It was an “nearly” kind of Saturday in school soccer. No. 2 Indiana flirted with catastrophe at Penn State however survived due to an Omar Cooper Jr. toe faucet. No. 9 Oregon almost received Iowa’d however saved itself with an Atticus Sappington area objective. Auburn got here shut to truly profitable an in depth recreation towards a ranked group for as soon as however received Diego Pavia’d in additional time and could not reply. We even had almosts on the FCS and Division II ranges, the place top-ranked groups North Dakota State and Ferris State every trailed late however rallied.
Granted, we nonetheless received some upsets. Two extra top-15 ACC groups fell (in what seems like a weekly prevalence), No. 23 Washington fell to 2-6 Wisconsin in drizzly Madison, and Hawai’i knocked San Diego State out of playoff rivalry late Saturday night time. Lord is aware of the ACC race does not make any extra sense than it did every week in the past, however Week 11 wasn’t fairly as chaotic because it might have been, and it ended up providing us an honest quantity of readability within the Faculty Soccer Playoff hunt.
Utilizing the identical common CFP odds formulation that I used final week — combining these of the Allstate Playoff Predictor with my very own odds derived from SP+ — we now have eight groups with not less than an 81% probability of creating the sector of 12. A great deal of groups are within the hunt for these different 4 (or so) spots, however with three Saturdays remaining earlier than Championship Week, let’s once more break contenders into tiers and discuss their most poisonous traits, the issues that may probably preserve them from both profitable the nationwide title or reaching the CFP in any respect.
Playoff contenders’ deadly flaws
Tier 1
At a mixed 28-0 with a 95% (Indiana), 75% (Ohio State) and 49% (Texas A&M) probability of ending the common season 12-0, respectively, these three groups are nearly on the end line on the subject of sealing playoff bids. Indiana wanted all 60 minutes to get to that time at Penn State, nevertheless. For these groups, we’re undoubtedly gauging deadly flaws by way of what is going to forestall them from profitable the nationwide title; nearly nothing will forestall them from reaching the CFP.
Indiana (common CFP odds: 99.9%): Large-play glitches. Indiana has had a dynamite protection since Curt Cignetti and coordinator Bryant Haines moved to Bloomington, however when the Hoosiers quit a profitable play, it is a very profitable play. Normally that comes through run protection — as evidenced by a 59-yard run for Penn State’s Nicholas Singleton on Saturday — however IU additionally gave up six completions of 19 or extra yards towards an iffy PSU passing assault, and, mixed with an ill-timed interception from Fernando Mendoza, it nearly price them their unbeaten document.
Ohio State (99.6%): A merely first rate run recreation. Indiana’s mixed playoff odds are ever-so-slightly greater than these of top-ranked Ohio State, primarily as a result of the Hoosiers solely have two remaining regular-season video games left and the Buckeyes have three (together with one towards 7-2 Michigan). However OSU is certainly the top-ranked group per each the computer systems. It is not onerous to see why: The protection ranks first nationally in factors per drive and yards per play, and the offense options the very best receiver within the nation (Jeremiah Smith) and a quarterback finishing over 80% of his passes (Julian Sayin).
Sayin will face loads of elite defenses down the stretch, nevertheless — Michigan ranks ninth in defensive SP+, probably Large Ten championship opponent Indiana ranks fourth regardless of the large performs, and the CFP will clearly function a lot of good defenses — and there is a probability the Buckeyes are rendered one-dimensional sooner or later due to a run recreation that ranks nineteenth in dashing success charge* however does not actually go anyplace (4.7 yards per carry). Sayin might carry the offense anyway, however he is nonetheless a redshirt freshman.
(* Success charge: how continuously an offense is gaining 50% of essential yards on first down, 70% on second and 100% on third and fourth.)
