Movement in the bottom half of new Ben Ten

Four undefeated teams lost over the weekend, dropping the total from nine to five. We've reached November which means the College Football Playoff Committee will release its initial ranking Tuesday. Visit this blog afterward as BENched will have a Rapid Reaction to the release. Until then, here's my Top 10.

Playoff Teams

1) Alabama
Last week: No. 1
Record: 8-0
Wins over currently ranked teams: Texas A&M
This week: at LSU
The Tide had a bye week to get ready for the big one in Baton Rouge. Alabama is playing better than anyone in the country, but they are not unbeatable. LSU gets a crack at the Tide this weekend.

2) Clemson

Deshaun Watson has Clemson on track for another Playoff berth.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

Last week: No. 3
Record: 8-0
Wins over currently ranked teams: Auburn, Louisville, Florida State
This week: vs. Syracuse
There is not a résumé out there better than Clemson's. The Tigers are the only team with three wins against Top 20 foes, two of them on the road. The combined record of the FBS teams Clemson has faced is 37-18 and all 11 FBS teams on the schedule are currently .500 or better.

3) Michigan
Last week: No. 2
Record: 8-0
Wins over currently ranked teams: Colorado, Penn State, Wisconsin
This week: vs. Maryland
While Clemson has two wins on the road against Top 20 teams, Michigan has just two road wins period. And they are against Rutgers and Michigan State, both of which are 2-6. The drop this week is a matter of wanting to see Michigan against better competition. That may only come when the Wolverines travel to Columbus.

4) Washington
Last week: No. 4
Record: 8-0
Wins over currently ranked teams: Utah
This week: at Cal
Big win for the Huskies on the road against Utah, but that remains the lone good win on Washington's schedule. The rest of UW's schedule will let us know if this team is worthy of a Playoff spot. Washington travels to Cal, hosts USC and Arizona State, then goes to Washington State for the Apple Cup.

Next in line

5) Louisville
Last week: No. 5
Record: 7-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Florida State
This week: at Boston College
Virginia gave the Cards all they could handle. Three of the last four games have seen Louisville struggle (vs. Duke and at UVA) or lose (at Clemson). The sizzle from September is slowly fading. How will Louisville handle the snoozefest in Chestnut Hill this weekend?

6) Ohio State
Last week: No. 8
Record: 7-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Oklahoma, Wisconsin
This week: vs. Nebraska
Like Louisville, Ohio State hasn't had a very good last few weekends. They escaped Wisconsin with a big overtime win, but then fell at Penn State and almost slipped up at home against Northwestern. Nebraska is next and the Huskers just went toe-to-toe with the Badgers.

7) Texas A&M
Last week: No. 10
Record: 7-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Auburn
This week: at Mississippi State
The Aggies beat the other Aggies - New Mexico State, that is. Texas A&M takes on the state of Mississippi in its next two games. Any slip up there would be a killer to A&M's outside chance of reaching the Playoff.

At this point, I should remind you that I am putting what I perceive as the best teams in the ranking. 

8) Wisconsin
Last week: NR
Record: 6-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: LSU, Nebraska
This week: at Northwestern
Take Wisconsin, for example. The Badgers have two seven-point losses to Michigan and Ohio State. Along with wins over LSU and Nebraska (and Iowa), Wisconsin might be the best two-loss team in the country. What that really means in the grand scheme of things ain't much, though.

9) Florida
Last week: NR
Record: 6-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: None
This week: at Arkansas
Florida is in control of the SEC East, which also ain't saying much. But the Gators have to travel to Arkansas and now LSU to close out conference play. A trip to FSU also looms, so Florida could very well end up with an 8-4 record.

10) Auburn
Last week: NR
Record: 6-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: LSU
This week: vs. Vanderbilt 
Does anyone want to play Auburn right now? The Tigers' two losses did come at home to Clemson and A&M, but they've reeled off five wins in a row to reach bowl eligibility. They've also separated themselves from the middle tier of the SEC West. They should handle Vandy and Georgia, which sets up another big Iron Bowl.

Dropped out: West Virginia (6), Boise State (7), Nebraska (9) 

Four on the outside: Nebraska, Oklahoma, Western Michigan, West Virginia

-BtW

The Morning After... Conquering the Unconquered!

Jordan Leggett's diving touchdown was the game-winner
and an incredibly athletic play.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)

I thought about being lazy and linking articles from ESPN, Fox, Yahoo!, USA Today and more. Because everything I've read this morning regarding Clemson's win last night is exactly what I have thought about the game. Instead, I'll encourage you to go read those articles and I'll try a different angle.

1) Clemson is 8-0 against what ESPN says is the No. 1 strength of record schedule to date. All 11 FBS teams on Clemson's schedule currently have a .500 record or better. Three of the Tigers' wins are against teams ranked in the Top 20, two of which were on the road (Auburn and FSU). The combined record of Clemson's seven FBS opponents it's faced so far is 37-18 (SC State is not factored into this). The Tigers' wins haven't been pretty, but the résumé cannot be compared.

2) Dabo Swinney's checklist is down to one. Of all the things he has accomplished at Clemson in his eight-plus years, there were only three things he hadn't done entering this season: Win at Georgia Tech, win Florida State and win a National Championship. Well, the first two have been crossed off.

3) Embrace the Target was the Tigers' motto entering the year. Dabo semi-stole this from the Chicago Cubs, and the idea is that coming into the year Clemson would be considered the favorite. The Tigers could either take everyone's best shot and eventually falter, or enjoy being on top of the college football world, take everyone's best shot and respond with the kind of resilience we've seen thus far.

4) Speaking of taking their best shots, Florida State gave Clemson its best. The Tigers led 20-14, but the Noles - playing at home - put the ball in their best player's hands. Dalvin Cook quickly turned a six-point deficit into an eight-point lead going into the fourth quarter. Clemson's D was gassed, the crowd was raucous and the Tigers needed to finish stronger than ever to overcome. Clemson did just that, silencing the crowd by outscoring FSU 17-6 in the fourth quarter to win on the road. That might be the most impressive stat I've seen from a Clemson football game/team in a long, long time.

5) There is no use arguing with anyone about how horrible the refs were. Both teams were on the wrong end of some awful calls or no-calls. But if you're Jimbo Fisher, you absolutely cannot place blame on the officials for the loss. The way you handled yourself following one of those calls (the chop block) is what cost you on that drive. You showed your true colors. Dabo Swinney could have easily done the same with the officials on several borderline pass interference calls, a missed facemask and a missed holding in the end zone that would have resulted in a safety and a tie ballgame at 28. Your offense was moving the ball well on the final drive and your offensive line literally blew the game. Two false starts to set you back 10 yards and two sacks on third and fourth downs. When it came down to it, YOUR players were the reason YOU lost. To throw a tantrum postgame is childish.

6) That was an October to remember. It began on the first day with an all day affair - College GameDay live from Bowman Field to the exhilarating last-second win over Louisville. It continued with a Friday night beatdown in Beantown. Then came the Wolfpack into Death Valley. They nearly walked out with the win, but instead left with a limp. The month closed with another thriller and a win in Tallahassee for the first time in a decade. The fun is in the winning, as Dabo likes to say. Well, October has certainly been most fun.

7) On to the other games from the weekend, seven unbeatens played Saturday and only three survived. Alabama and Western Michigan were off, and Nos. 2 through 4 - Michigan, Clemson and Washington - were the only other teams to wake up Sunday unscathed. Nebraska had the best effort in a hard-fought overtime loss at Wisconsin. Boise State fell at Wyoming, knocking the Broncos out of NY6 consideration for now. And the Big 12 eliminated itself from the CFB Playoff as both West Virginia and Baylor went down to Oklahoma State and Texas, respectively.

8) Washington's win at Utah was big in many ways for the Huskies. First and most importantly, they remained undefeated. Secondly, it puts one more hurdle behind them. It also paves the path for the belief system that Washington is for real - both from the team standpoint and the nation's perspective. The Apple Cup showdown in Pullman on the last weekend in November is shaping up to be a classic.

9) For the first time this season, a spot on TMA is reserved for the South Carolina Gamecocks. There is a very little talent on the Gamecocks' roster. That much is clear when a kid who is supposed to be in his senior year of high school is your starting quarterback. Another caveat, the SEC East is downtrodden. It's horrible. And those words might not be strong enough to describe how bad it really is. But South Carolina picked up a monumental win in the beginning stages of the Will Muschamp era. Beating a ranked Tennessee squad which had an extra week to prepare is a pretty good win, no matter how lost Josh Dobbs and the Vols have looked the last three games. The win moves South Carolina to 4-4. With Mizzou and Western Carolina still on the schedule, it appears the Gamecocks will be going bowling. Quite an accomplishment for a three-win team a season ago.

