Reax: Interesting debates as penultimate Playoff Ranking revealed

Not a whole lot changed from last week, considering previously No. 3 Michigan fell on the road in double overtime at No. 2 Ohio State. The only other mover in the Top 10 of the Playoff Committee ranking was Colorado jumping Oklahoma. The Sooners were off, while the Buffaloes took down Utah to clinch the Pac-12 South. Here's the Top 10 and some thoughts, courtesy of BENched.

A quick reminder: The rankings today have absolute no bearing on the final rankings on Dec. 4. If a team is ahead of another team now and both win out, they can flip-flop. Here's the Playoff Committee's Top 10:

The Playoff Poll Top 10

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Clemson
4. Washington
5. Michigan
6. Wisconsin
7. Penn State
8. Colorado
9. Oklahoma
10. Oklahoma State

Alabama is all but assured a spot in the College Football Playoff. Even if the Crimson Tide lose to Florida in the SEC Championship Game, they will surely not fall out of the Top 4.

Ohio State held onto its No. 2 ranking, while Clemson and Washington each moved up one spot to Nos. 3 and 4, respectively. Two years ago, the Committee dropped TCU from No. 3 to No. 6 because it did not play in a conference championship game, thus not collecting a "13th data point." Ohio State also won't be playing in a championship game, but everyone seems to think the Buckeyes are guaranteed a Playoff spot.

I have a lot of thoughts on this, but the most prevalent right now is that it is hard for me to understand why Ohio State gets a virtual bye week, whilst Clemson and Washington are in must-win games against ranked opponents. If Clemson or Washington lose, they'll be out of the Playoff. Ohio State gets to enjoy the weekend on the couch.

The Huskies are excited to be back in the Top 4.
Washington needs a win Friday over Colorado in the
Pac-12 title game to remain there. We think.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)

Michigan dropped to fifth and is the first of three straight Big Ten teams (after Ohio State). Wisconsin and Penn State, the two teams playing in the Big Ten Championship Game, follow at sixth and seventh. The winner more than likely jumps Michigan, but the question remains if the Committee will put the Big Ten champ in the Top 4. All season, the Committee has said the Big Ten is the best conference and the metrics prove that. So, how can the champion of that conference be left out of the Playoff?

Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are behind Colorado, meaning Bedlam will simply be for the Big 12 title and a trip to the Sugar Bowl. Even if Clemson and Washington lose, the Bedlam winner will be competing with: Michigan, the Big Ten champion, and Colorado for the final two spots. Advantage: those other teams.

Other thoughts:

• The SEC had three teams that lost this past weekend remain in the Top 25. That's not all too shocking. What is baffling is how those three teams - Auburn, Florida and Tennessee - somehow managed to drop a combined six spots. Auburn fell one spot from 13 to 14, despite an 18-point loss at Alabama. Florida also lost by 18 at Florida State, but the Gators remained exactly where they were a week ago at 15th. And Tennessee was pummeled by a 5-6 Vanderbilt team by 11 points and only dropped five spots from 17 to 22. LSU entered the rankings at No. 21 after beating unranked Texas A&M.
• Auburn, the highest ranked of that group is in the best shape to head to the Sugar Bowl, as the SEC representative. That would pit the Bedlam winner against the Tigers in New Orleans.
• Louisville and Florida State give us another interesting debate. The Cardinals and Seminoles are both 9-3. Louisville has lost its last two games to Houston and Kentucky, while Florida State has won four straight, including the 31-13 win over Top 15 Florida. Louisville went 7-1 in the ACC; FSU went 5-3. And Louisville beat FSU 63-20 back in September. Yet, the Noles are ranked 12th and Louisville is 13th. This makes sense from a "FSU is playing better right now" perspective. But if the two teams are so close that they are one spot apart, how is head-to-head not used, especially when that head-to-head result is a 43-point shellacking?
• That said, I actually agree that FSU is the better team right now.
• Western Michigan is now the highest ranked Group of 5 team at No. 17. The Broncos are undefeated and play for the MAC Championship Friday night against Ohio. A win in Detroit all but guarantees they will be headed to the Cotton Bowl.
• That is unless Navy, which is No. 19 but has two losses, impresses the committee more by winning the AAC. It's possible, but not probable, that the Midshipmen could jump Western Michigan and claim that coveted spot in the New Year's Six.

CFB Playoff and New Year's Six Bowl Projections (Based on current rankings)

• Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Washington
• PlayStation Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Clemson
• Capital One Orange Bowl: No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 12 Florida State
• Goodyear Cotton Bowl: No. 7 Penn State vs. No. 17 Western Michigan
• Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual: No. 6 Wisconsin vs. No. 8 Colorado
• Allstate Sugar Bowl: No. 9 Oklahoma vs. No. 14 Auburn

-BtW

Final Ben Ten Rankings before Playoff announcement

Well, here we are. The final weekend of the season draws near. Here's what we know: Alabama is No. 1. After that, there will be at least five teams arguing for three Playoff spots. Those five are: Clemson (if it wins the ACC), Ohio State, and the Big 12, Big Ten, and Pac-12 winners. Good luck to the Playoff Committee Saturday night into Sunday morning. For now, here's how I see it. Remember, I'm not predicting the Playoff rankings that will come out Tuesday, I'm giving you my Top 10 as of the games played Saturday.

Playoff Teams

1) Alabama
Last week: No. 1
Record: 12-0
Wins over currently ranked teams: USC, LSU, Auburn
This week: vs. Florida (SEC Championship)
Alabama will enter the College Football Playoff regardless of what happens in Atlanta Saturday. The Crimson Tide didn't allow a touchdown in the month of November (against LSU, Mississippi State, Chattanooga and Auburn). It appears Alabama will earn back-to-back games in the Georgia Dome, as both the SEC Championship and Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, the site of one of the semifinal games, are held in the Dome.

2) Clemson

Clemson flexed its muscle against South Carolina. The Tigers
are flexing at the right time with the Playoff around the corner.
(Photo courtesy Clemson Athletics)

Last week: No. 3
Record: 11-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Auburn, Louisville, Florida State
This week: vs. Virginia Tech (ACC Championship)
Clemson annihilated South Carolina 56-7 and has been on a tear since losing to Pitt. The Tigers jumped out to a 28-0 lead before Wake Forest scored and led 42-0 before the Gamecocks scored. Clemson has taken its focus to a new level and though the competition hasn't been great, both Wake Forest and South Carolina are going bowling. Clemson has scored 35 points or more in five straight games, including 54+ points in two of the five. The reason for flipping Clemson ahead of Ohio State? Simple: The Tigers earned the chance to play for a conference championship. The Buckeyes did not.

3) Ohio State

Last week: No. 2
Record: 11-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan
This week: N/A
Color me unimpressed with Ohio State in its games against quality competition. If not for a few boneheaded mistakes - both on the field and by the coaches - the Buckeyes could have three losses. Ohio State lost at Penn State, was fortunate the escape East Lansing as Michigan State decided to go for two points and the win - and failed - and used a handful of Michigan turnovers to upend the Wolverines in double overtime at home.

4) Washington
Last week: No. 5
Record: 11-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: N/A
This week: vs. Colorado (Friday in Pac-12 Championship)
Washington drubbed Washington State in the Apple Cup 45-17 in a game that wasn't that close. The Huskies still need to win the Pac-12 to earn a Playoff bid. Washington's résumé took a hit as both the ranked teams it had beaten - Utah and Washington State - fell out of the AP Top 25. The only quality game on UW's schedule is now a 13-point home loss to USC, which has three losses.

Next in line

5) Michigan
Last week: No. 4
Record: 10-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: Colorado, Penn State, Wisconsin
This week: N/A
Michigan led Ohio State for over half the game. The Wolverines were literally inches away from taking down the Buckeyes in Columbus. However, the takeaway here is that Michigan went 2-2 in road games. The two wins were against Rutgers and Michigan State, two teams with a combined 5-19 record. The two losses: Iowa (8-4) and Ohio State (11-1). Essentially, Michigan couldn't handle two quality opponents in their home environment. They do, however, hold wins over both teams playing in the Big Ten title game - Wisconsin and Penn State.

6) Wisconsin
Last week: 6
Record: 10-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: LSU, Iowa, Nebraska
This week: vs. Penn State (Big Ten Championship)
We've reached the point in the rankings where Big Ten teams are actually headed to the conference championship game. Wisconsin used a second half comeback to knock off a pesky Minnesota team, 31-17. The Badgers already locked up the Big Ten West a day earlier when Nebraska was taken down by Iowa. Wisconsin's body of work is nice, with three wins over ranked teams and two seven-point losses to Michigan and Ohio State. Still, that's two losses and the Badgers will need help to jump into the Top 4.