Texas A&M (99.3%): Run protection. A&M as soon as once more proved its versatility on Saturday. The Aggies thumped a Missouri group that was admittedly with out beginning quarterback Beau Pribula — third-string freshman Matt Zollers was a dire 7-for-22 passing — however they confirmed off a splendidly spaced passing recreation and an elite go rush, and after a poor first half, the run recreation confirmed up within the second half, too. However even with no go risk, Mizzou rushed for 207 yards, furthering a scary pattern: A&M ranks one hundred and thirtieth in yards allowed per carry (no sacks). I am actually struggling to see them profitable three or 4 straight playoff video games with that anchor dragging them down.
Tier 2
All the groups in Tier 2 have one loss; 4 are a part of both the Large Ten or SEC, whereas Texas Tech lands right here each due to its overwhelming high quality (the Purple Raiders stay fourth in SP+) and its more and more probably Large 12 title push. Solely James Madison (74%) can high Tech’s 71% convention title odds, per SP+. There’s nonetheless an opportunity that certainly one of these 5 groups misses the dance, so we’ll say deadly flaws imply a few various things right here.
Texas Tech (common CFP odds: 90.1%): Quarterback. On one hand, Tech has performed a reasonably weak schedule that includes solely two SP+ top-40 opponents. However, after Saturday’s win over BYU, the Purple Raiders have crushed these two opponents by a mixed 63-17. The dream season rolls on in Lubbock. However the faculty of Patrick Mahomes and the Air Raid’s legacy continues to be merely good throwing the ball, not nice. Behren Morton is (A) injury-prone and (B) solely forty fifth in Whole QBR, and whereas the Purple Raiders have scored 34 or extra eight occasions, they’re 53rd in three-and-out charge and are mortal towards good defenses.
Ole Miss (87.7%): The run recreation is a wash. Trinidad Chambliss’ emergence at quarterback has given Ole Miss one other dimension, each passing effectively and working nicely at occasions. However even with Chambliss, and even with Kewan Lacy rating tenth nationally in dashing yards (first in dashing TDs), Ole Miss nonetheless averages solely 4.8 yards per carry whereas permitting the identical. They’ve massive benefits within the passing recreation (8.7 yards per dropback, 5.6 allowed), nevertheless it’s their solely path to victory towards superior opponents, and will probably be onerous to win three or 4 playoff video games and not using a strong Plan B.
Oregon (87.0%): No straightforward factors towards good defenses. Oregon’s protection has rounded properly into kind, and beating Iowa in chilly and rain, because the Geese did Saturday, is an effective way to show your resourcefulness. However of their 5 video games towards SP+ top-50 protection, they’ve scored simply 22.0 factors per recreation in regulation, with Dante Moore averaging simply 9.2 yards per completion (he averages 15.3 towards everybody else). The run recreation nearly at all times reveals up, however can Moore make massive throws in a run of massive video games?
Georgia (85.4%): The protection solely reveals up when it has to. Georgia tried one thing novel Saturday, displaying up earlier than the fourth quarter and placing away Mississippi State early with a 38-0 run. However the season stats are nonetheless alarming: Within the first half, the Dawgs rank 74th in factors allowed per drive (2.1) and 106th in success charge allowed (44.8%). It is onerous to beat a string of elite groups if you happen to’re taking 30-45 minutes to play your approach into the sport.
Alabama (81.0%): No run recreation. As you are in all probability selecting up by now, a number of contenders wrestle both with or towards the run (or each). Alabama ranks 83rd in yards allowed per carry (not factoring in sacks) regardless of a strong displaying towards an admittedly poor LSU run recreation, however the extra alarming half was on the opposite facet of the ball, the place Jam Miller and Daniel Hill mixed to hurry 15 occasions for 34 yards. Bama is 126th in yards per carry and continues to place all the things on Ty Simpson and the (robust) passing recreation.
Tier 3
Notre Dame was, as anticipated, the highest-ranked two-loss group in final week’s CFP rankings, whereas BYU and Georgia Tech have every suffered just one loss (despite the fact that each losses had been current and somewhat demoralizing). It is extremely unlikely all three will attain the CFP, however they every have an honest probability.
