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The regular season of college football is over, waiting for some lost games and the Navy next weekend. The post-season photo, which tends towards clarity every week and leaves little drama at the top, is even clearer. But much remains to be decided.
Winner: Ohio State
Loser: Michigan
Michigan was rightly the favorite of the game for the first time since 2011. The Wolverines spent 11 weeks to be much better than the Buckeyes. It was Michigan's best shot in years. Then, Ohio State outclassed its southern rival from end to end, leaving no doubt that it still has one of the sport's most famous rivalries. After the Buckeyes are likely to face Northwestern next weekend, they are likely to play in the playoffs, although they have spent most of the year not resembling Ohio State at all.
Although it was fair to hit the Buckeyes for being doubtful all year and almost losing to Maryland in Week 12, it is also fair to congratulate them for what they did on Saturday. They got one of the best two victories of the year and maybe the best period, according to your opinion of what Georgia did to LSU in October. Freshman Chris Olave made a Columbus legend with two touchdowns and a blocked jackpot that turned into another Buckeye TD. Michigan seemed overwhelmed by the moment that seemed to present their best chance of winning this game.
I may be naive to be surprised at what the state of Ohio has done here, given Buckeye's two decades of domination over Michigan. The Ohio State would not have a hard time winning. But it was really something. It was an effort so impressive that it will largely undo the summary sentiments that the Ohio State had inspired before.
Perversely, given the recent history of OSU against Michigan, this is one of the most surprising moments of the season. The magnitude of the eruption made it so.
Winner: Notre Dame
The Irish 12-0 will play in the playoffs for the first time, two years after a 4-8 record. A 24-17 victory at USC was not exciting in itself, but when you do not lose, you get on the ground. (Our Lady is treated as a participatory conference team although she is not in a lecture.)
Is not it cool to know you're in the playoffs and do nothing while everyone other Who will play in this event must spend the next weekend slugging with someone else? There is enough time between now and the start of the playoffs so Notre Dame is probably not cooler, but no one will spend such a nice week in college football.
Loser: Clay Helton
The USC coach finished a 5-7 season by losing a game he should have won to keep his job. So, he seems destined to be fired.
Winner: The record of FBS overtime, for not being beaten
Although he is now tied for the second time in two years. After Western Michigan and Buffalo did it in 2017, Texas A & M did it at a banana rally at College Station on Saturday.
Loser: The FBS points record, for being beaten
A & M won 74-72, and these 146 points are the most marked of two teams. That exceeds the 137 Pitt and Syracuse set up in 2016, which were both a record in terms of regulation and outdoor play.
Winner: Arizona State
Many of us (including your author) have made fun of the hiring of Herm Edwards by the state of Arizona. A lot of us (again, your author included) think that Arizona has made a very wise lease to Kevin Sumlin. Guess who just finished in front of each other in the South Pac-12? And guess which one does not even play bowling, despite Khalil Tate?
Loser: Anyone who watched Rutgers-Michigan State
Michigan State won, but everyone lost. Do not make Google this game
(This has described just about every Spartan game this year.)
State of Boise
The Broncos gave Utah State its second defeat and took a place in the Mountain West championship game. If – and this is a very big one – UCF loses to Memphis in the AAC title game, the winner of the Boise-Fresno State MWC match could take the New Year's Day slot of the six to be awarded to the highest ranked 5-man of the playoff committee. .
Winner: Vanderbilt
Loser: Tennessee
The Commodores took control of the Tennessee-SEC rivalry, winning three straight wins and five out of seven. They also had the right to play, while the Vols were out.
Winner: Baylor
Winner: Purdue
Winner: Tulane
Winner: TCU
Winner: Minnesota
Winner: Wake Forest
Winner: Wyoming
Winner: Southern Miss
Everyone here won the Saturday Cup eligibility and all the extra training, money and loot that comes with it. (Players are paid in gifts of maximum value, not in money.)
Winner: Freedom
The Flames stayed alive to win the title by winning the bowl by beating the State of New Mexico at the team's second meeting of the year. (They will also play twice next year.) A win against FCS Norfolk State next week would only be Liberty in a bowl.
Loser: at least some teams eligible for the bowl
At least three will be absent because too many teams are eligible. Wyoming is on the list above, but could be one of the teams not to get a spot.
Loser: Lane Kiffin
Kiffin is well paid to coach a sport in Boca Raton. He is therefore a winner in the grand project of life. But he went from 10 wins and a US Conference championship to missing bowl eligibility by losing at home to a team from Charlotte who has just fired his coach.
Loser: Maryland
Loser: Arizona
Loser: Indiana
These teams were among those who had shots to get the right to bowling. All failed.
Winner: Oklahoma
Winner: Washington
Loser, Washington State
Loser: Virginia
These teams all played Black Friday. A detailed summary of this day's action is available, but let's get back to it quickly in case you're taking a post-rest nap:
The Sooners won a West Virginia 59-56 win to win a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game against their hosts. The Sooners' defense dropped by 8 yards per game, but that was acceptable, as the offense went to 10. Will Grier lost despite 539 yards, four touchdowns and no choice. For UO, it was the football equivalent of engaging in a fight in a Morgantown bar and stumbling in the street with scratches but no real damage. (Did this happen somewhere in Morgantown on Friday, certainly?)
And from the UW-WSU Apple Cup:
The Huskies were outsiders against their rivals against which they are almost never underdogs. The Cougars stayed in the playoff race and although it was not as easy as winning and entering, they were playing at home and would have been the favorites for the Pac-12 title match as well.
It did not work for Wazzu. Gardner Minshew has by far the worst game of his career against the excellent defenders of UW. Jake Browning and Myles Gaskin had large numbers. Chris Petersen's team remained the usual gold standard in the North, even in a year that saw three quick defeats and saw UW become one of the first national goals.
Just as in the state of Michigan and Ohio, it seemed that the state of Washington-Washington would be different this year. This turned out not to be true at all.
Virginia defeated rival Virginia Tech for the 15th time in a row, despite being favored and having many gold chances to win. If you combine drama, history and rivalry, there was no more devastating defeat this year than UVA, which took place just months after the defeat of the men's basketball team. Hoos ball in the NCAA tournament. I can not believe I'm saying that, but I feel horrible for UVA fans.
Loser: chaos
Keeping the theme of this season, there was little of that. The teams that were supposed to win the biggest games were won, although LSU and A & M gave a hand by allowing them to score thanks to their basketball score at College Station.
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