7) Oklahoma
Last Week: 7
Record: 9-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: West Virginia
This week: vs. Oklahoma State
Oklahoma received no help this weekend. The Sooners were on a bye and hoped for chaos. Instead, much of the action ahead of them went as expected. It's been a nice turnaround since the 1-2 start for Oklahoma, but going undefeated in the Big 12 (to this point) won't win over very many committee members. OU can still win the conference by winning Bedlam over Oklahoma State in Norman. That'd send the Sooners to the Sugar Bowl against some SEC team (Auburn and Florida seem the likeliest of the bunch). An 11-win season with a New Year's Six Bowl win over an SEC team would be great momentum heading into the offseason - a far cry from the past two offseasons.

8) Penn State
Last week: 8
Record: 10-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: Ohio State, Iowa
This week: vs. Wisconsin (Big Ten Championship)
Penn State erupted for 35 points in the second half of its 45-12 win over Michigan State to clinch the Big Ten East title. The Nittany Lions earned their first trip the Big Ten Championship Game. Penn State will have a solid argument to get into the Playoff because it A) beat Ohio State head-to-head and B) would have a conference championship. That's not to say PSU will be in, but it will have a strong argument for winning the toughest conference this season.

9) Colorado
Last week: 9
Record: 10-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: Stanford
This week: vs. Washington (Friday in Pac-12 Championship)
Colorado edged Utah 27-22 in a game the Buffs needed big time. It's been a while since Folsom Field has had that kind of celebration and it is great to see what Mike MacIntyre has done in Boulder. Colorado will get its chance to put an exlamation point on its season with the Pac-12 Championship game against Washington. A win at least gets Colorado in the conversation of the Playoff, but assures the Buffaloes at least the Rose Bowl. A loss, and they could still make the Rose Bowl by being the highest ranked Pac-12 team after Washington (if Washington makes the Playoff).

10) Western Michigan
Last week: 10
Record: 12-0
Wins over currently ranked teams: None
This week: vs. Ohio (Friday in MAC Championship)
Here they are, the only other undefeated team in the land after the regular season. Western Michigan can lock up a New Year's Six Bowl bid by winning the MAC title Friday against Ohio. If the Broncos do win, they will be rowing the boat from Kalamazoo, Michigan, to Arlington, Texas, for the Cotton Bowl. What a fantastic job P.J. Fleck has done.

Dropped out: None

Four on the outside: Oklahoma State, Southern Cal, Florida State, West Virginia

-BtW

The Morning After... Another State Championship!

1) What Clemson and South Carolina fans witnessed Saturday night was complete and utter domination. One team was focused, talented and eager to put a whippin' on its rival. The other just wanted to get out of dodge as soon as possible. The Gamecocks could not match up with the Tigers man-for-man.

(Photo courtesy Clemson Athletics)

2) Deshaun Watson likely finishes his career in Death Valley the way he started it. In Watson's first career home start, he threw six TD passes against North Carolina. Saturday night, he tossed six against South Carolina. The young man has had a career worthy of every award and record he's earned. I've been critical of him and I don't apologize for that. There are still flaws in his game, but at this time, it's just nitpicking at things I wish were perfect. Well, Deshaun Watson ain't perfect. Nobody is or ever will be. But Watson is as close to perfect as Clemson's ever had at the QB position.

3) A year ago, Mike Williams stood on the sidelines with a neck brace. Williams might want to get his back checked out this time as Gamecock defenders dangled off him all night. He made NFL-type catches and showed by Mel Kiper has him as the No. 1 WR in the upcoming NFL Draft. His first TD was a thing of beauty. His second was unreal. Williams carried the Carolina defender eight yards into the end zone. You have to see it to understand how awesome of a highlight that was. Williams was a man among boys.

🔥😲🏈💪 South Carolina defenders couldn't bring down Clemson's Mike Williams#Clemson #SouthCarolina #SCARvsCLEM pic.twitter.com/qJZq5JVeKR

— The Fanatics View (@thefanaticsview) November 27, 2016

4) Incredible defensive performance by the Tigers to boot. USC freshman QB Jake Bentley looked like he belonged in high school. He finished 7-of-17 for 41 yards and an interception. Bentley only played one half, supposedly injuring his knee. Will Muschamp said there was nothing wrong with him other than he wasn't comfortable pushing off throwing, but Muschamp didn't want to put him back in the game. The Gamecocks had 218 yards, were 4-for-14 on third downs, and had just 14 first downs (Clemson had 41). Again, there was very little South Carolina could do to find any mismatches on the field. The Tigers were just better all around.

5) I'm going to do a little bragging here, and also set the record straight. I've heard nothing but a bunch of whiny sour grapes coming out of the mouths of Gamecocks - coaches, players and fans. You got beat. Deal with it. Stop trying to act like you didn't do any trash talking all week. Stop trying to act like you didn't rub it in during your five-game winning streak. Stop trying to act like your players are perfect little angels and Clemson's are the scum of the earth.

Clemson's players didn't say much this week and let their play on the field do the talking. They very well could have said a lot, considering they'd won two in a row in the series. After the game, a third straight win, they didn't hold back. And good for them. They're right. South Carolina has been, is, and always will be the little brother in this state. Clemson does run the state. The 56-7 thrashing makes that pretty clear. As does the 68-42-4 series record. Get over it.

6) Michigan and Ohio State might have been a good game that went to double-overtime, but color me unimpressed. It was 17-17 at the end of regulation. Neither offense looked competent. Ohio State's kicker missed two chipshot field goals. Michigan fumbled at the one-yardline and threw two costly INTs - one returned for a TD and one that set up a short TD drive. Ohio State was 3-of-16 on third downs. Michigan had 91 rushing yards (2.1 yards per rush). I realize it was a huge game with big ramifications, but neither team was impressive. The rest of the nation will tell you it was a classic - and it was - and that both teams are deserving of high rankings and praise. That's great. Just not from this guy.

7) Rivalry weekend produced a lot of thrills and upsets that no one saw coming. NC State knocked off North Carolina, Missouri over Arkansas, Air Force over Boise State, Texas Tech over Baylor, and Arizona over Arizona State ... All of those took place before Saturday. Then, there was Georgia Tech over Georgia, Kentucky over Louisville, Mississippi State over Ole Miss, Oregon State over Oregon and Vandy over Tennessee. Gotta love it.

8) The Heisman race is back open. Here are the serious contenders: Lamar Jackson, Louisville; Deshaun Watson, Clemson; Dalvin Cook, Florida State; Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma; Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma. That's it. Jackson has stumbled his past two games to allow the other contenders to close the gap. I still think he will be the winner, but it won't be as large of a margin as previously thought.

9) The ACC finished 3-1 over the SEC for the second straight season in in-state rivalries. Over the past three seasons, the ACC teams (Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and Louisville) are a combined 10-2 against South Carolina, Florida, Georgia and Kentucky. ... Every Power 5 conference has a championship game next weekend - four actual championship games (ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12, SEC) and one by luck (Big 12). ... The Playoff Committee ranking comes out Tuesday and I will warn everyone now: Michigan will be ranked No. 4 this week. The Committee isn't likely to drop Michigan behind Washington at this point because the overall body of work favors the Wolverines. And a double-overtime road loss to the No. 2 team in the country doesn't do much to warrant a big drop anyway. However, conference championships are not factored in this week. After this coming Saturday, they will be and that's where Michigan (and Ohio State) will likely drop if Clemson and Washington win their conferences.

10) After Virginia Tech's 52-10 over Virginia, Hokies defensive end Ken Ekanem said, "This was a statement game, to tell Clemson that we're coming." Bring it, turkeys. Beat Virginia Tech.

-BtW

This is OUR state

67-42-4.

That is Clemson's record against South Carolina. The Tigers own a 25-game lead in a series that is the second longest running rivalry game in the country (107 straight games; trails Wisconsin-Minnesota currently at 109).

The Palmetto Bowl rivalry between Clemson and South Carolina takes a backseat to no one. Sure Alabama-Auburn or Ohio State-Michigan or OU-Texas have had more meaningful games in their series history. But the hatred between fans of the Tigers and Gamecocks is on equal footing as those rivalries.

Clemson currently owns a two-game winning streak. It comes on the heels of a South Carolina five-game streak. That was a first in the rivalry's history. 

