TWIF Notes & Conference Call 10-30-23
Welcome Back!
What another exciting weekend of games! There were a few upsets, including a major one, and a whole bunch of close games, as there were few routs. Out of 133 teams, 108 participated, which means 25 teams took the weekend off. Of those 108 teams, none played an FCS team (3rd week in a row), meaning there were 54 FBS vs FBS games. That's a lot of games to review. So let's get to the recaps!
FBS Teams who Defeated FCS Teams Like They Should Have
FBS Teams Who Struggled With FCS Teams
FBS Teams Who Lost To FCS Teams
FBS vs FBS Games
New Mexico State eked by La Tech 27-24. The Aggies are in 3rd place in CUSA, a half-game behind Jax State, who's ineligible. This puts NMSU in line to make the CUSA Championship Game with a chance for a rematch with Liberty for the title.
Liberty clinched a berth in the CUSA Title Game with a 42-29 win over WKU. Even if the Flames lose their last 2 conference games, they own the tiebreakers against anyone with a chance to tie them.
Jacksonville State routed FIU 41-16. Though the Gamecocks are not eligible to win the conference, or play in the CUSA Championship Game, they still have a chance to claim unofficial 1st or 2nd place, depending on how the rest of the season plays out.
UTEP edged Sam Houston 37-34, keeping the Bearkats winless both in CUSA and overall. SHS is the only winless FBS team this year, but they'll get a chance for a win this weekend against FCS Kennesaw State, who will be a member of CUSA next year.
Virginia Tech stomped Syracuse 38-10, and at 3-1 in the ACC, can take over 2nd place in the conference with a win at Louisville this weekend.
Georgia Southern claims the driver's seat in the Sun Belt East with a 44-27 victory over Georgia State. With JMU ineligible to play in the SBC Championship Game, the Eagles stand all alone as the only team with 1 loss.
FAU pasted Charlotte 38-16 as the Owls maintain a shot at making the AAC Championship Game.
FSU crushed Wake Forest 41-16. The Seminoles will clinch a berth in the ACC Championship game with a win at Pitt this weekend, or a loss by Miami at NC State.
Kansas upset Oklahoma 38-33, ending OU's hopes of going undefeated, and throwing the Big 12 race into chaos. It was KU's 1st win in the series since 1997, snapping an 18-game losing streak. There are now 5 teams in the conference with 1 Big 12 loss (OU is one), and 2 more with 2 (KU is one), meaning fully half of the conference still has a chance to reach the Championship Game with 4 weeks yet to play.
Penn State survived Indiana 33-24, scoring a tie-breaking TD late in the 4th quarter, then punctuating that with a safety on a fumble that rolled out of the end zone after a 25-yd chase.
UMass earned it's 2nd win of the season, 21-14 over Army. Though the Black Knights are 2-6, they are eliminated from bowl consideration due to playing 2 FCS teams this year (only 1 can count toward the 6 wins needed). The Minutemen already have 7 losses.
Boston College won their 4th straight game of the season, 21-14 over UConn, knocking the Huskies out of bowl consideration. The Eagles still have a chance to make the ACC Championship Game, but it would take a convoluted series of events for that to happen.
Northwestern moved to 4-4/2-3 with a 33-27 upset over Maryland at home. The Wildcats are still in the Big Ten West chase, while the loss officially eliminates the Terps from winning the Big Ten East.
Texas A&M whipped South Carolina 30-17, thanks to a 21-point 2nd quarter. The loss keeps the Gamecocks 6th in the 7-team SEC East, and they'll need to beat Vandy in 2 weeks to ensure they stay out of last place. TAMU's only chance in the SEC West is to win their last 3 conference games, and hope Alabama loses their last 3.
Kansas State blasted Houston 41-0. The Wildcats are in a 5-way tie for 1st in the Big 12. The Cougars are barely ahead of last place.
West Virginia cruised past UCF 41-28 to keep the Mountaineers on the periphery of the Big 12 title chase.
SMU destroyed Tulsa 69-10. The Mustangs led 52-3 at the half!
Western Michigan blew past Eastern Michigan 45-21, ending any title hopes the Eagles had.
NC State handed Clemson their 4th ACC loss, 24-17. It's the 1st time since 2010 (when they were 4-4) that the Tigers have had more than 2 conference losses, and should they lose 1 more against either GT or UNC, it would be their most ACC losses since they were 1-7 in 1998 (3-8 overall) under HC Tommy West in his last year there. The Wolfpack, meanwhile, still have a slim chance to make the title game.
Memphis held on to defeat North Texas 45-42. The Tigers led 31-7 late in the 2nd quarter, then allowed the Mean Green to outscore them 35-7 over the next 2 quarters, before scoring with 12 seconds left for the victory. UNT just may be one of the best 3-5 teams in FBS, but Memphis remains just outside the leaders in the AAC at 3-1.
Georgia humbled Florida 43-20, racing out to a 36-7 lead before easing off the gas pedal. The Dawgs remain undefeated, but can all but clinch the SEC East with a win over Missouri on Saturday. The Gators are all but eliminated in the division.
