College Football Eliminator 2016-17: Week 10
All twelve teams alive last week played this week and two (Nebraska and Ohio State) even got to play each other in a late-season elimination game between Big Ten foes. Ohio State crushed Nebraska in that game 62-3 making the Cornhuskers one of four teams eliminated this week, bringing the number of teams left in playoff contention down to just eight. Trying out a slightly-tweaked format this week as we abolish the 'In the Hunt' category for this week plus a few other small changes. On that note, find out if your team was one of the four eliminated this week or one of the eight still alive in the playoff race.
Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
The Four Playoff Teams
Alabama, Michigan, Clemson, and Washington are still the cream of the crop in college football. These four teams control their own destiny coming into the final weeks of the regular season. Let's recap these four team's games from last week before previewing the rest of their season.
#1 Alabama - In a highly anticipated defensive battle against LSU, everyone got what they deserved for three quarters of football. Zero points. The Crimson Tide defense just had more endurance than the Tigers' defense, which allowed Jalen Hurts and the Bama offense a touchdown run on the opening possession of the fourth quarter. The LSU offense never had anything going this whole game and stirred talks of college football fans that this year's Alabama team could be the greatest single-season defensive performance of all-time. Left for Alabama on the schedule is Mississippi State, Chattanooga, and Auburn before a likely trip to the SEC Championship Game against...Florida? The SEC East is too big of a mess to worry about now. Make things easy on yourself, Tide. Just win out.
#2 Michigan - After a 59-3 (!!) victory over Maryland, the Wolverines have a trip to Iowa City to face the Hawkeyes before Michigan's last home game of the year against Indiana, then a journey to Columbus for one of the most anticipated Ohio State-Michigan rivalry games of the century. Best rivalry game in college football? Debatable. Best rivalry game in college football that affects the playoff this year? Hands down.
#3 Clemson - After a 54-0 trouncing of Syracuse, the Tigers can look ahead to Pittsburgh at home, a trip to Winston-Salem to take on Wake Forest, and the Palmetto Bowl against South Carolina at home before the ACC Championship Game against either Virginia Tech or North Carolina, neither of which face Clemson in the regular season. Seems like a nice easy path to the playoff for the Tigers.
#4 Washington - John Ross for Heisman! I love watching this guy more and more every week. Hope to see him on Sundays in the coming years. He made another big impact in the Huskies' 66-27 win over California late Saturday night. Home games against USC and Arizona State remain for Washington before a Friday night rivalry six days later in Pullman against their in-state rival, the Washington State Cougars. Although the Cougs may be remembered by eliminator-followers for dropping their season-opener to Eastern Washington (and another the next week to MWC Boise State), they have recovered drastically with big wins over Oregon, Stanford, and a 62-point victory over Arizona. They even managed a spot in the AP Poll for the last two weeks, #25 last week and now #23 in the nation. This should be a fun Apple Cup to watch. Enough about State though, let's focus on the 9-0 team. If Washington can win out, they will head to the Pac-12 Championship Game against Colorado...or USC...or Utah. We're not really sure, the Pac-12 South is kind of a mess at the moment, but let's go with Colorado for now. Win these four games, and Washington punches their ticket to what would be their first playoff appearance.
Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Outside Looking In
By default (literally there is no one else left to pick from), Ohio State, Louisville, West Virginia, and Western Michigan are sitting on the outside looking in at the playoff. This list may get smaller next week, but there's a good chance it won't.
#6 Ohio State - A 59-point victory over the previously one-loss Nebraska Cornhuskers proved that the Buckeyes really do want to be here despite losing to Penn State. Maryland will be a walk-through, Michigan State could be a sleeper pick in their last home game with nothing to lose (but I doubt it), and then Michigan is all that stands between Ohio State and the Big Ten Championship Game against Wisconsin...err, Minnesota? Or maybe Nebraska! Honestly, who knows? Whatever, just win 'em all and you're in the playoff, Buckeyes.
#5 Louisville - The Cardinals would be in a much better position to make the playoff if they had just beaten Clemson, but they didn't so they're not. Wake Forest, Houston, and Kentucky is not an easy finale however easy it may seem. I will bet that one of these three teams proves better than we originally thought and upsets Lamar Jackson and the mighty Cardinals, ending any serious chance Louisville has at sneaking into the playoff.