You see, Clemson is used to beating South Carolina. The Tigers have had a four-game or more winning streak eight different times through the years. The Gamecocks have done it twice. 

Clemson's longest streak is seven (1934-40). The Tigers have had two four-game streaks since 1997. 

South Carolina's longest is the five-game streak it had from 2009-13. Prior to that, the only streak to reach four wins was from 1951-54.

USC or Carolina, as it's known throughout the state of South Carolina, won the first game of the series in 1896. That year was the fourth for USC's program and the first at Clemson. Carolina won 12-6. That's the last time the Gamecocks led the series. Clemson won four in a row and 13 of the next 16 (two SC wins and one tie). Clemson blanked South Carolina nine times in those 13 wins, allowing a total of 31 points. The Tigers reigned supreme and haven't looked back in the series.

Until the last decade, the Gamecocks were a sub-.500 program all-time. They'd won one conference title (1969 ACC Championship) and one SEC East title in 2010. They were a middling program, usually picked behind the SEC East powers (Florida, Georiga, Tennessee) and just ahead of the cellar dwellers (Vanderbilt and Kentucky). 

Clemson won the 1981 national championship and currently owns 15 ACC championships - tied for most in the league with Florida State - along with six other conference championships from previous affiliations. Of course, the Tigers played for it all again last year.

If you're from the Palmetto State, you must pick a side.

But this game means everything in the Palmetto State. Families are split. You're born into it and you don't have a choice. You're either a Tiger or a Gamecock. You live with folks on either side. You go to school with friends of both teams. You work alongside the enemy.

For 364 days a year, you're reminded about that last November encounter - or you're the one doing the reminding. Then, that 365th day comes and everything reaches fever pitch. Whether in Williams-Brice Stadium or Death Valley, fanbases on both sides converge for a day of tailgating, football ... and hate.

The moment those orange-clad fans spot garnet clothing, you'll hear a familiar refrain: "Cock-a-doodle-do! Cock-a-doodle-do! Carolina Gamecocks to hell with you!" A Gamecock fan will reply back with a "Clem-sucks!" And the back-and-forth spewing goes on all day.

Rivalry jokes are aplenty. Stories of games are recounted at annual family gatherings, such as Thanksgiving. It's all in good fun, ribbing your family members for their latest loss.

One day a year, though, it's all hate. The build-up to this week starts with quotes from players and coaches. It boils to highlight videos from previous years. Thanksgiving dinners are prepared and predictions are made at the table. Other games serve as an appetizer to ours. Saturday arrives and you could cut the tension in the air like a hot knife through butter.

We've won too much in this series and have too much riding on the line to let our feathered friends from Columbia ruin our season. That record, 67-42-4, is that way for a reason.

Rivalry? No. That's just a cute moniker because we share a backyard.

This is domination. This is our state.

Beat the Gamecocks.

-BtW

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 13 (Rivalry Week)

Savor the leftovers and kick back on the couch. Rivalry Week is here! This is the best week of the college football season, as hate fills the air. Your neighbors, your friends, your co-workers are either with you or against you. There's nothing like these heated games. Throw out the records, throw out the statistics. With 365 days of bragging on the line, expect the unexpected. After this, we'll be on to championship weekend. But there are lots of scores to settle. Onward with the picks!

2016 BENched PTF Record

Last Week: 10-1
Game of the Week Pick: 4-4

Overall: 107-44 (.709 win %)

*Rankings below reflect the CFB Playoff Top 25

Friday

NC State at North Carolina - Carolina-State Game (UNC leads 66-33-6)
(Line: North Carolina -10.5)
Not the best game of the weekend, but a solid rivalry here. NC State needs a win to become bowl eligible. Carolina needs a win to have a chance at the Coastal Division title (the Heels still have to wait on the Virginia Tech game on Saturday). The Wolfpack have come oh so close several times this season. The difference in this one will be UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Heels 27-21

Arkansas at Missouri - Battle Line Rivalry (Mizzou leads 4-3)
(Line: Arkansas -8)
This has never been much of a rivalry, but the SEC is trying to make it one. The Razorbacks knocked off Mississippi State on the road last weekend, a first in the Beilema era. Mizzou pretty much stinks. Hogs 34-17

No. 16 Nebraska at Iowa - Heroes Game (Nebraska leads 29-14-3)
(Line: Iowa -1.5)
An intriguing game for Nebraska as the Huskers need a win and a Wisconsin loss to clinch the Big Ten West. Iowa has already taken down Michigan a few weeks ago. The Huskers are ranked, but the Hawkeyes are favored. Huskers 23-20

TCU at Texas - (Texas leads 62-23-1)
(Line: Texas -3)
Is Charlie Strong out or is he staying? Will his players play for him or are they tired of the season-long drama? TCU is coming off its worse loss in a long, long time, so the Horned Frogs might be desperate. So might the Longhorns trying to either save Strong's job, or send him off on a positive note. Both teams clinch bowl eligibility with a win, though TCU has one more opportunity next weekend. Horns 45-34

No. 5 Washington at No. 23 Washington State - Apple Cup (UW leads 70-32-6)
(Line: Washington -6)
The most interesting Apple Cup probably ever. Wazzu hosting UW with the Pac-12 North on the line. The Huskies are arguably the more talented team, but the Cougs are led by the unheralded Luke Falk. Washington needs the win to remain in Playoff contention. WSU would love nothing more than to spoil that opportunity. What a game this should be on the Palouse! Huskies 38-37

Baylor vs. Texas Tech - at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas - BUTT Bowl (Baylor leads 37-36-1) 
(Line: Baylor -5.5)
OK, so it's called the BUTT Bowl unofficially - Baylor's initials BU added to Texas Tech's TT. But that's just too funny not to use here! Anyway, the Bears have lost four straight since starting 6-0 this season. Their last three losses have come by 21 points or more each. Texas Tech was just blown out by Iowa State 66-10. What in the world is going on in Lubbock? Bears 44-42

Arizona State at Arizona - Territorial Cup ('Zona leads 48-40-1)
(Line: Arizona State -3)
The Wildcats and Sun Devils duel in the desert for a rivalry lacking intensity this season. Arizona State can only become bowl eligible with a win. Arizona is just 2-9. No gold coming out of the Copper State this time. ASU 31-26

Saturday

GAME OF THE WEEK

JT Barrett and the Buckeyes look to upend
Michigan's shot at the CFB Playoff.
(Photo courtesy The Lima News)

No. 3 Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State - The Game (Michigan leads 58-47-6)
(Line: Ohio State -6.5)
This one is known as The Game and this year, it is the game of the weekend. No. 3 Michigan pays a visit to arch-rival No. 2 Ohio State. With the winner eyeing a Playoff berth, this one means more than most years. In 2006, a similar event occurred in Columbus and the Buckeyes emerged with a thrilling win. Michigan will likely be without starting QB Wilton Speight. A win sends the Wolverines to the Big Ten Championship Game. Ohio State can only win and hope Penn State loses later in the day. Still, the Buckeyes would be in the conversation for a Top 4 spot. All signs point to a Buckeye win, creating chaos for the Playoff Committee. Bucks 30-17

Georgia Tech at Georgia - Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate (UGA leads 65-40-5) 
(Line: Georiga -4)
Mark Richt ain't on the sidelines in red and black anymore. He coached UGA to a 13-2 record against the Yellow Jackets. The Bulldogs, now under Kirby Smart, defeated Auburn and North Carolina, but have a loss to Vanderbilt and narrow wins over Nicholls, Missouri and UL-Lafayette. Tech bounced back from a three-win season to reach seven so far, including an upset in Blacksburg over Virginia Tech. Outside of that, however, the Jackets have basically beaten everybody they should've and lost to everyone better. Dawgs 20-17

Kentucky at No. 11 Louisville - Governor's Cup (Series tied 14-14)
(Line: Louisville -26)
A year ago, Louisville fell behind Kentucky 24-7 before storming back with 31 straight points to win 38-24. Lamar Jackson is the Heisman front-runner and the Cards had an extra couple days to digest their loss at Houston. I doubt this one is close, but we all know anything can happen in these rivalry games. Cards 56-28

Virginia at Virginia Tech - Commonwealth Cup (VT leads 55-37-5)
(Line: Virginia Tech -18.5)
All the Hokies have to do is beat Virginia and they'll travel to Orlando next week for the ACC Championship. Seems pretty easy, as VT has dominated this series, winning 12 in a row. Three of the last four, however, have been by four points or less. Lane Stadium will get to celebrate a Coastal championship along with winning the Commonwealth Cup. Hokies 34-13