10) Everyone is penciling in Clemson into the Playoff already with four games to go. You cannot sit back and relax, Tigers. You have to bring it five more times. First, Saturday. Beat Syracuse.

-BtW

PTT: Prediction Time Thursday - Week 9

BENched had a great week of picks, going 15-2 with the lone losses being a Penn State upset of Ohio State and an Auburn thrashing of Arkansas. The fun is only beginning, though, because we enter the time of year when one upset sets off a snowball effect. Every top rated team playing in Week 9 is on the road. Certainly someone is going to fall. But who?

2016 BENched PTF Record

Last Week: 15-2
Game of the Week Pick: 2-2

Overall: 72-30 (.706 win %)

*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

Thursday

No. 25 Virginia Tech at Pittsburgh (Line: Virginia Tech -3.5)
The Hokies are in control of the ACC Coastal, but just when things seem clear, Coastal Chaos happens. Pitt had a week off to prepare for Virginia Tech. The way this VT team is playing, it probably wasn't enough. Hokies 31-24

Saturday

No. 2 Michigan at Michigan State (Line: Michigan -24.5)
Wow, what a difference a year makes in the Mitten State. In 2015, Sparty turned in the play of the year with a touchdown on messed up/blocked punt to beat Big Blue in the Big House. MSU went to the College Football Playoff later that season. Now? The Spartans are 2-5 and Michigan is No. 2 in the land. Fightin' Harbaughs 41-13

No. 10 West Virginia at Oklahoma State (Line: West Virginia -3.5)
Dana Holgorsen has us on edge every week. "Well that's good, but can they win on the road in Lubbock?" "Nice win, but can they get past TCU?" This time, it's to the house that Boone built. And yes, another win. 'Neers 36-27

No. 14 Florida vs. Georgia - "No Longer the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party Because That's Not PC" at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. (Line: Florida -7.5)
For the first time since the late 1980s, neither Steve Spurrier nor Mark Richt are coaching in this game. Wow. The Gators have won two in a row after losing three straight. Uga will be one tired dawg after this one. Gators 27-10

Miami at Notre Dame (Line: Miami -2)
Remember when this was the "Catholics vs. Convicts?" Now it's just the mediocre vs. the mediocre-er. Sheesh, what a waste of a good game that no one will watch. Canes 24-21

Texas Tech at TCU (Line: TCU -9)
All you need to know about this one is Texas Tech had 854 yards of offense, 59 points, an all-around record-setting performance by its QB ... and LOST. TCU is not likely to give up that many yards or points, so expect another L for Kliff's boys. Frogs 38-34

No. 8 Baylor at Texas (Line: Baylor -3.5)
Here's the first chance BENched sees an unbeaten falling. Baylor has literally played nobody. The Bears have been underwhelming under interim coach Jim Grobe. Meanwhile, Texas has been underwhelming for over half a decade. Bears 40-30

GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 4 Washington at No. 17 Utah (Line: Washington -10)

Utah's Joe Williams has been unstoppable since
coming out of retirement.
(Photo courtesy AP)

The Pac-12 finally produces something that is worth watching AND puts it on TV when no one east of the Mississippi is sleeping! Jake Browning is in the Heisman hunt and has the Huskies eyeing a Pac-12 title and Playoff berth. Utah may have other plans. The Utes are physical, moreso than U-Dub has seen this season. Washington's six FBS opponents to date are a combined 16-28. Utah is 7-1, playing at home with College GameDay line from Salt Lake City. Utah also has a formerly retired running back - Joe Williams - who has rushed for 179 and 332 yards with five total TDs in the two games back since he unretired. This has all the ingredients for a disaster national showing for the Huskies. Utes 34-31

No. 7 Nebraska at No. 11 Wisconsin (Line: Wisconsin -8)
Here is the Huskers make or break two-game stretch. The people of the corn must go to Madison and Columbus on back-to-back weekends. Escape and say hello to the CFB Playoff Top 4. Fall in both (bigtime) are say goodbye to the Top 20. Wisconsin is battled tested and has a pair of seven-point losses to Michigan (on the road) and Ohio State (in overtime). Nebraska has been tested by 2-5 Oregon and 3-4 Indiana. Yeah... Badgers 34-17

No. 13 Boise State at Wyoming (Line: Boise State -13.5)
Much has been made about Boise's late-season road trips to altitude troubling places like Laramie (and later Colorado Springs). But Vegas doesn't see the Broncos having much trouble with the CowPokes and neither does BENched. Broncos 28-14

No. 15 Auburn at Ole Miss (Line: Auburn -4.5)
These two teams have traded spots from preseason picks. Auburn enters on a four-game winning streak and appears to be full-steam ahead. Ole Miss has only beaten SEC East foe Georgia for its lone Power 5 win. Even in Oxford, you have to like the Tigers. Once again, Chad Kelly will prove to not be the best QB in the game. War Eagles 42-24

No. 3 Clemson at No. 12 Florida State (Line: Clemson -4.5)
This was billed as the ACC's game of the year and in some places, the national game of the year. Clemson did its part and showed up unbeaten at 7-0. FSU fought and clawed its way to a 5-2 record, which includes a dismantling at the hands of Louisville and a heartbreaker at home against UNC. The Noles have righted the ship somewhat against arch-rival Miami and upstart Wake Forest. But Saturday night, it comes full circle for Deshaun Watson. You see, Watson surged into the national spotlight when he entered the game part-way through at FSU in 2014. As a true freshman, he nearly led Clemson to a win at No. 1 FSU. This time, he gets it done and gets Dabo Swinney's first win at Doak Campbell Stadium as a head coach. Tigers 35-24

-BtW

Bama, Michigan atop latest Ben Ten

Alabama is the clear No. 1 heading into a bye week, meaning the Tide will be No. 1 in the Playoff Committee's initial rankings on Nov. 1. With Ohio State's loss to Penn State, there's plenty of change in this week's ranking. Washington enters the top 4 and West Virginia makes a big leap. With a big weekend of top teams on the road coming up, expect more change next week.

Playoff Teams

Alabama has soared past its competition this season.
The Tide take a break before heading to the Bayou in two weeks.
(Photo courtesy AP)

1) Alabama
Last week: No. 1
Record: 8-0
Key win(s): Tennessee, Texas A&M
This week: Bye
Another week, another non-offensive touchdown. Alabama's suffocating defense limited Texas A&M and Trevor Knight. The Tide roll into the bye week with their eye toward LSU Nov. 5.

2) Michigan
Last week: No. 3
Record: 7-0
Key win(s): Colorado, Wisconsin
This week: at Michigan State
Michigan isn't far behind Alabama on the defensive side of the ball. The Wolverines' rivalry with Michigan State lost some luster, but Sparty will be 100% geared up to stop Harbaugh's crew.

3) Clemson
Last week: No. 4
Record: 7-0
Key win(s): Auburn, Louisville
This week: at No. 12 Florida State
Clemson's wins over Auburn, Louisville and even Troy are looking better every week. Auburn is now 5-2 and ranked 15th. Louisville is No. 5 and beats down everybody - except Clemson. And Troy is 6-1. The Tigers are the only team to have beaten two teams currently ranked in the top 15. They need a win in Tallahassee this week to secure their place in the Top 3.

4) Washington
Last week: No. 5
Record: 7-0
Key win(s): Stanford
This week: at No. 17 Utah
Jake Browning might be the surprise of the season. The Huskies' QB has 26 TDs to just two interceptions and is completing nearly 70% of his passes. Oh, and he has Washington well on its way to a Pac-12 championship. In the way is a big trip to Salt Lake City this weekend.

Next in line

5) Louisville
Last week: No. 7
Record: 6-1
Key win(s): Florida State
This week: at Virginia
Just give Lamar Jackson the Heisman Trophy now. He's totaled 34 touchdowns. He's leading the nation's best offense. All that is great and all, but Louisville is just on the outside awaiting someone in the top four to falter.

6) West Virginia
Last Week: No. 10
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): Kansas State, TCU
This week: at Oklahoma State
West Virginia is showing the Big 12 exactly what defense is about. The Mountaineers have held Texas Tech and TCU to a total of 27 points the past two weeks combined. This week's game at Oklahoma State will be a true litmus test.

