PTT: Prediction Time Thursday - Week 6

Much better week by my standards, but disappointed that I picked against Clemson. That won't happen again. Getting the picks started early this week since there is intriguing action beginning tonight (Thursday). Here's where things stand heading into October.

2017 Record

Overall: 65-18 (.783 win %)
Last Week: 10-2
Game of the Week Pick: 2-3

*Rankings below reflect the AP Top 25

AP Top 10
1 Alabama at Texas A&M
Saturday, 7:15 pm ET, ESPN
Alabama -26

Alabama stomped Vandy and Ole Miss by a combined 125-3. While Texas A&M presents a slightly tougher challenge, the Aggies are far from being worthy competition for the Crimson Tide. It seems like this Bama team is on a mission. Jalen Hurts is playing at an extremely high level and showing why he was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year as a freshman. Tide 42-13

Wake Forest at 2 Clemson
Saturday, Noon ET, ESPN2
Clemson -21.5
In three conference games plus the game with Auburn, Clemson has looked much more impressive on the road than at home. Here comes Wake Forest, limping after a close but no cigar loss to Florida State. The Deacons' confidence might be shook, but they won't roll over in Death Valley. Kelly Bryant needs to prove the Tigers passing game should be taken seriously. Tigers 35-10 

Iowa State at 3 Oklahoma
Saturday, Noon ET, Fox

Oklahoma -30

Baker Mayfield has been as close to perfect as one can be this season. He's yet to turn the ball over and is averaging just over four TD passes a game. Nothing changes here. Sooners 52-20

4 Penn State at Northwestern
Saturday, Noon ET, ABC
Penn State -13.5
Saquon Barkley is doing it all for the Nittany Lions. He'll get another chance to showcase his skills against a scrappy Northwestern squad. The Wildcats always play Penn State tough in Evanston. This PSU team is a little different. Lions 40-10

5 Georgia at Vanderbilt
Saturday, Noon ET, ESPN
Georgia -17.5
The Dawgs are en fuego right now, having taken down Mississippi State and Tennessee by a combined 72-3. Alabama proved Vandy was a fraud, as all should've expected. Now Georgia gets to have its way with the Dores. Dawgs 35-6

Cal at 6 Washington
Saturday, 10:45 pm ET, ESPN
Washington -27.5
Cal is playing teams close, but sits 0-2 in Pac-12 play. Washington had a slow start at Oregon State, but pulled away big in the second half. Jake Browning can sling it and his main target Dante Pettis is fun to watch. At night in Husky Stadium, this shouldn't be close. Other Dawgs 48-14

Michigan State at 7 Michigan
Saturday, 7:30 pm ET, ABC
Michigan -10.5
The last time these two got together in the Big House, all heck broke loose. Sparty pulled off the improbable victory on a blocked punt returned for a touchdown as timed expired. John O'Korn was second string to begin the season for a reason, but the Wolverines are simply better than their in-state rival. Wolverines 34-21

GAME OF THE WEEK

Kenny Hill has TCU in the Top 10 as we enter October,
a spot not many predicted the Horned Frogs would be.
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)

23 West Virginia at 8 TCU
Saturday, 3:30 ET, FS1

TCU -13.5
This is a surprise for Game of the Week. Following WVU's loss to Virginia Tech, the Mountaineers have put up 56, 59, and 56 points to get the offense rolling (albeit against East Carolina, Delaware State, and Kansas). Last we saw TCU, the Horned Frogs walked out of T. Boone Pickens Stadium with a 13-point win over then-No. 6 Oklahoma State. The Frogs behind Kenny Hill are looking like the Big 12 offense many thought they'd be. Defensively, Gary Patterson's team is living up to the expectation as well. That will be the difference Saturday. Frogs 41-27

9 Wisconsin at Nebraska
Saturday, 8 pm ET, Big Ten

Wisconsin -10.5

The Badgers keep chugging along while all the eyes are focused on the Big Ten East at the moment. Wisconsin hasn't received near enough praise, but they're probably OK with that. Nebraska needs a win bigtime. It'll be a great atmosphere to start, but once Big Red Nation realizes they can't compete with the big boys of the Big Ten, things will turn sour in Lincoln. Badgers 34-17

Maryland at 10 Ohio State
Saturday, 4 pm ET, Fox
Ohio State -31
Can anyone figure out Maryland? The Terps go on the road and put 51 points on Texas, then they lose at home 38-10 to UCF (who is a very good team, by the way). But it didn't stop there. Maryland knocked off an unbeaten Minnesota team on the road. Meanwhile, JT Barrett is looking better against weak competition, which is how Urban Meyer gets the respect back to his club. This may be close for a while, but Maryland can't hang that long with the Buckeyes. Bucks 45-17

Must Watch
17 Louisville at 24 NC State
Thursday, 8 pm ET, ESPN
Louisville -3
The atmosphere at Carter-Finley Stadium should be electric with the Wolfpack looking to assert themselves as the No. 2 team in the ACC Atlantic behind Clemson. Lamar Jackson still runs the show at Louisville, which means the Cards will put up some points. But NC State's defense can disrupt that just enough to get a big win. Pack 27-24