Michigan State at No. 7 Penn State - Land Grant Trophy (MSU leads 15-14-1)
(Line: Penn State -12)
If Ohio State beats Michigan and that game ends just prior to kickoff in Happy Valley, the whole stadium will let James Franklin and the Nittany Lions know. All Penn State has to do is take down three-win Sparty. MSU gave Michigan and Ohio State fits, although both of those games were in East Lansing. Penn State is seeking its first-ever trip to the Big Ten Championship Game. Nittany Lions 24-14

No. 13 Auburn at No. 1 Alabama - Iron Bowl (Bama leads 44-35-1)
(Line: Alabama -17)
Two weeks ago, this looked like a clash of SEC West titans once again. Then, Auburn looked inept at Georgia. Alabama doesn't have to win this game, but you and I both know Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide faithful feel otherwise. Both defenses are tough, but the edge has to go to Bama and its ability to wear teams down over four quarters. Tide 34-21

Mississippi State at Ole Miss - Egg Bowl (Ole Miss leads 63-43-6)
(Line: Ole Miss -8)
The Egg Bowl has lost some luster due to both teams fading fast in the last year. An Egg Bowl win gives Ole Miss another bowl trip, while Mississippi State would love to have the Rebels staying home for the holidays too. Freshman Shea Patterson will be baptized by fire in this heated rivalry. He could be the key to an Ole Miss win. Rebs 28-24

Minnesota at No. 6 Wisconsin - Paul Bunyan's Axe (Minnesota leads 59-58-8)
(Line: Wisconsin -14.5)
It's simple for Wisconsin: Win and clinch the Big Ten West. Minnesota has been solid all year, but the Badgers are just too good a team and are playing at home. Camp Randall will be rocking and Wisconsin will get the Axe. Badgers 41-24

Notre Dame at No. 12 USC - Jeweled Shillelagh (ND leads 46-36-5)
(Line: USC -17.5)
These two teams went in opposite directions following Week 1 losses. Remember when USC lost 52-6 to Alabama and began the year 1-3? The Trojans now find themselves in contention for the Pac-12 South, or at the very least a potential berth in a New Year's Six Bowl. That's all thanks to the emergence of quarterback Sam Darnold. As for the Irish, who lost 50-47 in double-OT at Texas, the season ends with this one. ND is 4-7, will miss out on a bowl, has rumors swirling about its head coach, and to top it off was just forced by the NCAA to vacate wins from the 2012 and 2013 seasons. What a nightmare of a fall in South Bend. Trojans 42-20

Oregon at Oregon State - Civil War (Oregon leads 63-46-10)
(Line: Oregon -3)
Aside from the Ducks pulling off a shocker in Utah last weekend, the Civil War has turned into a Civil Pillowfight. Oregon and Oregon State have combined for a 7-15 record. Bragging rights for the next 365 days are all that is on the line. Ducks 31-23

South Carolina at No. 4 Clemson - Palmetto Bowl (Clemson leads 67-42-4)
(Line: Clemson -24)
A fine season for the Gamecocks in Year 1 of the Will Muschamp era. Despite true freshman Jake Bentley leading the charge the last five games (S.Car is 4-1 in that stretch and became bowl eligible), South Carolina might be in over its head in Death Valley. Bentley's only road start was a miserable one at Florida in which the Cocks scored seven points and gained just 256 yards. Clemson is looking for a third straight win in the series and to keep its Playoff hopes on track. This line is strange, considering the Tigers' last two wins in the series have been by a combined 23 points. Deshaun Watson needs to be mistake free. If he is, look out. Tigers 38-24

No. 22 Utah at No. 9 Colorado - Rumble in the Rockies (Colorado leads 31-28-3)
(Line: Colorado -10)
Utah was about an inch away from making this a de facto Pac-12 South championship game. The Utes loss to Oregon was heartbreaking. Now, they travel to resurgent Colorado. The Buffaloes are having  a tremendous turnaround season and could win 10 games for the first time since 2001. Quarterback Sefo Liufau is fun to watch. Colorado looks to earn its first trip to the Pac-12 Championship Game. Buffs 37-20

No. 15 Florida at No. 14 Florida State - Sunshine Showdown (Florida leads 34-24-2)
(Line: Florida State -7.5)
When the Noles and Gators get together, expect fireworks. A scrum typically breaks out during pregame and the trash talking goes on all night. Florida is coming off an emotional win at LSU to secure the SEC East crown again. FSU has won three straight, posting 45 points in back-to-back games. The Noles seniors can accomplish something no other senior class has: finish their careers 8-0 against Miami and Florida. Florida State handled the Gators in The Swamp last year, 27-2. It won't be that bad, but the Noles should take care of business. Noles 31-13

-BtW

Rapid Reax: Not much changed in Playoff poll, but changes are afoot

A week after half the Top 10 lost, only one of the Playoff Committee Top 10 teams fell during Week 12. That was Louisville, which was crushed by Houston, 36-10. Not much changed other than that, but we are less than two weeks away from finding out who goes to Atlanta and Glendale, and who doesn't.

A little reminder: The rankings today have absolute no bearing on the final rankings on Dec. 4. If a team is ahead of another team now and both win out, they can flip-flop. Here's the Playoff Committee's Top 10:

The Playoff Poll Top 10

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan
4. Clemson
5. Washington
6. Wisconsin
7. Penn State
8. Oklahoma
9. Colorado
10. Oklahoma State

Alabama remains No. 1 as the only Power 5 undefeated team. The Crimson Tide collide with rival Auburn in the Iron Bowl this Saturday. The game is in Tuscaloosa and the Tide are favored by 17.

Michigan made snow angels after beating Indiana.
Will the Wolverines be able to celebrate a win at Ohio State?
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

Despite both team's struggles, Ohio State and Michigan will head into their annual meeting ranked No. 2 and 3. This will be the second time in the rivalry's history that the two teams are in the Top 3. The Buckeyes struggled with three-win Michigan State while the Wolverines were in a battle with Indiana. For at least the next ranking, the winner of this game will remain in the Top 4, while the loser will suffer its second loss and be eliminated from Playoff contention (barring more chaos).

The intriguing thing here is a Michigan win sends the Wolverines to the Big Ten title game, whereas an Ohio State win combined with a Penn State win would put the Nittany Lions in Indianapolis. If the Buckeyes win, but don't get a chance to win the conference, it will be interesting to see where the committee places OSU in the final ranking on Dec. 4 with just one loss, but without a conference championship.

Clemson handled its business with Wake Forest and stays at No. 4. The Tigers have in-state rival South Carolina visiting Death Valley Saturday before heading to Orlando for the ACC Championship Game.

Washington moved up to fifth thanks to Louisville's loss. The Huskies are in great position to slide into the Top 4 ahead of the Michigan-Ohio State loser. UW must get by Washington State in the Apple Cup to win the Pac-12 North.

Other thoughts:

• Wisconsin and Penn State remain behind Washington, which will make it tough for them to jump the Huskies even if one of them claims the Big Ten Championship. If Washington has a Pac-12 title and just one loss, compared to two losses by the Badgers and Nittany Lions.
• Oklahoma benefitted from a road win over a Top 15 team. The Sooners, though, take a week off before hosting Oklahoma State in the Bedlam game and the unofficial - but official - Big 12 championship game. It will be important for OU or OSU to be playing on the final weekend of the season, but taking this weekend off could also hurt as everyone around them is playing in a meaningful game.
• Despite its loss, Louisville (No. 11) remains ahead of Florida State (No. 14) in the poll. That gives the Cards a chance at the Orange Bowl bid should Clemson win out and make the Playoff. Louisville absolutely needs to beat Kentucky this weekend to stay ahead of FSU.
• Western Michigan, the only other unebaten team in the land, stayed at No. 21, while Boise State moved up to No. 19. Houston, previously unranked, also moved ahead of WMU at No. 20.
• Interesting for the Pac-12 with Washington out front, but with a big game at Wazzu; Colorado can clinch the South title at home against Utah. The Pac-12 championship could end up deciding the fourth team in the Playoff. If Washington wins, they more than likely would be in at 12-1. If Colorado wins, there'd be lots to debate.
• The Pac-12 leads the way with six teams in the Top 25; Big Ten has five, including four in the top seven (Nebraska is 16th); SEC has four, while the Big 12 and ACC have three each.