7) Boise State
Last week: No. 9
Record: 7-0
Key win(s): Washington State, Oregon State, BYU
This week: at Wyoming
It wasn't pretty, but Boise State found a way to win against hapless BYU. The Broncos remain the Group of 5's best shot at crashing the Playoff party, but they'll need a bunch of help. A few road tests lie ahead, starting this weekend in Laramie against an upstart Wyoming team led by former North Dakota State coaching legend Craig Bohl.

8) Ohio State
Last week: No. 2
Record: 6-1
Key win(s): Oklahoma, Wisconsin
This week: vs. Northwestern
The Buckeyes left Happy Valley extremely sad. A blocked field goal with 4:27 to go led to Penn State's final touchdown, sending Ohio State on its way to its first loss of the year. Many think the Buckeyes can find themselves right back in the Playoff hunt if they win out. BENched isn't buying that just yet.

9) Nebraska
Last week: No. 8
Record: 7-0
Key win(s): N/A
This week: at No. 11 Wisconsin
Nebraska's only "good" win has turned sour. Oregon? They're 2-5. The Cornhuskers have their shot with back-to-back road games at Wisconsin and Ohio State. Good luck with that. But hey, if they come out 2-0 or even 1-1, that's a big step in the right direction for the program.

10) Texas A&M
Last week: No. 6
Record: 6-1
Key win(s): UCLA, Auburn, Tennessee
This week: vs. New Mexico State
Trevor Knight couldn't repeat what he did in the Sugar Bowl in 2014 when he was with Oklahoma. Honestly, the Aggies held their own against Alabama. No moral victory, of course, but Bama struggled to score (27 offensive points) and A&M had a lead in the third quarter.

Dropped out: None

Four on the outside: Baylor, Wisconsin, Florida State, Florida

The Morning After... The Bye Week

1) I know I am often times overly critical of Clemson (see: Best is the Standard), but the bye week couldn't have gone better for the Tigers. Wayne Gallman, who took a vicious hit and had a concussion last week, seems to be on track to play at Florida State. No other injuries occurred during the practice week and the overall health of the team is in very good shape. Clemson won by Ohio State losing AND Auburn, Troy and Louisville continuing to win, boosting Clemson's strength of schedule or strength of record or whatever metric the four-letter network likes to tell you.

2) THE Ohio State now has THE worst loss of the season. Penn State isn't a bad team - the Nittany Lions are 5-2 - but entered the game as a 17.5-point home underdog. ESPN and others will tell you Ohio State is still on track to make the Playoff. Sure they are. As long as they win out and some other quirky things happen.

Penn State's stunning upset of Ohio State is only the start of
what is sure to be a wild finish to the college football season.
(Photo courtesy AP)

3) That loss is just the beginning. Buckle up, college football fans. Upsets are about to happen. We never get through an entire season and look back to Week 8 and say, "Yep, those same four teams won all the rest of their games." Things happen.

4) Team A rushed for 543 yards, scored 56 points and won by 53. Team B threw for 734 yards, scored 59 points and lost by seven. Team A, of course, is Auburn which beat Arkansas like a drum, 56-3. The Tigers held the Hogs to 25 yards rushing while continuing to showcase a newfound high-octane offense. Team B is Texas Tech which lost in a shootout to Oklahoma 66-59. The Sooners and Red Raiders traded TDs all night, but OU was slightly better.

4B) Some crazy stats from that OU-TT game:
-Both teams finished with 854 yards of offense - combining from an NCAA-record 1,708 yards. They combined for 76 first downs.
-Texas Tech was 20-for-25 (80%) on third down conversions.
-Tech QB Patrick Mahomes was 52-88 for 734 yards passing, setting a school record.
-OU QB Baker Mayfield threw for 545 yards and seven TDS, also a school record. He averaged 15.1 yards per completion.
-Sooner RB Joe Mixon was the first OU player in school history to have 200+ yards rushing and 100+ receiving. Mixon finished with 263 yards on the ground and 114 through the air, along with five total TDs.
-Sooner WR Dede Westbrook continued his insane October with 202 receiving yards and two more touchdowns. He now has over 700 yards receiving and 10 TDs in his last four games.

5) Most everything else went according to script over the weekend. Alabama scored another defensive touchdown in its defeat of Texas A&M. West Virginia asserted itself as the most complete team in the Big 12 with a 34-10 win over TCU. Utah and Washington won, setting up a monster Pac-12 showdown next week in Salt Lake City. Perhaps the only other unforeseen outcome was SMU blowing out Houston, 38-16. But how can Houston and Tom Herman operate when teams like Texas, LSU and others are courting him to be their next head coach?

6) We're down to nine undefeated teams. They are: Alabama, Baylor, Boise State, Clemson, Michigan, Nebraska, Washington, West Virginia and Western Michigan.

6B) Road Trippin': Next week's slate is full of some tough road matchups for a slew of teams. It kicks off Thursday with Virginia Tech (5-2) heading to Pittsburgh (also 5-2) for a big ACC Coastal Chaos game. On Saturday, get ready.
No. 2 Michigan at Michigan State
No. 5 Louisville at Virginia
No. 24 Penn State at Purdue
No. 10 West Virginia at Oklahoma State
No. 14 Florida vs. Georgia (in Jacksonville)
No. 8 Baylor at Texas
No. 4 Washington at No. 17 Utah
No. 7 Nebraska at No. 11 Wisconsin
No. 13 Boise State at Wyoming
No. 15 Auburn at Ole Miss
No. 3 Clemson at No. 12 Florida State

7) The last one is the big one. October 29 is finally here. This date was circled back when the schedules first came out. Aside from a couple FSU losses, not much has changed. Clemson still has to find a way to stop Dalvin Cook, still has to find ways to score, and still has to find a way to win at Doak Campbell Stadium, something it hasn't done since 2006. Halloween weekend can be scary. Hide yo kids, hide yo wives, and hide yo husbands. The Tigers are coming to Tallahassee. Beat Florida State.

PTT: Prediction Time Thursday - Week 8

Past the midway point in the college football season, we are finding out where teams stand. Still some matchups to determine much of the landscape, so buckle up. This is the time of year when things get fun! Time to make some Clemson bye week picks, which means a few more games than normal.

2016 BENched PTF Record

Last Week: 5-4
Game of the Week Pick: 1-2

Overall: 57-28 (.671 win %)

*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

Thursday

Miami at Virginia Tech (Line: Virginia Tech -6)
A week ago, this looked like it could have been an epic ACC Coastal showdown. Now it's essentially an elimination game from the division race. The Hokies should get a boost from the return to a Thursday night game at Lane Stadium. Hokies 24-17

BYU at No. 14 Boise State (Line: Boise State -7)
The nightcap of the Thursday double-header is a classic Mountain Time rivalry. BYU and Boise have been battling to be the non-Power 5 leader for years. The two running backs in this game are studs. I'd take Boise State QB Brett Rypien over BYU's Taysom Hill right now. Slight edge to Boise on The Blue. Broncos 34-24

Friday

Oregon at Cal (Line: Cal -3)
The what-could-have-been game. These two teams have combined for five wins, with the Ducks falling from the sky and the Bears just meh. Oregon has no defense and is a loss away from Phil Knight picking up the phone to bring Chip Kelly back. *Ring ring*. Bears 47-30

Saturday

NC State at No. 7 Louisville (Line: Louisville -19.5)
BENched is still unsure how Kyle Bambard missed that kick. Huge chance for NC State to bounce back this week. Lamar Jackson needs to get back on track after a so-so performance last week against Duke. Cards 41-28

No. 10 Wisconsin at Iowa (Line: Wisconsin -3.5)
The Badgers have a pair of seven-point losses to the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the land. Lucky for UW, those two teams are in the B1G East. Now they travel west to take on an underwhelming Iowa squad. Badgers 31-14

Texas at Kansas State (Line: Kansas State -2.5)
K-State owns Texas. For whatever reason, the purple 'Cats just know how to get it done against the Longhorns. So why go against that? Plus, a buddy of mine can't stand it when I don't pick Kansas State. This one's for you. Snydercats 27-24

Syracuse at Boston College (Line: Boston College -4.5)
Yes, you read that line right. The team that hasn't won an ACC game in its last 11 tries is the a 4.5-point favorite over a team that just beat Virginia Tech by 14. Something's up... Orange 35-17