13 Miami at Florida State
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, ESPN
Miami -3
Hurricane Irma forced this game to be moved here from what was supposed to be a Week 3 matchup. Now, the Noles look vulnerable and the Canes look like a Coastal Division contender. Whenever these two get together, it's fun to watch. There will be trash talk. There may be a scrum or two. And for some reason, this game loves to come down to the field goal units. Canes 24-23

11 Washington State at Oregon
Saturday, 8 pm ET, Fox
Washington State - 2.5
Luke Falk led Washington State to a huge win over USC last week at home. Now, the Cougars go on the road to a difficult place to play, Autzen Stadium. Mike Leach might think there are louder environments, but he didn't help his team out by calling out the Ducks faithful. I'm really excited for this one and hope it lives up to its billing. Cougs 44-35

Stanford at 20 Utah
Saturday, 10:15 pm ET, FS1
Stanford -4.5

Bryce Love might be these best running back in the country west of Saquon Barkley. Love already has over 1,000 yards and has given Cardinal fans a good reason to forget about life without Christian McCaffrey. Rice-Eccles Stadium is no easy place to play, so I'm surprised to see the line this much in Stanford's favor. In fact, I'm buying undefeated Utah right now over two-loss Stanford. Utes 30-24

Keep An Eye On
Boise State at BYU
Friday, 10:15 pm ET, ESPN
Boise State -7.5
These two go back a long ways and the games are always hard-fought and down to the wire. They are two of the most recognizable non-Power 5 programs of the last decade. Even though BYU hasn't had quite the season it'd hoped for, they Cougars won't lay down at home. Boise State lost a stunner to Virginia two weeks ago, so the Broncos had time to regroup for the remainder of the season. What else are you gonna do on a Friday night? Broncos 31-17

LSU at 21 Florida
Saturday, 3:30 pm ET, CBS
Florida -2
Ah, finally LSU goes to Florida. Should be good times in Gainesville after last year's bicker-fest. Neither team is fun to watch, but the hatred from Gators fans toward LSU will make it enjoyable. Gators 20-10

Kansas State at Texas
Saturday, 7 pm ET, FS1
Texas -4.5 
Is Texas back yet? It seems like every week we are hearing about the Horns and whether they are back or back to being meh. Kansas State hasn't played like many thought they would early on. The SnyderCats have a road loss at Vandy and a closer than expected win over winless Baylor. Can they go on the road and beat a fickle Tom Herman Texas team that is offensively-challenged? Honestly, who knows? Cats 24-20

-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

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

No change at the top of the Ben Ten rankings

A little more clarity for the top teams as Texas A&M went down this week. The Committee had them at No. 4, but BENched was slightly wiser and had them at seventh. So the Aggies fall out of the Ben Ten this week, as does Florida. The Top 4 remain intact, but there could certainly be some shakeups in the next few weeks. Three of the Top 4 teams face ranked rivals on the final weekend of the season. Until then, they can't get caught looking ahead.

Playoff Teams

Freshman QB Jalen Hurts was good enough in leading Bama
to a win at LSU Saturday night.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)

1) Alabama
Last week: No. 1
Record: 9-0
Wins over currently ranked teams: Texas A&M, LSU
This week: vs. Mississippi State
Alabama suffocated LSU, beating the Tigers in Baton Rouge, 10-0. Bama heads home for its final three games, none bigger than the Iron Bowl on Nov. 26. You can rest assured the Crimson Tide won't overlook a Mississippi State team which just defeated Texas A&M.

2) Clemson
Last week: No. 2
Record: 9-0
Wins over currently ranked teams: Auburn, Louisville, Florida State
This week: vs. Pitt
Clemson put together its best performance against Syracuse, beating the Orange, 54-0. Deshaun Watson left late in the second quarter with a bruised shoulder, but all indications are he will be fine for the stretch run. The Tigers host Pitt this weekend. The Panthers are one of the worst passing defenses in the nation, so Watson should get a good chance to test his shoulder out plenty.

3) Michigan
Last week: No. 3
Record: 9-0
Wins over currently ranked teams: Colorado, Penn State, Wisconsin
This week: at Iowa
Like Clemson, Michigan mauled Maryland, 59-3. Here's the thing about Michigan, and I've said it numerous times, the Wolverines have been dominant. But out of their nine games, only one has been outside the state of Michigan. That game was at Rutgers, a 78-0 demolition. Big Blue has a chance to gain some style points with two road games coming up, starting this weekend at Iowa, then the closer at Ohio State.

4) Washington
Last week: No. 4
Record: 9-0
Wins over currently ranked teams: Utah
This week: vs. USC
 I could argue that Washington has done more to impress me than Michigan has, but the Huskies remain fourth for now. UW won convincingly at Cal, 66-27. Washington now has four road wins, double what Michigan has and against better competition. Two big tests face the Huskies - this weekend with College GameDay in Seattle vs. USC and in three weeks at Washington State.