CFB Playoff and New Year's Six Bowl Projections (Based on current rankings)

• Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Clemson
• PlayStation Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Michigan
• Capital One Orange Bowl: No. 11 Louisville vs. No. 7 Penn State
• Goodyear Cotton Bowl: No. 9 Colorado vs. No. 21 Western Michigan
• Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual: No. 5 Washington vs. No. 6 Wisconsin
• Allstate Sugar Bowl: No. 8 Oklahoma vs. No. 13 Auburn

-BtW

Huskies, Badgers rise in this week's Ben Ten

Rivalry Week is upon us. It's perhaps the greatest week of the college football season. Bragging rights are on the line across the land and in some cases, much more. One thing for sure is a spot will open up inside the Top 4 as Michigan visits Ohio State. Will any other crazy things happen before the season ends? Only time will tell. For now, onto the Ben Ten rankings.

Playoff Teams

Nick Saban wasn't a happy camper after
a 31-3 Alabama win over Chattanooga.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

1) Alabama
Last week: No. 1
Record: 11-0
Wins over currently ranked teams: USC, Texas A&M, LSU
This week: vs. Auburn
Uh oh. The Crimson Tide beat Chattanooga by only 28 points. Is this team slipping?

**Currently hiding from Nick Saban who is surely sending someone to get me**

2) Ohio State

Last week: No. 2
Record: 10-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Nebraska
This week: vs. Michigan
Ohio State escaped East Lansing when Sparty decided to throw the ball on a two-point conversion (which failed) after running the ball eight straight times for 56 yards to score the TD. That kinda year for MSU. But this is about Ohio State, which now turns its attention to Michigan.

3) Clemson
Last week: No. 3
Record: 10-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Auburn, Louisville, Florida State
This week: vs. South Carolina
Clemson claimed the ACC Atlantic Division championship for the second straight year. The Tigers had a balanced performance in a 35-13 win over Wake Forest. A visit from South Carolina is next.

4) Michigan
Last week: No. 4
Record: 10-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Colorado, Penn State, Wisconsin
This week: at Ohio State
Michigan trailed Indiana late in the third quarter before finally kicking into gear to pull away for the win. It wasn't the perfect bounce back performance, but the Wolverines have their sights set on Ohio State.

Next in line

5) Washington
Last week: No. 6
Record: 10-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Utah
This week: at Washington State
Washington looked better in a romp over Arizona State. The Pac-12 North is on the line on the Palouse as the Huskies look to take down in-state rival Washington State. A win in the Apple Cup would likely put UW back in the Top 4.

6) Wisconsin
Last week: 7
Record: 9-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: LSU, Nebraska
This week: vs. Minnesota
The Badgers have been better than a lot of teams, but their two losses are to the two top dogs of the Big Ten East. A win against Minnesota not only gives Wisconsin Paul Bunyan's Axe, but also the Big Ten West championship and a trip to the B1G Championship Game.

7) Oklahoma
Last Week: 8
Record: 9-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: West Virginia
This week: Bye
Without a doubt, Oklahoma has been on a tear since Big 12 play began. The Sooner Schooner is rolling. The caveat, though, is the Big 12 is not on par with other conferences. OU gets the week off after demolishing West Virginia in Morgantown. Up next: Bedlam for the Big 12 championship.

8) Penn State
Last week: 10
Record: 9-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: Ohio State
This week: vs. Michigan State
Two things have to happen for Penn State. First, it must win against Michigan State. Easier said than done, yes, but the Spartans have just three wins on the season. Second, Ohio State must beat Michigan. If those two happen, the Nittany Lions will head to Indianapolis.

9) Colorado
Last week: NR
Record: 9-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: Washington State
This week: vs. Utah
What has transpired in Boulder this season is remarkable. Colorado continues to impress, taking down previously unbeaten in the conference Washington State, and can put a bow on the season by beating Utah to clinch the Pac-12 South.

10) Western Michigan
Last week: NR
Record: 11-0
Wins over currently ranked teams:
This week: None
Kudos to those in Kalamazoo, Mich., this past weekend for putting on quite a show for ESPN's College GameDay. Western Michigan, as was pointed out by one GameDay sign, has more Big Ten wins than Michigan State. That's not saying much this season, but still a proud accomplishment for the Broncos. And what's not to love about Coach P.J. Fleck?

Dropped out: Louisville (5), Utah (9)

Four on the outside: Oklahoma State, Louisville, Southern Cal, Florida State

-BtW

The Morning (er, Afternoon) After... Another Division Championship!

This TMA will be short-lived. Most Clemson fans have one thought on their minds right now: Beat South Carolina. Also, I don't want to go into too many specifics on things I liked or didn't like from the win at Wake Forest. There was a lot to like: running game/offensive line play, jumping out to 28-0 lead, red zone scoring, defense holding Wake under 200 yards, etc. And a few things not to like: minus-one turnover margin, missing two fourth down plays to stall drives, etc.

But today's TMA will focus on what color commentator Brock Huard said last night. Clemson fans, don't take this time in our history for granted. With that, let's look at all the accomplishments of this team.

(Photo courtesy Clemson Athletics)

1) The Tigers clinched their second straight ACC Atlantic Division Championship with a 35-13 win at Wake Forest. The back-to-back division titles are a first for the program. Clemson has at least shared a division championship five of the last eight years, all under Dabo Swinney. The Tigers will play either Virginia Tech or North Carolina on Dec. 3 in Orlando for the ACC Championship.

1B) Sixth straight 10-win season, tied only with Alabama for the longest current streak in the nation. Clemson is assured at least three more games and could potentially win 13-plus games in back-to-back seasons for the first time ever.

2) Senior class tied last year's senior class with 45 wins. With three games to go, it feels like this class will break the record and set the bar even higher, as last year's class did.

3) Back-to-back 5-0 records on the road. Clemson went 5-0 last season and capped the road games with another 5-0 record this year. The 10-straight wins in true road games is second to Alabama and Oklahoma (tied, 11).

4) Clemson has outscored opponents on the road in the first quarter 70-3. Clemson led 21-0 after one frame against Wake.

5) The Tigers have recorded a sack in 41 straight games.

6) Wayne Gallman went over 3,000 yards for his career on his 42-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. He's just the sixth running back in Clemson history to accomplish that feat. Gallman's 161 yards was his 16th game with over 100 yards as a Tiger. That broke the school record held previously by Raymond Priester since 1997.

7) Mike Williams went over 1,000 receiving yards for the season, matching Clemson greats Rod Gardner and Sammy Watkins as the only three receivers in school history to multiple seasons with 1,000 receiving yards.

8) Deshaun Watson is now 28-3 as Clemson's starting quarterback. His accomplishments are many, as outlined before, but his running the football opened up Clemson's offense Saturday night.

9) Two years ago, Clemson was staring down a five-game losing streak to in-state rival South Carolina, the first time in series history. On a torn ACL, little-known freshman quarterback Deshaun Watson led the Tigers to a 35-17 victory. Neither program has been the same since. South Carolina defeated Miami in the Independence Bowl to close that season at 7-6, then went 3-9 including a loss to The Citadel in 2015. The Gamecocks bounced back this year and are currently bowl eligible at 6-5. Clemson beat Oklahoma in the Russell Athletic Bowl to finish 10-3. The Tigers then went 14-0 en route to a National Championship appearance in the 2016 College Football Playoff before falling to Alabama by five points. Clemson is 10-1 and currently in the Top 4 of all the polls once again.

None of that matters when it comes to Saturday, Nov. 26 in Death Valley, Clemson, S.C. I want to beat them bad. 63-17 bad. Or worse. Dabo, don't call off the dogs in this one. Attack, attack, attack. Attack some more until the chickens are begging for mercy. Beat South Carolina.

10) Such a big game, it deserves two spots here. Beat South Carolina.

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 12

Welp, last week went just as expected. Not! With half of the top 10 losing, the winds of the college football world have changed ever so slightly. Doors have been cracked back open that were previously slammed shut. This week figures to have some upsets, one of which took place Thursday night in Houston with the Cougars dropkicking Louisville. BENched is here to tell you where the other upsets may happen.

