TWIF Notes 10/28/24

Welcome Back!

What an exciting 9th weekend of college football! We had exciting finishes, big games, and everything else that makes CFB so great!

In the lone FBS vs FCS game, UMass got their 2nd win of the season.

Here are my thoughts on the FBS vs FBS games.

Sam Houston started the week off by eking by FIU 10-7. The Bearkats got back on the winning side while the Panthers fell to their 3rd straight loss. SHS can make the CUSA CG by winning the rest of their games.

La Tech defeated UTEP 14-10, as apparently the CUSA has turned into a defensive league. Neither team will make the CG, but the Bulldogs could have a say in who does, as they still have to play 3 of the 4 contenders.

Winless Kennesaw State shocked everyone when they upended undefeated Liberty 27-24. The Owls earned their 1st win as an FBS team, their 1st win over an FBS opponent as an FBS team, and their 1st CUSA win. The Flames had won 18 of their previous 19 games. Liberty still in the CUSA chase, and still control their own destiny, but they now have no chance of making the CFP.

Jacksonville State pummeled Middle Tennessee 42-20 to win their 4th game in a row and stay in a 1st place tie in CUSA. The Gamecocks still have to play the other 3 contenders.

ODU slaughtered Georgia Southern 47-19 in one of the more surprising results of the week. The surprise is not that the Monarchs won, but that they won by 28 points. ODU has now won 3 in a row, and 4 of 5 to surge into a 1st place tie in the SBC East with the Eagles. If the Monarchs win out, they will play in the CG, as they now own the tiebreaker edge over GS, who lost for the 1st time since mid-September.

Pittsburgh romped over Syracuse 41-13 to stay undefeated and near the top of the ACC. The Panthers still have to play 2 of the other 3 contenders, starting with SMU on the road this weekend. 

Louisville eased by Boston College 31-27, handing the Eagles their 3rd straight loss. The Cardinals are now in the role of spoiler, as they have yet to play Clemson and Pitt.

Boise State solidified themselves at the top of the Mountain West with a 29-24 victory over UNLV on the road. The Rebels no longer control their own destiny, as they don't face Colorado State, who is undefeated in the MWC. 

USC crushed Rutgers 42-20 to stop their 3-game losing skid. The Scarlet Knights have lost 4 in a row, and I'm not sure if they'll be favored in any of their remaining games. The Trojans could still finish with 8 wins, but I think that's doubtful.

Ohio State survived against Nebraska, winning 21-17 to stay in the Big Ten title chase. Fortunately, they play 2 of the undefeated teams ahead of them in the standings, starting with Penn State in State College this weekend. But a loss to the Nittany Lions or to Indiana would probably eliminate the Buckeyes from plaing in the conference CG, but it would take 2 more losses to effectively knock them out of the CFP (I think). The Cornhuskers, on the other hand, lost yet another close game, as 6 of their last 7 losses have been by 7 points or less, and this loss keeps them from becoming bowl eligible for the 1st time since 2016. While they should win one more game to get there, there is certainly no guarantee that they will, as a loss to UCLA this weekend could cripple their chances.

Notre Dame stomped Navy 51-14, handing the Midshipmen their 1st loss of the year. The Fighting Irish have won 6 in a row, and their win over Texas A&M looks better and better, as their loss to NIU continues to look worse.

Indiana is now 8-0 for the 1st time since 1967 with a 31-17 win over Washington. The Hoosiers have a chance to be 9-0 for the 1st time ever when they travel to East Lansing to take on Michigan State, and have a great chance to win 10 games for the 1st time ever. Their 8 wins already matches their most since that 1967 season, as they were 8-5 in 2019, 8-4 in 1993, 8-3-1 in 1988, 8-4 in 1987, 8-4 in1979, and 8-1-1 in 1905. IU had 9-win seasons in 1945 (9-0-1 under HC Bo McMillin) and in 1967 (9-2 under HC John Pont). The Huskies have lost 2 in a row, and they'll have to win 2 of their remaining 4 games to make a bowl, a task that won't be easy.

Ole Miss dominated the 2nd half to subdue Oklahoma 26-14. The Rebels, with 2 losses already, vannot afford another one. The Sooners have lost 3 straight, and are in danger of missing a bowl for the 1st time since 1998. 

Virginia Tech soared past Georgia Tech 21-6, as the Yellow Jackets couldn't ever mount an offensive attack. With 3 straight wins, the Hokies have played themselves back into contention in the ACC, but they have a difficult schedule ahead.

North Carolina blasted Virginia 41-14 as the Tar Heels finally got a win after 4 consecutive losses. The Cavaliers have now lost 3 in a row.

Ohio devastated Buffalo 47-16, probably knocking the Bulls out of the MAC CG. The Bobcats are one of 3 teams at 3-1 behind undefeated WMU, as they have won 3 of their last 4. Buffalo has lost 2 straight.