Notre Dame (common CFP odds: 59.6%): Third-and-longs. They face too lots of them on offense and permit too many conversions on protection. Thanks partially to a number of damaging run performs (which are sometimes offset by explosive runs), CJ Carr & Co. have wanted not less than seven yards on 50% of third downs, 86th within the nation. They’ve transformed 46.9% of them (second), however that will likely be more durable to do towards elite groups. In the meantime, they rank 87th in third-and-long conversion charge allowed.
BYU (45.4%): Not sufficient offensive risk. Regardless of Saturday’s loss at Texas Tech, BYU nonetheless has loads to supply: The Cougars defend the go nicely and each create and keep away from damaging performs. However towards two SP+ top-30 defenses, they’ve scored simply 31 mixed factors and averaged 4.8 yards per play. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier has been wonderful for a freshman, however he does not get the assistance he wants towards the very best defenses.
Georgia Tech (37.4%): Protection. The Yellow Jackets rank 82nd in factors allowed per drive, and so they do not supply sufficient by way of both effectivity (87th in success charge) or explosiveness (113th in p.c of 20-yard positive aspects allowed). Haynes King and the offense are dynamite, however the dam broke in Week 10’s 48-36 loss to NC State, and it’ll in all probability break once more transferring ahead.
Tier 4a: Non-ACC groups
All of those groups are in “win out to complete the common season, and you’ve got to be ok with your possibilities” territory. Sadly, SP+ offers solely certainly one of them (Utah) a larger than 35% probability of profitable out, and a 10-2 Utah group would not have a spectacular résumé to lean on.
Texas (common CFP odds: 28.0%): Adverse performs. Offensive line points have plagued the offense this season, and Texas ranks each 108th in stuff charge allowed (run stops at or behind the road) and 122nd in strain charge allowed. Working again accidents and Arch Manning taking eternally to throw have not helped, clearly, and shuffling the road a bit paid off towards Vanderbilt. However it’s quite a bit to ask for the O-line to out of the blue develop into a energy in November.
Oklahoma (27.0%): Offensive errors. Regardless of their final two video games coming towards top-10 offenses, the Sooners rank fifth in factors allowed per drive and first in success charge allowed. The protection will preserve displaying up. However the offense has needed to grasp the artwork of doing simply sufficient to beat an absence of massive performs (102nd in yards per profitable play), too many damaging performs (84th in pct. of snaps gaining zero or fewer yards) and turnovers (12 of them, 71st).
Utah (25.6%): Untrustworthy explosiveness. In Utah’s seven wins, the Utes have been the 1985 Chicago Bears — common rating: 46-10 (identical as Tremendous Bowl XX) — however in two losses they’ve scored simply 31 complete factors, with below-average effectivity, minimal big-play presence and 6 turnovers. Even together with the wins, quarterback Devon Dampier averages simply 10.3 yards per completion. As with others right here, an absence of straightforward factors will probably be their downfall.
Vanderbilt (25.5%): The protection is fading rapidly. Whereas a majority of contenders are much less reliable on offense, Vandy has few points in that regard. Simply ask Auburn, which was permitting 17.0 factors per recreation in regulation this season however allowed 38 to the Commodores. However after permitting 34 factors to Texas and 38 to Auburn, VU ranks simply 84th in factors allowed per drive and 124th in completion charge allowed.
USC (15.8%): Run protection. My line for some time has been that if Lincoln Riley might simply craft a top-40 protection, he’d have himself a playoff group. Properly, the Trojans are forty second in defensive SP+. Shut. However they will in all probability have to beat Iowa and Oregon to achieve the CFP, and each groups have offenses constructed to punish a really passive run protection that ranks 126th in dashing success charge allowed. USC can do the bend-don’t-break factor fairly nicely, however that is far an excessive amount of bending.