Next in line

5) Louisville
Last week: No. 5
Record: 8-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Florida State
This week: vs. Wake Forest
Louisville did to Boston College what you'd expect, and will probably do the same to the rest of its opponents. The Cardinals know they need as many style points to remain in the Playoff hunt and need a few others to lose along the way. The better they look, the harder it will be to keep them out.

6) Ohio State
Last week: No. 6
Record: 8-1
Wins over currently ranked teams: Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Nebraska
This week: at Maryland
Ohio State blasted a beat up Huskers squad, which will look great in the eyes of the Committee. It adds another data point for a ranked win and keeps the Buckeyes in line for the big showdown with Michigan. The trip to College Park shouldn't be too tall a task, considering what the Wolverines just did to the Terps.

7) Wisconsin
Last week: 8
Record: 7-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: LSU, Nebraska
This week: vs. Illinois
Wisconsin knocked off a tough Northwestern team in a lackluster game. The Badgers control the Big Ten West now thanks to Nebraska's loss. This team could give fits to either Ohio State or Michigan in the Big Ten title game, as it already has played both close this season.

8) Auburn
Last week: 10
Record: 7-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: LSU
This week: at Georgia
Auburn struggled at times with Vanderbilt, but held off the Commodores at home. The Tigers are one SEC win away from setting up the tussle in Tuscaloosa. They just have to get by rival Georgia "Between the Hedges" first.

9) Oklahoma
Last Week: NR
Record: 7-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: None
This week: vs. Baylor
The Sooners fell off the wagon early with losses to Houston and Ohio State. I'm not convinced this is a top 10 team entirely because their latest wins have come against the bottom two-thirds of the Big 12. The final three games will prove where OU stands: vs. Baylor, at West Virginia, vs. Oklahoma State.

10) Utah
Last week: NR
Record: 7-2
Wins over currently ranked teams: None
This week: at Arizona State (Thursday)
The Utes stumbled two weeks ago in a close loss to Washington, but that's been their only blemish in the past four games. Utah is the only team to slow down Washington, holding the Huskies to 24 offensive points while they average over 48 per game. Wins in their final three games puts the Utes in the Pac-12 championship game.

Dropped out: Texas A&M (7), Florida (9)

Four on the outside: Western Michigan, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Texas A&M

-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

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

The Morning After... That? What was that?

Hunter Renfrow's acrobatic touchdown catch was one of the
few bright spots for the Clemson offense Saturday.
(Photo courtesy TigerNet.com)

1) There will be no sugar-coating in this blog - this Clemson team has not looked like a Top 10 team so far this season, much less the No. 2-ranked team. I fully expect the Tigers to drop a couple spots in the polls in a few hours. No offensive rhythm, dropped passes, nine carries for 34 yards by a running back who had over 1,500 yards last season, lack of QB protection, questionable play-calling, unfathomable mistakes, terrible third down conversion rate ... and that's just the offense. Luckily, Clemson's defense has looked somewhat the part of the past two seasons, but even they gave up two late scores that turned a 27-10 ballgame into an onside kick recovery away from a major scare.

2) About that third down conversion rate. Against Auburn and Troy, Clemson converted 14-of-37 tries on the money down. The Tigers were 8-of-20 against Troy. The 38 percent conversion rate is nearly 10 percent less than that of the 2015 team, when it finished the season with an over 47 percent conversion rate. Staying on the field and running more plays does a few things. One, it allows your offense to get into rhythm. Two, it deflates a defense trying desperately to get off the field on third down. Three, it allows your own defense to rest a few more plays instead of sending them out there after another three-and-out. This area needs to get better ASAP.

3) We've all seen it one too many times, and I've made it a point before to say this when it happens: Run the ball through the back of the end zone if you can and hand it to a referee after you score.

3B) Seriously, how hard is that? Run the ball past the goal line 10 more yards to the back of the end zone and give it to the ref. That way, you KNOW you scored.

4) Not everything that has happened offensively this season is Deshaun Watson's fault, but he simply does not look like the same guy from a season ago. I don't know if it was all the travel for awards and camps and appearances at ESPN or the 300 hours of courses he took between the end of last season and now or what. But this is not the same guy who had aspirations of winning a Heisman and getting a national championship before he left Clemson. If you read between the lines of all the quotes from Watson, Dabo Swinney, and co-offensive coordinators Jeff Scott and Tony Elliott, they are all searching for answers.

Deshaun Watson: "Everybody, especially you guys, the media, wants to see us score 50-60 points." Yes, fans have been so rational about this.

— Aaron Brenner (@Aaron_Brenner) September 10, 2016

Well, this was Deshaun Watson in May: "We have a chance to be one of the best offenses ever in college football." https://t.co/AZndibNF2B

— Jon Solomon (@JonSolomonCBS) September 10, 2016

Swinney on offense: 414 yards of offense and i don't know if we can play worse. we are rythmn offense and we are not making routine plays.

