TWIF Notes 10/19/26

Welcome Back!

I thought 2 weeks ago was pure chaos, but this past weekend had even more upsets, including 5 of the top 7 teams in the AP Poll losing. That had never happened before this weekend. There is so much to talk about, but I'll just try to hit the high (or low) points.

Here are my thoughts from Week 7.

1. Colorado State fired their DC a few weeks ago in the midst of giving up 56 points, but this past Thursday, they lost to Texas State by a score of 66-27. Not sure the DC was the problem...

2. Tulane came off the mat and eliminated Memphis from CFP consideration with a 31-17 win over the Tigers. That leaves UTSA (6-1/3-0) as the American Conference's best hope to snag a CFP bid, but one more loss likely eliminates the Roadrunners. This result likely opens the door a bit wider for JMU, Boise State, and New Mexico. Can they seize the opportunity, or will they stumble and let someone like NDSU or Oregon State sneak in?

3. Ohio State defeated the Indiana Hoosiers 19-15, and while they may have won the battle, they may have also lost the war, as star QB Julian Sayin is out for at least several weeks, according to reports. Can backup QB Tavien St. Clair (or one of the others) step up and keep the Buckeyes from stumbling down the stretch? An off week this week helps, but then OSU travels to USC and follows that up with home games versus Oregon and Northwestern, all of which suddenly become more difficult. And what of Indiana? Two of their last 3 wins are by 6 points or less, and this was their 1st loss in 22 games, and their last regular season loss was also against the Bucks. Is this just a blip for them, a team they just can't seem to beat, or is it the start of regression to just being "very good" like a bunch of other teams?

4. Florida's Jekyll-and-Hyde season continues, as they beat Texas 27-24, which by the way seemed to be the score of the day, if not the entire year. The Gators have eked by Auburn, destroyed Ole Miss, then were blasted by both Missouri and South Carolina before upending the Longhorns. Which team will show up in 2 weeks against Georgia?

5. West Virginia sure can find the end zone, beating Cincinnati 45-42, but their defense can't stop anyone. The Mountaineers have allowed 180 points over their last 4 games, giving up at least 41 in each. I guess their only chance for wins is to outscore the other team, as they did against the Bearcats.

6. Army obliterated FAU 56-24 as the Black Knights look to win the American Conference. The Owls had handled Navy earlier in the year, and I thought with an off week before this game, they would handle Army as well. In could not have been more wrong. Which also was a theme for the week...

7. James Madison brought Georgia State fans back to Earth with a 49-22 stomping of the Panthers. JMU is the lone 7-0 team in the nation, and could be the first to 8-0, 9-0, 10-0, and 11-0 as their 1st off date is the weekend of Nov 21. It's looking increasingly likely that the Dukes will make the CFP for a 2nd season in a row, with a different coach.

8. Rutgers topped Maryland 37-30 toe earn their 1st FBS win, and since the Terps don't play Michigan State, I'm not sure they have any opportunities left to get a Big Ten win, as they've now lost 12 conference games in a row, with no end in sight.

9. Charlotte got their 1st win- and FBS win- by beating Temple 38-31. This ended a 15-game losing streak, and a 16-game FBS losing streak. Oh and a 10-game American Conference losing streak. Good for the 49ers!

10. There were 3 OT games, and one 2OT game this week. First UAB defeated ECU 30-17. How do you win by 2 TDs in OT? By scoring first then getting a pick 6. Though if it had been me, I would have just fallen on the ball to make sure nothing weird happened, like a fumble. The others were Ball State over Bowling Green 32-31, Buffalo over UMass 25-18, and Miami over FSU 43-35 in double OT. The last one had a controversial ending, as seemingly every close game does lately.

