Zach Braziller

Zach Braziller

College Football

The College Football Playoff race is now complete chaos

A two-loss team. A two-bid conference. Two power conferences being left out.

It’s all in play for the College Football Playoff with seven weeks remaining in the season. The only certainty is uncertainty after another unpredictable Saturday when the list of contenders was whittled down, as four top-10 teams lost and several others were surprisingly pushed by inferior opponents.

It wasn’t so long ago it seemed like Alabama, Georgia, Clemson and Ohio State were on their way to the playoff. But that was before Clemson was nearly upset by Syracuse, Georgia was manhandled Saturday by LSU and Ohio State began showing slippage, struggling with also-rans Indiana and Minnesota.

Even Alabama had some nervous moments Saturday, after Heisman Trophy favorite Tua Tagovailoa suffered a right knee injury, though it doesn’t appear serious.

Right now, the Crimson Tide look like the only guarantee, the lone team that doesn’t play down to the competition. They can afford a loss. Otherwise, maybe only Ohio State can.

The weekend was full of upheaval, from Ohio State struggling with pedestrian Minnesota to last year’s runner-up Georgia getting blown away by LSU, which was coming off a dismal loss to Florida. Undefeated Notre Dame nearly fell to three-win Pittsburgh after convincing victories over Virginia Tech and Stanford. Penn State blew its second straight fourth-quarter lead, losing to previously struggling Michigan State, and Texas nearly wasted its upset over Oklahoma the previous weekend with a poor effort in a narrow win over Baylor.

The Pac-12 is likely done for the playoff for the third time in four years barring unforeseen chaos, after Washington suffered its second loss, in overtime to Oregon. The Big 12 will need a lot of fortune to make it. The conference is without an undefeated team after West Virginia was overwhelmed by plucky Iowa State.

It seems possible the Big Ten and SEC can get two teams each, if certain scenarios play out. In the SEC, if LSU defeats Alabama, giving it the SEC West tiebreaker, the winner of the league and the Crimson Tide would both be worthy, as was the case last year when Auburn knocked off Alabama. A similar situation could arise in the Big Ten, if red-hot Michigan wins out, knocks off Ohio State and goes on to win the league.

Of course, there are still seven weeks left. So much can happen. There will be more upsets and unpredictable results. Saturday was an example of the many possibilities that remain and the drama that will ensue.

Tigers feeling the ‘Burn

Was it really this year that Auburn looks like a playoff contender? It feels like another season since Gus Malzahn’s ’s team took out Washington to kick off the year. Losses to LSU, Mississippi State and Tennessee have followed. Saturday was the ugliest of all, as the Volunteers snapped an 11-game SEC losing streak. Trips to Alabama and Georgia remain. The Tigers are looking at their first losing season since 2012. If not for his huge buyout, Malzahn might have had to fear for his job the way this year is going.

Brock party for Cyclone’s coach

Take away his starting quarterback and Matt Campbell becomes very dangerous. The Iowa State coach knocked off Big 12 powers Oklahoma and TCU without his starter last year, handing each of them their first losses, and he did it again Saturday, as third string signal-caller and true freshman Brock Purdy led the Cyclones to a 30-14 win over West Virginia. No wonder Campbell is so popular when coaching-carousel season comes around.

Top 10

Tua TagovailoaGetty Images

1. Alabama (7-0) (Last week: 1)
This was a reminder that while the spotlight has been focused on Tua Tagovailoa and the dynamic Alabama offense, the defense remains championship caliber. Just ask Missouri’s Drew Lock, a top NFL prospect who was held to a season-low 142 passing yards and two interceptions.

2. Ohio State (7-0) (3)
The Buckeyes have three weeks until the schedule stiffens against rivals Michigan State and Michigan — time they need to fix the stagnant running game and leaky defense.

3. Notre Dame (7-0) (6)
This is how a senior should be rewarded for his patience, with game-winning plays during a memorable season. Miles Boykin now has more touchdown catches (four) in his past three games than in his previous 23 (three), and the latest one lifted the Irish past Pittsburgh on Saturday.

4. Clemson (6-0) (4)
The Tigers won’t face a stiffer test the rest of the way in the Charmin-soft ACC than undefeated N.C. State on Saturday, which is as much an indictment of the league as praise for the Wolfpack.

5. LSU (6-1) (5)
Miami, Auburn and now Georgia. Few teams have as many high-quality wins as LSU.

6. Michigan (6-1) (NR)
The offense is starting to catch up to the defense and the Wolverines are looking like a playoff contender, hammering Wisconsin, 38-13, after producing 444 yards of total offense.

7. Georgia (6-1) (2)
Not all is lost for the Bulldogs, a bid to the playoff remains in their control despite the ugly loss to LSU. But their path now demands winning out, which will likely include an SEC Championship game showdown with Alabama.

8. Texas (6-1) (NR)
If there was a time for quarterback Sam Ehlinger (shoulder sprain) to get banged up, it’s now, with a bye week followed by a trip to woeful Oklahoma State.

9. Florida (6-1) (NR)
Dan Mullen is working his magic in his first year in Gainesville. The Gators are averaging 34.4 points per game, their most since 2009.

10. Central Florida (6-0) (NR)
Sure, the level of competition can’t compare with the other teams here, but the nation-leading 19-game winning streak can’t be ignored, and neither can the fact 18 of those wins have come by at least seven points.

New: Central Florida (6-0), Florida (6-1), Michigan (6-1), Texas (6-1)
Dropped out: Auburn (4-3), Oklahoma (5-1), Penn State (4-2), West Virginia (5-1)

Heisman Watch

(In order of expected finish)

QB Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
Only a knee injury can slow down the southpaw, who still threw for 265 yards and three scores before being shut down in the third quarter.

Dwayne HaskinsGetty Images

QB Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State
Haskins has thrown for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns in five of seven games, continuing to state his case for a December trip to New York City.

QB Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
It’s worth following how Murray responds to the season’s first loss, after his two turnovers figured prominently in last weekend’s loss to Texas.

QB McKenzie Milton, Central Florida
The numbers weren’t overly impressive, but the performance was, rallying UCF from 13 points down at halftime for its 19th consecutive victory.

RB Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin
The sophomore became the first 100-yard rusher against Michigan this season in a lopsided loss, extending his streak of such games to seven.