Michigan (7.6%): Not sufficient danger or reward. Michigan runs the ball nicely, prevents massive performs and takes as few dangers as attainable with freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood. The difficulty: The Wolverines cannot drive the difficulty very nicely. They can not knock opponents off schedule to reap the benefits of a very good go rush, and amongst 132 QBR-eligible QBs, Underwood ranks ninety fifth in completion charge (60.9%) regardless of rating 86th in air yards per try (7.6).
Tier 4b: ACC groups
Somebody has to win the ACC, and after each Louisville and Virginia went down Saturday, all the things is as blurry as attainable. Listed below are the present ACC title odds, per SP+: Georgia Tech 25.5%, Virginia 17.6%, Duke 17.1%, SMU 15.8%, Pitt 11.3%, Louisville 8.5%, Miami 4.2%. Tech is in Tier 3 due to its one-loss standing, however there is a 74.5% probability somebody not named the Yellow Jackets will win the convention title.
Miami (15.7%): Not sufficient massive performs. The Canes nonetheless have an opportunity regardless of two demoralizing losses up to now month, however the offense has underachieved towards projections 5 occasions in six video games, primarily attributable to a complete lack of explosiveness.
They’ve Georgia’s effectivity however Kentucky’s explosiveness. A scarcity of straightforward factors will probably be their downfall.
Virginia (14.5%): The offense has run out of juice. Even earlier than Chandler Morris left Saturday’s loss to Wake Forest injured, Virginia had gained simply 36 yards in 14 scoreless snaps, furthering a current downward pattern.
First six video games: 6.4 yards per play, 46.5% success charge, 3.25 factors per drive
Final 4 video games: 5.0 yards per play, 37.0% success charge, 1.37 factors per drive
That the Cavaliers reached 8-1 earlier than lastly dropping an in depth recreation was exceptional. It was additionally unsustainable. We’ll see in the event that they’re in a position to rebound in an elimination recreation at Duke this week.
SMU (11.8%): Alls vs. nothings. Let’s deliver that effectivity and explosiveness chart again up for a second and spotlight a distinct group.
SMU has received 5 of six due to a surging protection and an offense that will get chunk performs from receivers Romello Brinson and Jordan Hudson and again Chris Johnson Jr. However even with some current enchancment, the Mustangs nonetheless rank 86th in success charge and 114th in three-and-out charge. That can make beating Louisville, Cal and a possible ACC championship recreation opponent awfully troublesome.
Louisville (8.1%): Adverse performs. In Saturday’s 29-26 upset loss to Cal, Louisville ran 69 performs; 29 of them (42.0%) gained zero or damaging yardage. The Cardinals turned constructive yardage on simply 4 of their final 13 snaps. That raised their season common to 35.0%, which ranks 116th nationally. Working again accidents and unreliable QB and line play are dragging Louisville down.
Pittsburgh (7.8%): Purple zone and turnovers. Pitt is on a five-game profitable streak since making freshman Mason Heintschel the beginning quarterback, and even when the Panthers do not win the ACC or make the CFP, they will resolve who will — their final three video games are towards Notre Dame, Georgia Tech and Miami. Pitt’s protection ranks fourth in three-and-out charge however 112th in pink zone TD charge allowed. In the meantime, even trying solely at Heintschel’s begins, the offense ranks 78th in pink zone TD charge and 73rd in turnover charge.
Tier (Group of) 5
With Memphis and San Diego State getting more-or-less eradicated in Week 11 – Memphis attributable to a good loss to Tulane, SDSU attributable to a blowout loss at Hawai’i – we’re mainly a 1-in-3 playoff probability for James Madison and a 2-in-3 probability for whoever emerges from the American Convention battle royale.