#11 West Virginia - Skyler Howard looked amazing against Kansas, but ya know, it's Kansas. I would look like an amazing quarterback if I was playing against a group of fourth graders on the playground. Same difference. Facing Texas in Austin is never easy, that comes this Saturday for West Virginia. Then Oklahoma at home for a heavyweight match-up between Baker Mayfield and the Mountaineer secondary, a trip to Iowa State, and a home-stand versus the long-time Big 12 favorite (eliminated this week) Baylor Bears to close out the regular season. Crazily enough, this game could decide the Big 12. Everyone assumed it would be the TCU-Oklahoma game before the season started, but this was the way the cookie decided to crumble. Either way, things aren't looking up for WVU.
Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
#14 Western Michigan - After a 52-20 rout of Ball State, the Broncos will wrap up their two-game road trip with a visit to Kent, Ohio, to face Kent State before a pair of home games to close out the season against Buffalo and Toledo. Their three remaining opponents have a combined record of 12-15, so expect them to be just fine going undefeated into the MAC Championship Game. This will be their finally opportunity to show the playoff committee their stuff, most likely against Ohio.
Eliminated
Baylor - With a chance to control your own destiny in the Big 12 with just a handful of games remaining, losing to TCU by 40 at home probably wasn't the best idea. The elimination of Baylor leaves only West Virginia in the playoff race from the Big 12.
Florida - Similar to Nebraska's situation, all six of the Gators' wins mean nothing coming against straight-up bad teams. Vanderbilt is not a good team. Georgia is not a good team. Kentucky is NOT a good team! Florida is not even that great of a team, they just happen to be better than all of the rest in the SEC East, besides Tennessee (who somehow lost to South Carolina)? The SEC is one big mess that can all be solved with a likely rematch of last year's SEC Championship Game and an Alabama win to propel them into the playoff. Florida is too short for the metaphorical College Football Playoff roller coaster, the Citrus Bowl ride might be more their speed.
Nebraska - At least you tried, I guess. It was time for Nebraska to drop in the rankings, 7-0 means (almost) nothing when it comes against bad teams. Now the tables have turned on the Huskers and Wisconsin is back in the driver's seat in the Big Ten West. The Outback Bowl may be in the cards for Nebraska. On a side note, glad to see Tommy Armstrong Jr. is okay after that scary collision.
Texas A&M - Mississippi State looked at the first College Football Playoff ranking and said, "Nah." Bulldogs QB Nick Fitzgerald had a record performance in the 35-28 victory over the Aggies, led by Jake Hubenak after Trevor Knight left with a shoulder injury. With Alabama controlling the SEC West, maybe A&M could take a spot in the Cotton Bowl. Aggie Nation will surely accept that after the terrible season and seemingly-imminent firing of Kevin Sumlin forecasted before the season. Well done, Aggies.
Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
Previously Eliminated Kinda-Sorta Playoff Contenders
Listed in alphabetical order: #8 Auburn, #16 Colorado, #22 Florida, #15 North Carolina, #9 Oklahoma, #17 Oklahoma State, #12 Penn State, #10 Texas A&M, #13 Utah, #18 Virginia Tech, #7 Wisconsin
Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports
Eliminated in Week 9
Boise State, Utah
Eliminated in Week 8
No Eliminations
Eliminated in Week 7
Arizona State, Maryland, Miami, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Wisconsin
Eliminated in Week 6
Air Force, Arkansas, Colorado, Houston, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Stanford, Texas Tech
Eliminated in Week 5
Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kansas State, Memphis, Michigan State, Navy, San Diego State, TCU, Texas, Toledo
Eliminated in Week 4
Arizona, Army, Central Michigan, Georgia Southern, LSU, Oregon, Penn State, Pittsburgh, South Carolina, South Florida, UCLA
Eliminated in Week 3
Auburn, Cincinnati, Colorado State, Duke, East Carolina, Illinois, Iowa, Marshall, Missouri, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Southern Miss
Eliminated in Week 2
Akron, Ball State, BYU, California, Connecticut, Eastern Michigan, Florida Atlantic, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana-Monroe, Middle Tennessee, NC State, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma State, Old Dominion, Purdue, SMU, South Alabama, Syracuse, Texas Tech, Troy, Tulsa, UCF, UNLV, Utah State, UTEP, UTSA, Western Kentucky, Wyoming
Eliminated in Week 1
Appalachian State, Boston College, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Charlotte, FIU, Fresno State, Georgia State, Hawaii, Iowa State, Kent State, Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, Louisiana-Lafayette, Massachusetts, Miami (OH), Mississippi State, New Mexico State, North Texas, Northern Illinois, Northwestern, Ohio, Oregon State, Rice, Rutgers, San Jose State, Southern California, Temple, Tulane, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Washington State
Check back in next Sunday to find out if your team has been eliminated in 'College Football Eliminator 2016-17: Week 11'.