No. 22 North Carolina at Virginia (Line: North Carolina -8.5)
Which Tar Heel team shows up this week - the one that got blown out at home by the Hokies or the one that did work at Miami? Either way, the winner of this game controls the Coastal Division. Yes, really, Virginia could be in control after Saturday. Heels 44-27

Colorado at Stanford (Line: Stanford -2.5)
Two Pac-12 teams with two losses apiece headed in different directions. With a win, the Buffs become bowl eligible for the first time since 2007. "The Rise" is real. Buffs 33-21

TCU at No. 12 West Virginia (Line: West Virginia -6)
We will likely keep asking if West Virginia is for real until the Mountaineers go the entire season unbeaten. The Horned Frogs head to the hills for an intriguing Big 12 battle. Dana Holgorsen is probably gonna shotgun another Red Bull on TV with his team winning big again. 'Neers 48-38

GAME OF THE WEEK

Trevor Knight was all smiles the last time he
played Alabama. That was with Oklahoma.
Did he bring some magic with him to Texas A&M?
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

No. 6 Texas A&M at No. 1 Alabama (Line: Alabama -18)
An 18-point spread for the game of the week? Better question, is Alabama really that good? Scary good, in fast. A lot has been made of Trevor Knight, the former Sooner who beat Alabama in the 2014 Sugar Bowl, getting another crack at the Tide. This Tide, though, is a different kind of elephant. Defensive end Myles Garrett will pressure freshman QB Jalen Hurts more than he's seen in his young career. But Alabama is too much for the Aggies in the end. Tide 35-24

No. 19 Utah at UCLA (UCLA -7)
Make or break kind of game for Jim Mora at UCLA. A loss to Utah could lead to a bowl-less season. Meanwhile, Utah will do its best to not peak ahead to next week's major throwdown with No. 5 Washington. Trap game in the Rose Bowl? Utes 24-21

No. 17 Arkansas at No. 21 Auburn (Line: Auburn -9.5)
Austin Allen is one tough son-of-a-gun. His grit has been tested the past two weeks against Alabama and Ole Miss. Auburn had the week off to decide if it wants to use the QB carousel it began the season with or go with Sean White like it has in three straight wins. The winner on the Plains remains close behind the top tier of Bama/A&M. Hogs 30-24

No. 16 Oklahoma at Texas Tech (Line: Oklahoma -14)
It won't be a warm welcome back to Lubbock for Baker Mayfield. Tortillas, batteries and who knows what else will be thrown his way. Those Raider fans are harsh. Too bad their defense is softer than a rabbit's ears. Ponies and Wagons 62-20

No. 2 Ohio State at Penn State (Line: Ohio State -19.5)
The whiteout in Happy Valley is one of the best atmospheres in the game. But it won't be enough to slow down the ultra-talented Buckeyes. Urban Meyer has a one-track mind: He wants Saban. Buckeyes 45-13

No. 23 Ole Miss at No. 25 LSU (Line: LSU -5.5)
Ole Miss fell to 3-3 and is still ranked. It's absurd and both the AP voters and coaches who put together their polls should forfeit their votes just for that. The Fighting Orgeron's are playing well, almost like a team that has a ton of talent and a solid game plan. Hmm, no wonder Les Miles isn't coaching in Baton Rouge anymore. Bayou Bengals 31-27

Washington State at Arizona State (Line: Washington State -7.5)
Luke Falk is proving to be a great fit for Mike Leach's offense. The Cougs could be a legitimate threat to Washington in the Apple Cup at the end of the season. The Sun Devils are coming off a beat down at Colorado. Tough to follow that up with the Air Raid from the Paluse. Wazzu 38-28

-BtW

Tigers fall in latest Ben Ten

We are now at the point in the season where preseason hype has run out and it's all about the performance. It is certain that at this point, Alabama has passed the eye test as well as the statistical test. After the Tide, there are myriad teams who could rank anywhere from 2-6. We'll continue to dwindle down the unbeaten teams, but for now it remains at 11.

Playoff Teams

Freshman Jalen Hurts has made his way into the Heisman discussion
with big performances like that against Tennessee.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

1) Alabama
Last week: No. 1
Record: 7-0
Key win(s): USC, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Tennessee
This week: vs. Texas A&M
The Tide looked smooth on Rocky Top and added two more non-offensive TDs for a total of 11 this season. Alabama returns home to take on the Aggies for this week's biggest showdown.

2) Ohio State
Last week: No. 3
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): Oklahoma, Wisconsin
This week: at Penn State
It took guts and heart, but the Buckeyes got it done in overtime at Wisconsin. JT Barrett continues to rise in Heisman talk. Ohio State trucks on to Happy Valley next.

3) Michigan
Last week: No. 4
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): Colorado, Wisconsin
This week: vs. Illinois
Jim Harbaugh enjoyed his bye week in a way only Jim Harbaugh can. Don't anticipate any upset by Illinois this weekend.

4) Clemson
Last week: No. 2
Record: 7-0
Key win(s): Auburn, Louisville, NC State
This week: Bye
Had it not been for NC State's missed field goal, Clemson would have fallen much further. The Tigers are probably still one of the top four teams in the nation, but they need to prove it over their last five games.

Next in line

5) Washington
Last week: No. 5
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): Stanford, Oregon
This week: vs. Oregon State
The Huskies remain put after the bye week. Washington might get caught looking ahead to next week's game at Utah, but Oregon State still won't have enough to trip up UW.

6) Texas A&M
Last week: No. 6
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): UCLA, Auburn, Arkansas, Tennessee
This week: at No. 1 Alabama
If Texas A&M can find a way to slow down Jalen Hurts and Bama's offense, the Aggies will shoot up to No. 1 in the rankings. Winning in Tuscaloosa won't be easy, but at least they had a week off to get ready for it.

7) Louisville
Last week: No. 7
Record: 5-1
Key win(s): Florida State
This week: vs. NC State
Louisville complained about officiating after its loss to Clemson, but benefited greatly from the refs in a close win over Duke. How sorry the Wolfpack feels for itself will determine if the Cards win in blowout fashion or if they face another stiff test.

8) Nebraska
Last week: No. 8
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): Oregon
This week: vs. Purdue
With a win at Indiana in the rear-view and Purdue up next, the Huskers can officially look forward to the Wisconsin-Ohio State road trips in two weeks.

9) Boise State
Last week: No. 10 
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): Washington State, Oregon State
This week: vs. BYU (Thursday)
Boise State held on to defeat Colorado State 28-23 after leading by 18 late in the game. The win over Washington State (4-2) looks better with every Cougar victory. BYU, fresh off an OT win over the SEC's Mississippi State Bulldogs, visits the Blue for an intriguing Thursday night affair.

10) West Virginia
Last Week: NR
Record: 5-0
Key win(s): Kansas State, Texas Tech
This week: vs. TCU
Welcome to the Ben Ten, Mountaineers. Extremely dominant performance by what may be the Big 12's most complete team. WVU has a Big 12 style offense and a legit defense. That gives the Mountaineers a leg up over their Midwestern brethren.

Dropped out: Tennessee (9)

Four on the outside: Baylor, Houston, Wisconsin, Florida State

The Morning After... The Heart Attack on Homecoming

WARNING: If you are a Clemson fan, you may not like what you read. 

1) NC State outplayed and outcoached Clemson, with the exception of one play and one player. The play was the final offensive play for the Wolfpack. Why would you run your QB outside and backward instead of handing it off to Matt Dayes to set up the field goal? That playcall will haunt Dave Doeren for some time. The player is kicker Kyle Bambard. I feel for the kid, who was 4-of-5 kicking field goals entering the game, but went 1-for-4, including doinking a kick off the upright early in the game, having one blocked and missing the game-winner as time expired.

Aside from those two things, NC State was more physical than Clemson. For the first time in a few years, it looked as if Clemson felt it could simply walk on the field and win the game. NC State had other plans and the Tigers were stunned. I have a lot of questions about playcalling and personnel, but that could be reserved for an entire other post. Hopefully Dabo gets those things adjusted in the bye week.

2) It's hard to put blame on Deshaun Watson for this one. All he did was go 39-for-52 for 378 yards with two touchdowns through the air and added another 35 yards and a TD on the ground. His one mistake was the first play of the third quarter. Watson threw the first pick-6 of his career, which tied the game at 10 at the time. This is the second time in three games that Clemson has driven the field to get a big score before halftime and gets the ball back after the break, only to throw an interception to turn the momentum of the game. It was his only mistake, but it was costly.