Texas defeated BYU 35-6, despite not having the services of QB Quinn Ewers. The Longhorns are one of 5 teams tied atop the Big 12 with a 4-1 record. The Cougars are ted for 8th at 2-3.
Oregon pounded Utah 35-6, as the Ducks remain a half-game behind USC in the Pac 12, whom they'll host in 2 weeks. The Utes barely remain in the title chase, as they are among 4 teams tied for 4th at 3-2.
Notre Dame demolished Pittsburgh 58-7 to improve to 7-2 on the season.
Louisville shut out Duke 23-0. The Cardinals host Va Tech this weekend in a battle that will determine 2nd place in the ACC. The Blue Devils continue to be inept offensively with star QB Riley Leonard, who is injured.
Auburn flattened Mississippi State 27-13 to climb out of a tie for last place in the SEC West. The Tigers are now tied with the Bulldogs for 5th place.
Minnesota got a win for the Big Ten West over the East by defeating Michigan State 27-12. While the Golden Gophers are tied for the Big Ten West lead, they are long shots due to already losing to co-leader Iowa, and still having to play Ohio State and Wisconsin, the former on the road. But in that division, every team is still in the race to win.
Nebraska swept Purdue away 31-14 to secure their 1st 3-game winning streak since 2016, and they are 1 win away from achieving bowl eligibility since that same season. Better yet, they are currently tied for 1st in the Big Ten West.
Miami, Fl won a 2nd straight game in OT with a 29-26 win over Virginia. The Hurricanes remain long shots to make the ACC Championship Game, but the Cavaliers just may well be the best 2-6 team in the country, as half of their losses have been by 3 points each.
Iowa State stayed in the Big 12 race with a 30-18 victory over Baylor. The Cyclones are the surprise of the conference, as they are 1 of 5 teams tied for 1st, and will host a very formidable Kansas team this Saturday.
UTSA pummeled East Carolina 41-27. The Roadrunners are one of 3 teams with unblemished records in the AAC, and their season-ending game at Tulane may well decide one of the participants in the AAC Championship Game. The Pirates still don't have a win against an FBS foe.
Appalachian State thwarted Southern Miss 48-38, as the Mountaineers prevented the Golden Eagles from achieving their 1st FBS win of the season, and extended USM's losing streak to 7 games, kicking them out of bowl consideration. ASU still has a chance to win the SBC East.
Miami, Oh took control of the MAC East with a 30-16 victory over Ohio. Both the Redhawks and Buffalo control their own destiny, as they are the only teams in the division with 1 conference loss, and they play each other in Buffalo on Wednesday, Nov 15 in a game that could decide the division title.
USC snuck by California 50-49, as they stopped a 2-pt try by the Golden Bears that could have won the game. The Trojans are still in 2nd in the Pac 12, despite all the close calls.
Tulane squeezed past Rice 30-28, as the Green Wave stay unbeaten in AAC play and tied for 1st. The Owls drop to 4-4/2-2 and are tied for 6th.
Arkansas State evened their record at 4-4/2-2 with a 34-24 win over ULM. The Red Wolves are only a game behind leader Troy in the SBC West, but lost the tiebreaker to the Trojans earlier this month.
Louisiana upended South Alabama 33-20, making both teams 2-2 in the SBC West, a game behind Troy, with both teams yet to play the Trojans- the Jaguars play them this week, and the Ragin' Cajuns play them Nov 18, with both of those in Troy.
Boise State knocked Wyoming down a peg with a 32-7 win on the blue turf. The win pulls the Broncos into a tie for 2nd, and they'll play one of the others they are tied with- at Fresno State- this weekend. They also get a chance to beat the team ahead of them, Air Force, in their season finale on Nov 25. The Cowboys drop to 2-2 in the Mountain West, and they'll need help to make the MWC Championship Game.
Coastal Carolina routed Marshall 34-6, claiming a tie for 3rd place (actually 2nd, with JMU ineligible at 8-0/5-0). The Thundering Herd are now in last place, 2 games out of 1st.
Washington survived Stanford 42-33 to remain alone atop the Pac 12 at 5-0, and unbeaten overall at 8-0.
Tennessee kept their SEC East hopes alive with a 33-27 victory over Kentucky. The Wildcats are all but eliminated in the division.
Air Force stays in 1st in the MWC with a 30-13 win over Colorado State. The Falcons are the only unbeaten team in the conference, but they'll step out of the MWC to take on Army this week with a chance to claim the CIC Trophy.
Troy kept 1st place in the SBC West, defeating upstart Texas State 31-13. The loss drops the Bobcats to 5-3/2-2, but more importantly, the Trojans now have the tiebreaker advantage, should they need it.
Ohio State toyed with Wisconsin before winning 24-10. the Buckeyes are still on track to win the Big Ten East with a win over Michigan Thanksgiving weekend. The Badgers are one of 4 teams tied for 1st in the Big Ten West.
Ole Miss dominated Vanderbilt 33-7 to stay on track in the SEC West should Alabama stumble down the stretch. But they need LSU to pull the upset in Tuscaloosa this weekend to forge a 3-way tie for 1st.
