Beyond the Fort: Week 10

SEC Championship all but locked in.

#8 Alabama walked away from their massive game with #14 LSU with a 42-28 victory. The Tide pulled away in the second half, allowing just 7 points after the break. Jalen Milroe had a massive night, throwing for 219 yards on 15-23 passing while rushing for 155 yards and 4 touchdowns on 20 carries. LSU quarterback Jalen Daniels had a similar night with 219 yards passing and 163 on the ground before he was knocked out with a concussion.

#2 Georgia hosted #12 Missouri on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers but up a great fight, but the game was never really in doubt for the Bulldogs who won 30-21. Carson Beck had another good afternoon with 254 yards on 21-32 passing with 2 touchdowns. The Bulldogs also added 151 yards on the ground. Missouri was one of the better offenses in the country coming into this game, and Georgia seemed content to give up running room in order to shut down the potent Missouri passing attack. Quarterback Brady Cook finished the day 14-30 passing for 212 yards. He also had 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. Star wide receiver Luther Burden III was targeted 7 times but only brought in 3 catches for 53 yards.

Barring huge upsets, these results pretty much lock in Alabama and Georgia for the SEC Championship game where the winner will likely be in the college football playoff.

Texas escapes Kansas State’s upset bid.

I had the Texas Longhorns on upset alert this weekend, and Kansas State almost pulled it off. Maalik Murphy and the Texas offense got off to a fast start and looked like they were going to run away with this one. The Horns were up 27-7 with 4 minutes left in the third quarter. Will Howard led the Kansas State comeback effort with a spectacular passing performance, finishing the day 26-42 with 327 yards and 4 touchdowns. He also led the Wildcats on a 10-play, 33-yard drive that ended with a 45-yard field goal to tie the game as regulation ended. Texas would settle for a field goal in overtime, making it a 33-30 game. Kansas State decided to play aggressively and go for the win on 4th and goal, but the Longhorns made the stop to escape.

I think it’s important to point out that this is the game that Texas teams of the past would have found a way to lose. Texas is back is one of the best running jokes in college football, but Sark definitely has this team headed in the right direction. Barring a huge upset, the Horns look to be a lock for the Big 12 Championship game.

Huskies outscore Trojans in LA.

We all figured this one would be an offensive showcase, and it did not fail to deliver on that. Washington went to USC and came away with a 52-42 victory on Saturday. Michal Penix didn’t have his best game, but the slack was picked up by the Huskies’ rushing attack. Dillon Johnson ran for 256 yards and 4 touchdowns on 26 carries, ending Alex Grinch’s tenure as USC’s defensive coordinator in the process. Caleb Williams once again put up huge numbers with 312 yards on 27-35 passing. He also threw for 3 touchdowns. Lincoln Riley’s refusal to make defense any kind of priority is a shame. He might go down as the best coach in college history to never win a championship unless he makes major changes.

Ohio State’s offensive struggles continue.

The Ohio State Buckeyes beat Rutgers 35-16 on Saturday. At first glance, the win looks comfortable, but Ohio State had to really earn this one. With 14 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Rutgers scored to make this a 21-16 game. Ohio State would respond with a 6-play, 75-yard drive to go up 28-16. Ohio State’s next touchdown drive was 6 plays and 17 yards to make it 35-16. As I’ve said, this defense is elite, but the problems offensively might prevent this team from making a playoff birth.

Oklahoma State wins final Bedlam!

I think we all knew this game was going to be insane once we found out it would be the final iteration of Bedlam for the foreseeable future, and this game delivered. The Cowboys would find their way to a 27-24 victory to claim the eternal bragging rights over the Sooners. This was a game where Oklahoma had chance after chance to put away, and the Sooners just couldn’t execute when it counted the most. Oklahoma finished the day with 3 crucial turnovers, and some incredibly costly penalties in the fourth quarter sealed the loss.

What’s even more wild is that Oklahoma State now controls their own destiny to make the Big 12 Championship game. After a week 3 blowout loss to South Alabama at home, many people assumed this team was done and would be bottom of the Big 12, but Mike Gundy has proved once again that he’s one of the most underrated coaches in the country.

Quick Hitters

#3 Michigan smacked Purdue 41-13.

#4 Florida State escaped with a win over Pitt 24-7.

#6 Oregon steamrolled Cal 63-19.

#10 Ole Miss survived an upset bid from Texas A&M 38-35.

#11 Penn State smacked Maryland 51-15.

#13 Louisville looked dominant in their 34-3 win over Virginia Tech.

#15 Notre Dame was upset by Clemson 31-23.

#16 Oregon State handled Colorado 26-19.

#17 Tennessee rolled UConn 59-3.

#18 Utah smacked Arizona State 55-3.

#19 UCLA was upset by Arizona 27-10.

#21 Kansas survived in Ames to beat Iowa State 28-21.

#24 Tulane survived East Carolina with a 13-10 win.

#25 Air Force was upset by Army 23-3.

Coach Perry’s Power Rankings: Week 10

1. Michigan - The Wolverines continue to look like the most complete team in the country.
2. Georgia - A great win over Missouri lifts the Bulldogs to #2 this week. This team has its flaws, but there’s still so much talent in Athens.
3. Florida State - The Seminoles got off to a slow start against Pitt on Saturday but won 24-7 despite their top 2 receivers being out with injuries.
4. Washington - The Huskies offense looked great once again this week. Granted, their opponent was USC, and we all know how bad they are offensively.
5. Ohio State - The Buckeyes’ defense is arguably the best in the country, but the offense has been so inconsistent. I still don’t see this team beating Michigan.
6. Oregon - The Ducks continue to roll. They look like the most dangerous team in the country right now.
7. Texas - The Horns escaped with a win this weekend. Their front 7 is legit.
8. Alabama - The Tide have looked better every week as Jalen Milroe continues to improve.
9. Penn State - The Nittany Lions get a shot to insert themselves back into the national picture this weekend as they take on Michigan.
10. Ole Miss - I think the Rebels are better than Louisville, so they get the nod in my rankings.