3) Turnovers continue to kill this team. Watson's pick was one thing, but the Tigers fumbled twice inside the five-yard-line and were stuffed at the goalline. Three drives that could have resulted in touchdowns would've completely changed the complexion of the game. Stop turning the ball over and this team can reach the heights it was projected to reach.

4) Positive note here: This defense is good. REAL good. NC State moved the ball extremely well and shot itself in the foot several times with penalties. But the Tigers stiffened up when they had to and allowed 10 offensive points. They picked off a quarterback that had thrown zero INTs all year. They added seven more tackles for loss and four sacks. And they refused to quit when the going got tough. That resilience resonated throughout Death Valley.

Marcus Edmond wins it for Clemson with this interception in overtime.
(Photo courtesy Clemson Athletics)

4B) After all is said and done, the Tigers are 7-0 with a bye week to prep for Florida State. Clemson has won 21 straight regular season games, 20 straight at home, 24 of its last 25 games overall, 45 straight over an unranked opponent (AP Poll) and 13 straight over ACC teams. This era in Clemson history is arguably the best. Best is the Standard.

Perhaps that's why I'm a little upset. I hear all the positivity coming out of the Clemson camp, but it's hard to believe it. I don't believe we are playing to our standard...

5) I need to speak on the "storming the field" issue. Clemson has a tradition of allowing fans on the field following EVERY game. Win or lose, fans are encouraged to "Gather at the Paw" with the team to sing the Alma Mater. In big wins or close, exciting wins, Clemson students push the gate open on the Hill and hurdle the side walls to run on the field to celebrate. That's how it's been. That's how it will always be.

HOWEVER, yesterday was a storming of the field and it looked bad. Yes, the interception happened in the end zone in front of the student section. And yes, it was an exhilarating finish to a crazy game. It had to have felt incredible being in that stadium when Bambard missed the field goal and even better when Marcus Edmond came down with the pick to seal the victory. But if Clemson ever wants to be taken seriously, its fans need to act like they've been there before - students included. That may sound like a tired cliché because it is. Come on to the field and enjoy the win. Get pictures with the players and coaches. Find a player who is taking off his gloves and get those. Sing the Alma Mater with all your might. But stop acting as if we just won a championship for the first time in school history.

6) If Baker Mayfield and Dede Westbrook had the same connection of the last three weeks back in the first three weeks, we may be talking about Oklahoma as the only team with a chance to beat Alabama (more on the Tide later...). Westbrook has 574 yards and eight touchdowns since the calendar turned to October, including back-to-back games with three TD receptions. The latter of those games helped the Sooners beat down Kansas State 38-17 Saturday. Mayfield has found his go-to guy and it's helped Oklahoma get a firm grasp on the Big 12. Baylor and West Virginia may be undefeated, but OU looks like the team to beat.

7) ACC Coastal Chaos continues, but the ACC in general had a weird weekend. It started when Louisville needed a controversial roughing the kicker penalty to keep control of the game against Duke. Clemson needed overtime at home against an unranked opponent. FSU struggled with Wake Forest at home. Then there was the Coastal Division. Virginia Tech has looked like the Coastal's most complete team. The Hokies, though, were knocked off by beleaguered Syracuse, 31-17. Miami has fallen back to earth with two straight home losses. First on a blocked extra-point against FSU and now a 20-13 loss to North Carolina, who was just obliterated last week by VT.

Everyone in the Coastal Division has at least one conference loss and at least two losses overall. Miami goes to Blacksburg for a Thursday night affair this week. Pitt, which won at Virginia Saturday, still has VT, Miami and Clemson the schedule. There's a bundle of reasons to believe the Coastal champion may have three or more losses.

8) Alabama is playing in a different stratosphere. The Tide rushed for 438 yards on the road against Tennessee on their way to a 49-10 stomping of the Vols. Jalen Hurts is a weapon Nick Saban has never had at quarterback. They now have 11 non-offensive touchdowns this season. Simply, Alabama is scary.

Ohio State rallied to beat a darn good Wisconsin team on the road. The Buckeyes trailed 16-6 and couldn't get much going, but found a way in the end. JT Barrett is a natural leader and Urban Meyer's team is on its way to setting up a huge showdown with Michigan to close out the season.

9) Too much knee-jerk reaction to teams winning, losing, looking good one week or looking bad another. Time to start looking at the body of work - not what a team did yesterday and not a team's potential. We are seven weeks into this season and every team is showing pretty much exactly who they are. Take for example Ole Miss. The Rebs are 3-3. Why they were 3-2 and sitting at No. 12 is beyond me. A third loss should drop them completely from the Top 25. Don't forget to check out the Ben Ten on Monday to see where I rank the top teams in college football.

10) A bye week comes at the right time for Clemson. Rest up, heal the wounded and get ready for the trip to Tallahassee. That's the focus this week.

-BtW

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 7

A light week of picks, but a strong slate of games. Nos. 1 and 2 have to go on the road in Top 10 battles. Surely there will be an upset somewhere along the way. On Rocky Top? At Camp Randall? See what BENched thinks with the picks below!

2016 BENched PTF Record

Last Week: 7-5
Game of the Week Pick: 1-1

Overall: 52-24 (.684 win %)

*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

Friday

Mississippi State at BYU (Line: BYU -7)
This late night Friday game won't be watched by many in the southeast and that's probably a good thing. The Cowbells didn't clanga-clanga much last week in a home blowout to Auburn. No cowbell this time either. Cougs 31-20

Saturday

NC State at No. 3 Clemson (Line: Clemson -17.5)
Deshaun Watson reportedly "has fun" against the Wolfpack. He's put up massive numbers in two seasons against NC State. The Pack finally plays someone that doesn't have multiple first names. Seriously. Tigers 55-23

Kansas State at No. 19 Oklahoma (Line: Oklahoma -14)
BENched is unsure if Ole Bill Snyder is still living or if the powers that be at Kansas State have cloned him. Either way, the Snydercats are the cream of the Big 12 defensive crop. Which ain't saying much in this league. OU exorcised its Longhorn demon last week. Can it do the same against a team that has won its past two in Norman? Ponies and Wagons 31-28

No. 20 West Virginia at Texas Tech (Line: West Virginia -1)
Welcome to the Central Time Zone, Mountaineers. WVU is playing its first game in Big 12 country this season, and first true road game. This is generally where the 'Neers have struggled. Does Kliff Kingsbury even know what a defense is? I mean, golly, the Red Raiders gave up 44 points to the Snydercats. Masked Riders 49-45 

No. 10 Nebraska at Indiana (Line: Nebraska -3)
This line should scare the corn out of the Huskers. Indiana was within seven of Ohio State on the road last week and upset Michigan State the week before the in Bloomington. Nebraska hits the stretch of its schedule where we find out who this team really is. Huskers 27-24

North Carolina at No. 16 Miami (Line: Miami -7)
Devastating losses for both of these teams makes this game mean more. UNC was walloped by the Hokies in Hurricane Matthew, 34-3, while the Canes fell to the rival Noles on a blocked extra point, 20-19. Loser here is basically eliminated in the Coastal Division. Canes 44-38

No. 1 Alabama at No. 9 Tennessee (Line: Alabama -12)
Tennessee volunteered to cough up seven turnovers last week at Texas A&M in an overtime loss. Alabama continues to dominate everyone in its path. That path heads north to Rocky Top. Alabama's good for one loss a year, right? Is this it? Nahhhh. Tide 45-27

No. 12 Ole Miss at No. 22 Arkansas (Line: Ole Miss -7.5)
This game is great for the fact that you will get to relive Arkansas' miracle win at Ole Miss several times throughout the broadcast. I think the over/under for showing that replay is set for 7.5. I'll take the over. As for the game, Ole Miss wants revenge. Arkansas just wants to be relevant. Bret Bielema will be on the hot seat after this one. Rebs 37-27

GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 2 Ohio State at No. 8 Wisconsin (Line: Ohio State -10.5)

No Lambeau Leaps this week, but will the Badgers be celebrating
a landmark victory over Ohio State?
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

Wisconsin went to the Big House two weeks ago and left as the only team to hold Michigan under 45 points. The Wolverines won that day 14-7. Clearly the Badgers have a tough defense. And they've had a week off to prepare for this one. Ohio State almost got caught looking ahead to this matchup last week, pulling away from Indiana late. The Mad House will be jumping around and the belief here is this line could get destroyed. How good is Ohio State? Probably good enough for a Playoff run. But will there be a bump in the road in Madison? Such a tough call. Why not, let's go for the upset. Badgers 27-21

Shake up in the Ben Ten - Second Edition

A week after releasing my initial 2016 Ben Ten rankings, a few things happened to shake them up. First, Clemson leapt Ohio State for No. 2 - which if this were the playoff really wouldn't matter. Two teams lost allowing two new teams to enter the ranking. And one team lost, but actually moved up! Who was it? Find out with the second week of the Ben Ten.