James Madison (34.3%): Turnovers and quick fields. JMU ranks third in success charge allowed (31.2%) and eighth in yards allowed per play (4.5), however the Dukes have given up not less than 20 factors towards all 4 top-60 offenses they’ve confronted, partially due to turnovers (together with a pair of fumble-return scores) or quick fields generated by particular groups points. The Dukes are good at nearly all the things, however underdogs cannot afford egregious breakdowns within the CFP.
North Texas (28.3%): Run protection. Drew Mestemaker is on tempo for about 4,000 passing yards, UNT ranks third nationally in factors per drive, and the protection – eternally flawed in Denton – ranks a strong twenty sixth in yards allowed per dropback. There’s quite a bit to love right here. One factor to dislike? The Imply Inexperienced are a hundred and twenty fifth in dashing success charge allowed. Of their lone loss, to USF, they gave up 306 dashing yards. That feels fairly damning.
South Florida (22.4%): Mushy go protection. Like North Texas, USF can rating in all kinds of how, and the Bulls’ run protection creates damaging performs and renders opponents one-dimensional. However they’ll let opponents off the hook. They’re simply 73rd in each third-down conversion charge allowed and sack charge, and in two losses their opponents accomplished 69% of their passes.
Tulane (7.5%): Defensive inefficiency. When Tulane seems to be good, you see a transparent playoff contender. The Inexperienced Wave have two power-conference wins on their résumé, and so they look the half athletically. However they rank 117th in success charge allowed, they do not create damaging performs and their protection no-showed in two losses, permitting a mixed 93 factors and 1,071 yards to Ole Miss (forgivable) and UTSA (much less so).
This week in SP+
The SP+ rankings have been up to date for the week. Let’s check out the groups that noticed the largest change of their total scores. (Observe: We’re scores, not rankings.)
Shifting up
Listed below are the 5 groups that noticed their scores rise probably the most this week:
Hawai’i: up 4.1 adjusted factors per recreation (rating rose from ninetieth to 72nd)
Utah State: up 3.3 factors (from ninety fifth to 79th)
Akron: up 3.1 factors (from 126th to 123rd)
Florida Worldwide: up 3.1 factors (from a hundred and twenty fifth to 118th)
Kentucky: up 3.1 factors (from 63rd to 52nd)
Hawai’i’s blowout of San Diego State was a stunning spotlight for a stunning season out on the islands. The Rainbow Warriors hadn’t received greater than six video games in a season since 2019 and have not completed within the SP+ high 75 since 2010, however they’re at the moment 7-3 and 72nd. Faculty soccer is much more enjoyable when Hawai’i’s doing imply issues to opponents late on Saturday night time.
In the meantime, Kentucky has overachieved towards SP+ projections by double digits in three of its final 4 video games and has received two in a row to get to 4-5 and preserve bowl hopes alive. Good second-half enchancment from Mark Stoops’ Wildcats.
Shifting down
Listed below are the 5 groups whose scores fell probably the most:
San Diego State: down 4.5 factors (rating fell from forty fourth to 56th)
Navy: down 4.0 factors (from fiftieth to 63rd)
Florida: down 3.1 factors (from thirty ninth to forty eighth)
Nevada: down 2.8 factors (from 123rd to 128th)
BYU: down 2.8 factors (from sixteenth to twenty second)
In my Friday preview, I wrote that if BYU’s Bachmeier was ever going to appear like a freshman, it was going to be towards a hostile crowd and hostile protection in Lubbock. He did not utterly implode by “freshman implosion” requirements, however he averaged simply 4.7 yards per dropback, discovered no room to run, threw what amounted to a game-clinching interception within the third quarter and misplaced a late fumble for good measure. Tech was too good, and BYU’s offensive SP+ rating fell from twenty fifth to thirty ninth.
Who received the Heisman this week?
I’m as soon as once more awarding the Heisman each single week of the season and doling out weekly factors, F1-style (on this case, 10 factors for first place, 9 for second and so forth). How will this Heisman race play out, and the way completely different will the outcome be from the precise Heisman voting?