2016 BENched PTF Record

Last Week: 8-5
Game of the Week Pick: 3-4

Overall: 97-43 (.693 win %)

*Rankings below reflect the CFB Playoff Top 25

Saturday

No. 2 Ohio State at Michigan State (Line: Ohio State -21.5)
A little different script from a year ago when Sparty went to the Horseshoe and upset Ohio State on its way to the CFB Playoff. Urban Meyer remembers these things and guarantee he ain't happy about it. Bucks 52-10

No. 11 Oklahoma State at TCU (Line: TCU -4.5)
Tricky spot for the Cowboys who head south to Ft. Worth for an 11 AM kick against a fickle TCU team that had a bye week to prep. Mason Rudolph is a phenomenal QB and OSU is finding a good rhythm lately. Pokes 41-31

No. 23 Florida at No. 16 LSU (Line: LSU -14)
The "Relocation Bowl" could haunt the Gators if they lose to LSU. With a win, Florida clinches the SEC East. With a loss, it's all but assured to go to Tennessee, which must beat Mizzou and Vandy. This game was originally scheduled for The Swamp on Oct. 8, but Hurricane Matthew forced the game to be rescheduled, and after much debate, relocated to LSU's Death Valley. This should be a defensive slugfest. Bayou Bengals 17-10

Indiana at No. 3 Michigan (Line: Michigan -24)
Let's see how Michigan bounces back from its loss at Iowa. The Wolverines are big home favorites, but quarterback Wilton Speight broke his collarbone in the loss. This should be a tune-up game before the trip to Ohio State. Indiana, though, will play this one tough. Wolverines 28-17

Virginia Tech at Notre Dame (Line: Virginia Tech -1)
So much for two bigtime programs squaring off late in the season with bigtime implications. The Hokies still have an ACC Coastal to clinch, but that can't happen until next weekend. And Notre Dame is on the verge of being bowl ineligible with a loss. Hokies 31-28

Missouri at Tennessee (Line: Tennessee -16)
Tennessee will know its fate just prior to or just after kickoff - whether the Gators win at LSU or not. That outcome could affect how the Vols play in this one. A Florida win could deflate Big Orange. Still, it's Missouri. Vols 37-17

No. 22 Washington State at No. 10 Colorado (Line: Colorado -4.5)
This is the best game in the country that no one is talking about. It could be a Pac-12 title game preview. Washington State is on an eight-game winning streak since losing to Eastern Washington and Boise State to open the season. The Cougs have rolled through Pac-12 play until now, but face two Top 10 teams in these final two weeks. Colorado is the nation's biggest surprise team and a tremendous story in Boulder with what Mike MacIntyre is doing. Luke Falk loves to throw it all over the yard, but the Buffaloes have a well-rounded squad. Buffs 33-28

No. 3 Clemson at Wake Forest (Line: Clemson -22.5)
Another team looking for a bounce-back performance. Clemson gained over 600 yards of offense last week, but lost in heart-breaking fashion to Pittsburgh at home. The Tigers still can clinch a spot in the ACC title game by winning at Wake. The Demon Deacons are having a nice season - they're bowl eligible and have played FSU and Louisville well. Wake Forest leads the conference in turnovers and Clemson has been careless with the ball this season. Turnovers have been the Tigers Achilles' heel. I don't see how this one will be as big as the spread and don't be shocked if the Deacs pull off the upset. Tigers 31-20

Arizona State at No. 6 Washington (Line: Washington -27)
The final Top 4 team from a week ago that lost is Washington. The Huskies have everything in front of them, just like Michigan and Clemson. Washington just needs to win out and it likely will play itself back into the Top 4 with a Pac-12 championship. Good news: Arizona State comes to Seattle this weekend. That's a nice follow-up game. Huskies 55-23

GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 9 Oklahoma at No. 14 West Virginia (Line: Oklahoma -3.5)

Who knows if the winner of the OU-WVU game
will be able to make a run to the Playoff?
(Photo courtesy ESPN.com)

Weather will play a role in this one. The temperature is expected to drop and some precipitation - possibly snow - is in the forecast. West Virginia boasts the Big 12's best defense. Oklahoma has the most dynamic offense. The Sooners can hand it to Samaje Perine or Joe Mixon, or have Baker Mayfield connect with the best receiver in the country, Dede Westbrook. Skyler Howard hasn't earned the trust that he can handle the hype of a big game, but maybe that changes. The interesting thing to keep an eye on here is whichever team wins, how that will affect their standing in the Playoff race next week. Get your popcorn ready for this one. Sooners 37-34

No. 13 USC at UCLA (Line: USC -13)
The battle of Los Angeles has tilted back in favor of the Trojans. UCLA won three straight from 2012-14, but USC stopped the streak with a 40-21 win last season. Now, the men of Troy are eyeing a potential Pac-12 South title and playing at a much higher level than the start of the season. The Trojans' win over Washington last week was evidence of that. Trojans 34-13

-BtW

Rapid Reax: Playoff Poll all mixed up

When Saturday ended, half of the Playoff Committee's Top 10 had fallen. Ultimately, there was already a gap between several of the top teams and everyone else. How did the Committee piece together the rankings this week? And do I think they got it right?

Let's get this out of the way now: The rankings today have absolute no bearing on the final rankings on Dec. 4. If a team is ahead of another team now and both win out, they can flip-flop. Here's the Playoff Committee's Top 10:

The Playoff Poll Top 10

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan
4. Clemson
5. Louisville
6. Washington
7. Wisconsin
8. Penn State
9. Oklahoma
10. Colorado

Jalen Hurts and Alabama are running away from the field.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)

Of course, Alabama is No. 1. The Crimson Tide are the only unbeaten Power 5 team (Western Michigan is the only other undefeated team). Alabama has looked the part of a champion and is almost assured a spot in the Playoff when the final rankings come out.

Here's where things get hairy. Ohio State comes in at No. 2 leading the one-loss teams. It appears the eye-test and the talented roster have given the Buckeyes the edge. No problem with them here, but what will happen to them if they don't even win their division in the Big Ten?

At No. 3 is Michigan with Clemson at No. 4. These two are interchangeable for me, but it's hard for me to see what Michigan did to deserve to remain ranked third this week after a loss in which it scored 13 points and had just 200 yards of total offense. In the end, Michigan and Ohio State will play each other in two weekends, so that will sort itself out.

It's pretty clear that if any of these teams in the Top 8 win out - that includes No. 8 Penn State and No. 7 Wisconsin - there's a great chance with a conference championship that they have a strong argument to be in the Playoff.

Tenth-ranked Colorado could make a big move as well. The Buffs final two games are at home against No. 22 Washington State and No. 12 Utah. If they win both, they will be in the Pac-12 title game likely against No. 6 Washington. Three wins against ranked opponents at the end of the season could give Colorado a jolt in the rankings.

Other thoughts:

• Undefeated Western Michigan is ranked 21st and behind one-loss Boise State, which is 20th. This is important because the highest-ranked Group of 5 champion earns an automatic bid to the New Year's Six Bowls. Boise State still needs to help to become the Mountain West champion, so it may not matter much anyway.
• West Virginia, at 8-1, sits behind a lot of two-loss teams. Some of those I can't really argue. But for the Mountaineers to be behind 7-3 USC is atrocious.
• The Big 12 altogether is interesting. Oklahoma is the highest-ranked team, but has two losses to Ohio State and Houston. Oklahoma State gave West Virginia its lone loss, but the Cowboys are 8-2 with a loss to declining Baylor and Central Michigan. OU plays both WVU and OSU in the coming weeks. Time will tell what the committee thinks of the Big 12 champion.
• SEC and Pac-12 each have six teams in the Top 25; Big Ten has five, including four of the top eight; ACC and Big 12 have three apiece. Those are pivotal for teams jockeying for position late in the season, as the committee will weigh Top 25 wins.

CFB Playoff and New Year's Six Bowl Projections (Based on current rankings)

• Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Clemson
• PlayStation Fiesta Bowl: No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Michigan
• Capital One Orange Bowl: No. 5 Louisville vs. No. 8 Penn State
• Goodyear Cotton Bowl: No. 10 Colorado vs. No. 21 Western Michigan
• Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual: No. 6 Washington vs. No. 7 Wisconsin
• Allstate Sugar Bowl: No. 9 Oklahoma vs. No. 15 Auburn

-BtW

Chaos causes shakeup in latest Ben Ten

As it stands right now, it's Alabama and everyone else. So where does everyone else rank? It's not easy now-a-days because there's a lot of comparing to do. How do you compare a team's loss in November to someone's in October? Or one that was on the road vs. one that was at home? Shouldn't overall "body of work" count as well as the eye test? Yes, the Playoff Committee has a tough job this week, but here's how I see it.

Playoff Teams

1) Alabama
Last week: No. 1
Record: 10-0
Wins over currently ranked teams: USC, Texas A&M, LSU
This week: vs. Chattanooga
No real need to expand on this one. Alabama has proven to be the best team in the land.

