TWIF Notes 10/14/24

Welcome Back!

What an exciting 7th weekend of college football! We had several OT games, exciting finishes, big games, and everything else that makes CFB so great!

For just the 2nd time this season, there were no games against FCS teams.

Here are my thoughts on the FBS vs FBS games.

Liberty got the week started right with an OT win over FIU. The win keeps the Flames undefeated, but the Panthers look like they could be a factor in the CUSA race, or at least play spoiler.

Jacksonville State won their 3rd game in a row, this time defeating New Mexico State 54-13 to even their record at 3-3, and the Gamecocks are 2-0 in CUSA. The Aggies are 1-5/0-3, and it's obvious that they won't come close to the heights they achieved last year, as they have already exceeded their loss total from the '23 season.

James Madison routed Coastal Carolina 39-7, as both teams are now 1-1 in the SBC. The Dukes rebounded nicely from their loss last week and are now 5-1 on the season. The Chants are 4-2.

La Tech cruised to a 48-21 win over Middle Tennessee, earning their 1st FBS win, and evening their CUSA record at 1-1.

WKU stomped UTEP 44-7, and I must say I kinda liked the goofy helmets they used (look it up!). The Hilltoppers are 4-2 overall, and 2-0 in CUSA. The Miners are one of 3 teams without a win at 0-6, as their win totals have declined from 7 wins in 2021 to 5 in 2022 to 3 in 2023, and now perhaps to 1, if they can get by new FBS member Kennesaw State in early November.

Northwestern pounded Maryland 37-10, breaking a 2-game losing streak, and sending the Terps to their 2nd straight defeat. Looking at their schedule, I'm not sure Maryland will be favored in any of their remaining games, but then again, the Wildcats may only be favored in 1 more game.

UNLV bounced back from last week's loss with a 50-34 victory over Utah State, as the Aggies still don't have an FBS win this season (but will get their best chance at a win against New Mexico in Logan). The Rebels are having a repeat of last year's magical season, as at 5-1, they are one win shy of matching last year's 6-1 start, but their next 2 games are at Oregon State and at home against Boise State (coming out of their off week).

Arizona State topped Utah 27-19, despite the return of Utah QB Cam Rising. The Sun Devils are 5-1 overall, and 2-1 in the Big XII, and 1 more win will match their win total from the last 2 years combined! The Utes, with 2 losses already in the conference, seem destined for a middle of the pack finish.

Alabama escaped with a 27-25 win over South Carolina. Once again, the Crimson Tide was outplayed by a lesser team, and this time almost allowed an incredible comeback in the closing minutes. The Gamecocks are not far from finishing games like this, and could be headed for better times the next few years. I just have no idea what to make of Bama, as they haven't really played well since the 1st half against Georgia, especially on defense.

Missouri plastered UMass 45-3, a result that was entirely predictable. Fortunately, the Minutemen get an off week, then take on FCS Wagner, but it will take a win in their last 5 games- at Miss St, Liberty, at UGA, and UConn-  to match last year's 3 wins, assuming they can defeat the Seahawks.

Clemson crushed Wake Forest 49-14. The Tigers are top 5 material, and should make the CFP, as their toughest remaining games are Louisville and at Pitt. Barring an unforeseen upset, they should finish at 11-1 and garner at least an at-large bid. This is a legit NC caliber team.

Iowa stomped Washington 40-16, as the Huskies gave up almost twice as many points in this game as they had in any other game. To Iowa! The Hawkeyes have had a much better offense this year than in recent years, but it disappeared in games against Iowa State and at Ohio State. The Huskies are just going to be an up and down team, I assume.

Wisconsin destroyed Rutgers 42-7, so I guess we all just got on the Scarlet Knight bandwagon just a little too soon, as this is their 2nd straight loss while scoring just 7 points in each.  The Badgers appear to be hitting their stride after a 2-game lull a few weeks ago.