— TigerNet.com (@ClemsonTigerNet) September 10, 2016

Swinney on offense: We put a DLineman in there to see if he could make a play.

— TigerNet.com (@ClemsonTigerNet) September 10, 2016

#Clemson co-OC Jeff Scott acknowledges right off the bat that offense did not play up to its potential and is capable of being much better.

— Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) September 10, 2016

Among others, Scott said, "We're just not clicking the way that we know we can. We know what we have in that room and for whatever reason we're just not on the same page right now."

Elliott noted, "We've got to find rhythm on offense. ... We tried to establish an early rhythm in the running game, but they came out with some different structure where they were going to take some chances. They were geared up to stop our bread and butter, so we had to find some complimentary schemes we had to get to. ... We felt like we could make some plays in the passing game until we could figure out what were our best schemes."

You mean the opposing team game-planned to stop what you do, and you weren't prepared for that and had to spend time figuring out what would work? Yikes.

5) I'm moving on. I could spend all morning writing about how bad this team has looked. Luckily, Clemson is 2-0 and that is ultimately what matters. If they put it together over the next 10 games and the offense clicks, this will be a minor blip on the radar. For now, it appears there are myriad problems needing fixing.

6) The Sooners bounced back to the tune of 459 yards in the first half in a dominant win over UL-Monroe. This was expected, as the Warhawks were no match for Oklahoma. The air raid offense was wide open and OU pretty much was able to do whatever it wanted. Backups played the entire second half, which prevented any injuries as the Sooners get set to host a big one next weekend in Norman. Ohio State (I refuse to call them "The") comes calling in what should be a fantastic heavy-weight matchup.

7) So much for a ho-hum Saturday with zero games involving two ranked teams. Non-Power 5 teams pulled off more upsets of Power 5 teams for the second straight week. ACC - NC State lost to East Carolina. Big Ten - Cincinnati beat Purdue and FCS Illinois State knocked off Northwestern. Big 12 - Central Michigan stunned Oklahoma State (albeit, the last play should have never happened, thought it did and thus, as a Top 25 team, you don't put yourself in that position to begin with) and Ohio beat Kansas ... well, that's not an upset. Pac-12 - San Diego State defeated Cal and Boise State held on against Washington State, although that, like Ohio-Kansas, wasn't so much an upset, but still a non-Power 5 taking down a Power 5. SEC - Well, there were no upsets in the SEC this week, but Nicholls gave Georgia a close call.

8) Texas might be the Big 12's saving grace. Oklahoma fell to Houston last week, then Oklahoma State was upset by Central Michigan and TCU lost a heartbreaker to Arkansas Saturday. That means the top three Big 12 teams heading into the season all have a loss. None are technically out of the Playoff hunt, but the Longhorns have looked sharp early on. With momentum in their favor, the Horns may be the best shot for the Big 12 to get a team into the Top 4 of the initial Playoff rankings.

9) Quick thoughts - In case your thumb wasn't fast enough to change channels, or you fell asleep early, you missed some wild ones last night. Arkansas-TCU had a crazy finish including two blown leads, a blocked game-winning field goal and double overtime, ending in a Hog victory. Boise State almost blew a 17-point lead, but held on to knock off Washington State 31-28. Utah thwarted a BYU comeback by stuffing a would-be game-winning two-point conversion. San Diego State held on against Cal on the West Coast. And some guy name Kalen Ballage scored a FBS record-tying eight touchdowns to help Arizona State win a shootout against Texas Tech 68-55. ... On Friday, Louisville blew the doors of Syracuse and the Carrier Dome, 62-28. Cards quarterback Lamar Jackson is the immediate front-runner for the Heisman Trophy. Against the Orange, Jackson had 411 passing yards and 199 rushing yards to become the first QB in college history to pass for over 400 and rush for over 175. He's accounted for 13 touchdowns in the Cards' two games, despite only playing half a game in the first one. Look out, Florida State. The Noles go to Louisville this weekend in what should be a gargantuan matchup.

10) I don't care if the offense scores a touchdown on every possession and puts up 100 points this week. That does not mean they have it all figured out. Clemson is playing a MEAC school and should do that. Just a two years ago, the Tigers beat SC State 73-7. It'd be nice to see that again, but I won't be convinced that all is right in TigerTown. I'll need to see it again the following Thursday in Atlanta. That said, one game at a time. Beat SC State.

-BtW

The Morning After...

1) Sometimes, you have to learn to get out of your own way. The Clemson coaching staff was trying to get some valuable playing time for a younger player and add another dynamic to an already uber-dynamic offense. But lesson learned. With a 14-0 lead early in the first quarter, co-offensive coordinators Tony Elliott and Jeff Scott elected to run the "Wildcat" with freshman quarterback Kelly Bryant. Bryant fumbled, Syracuse recovered, scored on the next play, and the belief meter shot through the Carrier Dome roof. Next time, let's wait until the game is in the third or fourth quarter to get our younger players the experience they need.