2) Ohio State

Ohio State leapt to No. 2 in the newest Ben Ten rankings.
(Photo courtesy Ohio State Athletics)

Last week: No. 6
Record: 9-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Nebraska
This week: at Michigan State
The Buckeyes have won back-to-back games in November by a score of 62-3 after a shaky October that included a loss to Penn State, an OT win at Wisconsin, and a four-point home win against Northwestern. The competition hasn't been anywhere close to tough, but Ohio State is peaking, a good thing with the Michigan schools on tap.

3) Clemson
Last week: No. 2
Record: 9-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Auburn, Troy, Louisville, Florida State
This week: at Wake Forest
Look, I don't like placing Clemson here as much as you don't like seeing a Clemson fan blogger putting Clemson here. But who else deserves to be No. 3? Louisville, the team Clemson beat? Michigan, remain No. 3 after losing a game? The Tigers have been playing with fire all year and were finally burned Saturday. Despite the loss, Clemson put up over 600 yards of offense, and was threatening to ice the game and go up by double-digits before things fell apart. With four Top 25 wins, the Tigers' résumé is still one of the best in the country.

4) Michigan
Last week: No. 3
Record: 9-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Colorado, Penn State, Wisconsin
This week: vs. Indiana
Michigan drops a spot, but remains a Playoff team. I couldn't simply keep Michigan at No. 3 following a loss. The Wolverines were finally tested on the road and put up just 13 points and 200 yards of offense. Jim Harbaugh gets a home game with Indiana to right the ship before heading south to Columbus.

*Note: You could flip-flop Clemson and Michigan and I'd have no problem with that. In the end, Michigan and Ohio State will play next weekend, so we'll know the status of those two teams in due time.

Next in line

5) Louisville
Last week: No. 5
Record: 9-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Florida State
This week: at Houston (Thursday)
The strength of Louisville's wins is holding it back. Currently, the Cardinals have just two wins over teams with a winning record - FSU and Wake Forest. The Deacons led 12-0 at one point and 12-10 going into the fourth quarter before a Louisville barrage. A short week and a road trip will make or break the Cards' season.

6) Washington
Last week: No. 4
Record: 9-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Utah
This week: vs. Arizona State
Many have waited for the Huskies to play a solid team and the Huskies were exposed against a pretty talented USC squad. The home loss hurts, but doesn't completely knock Washington out. The Huskies can still go 12-1, defeat a ranked opponent on the road (Washington State next weekend) and win the Pac-12 championship against a ranked team from the South Division. That'd be enough to put UW back in the Playoff.

7) Wisconsin
Last week: 7
Record: 8-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: LSU, Nebraska
This week: at Purdue
Fortunately for Wisconsin, the Badgers have two really close losses at Michigan (14-7) and vs. Ohio State (30-23 in OT). Unfortunately, that's one more loss than the teams above the Badgers and it only proves they can play with the top teams, but not beat them. Hence why they reside here.

8) Oklahoma
Last Week: 9
Record: 8-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: None
This week: at West Virginia
Without others losing, this might be as high as Oklahoma can go. The Sooners are rolling through the lower two-thirds of the Big 12. But that grouping is pretty, um, pathetic. Oklahoma gets a chance to earn two quality wins at West Virginia this weekend and against Oklahoma State on Dec. 3. Win and we can at least talk. But talk might be as far as it gets.

9) Utah
Last week: 10
Record: 8-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: USC
This week: vs. Oregon
It appears Utah will head into its final game at Colorado with the Pac-12 South title on the line. The Utes hold the tiebreaker over USC in the division already. First, they must entertain Oregon. The Ducks are officially bowl ineligible and Utah is a 13-point home favorite. Lots to look forward to in the next two weeks in the Pac-12 South.

10) Penn State
Last week: NR
Record: 8-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: Ohio State
This week: at Rutgers
The Nittany Lions get the nod here simply for two reasons: 1) They have a win over Ohio State and 2) They sort of control their destiny in the Big Ten East. If Penn State wins out over Rutgers (2-8) and Michigan State (3-7) AND Ohio State beats Michigan, PSU will go to Indianapolis.


Dropped out: Auburn (8)

Four on the outside: Western Michigan, West Virginia, Colorado, Oklahoma State

-BtW

The Morning After... #Chaos

Sorry, Clemson fans. This won't be all sunshine and rainbows like what you've heard out of the locker room Saturday night. I'm a fan and as a fan, I have the right to be upset with what transpired in our home at the hands of Pitt.

1) Deshaun Watson needs to stop thinking about the NFL. He's pressured himself into thinking he's a legitimate Top 5 pick and is trying to prove it every week. He's forcing throws into tight windows. He's making poor decisions. He has 13 interceptions this season through 10 games. He had 13 all last season (15 games). All the trips this past spring and summer got to his head. He said at the beginning of the year that all that was a grind and it was uncomfortable for him, but he still had to go out and play. Well, he's pressing and it has nearly cost Clemson several times this season. It finally did against Pitt.

Yeah, yeah. Pitt's Chris Blewitt didn't blow it. The headline
writes itself. But Clemson did blow it.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)

2) Clemson's offensive playcaller Tony Elliott out-coached himself at least twice. First, even after all I said about Watson in #1 of this post, you have the best player on the field with a 3rd and 1 AND a 4th and 1 with a minute to go in the game and you took the ball out of his hands. TWICE you pitched it back five yards to a running back that had less than 40 yards all game. This also goes into the players' hands for not being able to get one yard on two downs. But with a QB who has thrown for 580 yards, why go to the ground game there and why take the ball out of the hands of the best player on the field?

This is going to sound counter-intuitive, but on the previous drive why are we throwing the ball on 2nd and goal from the three after running for four yards on first down? There was 5:45 to play, you need to run clock and all you need to do is kick a field goal on that drive and you win. Just run the ball and game over. Hindsight is always 20-20, but coaches at this level have to make better decisions.

3) Pitt's offensive coordinator Matt Canada out-coached Brent Venables. Clemson had no answer for stopping the shovel pass, a wrinkle the Tigers hadn't seen and couldn't adjust to until it was too late. Canada exploited the Tigers' weakness - coverage by linebackers. It's been bad under Venables and has never gotten better. 

4) Blame the refs all you want, and there are plenty of opportunities to do so, but for every penalty thrown against Clemson, there were double the amount of bonehead mistakes by a Tiger player or coach. The refs play a part in every game. That's a fact. But they were not the reason for the outcome. That's one area where I agree with Dabo's postgame comments. 

5) Spent the early part of the day in Norman for the OU-Baylor game. Speaking of outcoaching themselves, Baylor ran for over 200 yards on Oklahoma, gaining five-plus yards on numerous plays right up the middle, but the Bears kept going to the air. They were picked off twice, including once on the goalline when Baylor was trying to cut the OU lead to 14-7. The pick allowed the Sooners to go up 21-0. For OU, the game seemed very ho-hum. There really wasn't much Baylor was doing to stop OU. After getting out to a 21-0 lead, the teams traded scores most of the rest of the way, tying the remainder of the game 24-24. It was a perfect afternoon for football and it was great to get back to a college game. BENched always enjoys his time in Norman.

6) OK, let's get the chaos out of the way. For the record, I sat on my couch following Clemson's loss and just started saying, "Chaos." I guess if you say it enough, it will happen. And it did, so allow BENched to explain what will likely happen these next few weeks with regards to the CFB Playoff rankings:

• Nos. 2, 3 and 4 all lost Saturday. Aforementioned No. 2 Clemson fell to Pitt, 43-42; No. 3 Michigan also lost on last-second field goal 14-13 at Iowa; and No. 4 Washington was dominated by No. 20 USC on its home field, 26-13.
• That leaves us with two unbeatens (Alabama and Western Michigan). It also leaves us with a jumbled mess between No. 2 and No. 6 in the rankings. Expect Ohio State to move to No. 2 behind No. 1 Alabama. That much should be clear and easy. There are five other Power 5 teams with one loss - Clemson, Louisville, Michigan, Washington, and West Virginia. The Mountaineers were No. 16 in last week's rankings and I don't see them jumping at least 10 spots after a close win over 5-5 Texas. 
• The Playoff Committee has set a precedent that for the most part, teams with equal records who have played each other, the head-to-head winner will be ranked above. Therefore, I believe Clemson in some capacity will be ahead of Louisville. Clemson was also previously ahead of Michigan and with both teams losing, and Big Blue gaining 200 yards and scoring only 13 points, I can't see Clemson falling behind the Wolverines. Washington's loss was crushing for the Huskies, so here's how I see Nos. 3-6: Clemson, Michigan, Louisville, Washington.



