two games, the Tigers’ leading rusher managed just 16 yards on 14 carries with a long run of nine yards in a 49-14 loss to Georgia. That leaves the senior 149 yards shy of the second 1,000-yard season of his career with Mississippi State next.
Blake Baker, defensive coordinator, Miami
Good luck trying to explain away Saturday’s disastrous showing to head coach Manny Diaz, a former DC. North Carolina set program records for total offense (778) and rushing yards (554) in a game in the 62-26 laugher over the Hurricanes. UNC RBs Michael Carter and Javonte Williams combined for 544 rushing yards and five TDs against Baker’s defense.
Kyle Trask, QB, Florida
Sure, the Heisman frontrunner threw for 474 yards and two TDs, but he was also guilty of three costly turnovers in a 37-34 loss – a home game against a ravaged LSU defense that was supposed to enhance his Heisman Trophy credentials. Did it cost him the Heisman? He has a chance to redeem himself: Saturday’s SEC title game against the Crimson Tide.
Playing it forward
Previewing the top games coming up this weekend (All times Eastern)
FRIDAY
Washington at USC, 8 p.m., FOX
Unbeaten USC will look to secure a New Year’s Six bowl berth in what is otherwise one of the most meaningless league title games in conference history.
SATURDAY
Northwestern vs. Ohio State (in Indianapolis), Noon, FOX
Can the Wildcats’ derail Ohio State’s playoff hopes? Buckeyes need to win convincingly to prove they are playoff caliber against a tough Northwestern defense. But Wildcats’ offense is pedestrian.
Oklahoma vs. Iowa State (in Arlington), Noon, ABC
Cyclones will look to earn the program’s first Big 12 title in a rematch of a game they won 37-30 on Oct. 3. It should be a good QB matchup between Brock Purdy and Spencer Rattler.
Louisiana at Coastal Carolina, Noon, ESPN or ESPN2
Yes, the Sun Belt title game will feature two ranked teams in a rematch of Coastal’s 30-27 victory on Oct. 14. Chanticleers come in 11-0; Ragin Cajuns are 9-1 with a road victory over Iowa State.
Clemson vs. Notre Dame (in Charlotte), 4 p.m., ABC
A rematch of an epic 47-40 double OT victory by Notre Dame on Nov. 7 – though the Tigers were without QB Trevor Lawrence then. The winner is locked into the playoffs. The loser might be as well (if it is Notre Dame).
Tulsa at Cincinnati, 8 p.m. ABC
The AAC title game will feature a pair of ranked teams that saw their scheduled regular season meeting postponed a week ago. Unbeaten Bearcats have not played since Nov. 21 but do get the advantage of being at home.
Alabama vs. Florida, 8 p.m., CBS
The luster is off this one following Florida’s home loss to LSU. Unbeaten and No. 1-ranked Tide will get to showcase their three Heisman Trophy candidates one more time. Gators’ shaky defense and non-existent ground game will make them big underdogs here.
Tom Luicci was the national college football and basketball writer for The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J. from 1979-2014.