2) With that said, Clemson took a shot from a hungry bunch. Syracuse had lost six straight games - now seven - but the record isn't indicative of the team the Orange have. 'Cuse struggles on the road, but in the Dome, the Orange are dangerous. Clemson and LSU have the two largest wins as opponents, both by 10 points. Survive and advance is the name of the game for the Tigers who need to win three more games to assure themselves a spot in the College Football Playoff. Never thought I'd be typing those words in 2015...

3) What else can you say about Deshaun Watson? The guy is ridiculously good. He finished another game with over 400 yards of offense - 360 passing, 105 rushing - adding three touchdowns. He orchestrated Clemson's offense to its sixth straight game of over 500 yards, a first time in school history. And every time he took the field with Syracuse looking to swipe momentum, he showed poise and moxie to move the Tigers down the field. The kid is legit. To steal a line from the ESPN broadcast, "He, alone, is worth the price of admission."

4) Statistically speaking: Clemson is 10-0 for the first time since 1981, the season of the Tigers' first and only national championship ... The 10 wins marks the fifth straight season Clemson has won that many games. Clemson became just the 15th program in NCAA history to do that ... Clemson is 7-0 in the ACC and has never been 8-0 ... Clemson has 699 wins in its history and can claim No. 700 against Wake Forest Saturday, which happens to be game No. 1200 for the Tigers ... CU has won 27 ACC games in the last four years, a school-best ... 13 straight wins dating to last year and 37 straight wins over unranked teams in the AP Poll ... Watson is 14-1 as Clemson's starting QB.

5) Is Big Game Bob back? I don't know if I'd go that far, but Big Game Baker most certainly is. Baker Mayfield continues to prove every doubter wrong. He had to walk on a Texas Tech, starred as a freshman for the Red Raiders, and was let go by Kliff Kingsbury who decided he wanted to go in another direction. Mayfield showed up on Oklahoma's campus unannounced, walked on with the Sooners, and has now taken the reigns of the Sooner Schooner. What a win for the Sooners to waltz into McLane Stadium where Baylor was undefeated in its brief tenure in its sparkling new home. Mayfield's passion bleeds through his crimson and cream uniform and finds itself spreading on the Sooner sideline. Add in the fact that Oklahoma is, you know, extremely talented and the equation results in a scary thought ... No one wants to play this Oklahoma team. OU has won five straight games, outscoring its opponents 276-84. If they can find themselves in the College Football Playoff, watch out.

6) Farewell, Pac-12. We hardly knew ye. With two regular season weeks still to play, the conference is finished. Stanford was the best hope for a Playoff spot and everyone pointed to the Cardinal's season finale with Notre Dame and the Pac-12 Championship Game as the de facto play-in games. Oregon went to Palo Alto and said, "Remember us?" and knocked off Stanford 38-36. That left Utah as the final one-loss team from Pac-12. But the Utes dropped a two-overtime thriller at Arizona. With several unbeatens and many more one-loss teams, you can assuredly leave the Pac-12 out of the Playoff this season.

7) That's good news for the Big 12, whose fate now rests in the state of Oklahoma's hands. The aforementioned Sooners are surging toward what looks to be another Bedlam classic. Oklahoma State used another 17-point comeback to take down upset-minded Iowa State, 35-31. The Cowboys are the Big 12's last unbeaten and still have Baylor and OU in the final two weeks. Should OU beat TCU and OSU beat Baylor this coming weekend, all eyes in the college football world will turn to America's heartland Nov. 28.

8) Alabama may have had the most impressive win of the weekend by going into Mississippi State and out-classing the Bulldogs. The Tide's 31-6 win over the No. 17 team will likely solidify their spot in the Top 4. However, that impressive win over LSU took a hit as Arkansas went to Baton Rouge and upset the Tigers. The Hogs wasted little time in asserting their dominance with a 31-14 win to keep the Golden Boot trophy. Still, Bama seems to be on track to claim a Playoff spot. Personally, I don't have them in my Top 4, but we know the Committee can't keep Nick Saban out.

9) We are down to five unbeaten teams with Baylor's loss. There are four Power 5 teams - Clemson, Ohio State, Iowa and Oklahoma State. And then there's Houston. The Cougars looked dead in the water at home, trailing 34-14 to Memphis after the first play of the fourth quarter. Houston's star quarterback Greg Ward Jr. went down in the first half with an injury and backup Kyle Postma was thrust into the fire. He led a furious comeback and a Memphis field goal sailed wide right with under 30 seconds to play, securing a 35-34 Houston win. It was the first big game for Houston and the Cougs' first chance to impress the Playoff Committee. Mission accomplished. Houston now is the frontrunner for the Group of 5 spot for a New Year's Six Bowl, especially following Temple's flop against South Florida. The Owls impressed everyone two weeks ago with a hard-fought loss to Notre Dame, but fell 44-23 to a mediocre USF team.