Georgia Tech scored on a 68-yd run in the last few seconds of the game to break a tie to win 41-34 over North Carolina. The Tar Heels have lost 4 in a row, and the Jackets are 1 win away from bowl eligibility at 5-2, but they have Notre Dame (at MBS) and at Va Tech the next 2 weeks, then close out the season with Miami, NC State, and UGA. UNC gets an off week to try to get back on track before facing UVA in Charlottesville and FSU in Tallahassee.

Ball State got their 1st FBS win with a 37-35 victory over Kent State. Neither team has any chance of reaching a bowl or winning the MAC, but could play spoiler for other teams. More likely, though, is that they will just help other teams get more wins.

Buffalo moved to 2-0 in the MAC with a surprisingly easy 30-15 win over Toledo. The Bulls are 4-2/2-0, and now must be considered a favorite to make the MAC CG, as they have already defeated their 2 toughest conference foes: NIU and Toledo. The Rockets are also 4-2, but only 1-1 in the MAC.

Army rolled over UAB 44-10 to move to 6-0 on the season, and 5-0 in the AAC. The Black Knights have only 3 conference games remaining, and they are ECU (3-3/1-1), at North Texas (5-1/2-0), and UTSA (2-4/0-2). I see a great chance to finish 7-1 in the AAC at worst. Their other games are a disappointing Air Force (1-5), Notre Dame in The Bronx, and Navy in Landover, so their chances at finishing undefeated aren't great, but they still have the nation's longest winning streak at 10 games. The Blazers will have 4 decent chances to procure their 1st FBS win of the season.

Miami clobbered Eastern Michigan 38-14 as the Eagles looked overmatched for the 1st time since losing at Washington. The win gets the Redhawks back in the MAC race, as both teams are now 1-1 in the conference.

Texas decimated Oklahoma 34-3, getting revenge for the last second loss from last year, and solidifying their status as the best team in CFB right now. However, the Longhorns host a dangerous (if inconsistent) UGA team in prime time, but if they get by the Dawgs, will have only 2 road challenges (at Vandy- can't believe I'm saying this- and at Arkansas) before finishing the season at Texas A&M. They also host Florida and Kentucky, but neither should present any more difficulty than OU did. The Sooners are staring at a possible 6 to 8 win season.

Memphis eased by USF 21-3. The Tigers remain one of the favorites in the AAC, despite their loss to Navy a few weeks ago, but they'll need to get by UNT this week, and Tulane at the end of the season. The Bulls are only 2-4/0-2, and will be trying to get to 6 wins.

Penn State survived USC 33-30 in OT when they connected on the winning FG after the Trojans missed their try. The loss vaults the Nittany Lions into the conversation for a CFP spot. Not that they weren't there before, but this win, across the country and in hostile territory, allows them to be taken seriously, despite USC's flaws, as they won't get many more chances to prove themselves, except when they host OSU on Nov 2. USC falls out of contention at 3-3 and 1-3 in the Big Ten.

Notre Dame walloped Stanford 49-7, as the more the Fighting Irish play and keep winning, the more inexplicable their loss to Northern Illinois is.

Louisville outlasted Virginia 24-20 to hand the Wahoos their 1st ACC loss, and to pull themselves back into the conference race.

It took OT, but Illinois eked past a bad Purdue 50-49. The victory was secured when the Boilermakers elected to go for 2 in the 1st OT, but couldn't convert. Purdue remains winless against FBS competition, and this was their 1st loss that was by less than 17 points.

Pittsburgh squeaked by California 17-15, to stay unbeaten and hand the Golden Bears their 3rd loss in a row. Pitt will be off this week while Cal takes on a team that's struggling as much as they are: NC State.

Cincinnati prevailed over UCF by a score of 19-13. The Bearcats are now 4-2/2-1 while the Knights drop to 3-3/1-2.

San Diego State slipped by Wyoming 27-24 when they scored the final 10 points in the game. The Aztecs stay unbeaten in the MWC while the Cowboys fall to 1-1.