Playoff Teams

1) Alabama
Last week: No. 1
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): USC, Ole Miss, Arkansas
This week: at No. 9 Tennessee
Alabama continues to roll and continues to score in all phases. The Tide have nine non-offensive touchdowns. Another big road test awaits on Rocky Top.

2) Clemson
Last week: No. 3
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): Auburn, Louisville
This week: vs. NC State
Clemson resembled the team that went to the National Championship last season in a 56-10 win at Boston College. The Tigers are the only Power 5 team with three true road wins so far this season.

Clemson soared past BC Friday and now soars up to No. 2 in the Ben Ten.
(Photo courtesy Clemson Football)

3) Ohio State
Last week: No. 2
Record: 5-0
Key win(s): Oklahoma
This week: at No. 8 Wisconsin
Perhaps the Buckeyes didn't pay close enough attention to Indiana. The Buckeyes led by seven midway through the third before pulling away late. A trip to Madison looms.

4) Michigan
Last week: No. 4
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): Colorado, Wisconsin
This week: Bye
Who leads the nation in scoring offense? That'd be Michigan. The Wolverines are the first to reach 300 points this season and did so with an emphatic 78-0 win at Rutgers. Rest up, Big Blue. And enjoy Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.

Next in line

5) Washington
Last week: No. 6
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): Stanford, Oregon
This week: Bye
After gut-busting Stanford, the Huskies curb-stomped Oregon, 70-21, in Autzen. Ouch. That's a combined 114-27 over the two Pac-12 teams who have won the past seven conference titles.

6) Texas A&M
Last week: No. 9
Record: 6-0
Key win(s): UCLA, Auburn, Arkansas, Tennessee
This week: Bye
Texas A&M survived the late Tennessee rally. The reward? A bye week to prepare for the Aggies' road trip to Tuscaloosa on Oct. 22.

7) Louisville
Last week: No. 7
Record: 4-1
Key win(s): Florida State
This week: vs. Duke (Friday)
Discussion about Louisville this weekend was that the Cards lost during their bye week due to Houston falling to Navy. On the flip side, how good did Louisville look to hang with a Clemson team that is finding its stride?

8) Nebraska
Last week: NR
Record: 5-0
Key win(s): Oregon
This week: at Indiana
The Huskers make an appearance here for the first time this season. Nebraska has yet to impress and its best win is against a team that is now 2-4 (Oregon). Nebraska, though, could easily get to 7-0 before back-to-back road trips at Wisconsin and Ohio State, where it could prove its ranking. Or not.

9) Tennessee
Last week: No. 10
Record: 5-1
Key win(s): Virginia Tech, Florida, Georgia
This week: vs. No. 1 Alabama
Yes, the Vols moved up despite a loss. Tough pill to swallow for the Vols, who turned the ball over seven times and fell in overtime on the road at Texas A&M. No time to sulk, though, as the Crimson Tide invade Neyland Stadium.

10) Boise State
Last week: NR
Record: 5-0
Key win(s): Washington State, Oregon State
This week: vs. Colorado State
Sure there are a few more unbeaten Power 5 teams who could be ranked here - Baylor or West Virginia - but the Broncos are playing extremely well. Boise State has yet to trail this season and has wins over two Pac-12 opponents.

Dropped out: Houston (5), Miami (8)

Four on the outside: Wisconsin, Baylor, West Virginia, Houston

The Morning After... The Blow Out Weekend

BENched presents The Morning After... My weekly college football observations, where this weekend you were either blown out by your opponent or by Hurricane Matthew.

1) Halfway through the 2016 schedule, we like to welcome the real Clemson Tigers to the season. Just six days removed from a huge emotional win over No. 3 Louisville, Clemson traveled to play Boston College, a place where wins have been a struggle. There was no struggle Friday night. Clemson clicked on all cylinders and led 21-3 after one quarter. When the backups entered the game in the fourth quarter, it was evident the talent gap between the two squads. Clemson's 56-10 win was the first time Clemson scored 50+ points since Oct. 31, 2015, at NC State (56-41 win).

The Tigers were able to rise above and soar past the Eagles Friday night.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

2) For the third time this season, Clemson's balanced offensive attack gained over 200 yards both rushing and passing. Wayne Gallman only needed nine carries to reach 100 yards rushing (109 to be exact). His 59-yard touchdown run was the first Tiger play over 50 yards this season. On the ensuing drive, Deshaun Watson hit Mike Williams for a 50-yard pass in which Williams dove and stretched out entirely to make a spectacular grab. The next drive, tight end Jordan Leggett went 56 yards to paydirt, giving Clemson three consecutive drives of 50+ yard plays after having zero such plays in the five previous games. It's safe to say the Tiger offense is gaining momentum.

3) BC's offense is abysmal, that much is clear. But Clemson's defense was able to get pressure with little blitzing. Clelin Ferrell, Dexter Lawrence, Christian Wilkins and a host of other D-linemen ravaged the Eagle backfield all night. Like last year, Clemson's defense is ahead of the offense. With more depth, however, it appears the trudge toward the end of the season won't be a factor. It was made well known in 2015 that the defensive Tigers were worn down come season's end. This unit appears to be picking up steam with six regular season games to go.

4) Statistically speaking: Clemson has now won 44 straight games against unranked opponents. ... The Tigers are 6-0 for the fourth time in the last six years. Clemson had been 6-0 only four times in the previous 78 seasons. ... CU is 77-0-1 when gaining 200 yards passing and rushing. ... Watson is 24-2 as a starter. One of the losses came to Georgia Tech in 2014 when he was injured in the first quarter and didn't return. The other is to Alabama in last season's National Championship Game. ... Gallman has 15 career games with over 100 yards rushing. That ties a Clemson record with Raymond Priester. ... Deon Cain had two more TD receptions, the second consecutive game he's hauled in two scores. He leads the team with six touchdown catches.

5) The Red River Showdown was once called the Red River Shootout. While the name won't change back, the game itself turned into a shootout. Oklahoma's offense had little trouble solving Charlie Strong's defense, gaining 672 yards in the 45-40 win. Samaje Perine bulldozed his way to 214 yards and two scores, while receiver Dede Westbrook had 10 catches for 232 yards - a Sooner record - and three touchdowns. The trouble for the Crimson and Cream came on defense. Longhorn freshman quarterback Shane Buechele threw for 245 yards and three TDs. OU couldn't stop D'Onta Foreman on the ground either, allowing 159 yards and two TDs to the Horns runner.

It was the defense, however, that came up with two crucial stops late in the third and early in the fourth quarters. When OU took a 28-27 lead, the Sooners forced a 3-and-out. Westbrook then hauled in his third score of the game to put the Sooners on top 35-27. Another 3-and-out gave OU the ball back and again they scored for what ultimately proved to be too much for Texas to overcome.

With TCU and Texas behind them, OU has a clear shot at the Big 12 title. Kansas State, Baylor and Oklahoma State must visit Norman. Oklahoma travels to West Virginia late in the year, but the conference title may be wrapped up before then.

6) No. 8 Texas A&M and No. 9 Tennessee produced a classic. It seems that most games the Vols are involved in these days turn out to be classics. The Aggies led 28-7 early in the third quarter, and 35-21 late in the fourth. But don't count out Big Orange. Tennessee scored twice in the final three minutes to send the game to overtime. Both kicked field goals in the first frame, but Texas A&M prevailed 45-38 after scoring and then intercepting Josh Dobbs. The next two weeks see both teams facing No. 1 Alabama - Tennessee on Oct. 15 at home; Texas A&M on Oct. 22 at Bama.