10) Senior Day has arrived in Death Valley and this senior class tops the last one as the winningest in Clemson history. Let's send them out in style. Beat Wake Forest.

-BtW

PTF: Prediction Time Friday - Week 11

Not a good week picking games last week, so I expect a big bounce-back week. College football can be crazy and November is the time for it to go bonkers. Five of the 11 undefeated teams fell last week. It's another big week with several ranked matchups and other intriguing battles which should provide some clarity for the Playoff picture.

Last week's record: 6-7

Overall: 35-14
*Rankings below are CFB Playoff Committee rankings

No. 3 Ohio State at Illinois (Line: Ohio State -16.5)
After a game suspension, JT Barrett is back to start at quarterback for the Buckeyes. This is the last tuneup for Ohio State before closing the season with the Michigan schools. Early kickoff, on the road, trying to get back in rhythm ... all factors that could lead to a slow start in Champaign. Ohio State 34, Illinois 17

No. 11 Florida at South Carolina (Line: Florida -7.5)
The Gators clinched the SEC East last week despite their offense managing very little against the Commodores. This game would be of much more interest if Steve Spurrier was still coaching the Gamecocks. Florida should be able to score on South Carolina, but the feeling here is the Gamecocks, which beat the Gators in Gainesville last year, won't be a pushover. Florida 23, South Carolina 20

Georgia at Auburn (Line: Auburn -1.5)
Not the game everyone expected back in August, is it? Georgia and Auburn were to contend for the SEC, but neither is ranked and the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry has no meaning in the conference race. Auburn got a big win at Texas A&M last week and should carry that momentum back home. Georgia also scored a much-needed win over Kentucky to fan the flames on the "Fire Mark Richt" crowd. Which team needs it more? Tough to call... Auburn 27, Georgia 23

No. 1 Clemson at Syracuse (Line: Clemson -28)
Clemson looks to have a clear path to the College Football Playoff. At the very least, last week's win over Florida State should give the Tigers some breathing room until a potential matchup with North Carolina in the ACC title game. This is a game Clemson needs to open up the offense, clamp down on defense, and do whatever it wants in the Carrier Dome. If the Tigers are for real, they should roll over the 'Cuse, which has lost six straight games. Anything less than a sixth straight 500-yard performance would be a disappointment. Clemson 55, Syracuse 10

No. 2 Alabama at No. 17 Mississippi State (Line: Alabama -8)
The Crimson Tide had two weeks to think about LSU and Leonard Fournette. They heard about the running back 'til it made them sick. And they completely manhandled the Tigers last Saturday. This is the classic hangover game - on the road against a team starting to get on a roll and is doing so behind the best quarterback in the conference in Dak Prescott. Oh yeah, those cowbells will be ringing louder than ever. Upset of the week in Starkvegas. Mississippi State 31, Alabama 18

Wake Forest at No. 4 Notre Dame (Line: Notre Dame -27)
To be honest, I pick all the Top 10 teams games, which is why this one makes the cut. But it won't be close. Notre Dame might need to find a waterboy to play at some point, as the Irish keep losing starters to injury. The most recent, running back CJ Prosise, who cleared concussion protocol and is expected to be on the sidelines Saturday ready to go. He should stay there, though. This one shouldn't be close. Notre Dame 49, Wake Forest 7

No. 8 Oklahoma State at Iowa State (Line: Oklahoma State -14)
Remember 2011, when undefeated Oklahoma State made a trip to Ames? The Cowboys left with a loss, and ultimately helped lead the demise of the BCS. That was four years ago. This is now. And now, the Cowboys are coming off their biggest win of the season in which they forced four turnovers and scored four touchdowns of 48 yards or longer. The quarterback duo of JW Walsh and Mason Rudolph is enough to keep teams honest. Despite the Cyclones knocking off Texas two weeks ago at home, 24-0, Oklahoma State has much more to play for and has a chip on its shoulder thanks to a lower-than-expected ranking by the Playoff Committee. Oklahoma State 59, Iowa State 17

No. 14 Michigan at Indiana (Line: Michigan -13)
Indiana has come oh so close to knocking off the big boys in the Big Ten. Losers of five straight, this is the last chance to take down a powerhouse. Michigan was given new life in the East division when Nebraska upset Michigan State. Big Blue needs another Spartan loss and to win out. Jake Rudock was sharp against Rutgers last week with over 300 yards and two TDs through the air. Another performance like that will lead to another big Wolverine win. Michigan 37, Indiana 24

Miami at No. 23 North Carolina (Line: North Carolina -13)
What exactly did Miami's eight-lateral win over Duke mean? For one, it sets up a chance for the Canes to take down the ACC Coastal's top dog and creep closer to a berth in the ACC Championship game. Marquise Williams and the Tar Heels are playing their best ball of the season, though. Knowing what Clemson did to Miami earlier, this one should scare Hurricanes fans. A win by the Heels and a Pitt win at Duke sends UNC to the title game in December. North Carolina 45, Miami 27

