Cincinnati, enjoy it now because they're going to try to screw you over at the end.
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Alabama's unexpected 41-38 defeat at Texas A&M Saturday night will end Alabama's run as the nation's top-ranked team. Georgia is now No. Iowa is now No. 2 following its victory over Penn State 23-20.
The Bearcats will win over the Nittany Lions and you'd think that Alabama would be over them, too. They are in the top 4 and, even though the College Football Playoff rankings don't start until November, and we are only talking about the polls right now, you can see the direction this is heading.
Georgia, which has not allowed more than 13 goals in any of its games this season, advances to the SEC title match undefeated but is defeated by Alabama. Although the SEC champion Alabama is not going to be kept out by the playoff committee, they will still give a spot for a Georgia team that has lost only to them.
Iowa, which has no ranked teams left to play, either goes undefeated to win the Big Ten, or loses the Big Ten title game to Michigan (which would also be undefeated in this case) or a one-loss Ohio State and the committee isnt keeping out undefeated-in-conference, only-loss-to-Oregon, Big Ten champion Ohio State.
The other spot was Cincinnati, which had a different result Saturday. This plays poorly into the Bearcats' chances because Oklahoma lost. However, the Red River Shootout performed well, even though they dropped it a few years back because of its association with gun violence.
Texas was able to blow a 28-7 lead after the first quarter, and 41-23 with just two minutes remaining in the third. With 7:10 remaining, Oklahoma took a 48-41 lead. Texas then came back to tie the game on Kennedy Brooks 33-yard run that was completed in a single snap with three seconds remaining.
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The Sooners are now at 6-0 and should be happy with their chances of making the fourth College Football Playoff. They have only one ranked opponent on their schedule, Oklahoma State. Oklahoma State has lost 16 of its last 18 Bedlam rivalry matches. Oklahoma should be concerned about one thing. The Sooners' 76-0 win over Western Carolina was the only thing that should give Oklahoma pause. All of their games were decided by a touchdown or less. While a win is always a win, it doesnt inspire confidence in a team that barely gets past Texas, Nebraska, West Virginia and Kansas State.
Is Oklahoma really better than Cincinnati? It doesn't matter. It doesn't. Unbeaten Oklahoma advances to the playoff. An undefeated Cinicnnati, who is near the top of all the rankings, ends up being eliminated in this ridiculously organized sport.
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Ole Miss grabs it out
Lane Kiffin was given a lot of heat for taking too many fourth downs last week against Alabama, a 42-21 defeat to the reigning national champions. The Ole Miss replied that if they punt it away it takes them longer to score.
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Kiffin was referring to Alabama, but also to Ole Miss defense. This unit is very good at returning the ball to the Ole Miss offense, not by making turnovers but by receiving kickoffs.
On Saturday, Kiffin again tried to convert fourth down five times, as he did against Alabama. The Ole Miss offense converted against Arkansas four times. Despite giving up 51 points, that defense was much maligned. However, this game-winning two-point attempt came after Warren Thompson's nine-yard TD catch at 0:00.
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No one cares what you do on fourth down, if you make it. And no one cares if your defense gives up 51 points if it scores 52.