Right here is that this week’s Heisman high 10:
1. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt (25-for-33 passing for 377 yards and three touchdowns, plus 114 non-sack dashing yards and a TD towards Auburn).
2. Emmett Johnson, Nebraska (28 carries for 129 yards and a landing, plus 103 receiving yards and a couple of TDs towards UCLA).
3. Jake Retzlaff, Tulane (16-for-23 passing for 332 yards and three touchdowns, plus 53 non-sack dashing yards and a TD towards Memphis).
4. Byrum Brown, USF (14-for-15 passing for 239 yards and a couple of touchdowns, plus 109 non-sack dashing yards and a TD towards UTSA).
5. Ashton Daniels, Auburn (31-for-44 passing for 353 yards and a couple of touchdowns, plus 103 non-sack dashing yards and a couple of TDs towards Vanderbilt).
6. Bryun Parham, UConn (16 tackles, 1.5 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 compelled fumble and 1 interception towards Duke).
7. Julian Sayin, Ohio State (27-for-33 passing for 303 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT towards Purdue).
8. Isaiah Smith, SMU (9 tackles, 4 sacks towards Boston Faculty).
9. Beau Sparks, Texas State (10 catches for 186 yards and a landing, plus a 49-yard TD run towards Louisiana).
10. Antwan Raymond, Rutgers (41 carries for 240 yards and a landing towards Maryland).
Vandy’s protection is working on fumes, and Auburn’s offense confirmed up for nearly the primary time all season, however the Commodores’ playoff hopes stay alive as a result of Diego Pavia pulled one other Diego Pavia. VU trailed by 14 early and almost blew it on the finish of regulation, however Pavia’s third TD go of the night, to Cole Spence in additional time, saved the day and put him atop this listing.
Honorable point out:
• Sieh Bangura, Ohio (17 carries for 102 yards and a landing, plus 30 receiving yards and a 97-yard kick return TD towards Miami (Ohio)).
• Jacob De Jesus, Cal (16 catches for 158 yards and a landing towards Louisville).
• Phillip Dunnam, UCF (4 tackles and three interceptions, together with a pick-six, towards Houston).
• Nate Frazier, Georgia (12 carries for 181 yards and a landing towards Mississippi State).
• Makai Lemon, USC (5 catches for 166 yards and a landing towards Northwestern).
• Jayden Maiava, USC (24-for-33 passing for 299 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT, plus 19 non-sack dashing yards and a TD towards Northwestern).
• Josh Moten, Southern Miss (six tackles, three interceptions and a go breakup towards Arkansas State).
• Mason Posa, Wisconsin (11 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a compelled fumble, a fumble restoration and a go breakup towards Washington).
• Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Cal (30-for-47 passing for 323 yards and a couple of touchdowns towards Louisville).
• Gunner Stockton, Georgia (18-for-29 passing for 264 yards and three touchdowns, plus 31 non-sack dashing yards towards Mississippi State).
Via 11 weeks, listed below are your factors leaders. The place there is a tie, I am going to use gamers’ factors from the final 4 weeks as a tiebreaker.
1. Julian Sayin, Ohio State (29 factors, 20 within the final 4 weeks)
2. Ty Simpson, Alabama (29 factors, zero within the final 4 weeks)
3. Taylen Inexperienced, Arkansas (27 factors)
4. Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss (25 factors)
5. Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt (24 factors)
6. Demond Williams Jr., Washington (21 factors)
7. Gunner Stockton, Georgia (19 factors, 10 within the final 4 weeks)
8. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana (19 factors, 9 within the final 4 weeks)
9. Luke Altmyer, Illinois (16 factors)
10. Jake Retzlaff, Tulane (14 factors)
I perceive that it is my very own rattling fault for bringing stats to the vibes-based Heisman race, however I am by no means going to totally perceive Heisman odds. Sayin entered the week because the Heisman betting favourite and went 27-for-33 for 303 yards, a landing and an interception. His Whole QBR for the week was 89.2, he saved his season completion charge above 80% — a ridiculously excessive quantity — and his interception occurred when the Buckeyes had been up 21.