ODU throttled Georgia State to win 21-14, holding the Panthers to their 2nd lowest point total of the year. The Monarchs evened their SBC record at 1-1, but their remaining schedule is tough.

Western Michigan overcame a 17-0 deficit to win 34-24 over Akron. The Zips have now lost 9 straight FBS games, but the Broncos are 2-0 in the MAC. 

Northern Illinois won their 2nd in a row with a 17-7 victory over Bowling Green. The Huskies and Falcons are both 1-1 in the MAC, but NIU is 4-2 overall to BGSU's 2-4.

BYU overwhelmed Arizona 41-19 to remain in a 1st place tie in the Big XII. The Wildcats, who had dreams of a conference title game appearance, are a disappointing 3-3, and 1-2 in the Big XII. The Cougars are still undefeated.

Ohio withstood a 17-point 4th quarter barrage by Central Michigan to seize a 27-25 win over the Chippewas. The Bobcats are one of the early leaders in the MAC, but have one of the tougher remaining conference schedules.

Georgia did just enough to get by Mississippi State 41-31, but it's painfully clear that this is not an elite team. The Dawgs' offense is inconsistent, and have had several turnovers lately, 2 down near opponent's goal lines. As for the defense, they seem to continually give up big plays, allowing receivers to get open deep. This Mississippi State team is one of the worst P5 teams this year, and yet UGA still struggled to put them away, having to play their starters the whole way. Now, having said all that, this is still a very dangerous team, capable of beating anyone anywhere, but I just don't see them winning more than a game or 2 if they even make it into the CFP. Because this team is also capable of laying an egg against anyone, as they have in most 1st halves this season.

Colorado State won their MWC opener over San Jose State 31-24. The Spartans suffered their 1st loss in the conference as the Rams were the last to start conference play in any conference.

ULM continued their magical season by romping over Southern Miss 38-21. The Warhawks are 5-1/3-0, one win from qualifying for their their 2nd bowl ever (other was in 2012), and also one win from matching their win total from the last 2 years combined (and tripling last year's wins).The Golden Eagles may be looking for a coach soon.

Tennessee allowed the tying TD with 29 seconds left, but Florida was unable to take advantage as the Vols prevailed 23-17 in OT. UT is now 5-1/2-1, and very much still in the thick of the SEC race, but host Alabama this weekend, which could prove to be an elimination game in the SEC. The Gators host an up-and-down Kentucky team before a brutal 4 game stretch starting with UGA in Jacksonville. If UF matches last year's 5 wins, it will be quite an achievement.

Washington State kept their (slim) CFP hopes alive with a 25-17 victory over Fresno State. The Cougars are 5-1 with their only loss on the blue turf at Boise State.

Texas State routed Arkansas State 41-9 to stay a half game behind ULM in the SBC West. Right now, the division is a 3-team race between those 2 and Louisiana.

North Texas scored 14 unanswered points in the last 2 1/2 minutes to put away FAU 41-37. The Mean Green have already matched last year's 5 wins, but they have a very difficult final 6 games, beginning with games at Memphis and vs Tulane, followed by Army and at UTSA, so getting that 6th win anytime soon may be a challenge. The Owls may not get to the 4 wins they had last year.

Rice stunned UTSA with a TD with 4 seconds left to upset the Roadrunners 29-27, a play which may mean nothing in the long run to the Owls, as they only have 2 wins, and not many prospects for more. This may be the end of the line for HC Mike Bloomgren in Houston. UTSA has really collapsed this year, as they will be hard pressed to make it to a 5th straight bowl after winning 7, 12, 11, and 9 games over the last 4 years.

Oregon won a back-and-forth affair with Ohio State, seizing the favorite role in the Big Ten. There is a very good chance the Ducks can run the table, as they host Illinois, Maryland, and Washington, and travel to Purdue, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The Buckeyes will need to win at Penn State (and against Indiana and Michigan) to get a chance at a rematch, but OSU has a great chance to make it to the CFP as an at-large.