11. Georgia played about as poorly as it has in quite some time and still almost won. The 27-24 result was a great victory for Auburn, but the Dawgs were the better team, and as we all know, the better team doesn't always win. Especially when they lose the turnover battle 3-0 and make dumb personal foul penalties to extend drives for the other team. The Tigers simply made fewer mistakes, and that is often the case for the winner, especially in these types of rivalry games, so kudos to the War Eagles. That brings up 2 questions: 1) is this the beginning of a turnaround for the Plainsmen or is it a one-off, and 2) will this actually benefit the Bulldogs in the long run, strengthening their resolve for a championship run? We'll find out soon as the season plays out. It's one of the things we all love about sports- the uncertainty!

12. The Volunteers are the newest darling in the SEC as they now stand just a half game behind leaders UGA and UK. The Vols manhandled the Crimson Tide, pulling out a 26-10 win at home that is their 3rd in a row in Knoxville. Will they be able to sustain their success, or will they fall to the wayside like so many others?

13. Ole Miss plastered Missouri 31-3, knocking one of those SEC darlings to the wayside. The Tigers get a week off before the homestretch at Arkansas and Georgia, and Texas, Kentucky, and Oklahoma at home. Oof!

14. Texas Tech finally stopped playing with their food and dominated Arizona State 53-25. The Red Raiders have the easiest path to the Big 12 CG, and just need to avoid a stumble the last half of the season. 

15. North Carolina may actually be a force in the ACC this year after their 24-20 win at rival Duke. The Tar Heels are now 2-1 in the conference, and 4-2 overall. 

16. Michigan scored 21 2nd half points to down Penn State 21-18 and overcome a 3-0 halftime deficit. The Nittany Lions are in freefall after a 3-0 start for a 2nd straight season, but the rest of their schedule isn't very difficult, as their toughest game is at 4-3 Washington.

17. Arkansas broke a 14-game SEC losing streak with a 31-21 win over Vandy, but they haven't won an SEC game at home since topping #4 Tennessee in the 6th game of the 2024 season. They'll have 3 more chances to do that this season when they host Missouri, South Carolina, and LSU over the last 5 weeks.

18. TCU beat Baylor 17-6, and the Horned Frogs are vicious on defense. They have allowed only 73 points in 6 games, and average of just 12.17 ppg. Only UCF has scored more than 17 points against them, and even BYU had just 17.

19. North Dakota State bounced back from their 1st FBS loss by bouncing Nevada 31-17.

20. BYU defeated Notre Dame 28-24 in yet another game with a controversial ending. It seems to almost be required nowadays. By winning, the Cougars solidified their chances of making the CFP, and the chances of the Big 12 getting 2 or more in the field also was enhanced. The Big 12 is the only conference with more than 1 undefeated team, as Texas Tech and Utah are also unbeaten. The Fighting Irish, meanwhile, lost a game they needed to win, as their schedule is so soft they are unlikely to play their way into the field if they also lose to Miami in 3 weeks.

21. UCLA continues to surprise me, as they beat Wisconsin 17-7 without star QB Nico Iamaleava. The Bruins are winning on the strength of their defense, holding their last 3 opponents to just 25 points total.

22. Kentucky looks legitimate after their 21-13 victory over Oklahoma. The Sooners already have 3 losses, which probably excludes them from the 12-team event this year, but not the 24-team one next year. 

23. Houston survived Oklahoma State, posting a 35-32 victory over the Cowboys and keeping alive their hopes of making the Big 12 championship, but they absolutely must win at Utah this weekend to make that dream come true. Even then, they would have to rely on a BYU loss, maybe to Utah in a few weeks, but that may not be enough. I'm not sure who would get into the CG in the case of a 3-way tie for 2nd, or a 4-way tie for 1st (if Texas Tech loses a game).

24. Wake Forest just demolished Cal 41-7, and the Demon Deacons may just get a rematch with Miami in the ACC CG. 

25. Fresno State had a chance to win the new Pac 12, but lost to San Diego State by a score of 26-23, and while that doesn't eliminate them from the Pac 12 CG, the conference probably doesn't want a 3-loss team winning and destroying any chance at a CFP bid. 

26. 121 of 138 teams played this past weekend, 4 more than last week. That's still just too many teams to list.

That's it for this week! Come back tomorrow for my updated Power Rankings!

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