7) Saturday Stunners: No. 6 Houston was the second Top 10 team to go down. The Cougs lost on the road to Navy 46-40. Houston's dream of crashing the Playoff party ended in Annapolis. ... No. 10 Miami became the third Top 10 team to fall, as the Canes dropped their seventh straight to No. 23 Florida State when the Noles blocked a potential game-tying extra point. ... Other Top 25 teams to go down were: No. 17 North Carolina getting blown away in Hurricane Matthew by No. 25 Virginia Tech, 34-3; No. 21 Colorado lost 21-17 at USC; No. 16 Arkansas lost big to No. 1 Alabama (not surprising here); And Washington State drop-kicked No. 15 Stanford on The Farm, 42-16.

8) Notre Dame is off to its worst start (2-4) since 2007 following a 10-3 loss at NC State. The Irish and Wolfpack played amidst the hurricane conditions in Raleigh. The field was more fit for slip-and-slide, but no excuses as both teams dealt with the problematic conditions. The Irish still have Stanford, Miami, Navy, Virginia Tech and USC still on the schedule. It's very possible Notre Dame won't make a bowl game this season.

9) There are now only 11 unbeaten FBS teams remaining. Nine are from Power 5 conferences and two Group of 5 teams.

Power 5
ACC - Clemson
Big 12 - Baylor and West Virginia
Big Ten - Michigan, Nebraska and Ohio State
Pac-12 - Washington
SEC - Alabama and Texas A&M

Group of 5
MAC - Western Michigan
MWC - Boise State

Some games to keep an eye on next week - Alabama at Tennessee, Nebraska at Indiana, West Virginia at Texas Tech, and Ohio State at Wisconsin.

10) The schedule finally becomes a little more routine. Six games to go, all on Saturdays, one bye week, and four home games. One at a time. Beat NC State.

-BtW

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 6

The first weekend of October provided some amazing finishes. On the second weekend of October, rivalries renew. Not your typical end-of-season rivalries, but some rather big ones. There are four matchups between Top 25 teams. Enough of the banter. On with the picks!

2016 BENched PTF Record

Last Week: 8-5
Game of the Week Pick: 0-1

Overall: 45-19 (.703 win %)

*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

Friday

No. 3 Clemson at Boston College (Line: Clemson -17)
Friday Night Lights for the No. 3 team in the land. Some things should just never happen. Lots of emotion in this one with the Eagles playing their annual "Red Bandanna Game." The Tigers are coming off the huge win over another bird type last week. The thought here is that Clemson has found its stride and is about to turn it up about 10 notches. Tigers 34-10

Saturday

Texas vs. No. 20 Oklahoma (Line: Oklahoma -11.5) - Red River Showdown at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas
Big Game Bob takes on Charlie "Save My Job Again" Strong. The Burnt Orange and Crimson split at the 50 of the Cotton Bowl is a spectacle. OU will be without several key defenders, including a couple on the defensive line. No way the Longhorns overpower the Sooners again. Right? Ponies and Wagons 38-30

Notre Dame at NC State (Line: NC State -2)
NC State playing a non-conference Power 5 opponent? Say whaaaat? Anyway, Notre Dame lacks a defense. NC State lacks the ability to have anything better than a mediocre season. The line flipped from ND -2.5 to State -2. There could also be potential weather issues from Hurricane Matthew. Take your pick. Irish 28-24

LSU at No. 18 Florida (GAME POSTPONED)
What could have been a 3-2 type ballgame has ended up 0-0 before it ever got started. The question now becomes what happens if either of these teams ends the SEC portion of their schedule 6-1? Hurricane Matthew 1, Gators and Gator Hunters 0

Indiana at No. 2 Ohio State (Line: Ohio State -29)
Look, the Hoosiers upset Michigan State last week, and that might have been worse for them heading into the Horseshoe. Now the Buckeyes can't not take them seriously. Bucks 52-21

No. 25 Virginia Tech at No. 17 North Carolina (Line: North Carolina -1.5)
Some people are high on the Hokies. Some, like me, have looked at their schedule and seen who they've beaten. The Heels are a tested bunch. And that kicker is savage. That's enough for me. Heels 37-28

BYU at Michigan State (Line: Michigan State -6)
Sparty, as mentioned, is sulking from the loss to Indiana. Probably not good for any team coming to East Lansing this week. Taysom Hill hasn't looked the same as he did pre-injury for the Cougars. Sparty 20-14

GAME OF THE WEEK
No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Texas A&M (Line: Texas A&M -7)
Things sure are rocky on Rocky Top. Of Tennessee's five wins, four have been after trailing by double-digits and the other was a nine-point win over Ohio (Bobcats, not State) after only leading by two going into the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, the Aggies should be at full strength and are out to prove a 5-0 start for the third straight year will lead to bigger things. Expect another insane atmosphere at Kyle Field, much like that at Death Valley last week in Clemson. Aggies 41-31

How many more miracles do the Vols have in them?
(Photo courtesy Tennessee Athletics)

No. 21 Colorado at USC (Line: USC -4.5)
Last week, then 1-3 USC was a 10-point favorite over then 4-0 Arizona State. I questioned it. USC answered it. Final score: Trojans 41, Sun Devils 20. So once again, here we are with the sub-.500 Trojans facing a 4-1 and ranked Colorado squad. The Buffs are legit. But what does Vegas know? They can't be right about this. Buffs 34-30

No. 1 Alabama at No. 16 Arkansas (Line: Alabama -14)
Tricky trip for the Tide up to northwest Arkansas.  Bret Bielema's teams have played Bama tough the past few years. This Tide team is different with Hurts receiving the snaps. Tide 31-17

No. 5 Washington at Oregon (Line: Washington -9)
The Huskies haven't beaten Oregon in 12 years. Seriously, George W. Bush was wrapping up his FIRST TERM as President. A loss by the Ducks at home to end this streak and you can fully expect that Phil Knight will be phoning his best bud, Chip Kelly. Huskies 48-24

No. 23 Florida State at No. 10 Miami (Line: Miami -3)
I love this rivalry. It's how it's supposed to be. How much this game also gets affected by Hurricane Matthew could play a huge factor. Miami seems to be on the path back to glory, but hasn't played a worthy opponent yet. Don't fault the Canes for that, though. They've just beaten everyone on their schedule. However, they were out-gained by Georgia Tech and only defeated the Jackets by 14, a margin solidified by two defensive touchdowns. Take those away and Miami's offense tied GT's 21-21. On the flip side, this game is make or break for the Noles. A loss dooms the season (three losses before mid-October). A win gets FSU back on track for a decent bowl. Canes 23-17

Washington State at No. 15 Stanford (Line: Stanford -7.5)
How do the Trees react to being smoked by Washington last week? And did you see the Cougs wallop Oregon 51-33, beating the Ducks for the second straight season? Not real sure about the spread in this one. I like the upset! Cougs 41-35

-BtW

Ben Ten makes its return

Now that we are over a month into the season, it's time to start taking a look at a ranking of sorts. I'll play CFB Playoff Committee member and give you my Top 10. It's time to unveil the first installment of the 2016 Ben Ten.

Playoff Teams

Alabama right back where it left off the 2015 season. At the top.

1) Alabama
Record: 5-0
Key win(s): USC, Ole Miss
This week: at No. 16 Arkansas
The Crimson Tide passed their only real test to date - winning at Ole Miss. Freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts brings a new element to Alabama's offense. Big month ahead for the Tide.

2) Ohio State
Record: 4-0
Key win(s): Oklahoma
This week: vs. Indiana
Ohio State has looked dominant. The Buckeyes have outscored their opponents 228-37. The demolition of Oklahoma in Norman put the country on notice. This team is nasty.

3) Clemson
Record: 5-0
Key win(s): Auburn, Louisville
This week: at Boston College (Friday)
It took playing the nation's best offense for the Tigers to get their offense rolling. Clemson held Louisville well below its season average for points, total yards and yards per play.

4) Michigan
Record: 5-0
Key win(s): Colorado, Wisconsin
This week: at Rutgers
No questioning that Michigan is tough. But does it have enough playmakers to hang with Ohio State? We won't know until November. Harbaugh has turned the program around, though.

Next in line

5) Houston
Record: 5-0
Key win(s): Oklahoma
This week: at Navy
If Greg Ward Jr. played for a Power 5 school, he'd be getting a lot more Heisman love. Simply, no one wants to mess with the Cougs. Houston gets one more moment to shine when it hosts Louisville in November.

6) Washington
Record: 5-0
Key win(s): Stanford
This week: at Oregon
The Huskies put a beating on reigning Pac-12 and Rose Bowl champion Stanford. Washington is fast and athletic. Chris Petersen has the Huskies playing similarly to his Boise State teams - loose and tough.