Iowa's upset of Michigan was not so good for the Buckeyes.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

• If you want chaos, wait until Penn State wins out (Rutgers and Michigan State are all that remain) and Ohio State beats Michigan in the Horseshoe. The Nittany Lions will play for the Big Ten title, while both OSU and UM sit at home awaiting a potential Playoff fate.

7) Don't be shocked when what I just said is completely false. It's very plausible that Clemson falls out of the Top 4, Louisville is ranked third, and instead of one-loss Washington at No. 6, perhaps a two-loss Wisconsin or Penn State slides in. These rankings are fluid and will completely different anyway at the end of the season once conference championships are factored in. Even if Louisville is ahead of Clemson, if the Tigers win the ACC and are 12-1, they will be ranked ahead of 11-1 Louisville in the final Playoff ranking.

8) Two thoughts here: The Big 12 is dead. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and WVU are the only hope. Oklahoma is higher ranked and plays both teams in its final two games. Both OU and OSU have two losses, while the 'Neers only loss is to OSU. Even if one-loss WVU emerges, the Big 12 is so down it won't have enough quality wins to sniff the Playoff. Same goes for OU/OSU, who lost to Houston and Central Michigan, respectively.

Jake Browning's thoughts reflected those of Husky Nation.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)

The Pac-12 is not dead. Washington might be out for now, but the Huskies will have ample opportunity to make up for the one loss. Colorado, USC and Utah are in a battle in the South. It's likely the winner of that division will be have Top 15 or better ranking entering the Pac-12 title game ... Where it will face either highly-ranked Washington or Washington State. The winner of the Apple Cup will in the North Division. Wazzu is 8-2 and has won eight-in-a-row. If the Cougs can win at Colorado and vs. Washington, plus the Pac-12 championship, they will see a big jump in the rankings. Washington can win on the road at Wazzu and then a Pac-12 title and be right back in the Playoff mix.

9) It's only Nov. 13 and we have chaos. Next week provides some relief. Most of the big teams face lesser opponents. Remember, this is the week the SEC takes a break from action to play the likes of Chattanooga, UT-Martin, The Citadel, etc. The SEC East could be decided if Florida beats LSU in the makeup game which was moved from The Swamp to Death Valley. Some big conference games are on tap in the ACC, Big Ten, and Pac-12, but the big one of the weekend will be Oklahoma traveling to West Virginia. All this to say, expect more chaos in the next three weekends.

10) Clemson is down and not out. Here's where what the players/coaches said is true. The Tigers are facing adversity and it can either build them or break them. Clemson faces championship weekends in its next two games. Wins at each stop will add another trophy to the case in Tiger Town. It starts with winning at Wake Forest to clinch the ACC Atlantic Division. We are #ALLIN, Always. Beat Wake.

-BtW

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 11

Not much changed after the first weekend in November. Well, aside from Texas A&M falling to Mississippi State. Much of the rest of the country watched as one team after another won in blowout fashion. We've already had one upset this weekend, with Duke taking down No. 17 North Carolina Thursday night, 28-27. This would be a surprise, but that No. 17 ranking has been cursed all season. Don't know if the Thursday upset will lead to anymore this weekend. All four Power 5 unbeatens are favored, and three of them - Alabama, Clemson and Michigan - are favored by 20 or more. Washington is a nine-point favorite over No. 20 USC, so even that line says a lot. Time for some picks!

2016 BENched PTF Record

Last Week: 11-2
Game of the Week Pick: 3-3

Overall: 89-38 (.701 win %)

*Rankings below reflect the CFB Playoff Top 25

Saturday

South Carolina at Florida (Line: Florida -11)
Who would've thought this game would help solve the SEC East puzzle? South Carolina enters "The Swamp" with another former Gator coach, Will Muschamp. The Gamecocks need a win and about a million other scenarios. Florida just needs to win this week and next. But this week first. Gators 27-17

Baylor at No. 11 Oklahoma (Line: Oklahoma -17.5)
Baylor is in disarray following a 62-22 loss to rival TCU amid all the allegations against the school and football team. OU is flying high with an offense that is showing no signs of slowing down. Plus, the Sooners get Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon back this week. Sooners 63-27

No. 10 Penn State at Indiana (Line: Penn State -7)
A tricky spot here for the Nittany Lions, who BENched doesn't believe is a top 10 team. Indiana gave Ohio State and Nebraska fits earlier. The early start on the road provides more reason to believe this could be the upset of the weekend. Key word: could. Nittany Lions 33-31

Kentucky at Tennessee (Line: Tennessee -14)
Like South Carolina-Florida, not many pegged this one as a potential SEC East division title bout. The winner doesn't claim the crown, but the loser would essentially be out of the race. It will be tough for the Wildcats to win in Knoxville, but the Vols' mettle will be tested. Vols 38-28

Mississippi State at No. 1 Alabama (Line: Alabama -29)
No reason to believe Nick Saban and Co. are overlooking a 4-5 Mississippi State squad. The Bulldogs upset of Texas A&M last week likely got the Crimson Tide's full attention all week. Nick Fitzgerald is the type of quarterback that gives Alabama trouble. But there's a reason this line is near 30 points. Bammers 49-13

No. 16 West Virginia at Texas (Line: Texas -2)
Hmm, the Big 12's most complete team is a two-point underdog to the Big 12's most Jekyll and Hyde team. Texas has rhythm on offense, but it will be facing someone with a defense for the first time since losing to K-State. WVU likes to control the game and will do so on the road. 'Neers 31-24

No. 9 Auburn at Georgia (Line: Auburn -10)
The Deep South's Oldest Rivalry takes a back seat this year, mostly due to the Dawgs' pitiful season. Auburn has turned a 1-2 start into a Top 10 ranking and controls its own destiny now in the SEC West. There's uncertainty surrounding quarterback Sean White and running back Kamryn Pettway, so that could factor into whether the Tigers get their first win "Between the Hedges" since 2005. Tigers 34-17

Pittsburgh at No. 2 Clemson (Line: Clemson -20.5)
The pressure is on for Clemson. Dabo Swinney confirmed speculatory reports that Deshaun Watson, Artavis Scott, Mike Williams and Wayne Gallman will all seek to turn pro via the NFL Draft next spring. That means this is now a do-or-don't season for the Tigers. Clemson played its best game a week ago, winning 54-0 over Syracuse. Pitt has given up 30+ points to seven teams this season. Doesn't look good for the Panthers in Death Valley. Tigers 47-20

Stanford at Oregon (Line: Stanford -3)
Remember when the winner of this game would win the Pac-12? Now, these two are combined 9-9. Yeesh. Trees 31-27

No. 24 LSU at No. 25 Arkansas (Line: LSU -7)
How LSU fell 11 spots after taking Bama into the fourth quarter tied 0-0 is beyond me. And how Arkansas found itself back in the rankings two games removed from a 56-3 beatdown by Auburn is also beyond me. Welp, these two battle for the Golden Boot and Arkansas plays well as the underdog in this series. No reason to believe they can't pull off the victory, especially after how spent LSU likely is after the battle with Bama. Hogs 23-17

Minnesota at No. 19 Nebraska (Line: Nebraska -7)
Minnesota is the forgotten team in the Big Ten West. The Gophers are 7-2 overall (4-2 in conference) and still plays Nebraska and Wisconsin in the final three weeks. Both games are on the road, however, so it won't be easy to win the division. We'll find out how the Huskers respond to the shellacking they took in Columbus last week. Corn Guys 37-30

GAME OF THE WEEK

Jake Browning and Washington put Oregon in its place earlier.
Can the Huskies do the same against USC?
(Photo courtesy Joshua Bessex)

No. 20 USC at No. 4 Washington (Line: Washington -9)
Washington hits the meat of its schedule just in time to defend its Top 4 ranking. The Huskies, led by Jake Browning, own the second-best offense in the country. USC finds itself in the Top 25 for the first time in a while after winning five straight. The Trojans have scored 40 or more in four of the five wins, but will be facing a tough UW defense that gives up just 17 points per game (11th best in the nation). All eyes will finally be on the West Coast and the Huskies can show their Purple Reign to the rest of the country. Dawgs 41-24

No. 3 Michigan at Iowa (Line: Michigan -21.5)
Michigan goes on the road for just the third time this season and only the second time outside state borders. Iowa was a preseason darkhorse to cause some havoc in the Big Ten, much like it did a season ago. Things haven't gone the Hawkeyes way, but a night game at Kinnick Stadium with a chance to knock off the Wolverines? That'll bring the best out of Kirk Ferentz's team. Too bad, it won't be nearly enough. Big Blue 40-17

-BtW