Fernando Mendoza, in the meantime, went simply 19-for-30 for 218 yards towards a Penn State protection Sayin simply torched. He averaged 6.1 yards per dropback with a 75.0 Whole QBR, each his worst numbers since Week 1. He threw a devastating fourth-quarter decide that would have price the Hoosiers the sport. However then he rallied, making a few pretty throws on Indiana’s game-winning drive, and receiver Omar Cooper Jr. made possibly the best TD catch of the season — or the 2020s? The twenty first Century? Ever? — to avoid wasting his group.
And in spite of everything that … Mendoza turned the Heisman betting favourite? Cooper’s superb catch turned Mendoza’s Heisman second as a result of Sayin’s group received too simply? Do I’ve that proper? Mendoza profitable the Heisman can be a spectacular story (simply add it to Indiana’s listing of spectacular tales at this level), but when something occurred Saturday, it ought to have been Sayin solidifying his lead.
My 10 favourite video games of the weekend
1. No. 2 Indiana 27, Penn State 24. No matter my confusion towards Heisman odds, this was a superb soccer recreation. Penn State reminded everybody of its expertise, the Nittany Lions’ dwelling crowd got here by means of, and Indiana drove 80 yards in 1:15 for an excellent game-winning TD. Sensible stuff, with a superb in-game win likelihood chart.
2 and three. Division II: No. 1 Ferris State 51, Saginaw Valley State 45 (2OT); No. 6 Colorado State-Pueblo 41, Colorado Mines 34 (OT).
Division II introduced it Saturday. Ferris State received its first 9 video games by a median of 54-15, however redshirt freshman Wyatt Bower, Trinidad Chambliss’ successor, seemed extremely freshman-like Saturday, throwing three picks in eight passes and shedding two fumbles. With the Bulldogs trailing 24-7 early within the third quarter, backup QB Chase Carter keyed a 31-7 run, however SVSU tied the sport on a Mason McKenzie-to-Zarek Zelinski landing go with 1:55 left. FSU missed a 39-yard area objective on the buzzer and could not seal the deal till Taariik Brett’s 12-yard landing run within the second OT. If not for the Mendoza-to-Cooper landing, this may have simply been the No. 1 recreation of the week.
In the meantime, after getting back from 21 factors right down to beat a top-10 Western Colorado group final week, CSU-Pueblo noticed rival Colorado Mines a 28-6 lead late within the first half, then slowly clawed all the way in which again. Roman Fuller discovered Marcellus Honeycutt Jr. for a tying 32-yard landing with 56 seconds left, then hit Reggie Retzlaff for the go-ahead rating in OT. Peyton Shaw then sealed the ThunderWolves’ win with an interception.
4. Delaware 25, Louisiana Tech 24. The Blue Hens led 16-10 with below 4 minutes remaining, however Louisiana Tech scored twice in 46 seconds, first on a brief TD run, then on a Jacob Fields pick-six, to take a 24-16 lead. Delaware’s Nick Minicucci rebounded with a TD go to Elijah Sessoms with 34 seconds left, then the Blue Hens recovered an onside kick and set Nate Reed up for a game-winning 51-yard area objective.
1:16
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs. Delaware Blue Hens: Full Highlights
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs vs. Delaware Blue Hens: Full Highlights
5. No. 9 Oregon 18, No. 20 Iowa 16. Iowa proved its top-20 bona fides, Dante Moore and Oregon proved their playoff chops and Atticus Sappington nailed an enormous area objective. Only a nice recreation in November Iowa climate.
SAPPINGTON CONNECTS FOR THE DUCKS! pic.twitter.com/8QZdcfVMhW
— CBS Sports activities Faculty Soccer 🏈 (@CBSSportsCFB) November 8, 2025
6. No. 16 Vanderbilt 45, Auburn 38 (OT). Indiana’s win likelihood chart was a basic of 1 style (blow it, after which save your self). Vandy’s was a basic in one other (rally, then almost disintegrate a number of occasions).