7) Louisville
Record: 4-1
Key win(s): Florida State
This week: Bye
Lamar Jackson deserves all the praise. He's a freak of an athlete. The Cards showed more in the loss to Clemson than they had in blowout wins earlier. If they can run the table and have a few other things happen, Louisville could be the first non-conference champion to make the Playoff.

8) Miami 
Record: 5-0
Key win(s): None yet
This week: vs. No. 23 Florida State
Mark Richt has brought back a certain swag to The U. The Hurricanes host in-state rival Florida State this weekend and can solidify themselves as the ACC Coastal favorite.

9) Texas A&M
Record: 5-0
Key win(s): UCLA, Auburn, Arkansas
This week: vs. No. 9 Tennessee
For the third straight year, A&M is 5-0. Is the third time the charm? Big matchup in College Station this weekend as the Vols come to town.

10) Tennessee
Record: 5-0
Key win(s): Virginia Tech, Florida, Georgia
This week: at No. 8 Texas A&M
Alright, Vols. Here's your chance to prove the big deficit comeback wins and the lucky breaks are no fluke. Tennessee already has a firm grasp on the SEC East. But how will it fare against the West's best the next two weeks?

The Morning After... An Instant Classic!

1) What a time to be a Tiger! And what a game last night between two heavyweights. Before the game, Dabo Swinney said the contest would come down to defense. He was right. In a back-and-forth affair that produced over 1,000 yards of offense between the teams, Clemson's defense came up with a critical stop to earn the win.

5-0

🐅 What a time to be a Tiger 🐾 pic.twitter.com/TDX41kQUFo

— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) October 2, 2016

2) Offensively, Clemson was a mess. Clemson had five turnovers - three INTs, two fumbles. Yet, the Tigers still put up 507 yards and scored 42 points. That's called resolve. That's called overcoming adversity. That's called having the will to win. Dabo has instilled a winning culture at Clemson. For all the errant throws Watson made, for the lack of ball security inside the red zone, and for the predictable playcalling, Clemson got done what it needed to when it needed to.

Deon Cain provided an early spark for the Tigers with two long TD catches in the second quarter.
(Photo courtesy The State)

3) For three drives, Clemson's defense was dominant. They set the tone, as did the incredible fans who made Death Valley the best it's ever been. Lamar Jackson was rattled. The Cardinal offensive line looked confused. It was the perfect start. Except the offense didn't do its job and eventually Bobby Petrino, the offensive genius that he is, solved the Tiger D. All that said, it was Clemson's offense that put the defense in horrible situations. Momentum shifted when Watson was picked early in the second half. It gave Louisville life and the Cards went on a 26-0 run, partly because Jackson is a freak of nature and partly because the Clemson offense couldn't stay on the field. I don't like giving up 36 points and 568 yards, but I don't fully blame the defense for it. When they needed the stops, they came up with two huge ones. One forced a punt so Clemson could take the lead, one secured the win.

4) Statistically speaking: Clemson now owns the nation's current longest active home winning streak at 19 games ... The win was the first in program history at home between two top-5 teams ... Dabo Swinney is 10-5 against top-10 opponents. Only three of the 10 wins have been at home ... CU is 56-1 in its last 57 games when leading going into the fourth quarter (CU led 28-26 going into the 4th last night), is 76-0-1 when posting at least 200 yards passing and 200 yards rushing, and 87-1-1 when gaining over 500 yards of offense. The only loss came in last season's National Championship Game ... Deshaun Watson has thrown 22 interceptions in his career. Six of them have come against Louisville. Despite that, Watson is 3-0 against the Cards ... Underutilized tight end Jordan Leggett has now caught TD passes in two straight games after having just one catch through the first three games. Leggett's TD was the 13th of his career, setting a new Clemson record for TEs ... Deon Cain was a big factor with four catches for 98 yards and two long touchdowns ... Clemson is 19-1 since the start of the 2015 season.

5) The Oklahoma Sooners first of back-to-back trips to the DFW metroplex ended with a much-needed win. OU squeaked out a 52-46 victory over TCU in a game that saw three massive scoring runs. TCU jumped out to a 21-7 lead after one quarter; OU then went on a 42-3 run over the next two periods to take a 49-24 lead going into the fourth; TCU stormed back with 22 unanswered to make it a three-point game before the Sooners iced it late. Oklahoma stuffed the Horned Frogs run game, allowing just 65 yards, but the air attack by Kenny Hill and Co. torched the Sooners secondary to the tune of 449 yards and five TDs. Not a good look for a defense still yet to face Texas (next week), Texas Tech, Baylor and Oklahoma State.

Michigan's Jourdan Lewis somehow pulled this in
for a game-winning interception.
(Photo courtesy AP)

6) Saturday produced more instant classics. It began with Baylor needing a last minute field goal to knock off Iowa State 45-42. The switch was flipped after that. ... North Carolina led 21-0 at Florida State, saw the Noles fight back to take a 35-34 lead with 23 seconds to go thanks to a blocked UNC extra point. A pass interference penalty allowed the Heels to attempt a 54-yard field goal to win it. And they did, 37-35. ... Tennessee came back from 17 down to take a 28-24 lead over Georgia. The Dawgs scored with 10 seconds to go on a long pass down the sideline to go up 31-28. Two penalties, a solid kickoff return and a crazy Hail Mary the Vols hauled in gave UT the 34-31 win in Athens. ... Michigan and Wisconsin produced a classic Big Ten battle, with the Wolverines coming out on top 14-7 thanks to the interception you see pictured. ... Indiana stunned Michigan State 24-21 in overtime after some #CollegeKickers madness. Cal stopped Utah at the goalline not once, not twice, but SEVEN times at the end of the game to emerge 28-23 victory. ... Oh, and in case you missed Friday night, BYU knocked off Toledo 55-53 on a last-second field goal in a wild Friday affair that saw color commentator Mack Brown leave the booth to catch a flight out of Salt Lake City.

WHEW!

7) Welcome to playoff football in the regular season. The ACC Atlantic Division is now Clemson's to lose. The Tigers would have to lose twice for anyone to have a shot down the stretch. Clemson is 19-4 against its remaining division foes over the last five years with three of those losses coming to FSU. At the top of the Coastal Division sits undefeated Miami along with unbeaten in conference North Carolina and Virginia Tech - also Virginia, but the Hoos won't be in contention long. North Carolina passed one test, beating the Noles on the road. Now the Heels have back-to-back games against the Hokies (at home) and Canes (in Miami). The Canes host Florida State this coming weekend, UNC the next, then travel to Virginia Tech for a Thursday night showdown in Blacksburg. VT aforementioned travels to UNC this week, then goes to Syracuse before the Thursday affair with Miami. By morning October 21, we will either know the Coastal favorite or we'll shift what was supposed to be the third-party tiebreaker for the Atlantic over to the Coastal.

8) Now that the calendar has flipped to October, we can begin to discuss playoff contenders. As mentioned above, there are still plenty of games to play that will decide all of this for us. I will have another post on this later this week. For now, here are a few contenders for the CFB Playoff from each conference (mostly, this means they are undefeated and/or have a chance to strengthen their résumés).

*Teams listed by conference and in order of greatest chance to reach Playoff
AAC - Houston
ACC - Clemson, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina
Big 12 - Baylor, West Virginia
Big Ten - Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, Maryland
Pac-12 - Washington, Colorado
SEC - Alabama, Tennessee, Texas A&M

9) Quick hitters: Colorado keeps on winning and its lone loss at Michigan isn't all that horrible, considering it held a 24-7 lead and the Buffs QB was hurt. CU has a huge Pac-12 South matchup at USC Saturday. ...  Staying in the PAC-12, the Oregon Ducks are 2-3 and are seeing bowl eligibility becoming nearly impossible. Oregon lost 51-33 at Washington State and still has Stanford and Washington on the schedule. ... Tennessee has firm control on the SEC East, while Texas A&M is the top SEC West opponent for Alabama. However, the Tide has to go to Arkansas this weekend. Bama has struggled with the Hogs since Bret Bielema has been at the helm. ... LSU has new life, thanks to Coach O. Ed Orgeron and LSU put up over 600 yards of offense against Mizzou. Might be too late to climb back into the picture, but good for the Bayou Bengals.

10) Prototypical letdown game coming up for the Tigers. A short week. On the road. Against a team that gives Clemson fits. After a huge emotionally-charged win. No excuses. Beat Boston College.

-BtW