Memphis struggled to get past Charlotte 33-28. The Tigers have won 4 in a row, as they are the only team with just one loss in the AAC, but they haven't been impressive, with 3 wins by 8 Points or less. The 49ers have played well this year, but don't have much to show for it.

Tulane outlasted North Texas 45-37. The Green Wave remain the favorite in the AAC, but they don't play Army. The Mean Green are having a good season, but they've lost 2 straight, and are still a game below bowl eligibility.

Arkansas romped over Mississippi State 58-25, but the Razorbacks have a tough schedule remaining. For the 1st time since losing to Toledo in Week 3, the Bulldogs looked overmatched. The Hogs are one of 6 teams with 2 SEC losses.

Appalachian State beat back Georgia State for a 33-26 victory. The win stops a 3-game slide for the Mountaineers while the Panthers have now lost 4 in a row.

Miami, OH jetted by Central Michigan to stay in a tie for 2nd place in the MAC after winning their 3rd game in a row, as the Chippewas have lost 3 straight.

East Carolina got their 1st win under interim HC Blake Harrell with a 56-34 victory over Temple.

TCU scored the final 14 points to stun Texas Tech 35-34. The Horned Frogs have quietly won 2 straight, and 3 out of 4 to creep back into the Big XII race. The Red Raiders appear to be in free fall, dropping their 2nd game in a row.

Oregon stomped Illinois 38-9, likely keeping the Fighting Illini out of the Big Ten CG; they take on Minnesota next at home. The Ducks remain unbeaten, and they have a schedule tailor-made to go undefeated, as long as they stay focused.

Alabama not only crushed Missouri 34-0 on the field, but it's likely that they crushed Mizzou's spirit as well. The Crimson Tide are still on the outside looking in, but they are only a few upsets away from making the SEC CG and/or the CFP. The Tigers have 2 blowout losses (lost by a combined 10-75) that could keep them from making the CFP regardless of how they do the rest of the way. 

BYU glided past UCF 37-24 as the Cougars are still undefeated, but it won't be easy to stay that way.The Knights have lost 5 games in a row.

Iowa routed Northwestern 40-14 as the Hawkeyes rebounded form their loss last week. The Wildcats have lost 2 in a row after their big upset of Maryland, and it seems iffy that they'll get to 6 wins aand a bowl game.

Minnesota grounded Maryland 48-23, making the Terrapins look like, well, turtles. The Golden Gophers are one of 5 teams at 3-2 in the Big Ten, so they need to win out to have any chance at making the Big Ten CG.

UConn topped Rice 17-10, leading to the dismissal of Rice HC Mike Bloomgren. The Huskies are 1 win from becoming bowl eligible, and teir chances are excellent they'll make it.

Wake Forest sneaked past Stanford 27-24. The Demon Deacons have won 2 straight, and 3 of 4, and are 2 wins from qualifying for a bowl. The Cardinal just lost their 5th game in a row.

Baylor kept Oklahoma State winless in the Big XII with a 38-28 win over the Cowboys, who have lost 5 consecutive games. The Bears have now won 2 in a row after weathering a 3-game slide.

James Madison plastered Southern Miss 32-15. The Golden Eagles have lost 6 in a row, and have lost 9 consecutive games against FBS foes. The Dukes have been alternating wins and losses the last 5 weeks, and although they are only 2-2 in the SBC, they are still in the race, as every team in the East division has at least 1 conference loss.

Akron upset Eastern Michigan 25-21. The loss deals a significant blow to the Eagles as they are now 2-2 in the MAC, and have lost 2 of their last 3 games. Meanwhile, the Zips broke a 9-game losing streak to FBS opponents, and got their 1st FBS win of the season.

Ball State got its 2nd MAC win, getting by Northern Illinois 25-23, and the Cardinals are actually in the title chase, even at 3-5 overall. The Huskies have just fallen off a cliff (speaking in success terms) since upsetting Notre Dame in Week 2, losing 4 of 6.

Bowling Green throttled Toledo 41-26, handing the preseason favorites their 2nd loss in the MAC, and maintaining pace with Ohio, Miami, and WMU.

Western Michigan flattened Kent State 52-21 to stay unbeaten in MAC contests. The Broncos are on a 4-game winning streak. The Golden Flashes remain winless, the only FBS team that hasn't won a game. In fact, KSU has lost 17 in a row, and 19 straight FBS games, all under current HC Kenni Burns (1-19 overall, 0-19 against FBS teams, 1-1 against FCS teams, and 0-12 in the MAC). The Golden Flashes have allowed 5 teams this year to score 52+ points (only twice last year), and have scored more than 24 points just twice in 8 games.

Tulsa scored 22 4th quarter- and 39 2nd half- points to defeat UTSA. The Roadrunners held a 35-7 halftime lead, but couldn't hold on as they dropped to 3-5 overall, and 1-3 in the AAC. The Golden Hurricane have the same record, both in the conference and overall.