No. 21 Memphis at No. 24 Houston (Line: Houston -7)
This game lost a little luster when Memphis was blown out by Navy last week. Houston is still in line for a perfect season, but this is their toughest test to date, at least by record (the Cougars defeated Louisville on the road in the second game of the year). Memphis can remain in the hunt for the AAC West hunt, but still needs the Midshipmen to fall twice in their final three conference games. Houston, on the other hand, needs this win to improve its résumé for a potential New Year's Six Bowl. These two offensive teams could provide fireworks. Houston 47, Memphis 44

Arkansas at No. 9 LSU (Line: LSU -7.5)
How will LSU and Leonard Fournette bounce back from their disappointing performance at Alabama? Well, last year the Tigers followed up a tough loss to the Tide by getting shutout by Arkansas, 17-0. The good news this time around is LSU returns home for a night game. The bad news is Arkansas is has strung together three wins in a row and is riding momentum from the season's latest installment of "How did they win that game?!" Is that an upset brewing on the bayou? Nope, just whole roasted hog. LSU 24, Arkansas 17

Oregon at No. 7 Stanford (Line: Stanford -10)
Another matchup that in the preseason looked to have more at stake than it does now. The Ducks just don't have the same quack as in years past, although they can still light up the scoreboard. Stanford has looked like the best team in the Pac-12 behind Heisman contender Christian McCaffrey. The Cardinal's schedule sets up nicely with three straight at home against rivals Oregon, Cal, and Notre Dame. Oregon is still dangerous and still has playmakers on offense, but Stanford is the more complete team. Stanford 38, Oregon 30

Minnesota at No. 5 Iowa (Line: Iowa -11.5)
As mentioned in another post, Iowa keeps winning and proving doubters wrong. Clearly the Committee thinks highly of the Hawkeyes, placing Iowa just outside the Top 4 this week after ranking them ninth in the initial rankings. Minnesota pulled the interim tag and named Tracy Claeys its permanent head coach. The Gophers still don't have enough to keep up with an undefeated Hawkeyes team. The only game remaining that could be an upset is the trip to Lincoln at the end of the season. Leading up to it, Iowa continues to do Iowa things. Iowa 21, Minnesota 10

No. 12 Oklahoma at No. 6 Baylor (Line: Baylor -2.5)

Can Baker Mayfield lead OU to an upset of Baylor?
(Photo courtesy Getty Images)

The Sooner Schooner rolls down I-35 full steam ahead with hopes of ending a drought in Waco - the Sooners have lost their last two trips to Baylor and three of four overall. Bears QB Jarrett Stidham was impressive in his first collegiate start on the road against Kansas State. This is a whole different ballgame, though, as ESPN's College GameDay will be in town and McLane Stadium will provide as electric an atmosphere as ever. Baker Mayfield has the Sooners humming - OU is averaging 58 points per game in its last four outings. Defensively, Oklahoma is playing the best of any Big 12 team and will give Baylor its biggest test. The intriguing matchups all over the field should make this one fun to watch. And if one team goes up by 21, don't turn the channel. Waco is about to get wacky. Oklahoma 56, Baylor 51

No. 10 Utah at Arizona (Line: Utah -6)
Utah might be the forgotten one-loss team, just kind of sitting there while the talk revolves around other teams looking to remain in Playoff contention. A tricky trip to the desert for the Utes, who have impressed since an ugly loss at USC. Utah remains on top of the Pac-12 South and is eyeing a chance to win the conference crown. Arizona might have something to say about that. The Wildcats have lost three straight and need to beat either Utah or Arizona State on the road to reach bowl eligibility. The way the Utes are playing, that might be another week. Utah 37, Arizona 31

The Ben Ten - Fifth Edition

Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers are sitting pretty
after a 23-13 win over ACC rival Florida State.
(Photo courtesy AP)

When the Playoff Committee unveiled its first rankings of the 2015 season, there was plenty of controversy. There were two SEC teams in the top 4 and zero Big 12 teams. Two one-loss teams - Alabama and Notre Dame - were ranked ahead of eight undefeated teams. We have to wait until Tuesday evening to see how those rankings shape up following a chaotic weekend which saw five of the 11 unbeatens lose. Until then, I've got you covered. Remember, this is how I would rank the teams if the season ended today.

1) Clemson (9-0)

Previously: 2
Deshaun Watson is the real deal - Part 2. Watson had 297 yards passing, 107 yards rushing, and led Clemson's offense to its fifth straight game with over 500 yards in dethroning Florida State. The Tigers are battled tested (see wins over Notre Dame and FSU). Dabo Swinney's club continues to be the most complete team and has the résumé to back it up.

2) Ohio State (9-0)

Previously: 1

Clearly the Buckeyes are a better offensive team when JT Barrett is the quarterback. Cardale Jones possesses many strengths, but Ohio State found its rhythm with Barrett. With Michigan State and Michigan looming, a chance for Ohio State to solidify its Playoff spot is still on the horizon.