7 and eight. FCS: No. 2 Montana 29, Jap Washington 24; No. 1 North Dakota State 15, No. 15 North Dakota 10. Prime-ranked groups struggled in FCS as nicely. NDSU, barely challenged all 12 months, trailed its in-state rival 10-9 heading into the fourth quarter. The Bison lastly took their first lead on Cole Payton’s 8-yard landing with 2:22 remaining, however UND drove contained in the NDSU 30 within the closing seconds earlier than Anthony Chideme-Alfaro made a lunging interception to seal the win.
0:31
Picked! Anthony Chideme-Alfaro hauls within the interception
Picked! Anthony Chideme-Alfaro hauls within the interception
In fact, we have seen game-sealing picks earlier than. Have you ever ever seen a game-sealing fumbled spike?
0:23
Jap Washington loses on fumbled spike try
Jake Schakel fumbles the spike try, and the Grizzlies’ protection recovers it.
Unbeaten Montana took a 29-14 lead early within the third quarter however shifted into cruise management too early, permitting 4-6 EWU to attain twice, get better a late onside kick — it was a fantastic week for profitable onside kicks, by the way in which — and drive inside the ten with eight seconds remaining. However Jake Schakel, who shined in his first profession begin, let the ball slip out of his fingers on a spike, and the Griz survived.
9. UConn 37, Duke 34. There have been 12 scores on this recreation; 10 gave a group the lead, together with all six within the second half. Skyler Bell’s 19-yard landing catch gave UConn the benefit with 1:58 remaining, however the recreation wasn’t iced till Trent Jones II recovered a sack-and-strip of Darian Mensah with 18 seconds left.
10. Sam Houston 21, Oregon State 17. Oregon State has suffered some completely snake-bitten losses this season, however this one takes the cake. The Beavers led 17-0 halfway by means of the second quarter, however due to an interception (which arrange a 35-yard landing go), a kick return landing to open the second half and a blocked punt return rating with 8:29 remaining, SHSU in some way got here again to win its first recreation of the season regardless of a yardage drawback of 474-157. Surprising stuff. And you already know what? Good. I ache for Beaver followers this 12 months, however fielding even a nasty group is so concerned and so troublesome, and each group deserves to have a good time not less than one win. Now we simply have to get 0-9 UMass off the schneid sooner or later within the subsequent three weeks.
Honorable point out:
• Division II: Chadron State 27, No. 11 Western Colorado 24 (OT).
• FCS: No. 10 Mercer 49, No. 24 Western Carolina 47.
• FCS: Mercyhurst 16, Saint Francis 15.
• Missouri State 21, Liberty 17.
• Ohio 24, Miami (Ohio) 20 (Tuesday).
• Division II: Ouachita Baptist 42, SW Oklahoma State 38.
• Tulane 38, Memphis 32 (Friday).
• FCS: William & Mary 30, Campbell 27 (OT).
• Wisconsin 13, No. 23 Washington 10.
• Division III: No. 14 Wisconsin-Platteville 24, Wisconsin-Stout 23.
One final particular shout-out: Military’s 14-13 win over Temple did not fairly make the listing, however Military’s final drive — an epic, 18-play, 9:53 clock killer — deserved to.
The midweek playlist
Ohio at Western Michigan (Tuesday, 8 p.m., ESPN2). One week into our midweek MACtion slate, the MAC title race is as blurry as ever. Ohio’s win over Miami gave the Bobcats the slightest of edges, nevertheless it might disappear this week. Present MAC title odds, per SP+: Ohio 22.2%, Toledo 20.2%, Western Michigan 20.1%, Miami 19.2%, Buffalo 16.7%. What a race! The winner of this one ought to inch forward within the odds.