LSU scored a late TD in regulation to tie the game, then scored a TD on their 1st play in OT to defeat Ole Miss 29-26. The Tigers held the Rebels to just just 3 FGs after spotting Ole Miss a 17-7 lead.The win keeps the Bayou Bengals in the thick of the SEC chase while likely eliminating the Rebels in the conference, and with games remaining vs Oklahoma and UGA, and at Arkansas and Florida, Ole Miss may miss a chance at the CFP unless they win out.

Nevada may have finally turned the corner in their 42-37 upset win over Oregon State. The Wolf Pack have 3 wins in a season for the 1st time since 2021, and have a good chance at at least 2 more, but 3 would get them to their 1st bowl since that 8-5 season in '21. The Beavers saw their hopes for an at-large CFP berth go up in flames.

Louisiana got past Appalachian State 34-24 as the Ragin' Cajuns appear to be back to their normal level of success after a 2-year hiatus. The Mountaineers are having an awful season, going 0-2 against the supposedly weaker SBC West, but they'll have a chance to get better with an off week before facing Ga State and ODU at home the next 2 weeks.

Vanderbilt extended their winning streak to 2 games with a 20-13 victory over Kentucky, the 1st time they have beaten 2 FBS foes in a row since the 1st 2 games of last season, and the 1st time they have won 2 SEC games in a row since beating Ole Miss and Tennessee in back-to-back weeks in November of 2018. Their 4th win already matches their win total from last year, and their 2 SEC wins is more than in 6 of the last 10 years, and matches 2 others (were 3-5 in 2018 and 2016).  The Wildcats blew a chance to make this a special season with this loss, as they are likely to lose at least 2 or 3 more games, making their ceiling 6 or 7 wins at best.

Iowa State stayed unbeaten by riding roughshod over West Virginia 28-16. The Mountaineers felt the sting of their 1st Big XII loss, and are just 3-3 overall. ISU has a manageable home stretch beginning with UCF at home this weekend.

Syracuse slipped by NC State 24-17 to run their record to 5-1/2-1, but three more wins would make this their best season since they were 10-3 in 2018. The Wolfpack had high hopes at the beginning of the year, but have stumbled to a 3-4/0-3 record.

New Mexico got their 2nd win in a row with a 52-37 victory over Air Force. The Lobos hadn't won 2 consecutive games since the 1st 2 games of the 2021 season (finished 3-9), and haven't won 2 in a row against FBS teams since the last 2 games of the 2020 season (making that the start of a 4-game winning streak). The Falcons have lost 5 games in a season for the 1st time since they were 5-7 in 2018, but they still haven't defeated an FBS team this season.

Georgia Southern scored 21 unanswered points in the last 10 minutes to stun Marshall 24-23. The Thundering Herd led 23-3 going into the 4th quarter and looked firmly in control. The Eagles now sit atop the SBC East as the only team in the division without a conference loss, but they host JMU this week before going on the road to ODU and South Alabama the next 2 weeks.

Minnesota traveled out west and bested UCLA 21-17. The Golden Gophers improved to 4-3/2-2 as the Bruins fell to last place in the Big Ten at 1-5/0-4, becoming the 2nd team in FBS with 4 conference losses.

Kansas State won an exciting matchup with Colorado by a score of 31-28. Both teams are 2-1 in the Big XII, but KSU is 5-1 overall while the Buffs are 4-2.

Boise State went to Hawaii and won 28-7, as the Rainbow Warriors still don't have an FBS win. The Broncos are still a favorite to grab the G5 CFP slot, but play at UNLV after an off week this week in a game that could determine who wins the regular season conference title.

That's it for this week! Come back tomorrow for my updated Power Rankings! And there are some major changes!

Until next time, may you and your loved ones be blessed!