3) Baylor (8-0)

Previously: 4
True freshman quarterback Jarrett Stidham proved Baylor can live on after Seth Russell. Stidham threw for over 400 yards and three touchdowns in his first start at Kansas State. Now, the Bears get Oklahoma and College GameDay coming to Waco to start a huge three-game stretch.

4) Oklahoma State (9-0)
Previously: NR
Yes, the Cowboys jumped into the Ben Ten Top 4. They did so emphatically, thumping previously undefeated TCU, 49-29. Now that word is out that the Cowboys are for real, can they handle having a target on their back? Up next is a scrappy Iowa State team. Remember 2011 when the Cyclones knocked off unbeaten Okie State, effectively eliminating OSU from the BCS Championship and in turn resulting in an all-SEC title game, which effectively led us to the Playoff. Hmm.

Playoff projection: Clemson vs. Oklahoma State in the Capital One Orange Bowl; Ohio State vs. Baylor in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
*NOTE: The CFB Playoff Committee sends the No. 1 overall seed to its closest destination. Clemson is geographically closer to Miami, Fla., than to Arlington, Texas.

5) Notre Dame (8-1)

Previously: 7
You have to wonder how high this Irish team would be ranked if it had completed the comeback in Death Valley. That loss to Clemson stings greatly. However, Notre Dame has looked every bit of a playoff contender this season. In comparing losses, the Irish have far and away the "best" loss of any one-loss team. Hence, they land at No. 5.

6) Iowa (9-0)

Previously: 8
Iowa keeps proving doubters wrong (yours truly included). We've been taught that the regular season matters in college football. Welp, the Hawkeyes are undefeated in that regular season with three games to go. They're one of only six teams who can make that claim.

7) Stanford (8-1)

Previously: 9
Christian McCaffrey is arguably the most complete player in college football. The Cardinal wouldn't be here without him and most certainly should've used him more in Week 1 against Northwestern. Stanford closes the season with big showdowns against Oregon, Cal and Notre Dame, all at home.

8) Alabama (8-1)

Previously: 10
I have an extremely hard time believing reporters who tell me Alabama is playing the best football right now. Really? Two games ago, Alabama trailed four-loss Tennessee at home in the fourth quarter and won by five points. Just because they beat LSU and their name is Alabama and their head coach is Nick Saban, doesn't give the Crimson Tide any lee-way in this poll. Alabama still lost at home to a now three-loss Ole Miss team - who lost to Memphis who lost to Navy. Mississippi State and QB Dak Prescott will give the Tide all it can handle next week, and might knock 'em off ESPN's high and mighty perch.

9) Florida (8-1)
Previously: NR
It was ugly in Gainesville Saturday, but the Gators clinched their first trip to the SEC Championship Game since 2009 with a 9-7 win over Vanderbilt. Florida hardly looks like a Top 10 team, offensively at least. Surprisingly, the Gators now go to Columbia as SEC East champs, but need to avoid a letdown against South Carolina to remain in Playoff contention.

10) LSU (7-1)
Previously: 2
Putting out an APB for Leonard Fournette. Last seen: supposedly on the sidelines or the locker room in Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Fournette mustered 31 yards on 19 carries, a far cry from his over 150 yards he'd accumulated each game this season. LSU now faces a tough road ahead with Arkansas, Ole Miss and Texas A&M remaining.

Next three up:

Oklahoma (8-1)

Are the Sooners a fluke loss against Texas away from being ranked in the Top 4? Absolutely. Oklahoma has outscored its opponents 232-50 in four games since the flop in the Cotton Bowl - admittedly against weaker competition (four teams with 11 wins combined). But the Sooners need to just keep winning. They've already seen one Big 12 team falter (see TCU below). If OU continues to win and chaos ahead of them ensues, the Sooner Schooner could be making its way to the Top 4.

TCU (8-1)
That was a tough pill to swallow. TCU was on the verge of breaking into the Top 4 and laid an egg against Oklahoma State. Trevone Boykin threw four interceptions and star receiver Josh Doctson left the game with a wrist injury. Gary Patterson's squad had no answer for the long ball. Now, the Horned Frogs face a huge uphill battle with Oklahoma and Baylor still on the schedule.

North Carolina (8-1)
Surging back from the "left for dead" category, here are the North Carolina Tar Heels. Marquise Williams is locked and loaded at the quarterback position. While he's in the process of re-writing the school's record book, the Heels are busting down the Playoff Committee door screaming, "Take a look at us!" All UNC has done since it laid an egg to open the season is average 43.5 points per game and begun to separate itself from the rest of the ACC Coastal. Keep winning, get to 11-1 and the ACC title game, and North Carolina would have the chance of a lifetime to knock off Clemson. Uh oh...

Dropped out:
TCU (5) and Michigan State (6)

-BtW