California demolished Oregon State 44-7 as the Golden Bears broke a 4-game losing streak and revived hopes of a bowl. The Beavers have lost 3 in a row, each loss worse than the one before.

Texas held off a game Vanderbilt to win 27-24. Once again, the Commodores went toe-to-toe with one of the SEC's top teams, and nearly came away with the win. At 5-3, Vandy only needs one more win to get to their 1st bowl since 2018. Their 3 losses are by a combined 10 points. The Longhorns can breathe a sigh of relief as they head into their last idle week.

Colorado State stays unbeaten in MWC games with a 17-6 win over New Mexico. The Rams have a friendly closing schedule, but are capable of being upset at any time. The Lobos need one more MWC win to achieve their most conference wins since they were 6-2 in 2016.

South Alabama crushed ULM 46-17 in one of the most surprising results of the day. The Warhawks came into the game 5-1, and 3-0 in the SBC, and were idle last week. The Jaguars were only 3-4/2-1, but they now have 2 wins in a row, and are tied with ULM and Arkansas State for 2nd in the SBC West at 3-1.

West Virginia bettered Arizona 31-26, as each team battles to get to 6 wins. The Mountaineers are 4-4/3-2, and just broke a modest 2-game losing streak. The Wildcats are 3-5/1-4 and just lost their 4th game in a row.

Miami, Fl toyed with FSU in a 36-14 victory over the Seminoles. The Hurricanes are still unbeaten at 8-0/4-0, and have a favorable 4-game stretch to end the regular season. The Noles are...well...just bad.

Houston topped Utah 17-14, as the Cougars are 1 win shy of equalling last years 4 wins, and have already matched last years 2 Big XII wins. The Utes have lost 4 straight after starting the season 4-0, and they may not win another game this season.

Utah State kicked a FG with 2 seconds left to overcome Wyoming 27-25. The Aggies got their 1st FBS win of the season, while the Cowboys are headed for their worst season since they were 2-10 in 2015 (2-4 in 2020).

Arkansas State defeated Troy 34-31. The Red Wolves have won 2 in a row, and 3 of their last 4, while the Trojans have lost 4 straight.

Penn State plastered Wisconsin 28-13 to stay undefeated and set up a huge showdown with Ohio State this weekend in State College. The Nittany Lions have won 10 straight regular season games, and seemingly have a real chance to break into the top 2 in the Big Ten. The loss ended the Badgers' 3-game winning streak.

Texas A&M asserted itself in the 2nd half to best LSU 38-23. The Aggies are the only team in the SEC without a conference loss, which could lead to a SEC CG play-in game with Texas the last weekend of the season. The Tigers suffered their 1st loss since their opener, and now are a part of a gaggle of teams with 1 SEC loss.

Michigan beat Michigan State 24-17, ending a 2-game skid and keeping themselves from being eliminated in the Big Ten. The Spartans have matched last year's 4 wins, and could get 1 or 2 more to possibly become bowl eligible in HC Jonathan Smith's 1st year in East Lansing.

Auburn finally got a win, this time 24-10 over Kentucky. The Tigers had endured 4 straight tough losses, but finally got their 1st SEC win of the year (it might be their only SEC win of the year). The Wildcats have imploded since they beat Ole Miss in Oxford, losing their last 3 games by a combined 49 points.

Kansas State squeezed by Kansas 29-27. The Wildcats continue their successful season at 7-1/3-1, and they control their own destiny as far as making the Big XII CG. The Jayhawks have had a miserable season, with their 6 losses by a combined 30 points (5 ppg). I expect a big bounce back season next year.

SMU survived Duke 28-27 in the only OT game of the week. The Blue Devils missed a 2-point attempt in OT to hand the Mustangs their 7th victory, as the win keeps them unbeaten in ACC play. Duke falls to 6-2/2-2.

Fresno State pounded San Jose State 33-10. The Bulldogs are still in the MWC race at 3-1 while the Spartans drop to 3-2 in the MWC.

Colorado continues to improve, defeating Cincinnati 34-23 to move to 6-2 on the season (Qualified for a bowl!), and to 4-1 in the Big XII. The Buffaloes have an easy closing schedule- their opponents have a combined record of 14-18, with only their next opponent- Texas Tech- having a winning record at 5-3 (and the Red Raiders play at Iowa State this week while CU is idle). The Bearcats are 5-3/3-2, but may not get to 6 wins, as they have a tough slate ahead. However, Cincy has already surpassed last year's 3 wins overall, and 1 win in the conference.

Washington State stays in the CFP conversation with a 29-26 win over San Diego State. The Cougars are 7-1, and have an outside chance of making it into the playoff. The Aztecs are 3-4, but 2-0 in the MWC.

Hawaii blasted Nevada 34-13 to earn their 1st FBS win of the season. The Wolf Pack are 3-6/0-3, and it increasingly looks like their game with Air Force in 3 weeks will be a battle to stay out of last place.

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!