UCLA throttled Colorado 28-16. The Bruins are still on the outside looking in for the Pac 12 title, but the Buffaloes are just 1 game out of last place.
Georgia Tech upset North Carolina 46-42. The Tar Heels have seen their hopes fall in the last 2 weeks, as they have lost 2 straight games to unranked teams. The Yellow Jackets are tied for 4th in the ACC with UNC.
Arizona State surprised Washington State 38-27, earning the Sun Devils their 2nd win of the season, and their 1st conference win.
Oklahoma State blew up Cincinnati 45-13, as the Cowboys are now in a 5-way tie for 1st in the Big 12. The Bearcats are still winless in the conference, tied with UCF for last place at 0-5.
James Madison held off ODU to win 30-27. The Dukes remain unbeaten, both overall and in the Sun Belt, but they are ineligible for the conference title. The Monarchs are 4-4/3-2, already with more wins than last year, and are tied for 3rd (2nd, really) behind Georgia Southern.
Arizona stunned Oregon State 27-24. The Wildcats and Beavers are 2 of 4 teams tied for 4th, but who still have a chance to make it to 2nd.
Nevada won their 2nd in a row, 34-24 over New Mexico. The Wolf Pack had lost 16 straight before their current win streak, modest as it is, but it's their 1st back-to-back wins since the 1st 2 games of last year, and it's their 1st back-to-back wins against FBS opponents since midseason of 2021.
Fresno State is in a 3-way tie for 2nd thanks to a 31-24 victory over UNLV. They will host Boise State this weekend, which will take care of 1 of the 3, and the Bulldogs now own the tiebreaker over the Rebels, the 2nd of the 3.
San Jose State decimated Hawaii 35-0. The Spartans are all alone in 5th place, while the Rainbow Warriors are all alone in last.
Conference Call
This is how each conference and division stands as of now, and each team's chances to make the Championship Game for their conference. Very little has been decided, with 3-5 games left to play for every team, so I will only paint these in broad strokes for now. We'll know a lot more by this time next week.
AAC
Clinched- None
Leaders- Tulane, SMU, UTSA
Challengers- Memphis, FAU
Still possible- USF, Rice, Navy
Long shots- North Texas, Tulsa, Charlotte, UAB, Temple, ECU
Eliminated- None, yet
ACC
Clinched- None
Leaders- FSU, Louisville, Va Tech
Challengers- Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Duke, Miami, Boston College, NC State
Still possible- Pittsburgh, Virginia
Long shots- Clemson, Wake Forest, Syracuse
Eliminated- None, yet.
Big 12
Clinched- None
Leaders- Oklahoma, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Texas, Kansas State
Challengers- Kansas, West Virginia
Still possible- TCU, BYU, Texas Tech, Baylor
Long shots- Houston, UCF, Cincinnati
Eliminated- None, yet.
Big Ten East
Clinched- None
Leaders- Michigan, Ohio State
Challengers- Penn State
Still possible- Rutgers
Long shots- Maryland
Eliminated- Indiana, Michigan State
Big Ten West
Clinched- None
Leaders- Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska
Challengers- Northwestern
Still possible- Purdue, Illinois
Long shots- None
Eliminated- None, yet.
CUSA
Clinched- Liberty
Leaders- New Mexico State, WKU
Challengers- La Tech, UTEP
Still possible- Middle Tennessee
Long shots- None
Eliminated- FIU, Sam Houston, Jacksonville State (not eligible)
MAC East
Clinched- None
Leaders- Miami, Buffalo
Challengers- Ohio, Bowling Green
Still possible- None
Long shots- Akron, Kent State
Eliminated- None, yet.
MAC West
Clinched- None
Leaders- Toledo
Challengers- Northern Illinois
Still possible- Central Michigan
Long shots- Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Ball State
Eliminated- None, yet.
Mountain West
Clinched- None
Leaders- Air Force, Fresno State, UNLV, Boise State
Challengers- San Jose State, Wyoming, Nevada
Still possible- Utah State, Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State
Long shots- Hawaii
Eliminated- None, yet.
Pac 12
Clinched- None
Leaders- Washington, USC, Oregon
Challengers- Oregon State, Utah, Arizona, UCLS
Still possible- Colorado, Arizona State, California, Washington State
Long shots- Stanford
Eliminated- None yet.
SEC East
Clinched- None
Leaders- Georgia
Challengers- Missouri
Still possible- Florida, Tennessee
Long shots- Kentucky
Eliminated- South Carolina, Vanderbilt
SEC West
Clinched- None
Leaders- Alabama
Challengers- Ole Miss, LSU
Still possible- Texas A&M
Long shots- None
Eliminated- Auburn, Mississippi State, Arkansas
Sun Belt East
Clinched- None
Leaders- Georgia Southern
Challengers- Georgia State, Coastal Carolina, ODU, Appalachian State
Still possible- Marshall
Long shots- None
Eliminated- James Madison (ineligible)
Sun Belt West
Clinched- None
Leaders- Troy
Challengers- Louisiana, Texas State, Arkansas State, South Alabama
Still possible- None
Long shots- ULM, Southern Miss
Eliminated- None, yet.
That's all the games for this week!
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