You’d say that Ohio State’s out of the College Football Playoff chase, but crazier things have happened. It’s not over, in other words, even if the Buckeyes’ road to a semifinal was made almost infinitely more difficult following last weekend’s stunning loss to Iowa.
But after OSU dismantled Michigan State 48-3 — the ugliest loss of Mark Dantonio’s tenure with the Spartans — you can at least see a team capable of playing its way back into the mix, even if the Buckeyes would need the madness to ensue in the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big 12 Conference and Southeastern Conference.
That’s one way to look at the Buckeyes’ impressive Saturday. The team clearly responded to the Iowa loss, which was a positive sign, and regained some momentum heading into games against Illinois and Michigan, the rival Wolverines on the road.
Here’s another way to look at it: Ohio State is very frustrating. What other word fits a team that loses by 31 points one week and then wins by 45 points seven days later? And which performance represents the true Ohio State?
WINNERS
Wisconsin. Amid the questions over its strength of schedule, all Wisconsin can do is go out and take care of business and hope that 13-0 will influence the Playoff selection committee. Saturday’s 38-14 win against Iowa won’t hurt. One week after they ripped through Ohio State, the Hawkeyes were held to zero offensive touchdowns and just 66 yards of total offense by the Badgers’ stifling defense. Are you impressed?
Oklahoma State. The Cowboys maintained their shot at appearing in the Big 12 championship game by outlasting Iowa State in a 49-42 win. The defense isn’t good. But this offense, as good as it gets in the entire Football Bowl Subdivision, gives Oklahoma State a puncher’s chance against almost any team in the country. Even if they don’t finish in the top two of the Big 12, the Cowboys might play their way into a New Year’s Six bowls by winning out.
South Carolina. The Gamecocks’ 28-20 win against Florida was doubly meaningful for Will Muschamp, the Gators’ former head coach. For South Carolina, the win brings it one step closer to a significant bowl game and clinches second place in the SEC East Division. The victory was also the Gamecocks’ first against UF since 2014, when they took their fourth in five tries over the Gators.
Scott Frost. UCF moved to 9-0 with another easy win, this time against Connecticut. At the same time, Florida suffered another loss and Nebraska was humiliated by Minnesota. Both teams will be in the market for a new head coach after the end of the regular season, and both will identify Frost as a major contender for their openings. It’s good to be the second-year UCF head coach right now.
Army. The 21-16 win against Duke moved Army to 8-2, the program’s best record through 10 games since 1996. Here’s an amazing fact about the Cadets: The offense has attempted just one pass in back-to-back wins against Air Force and the Blue Devils.
LOSERS
Virginia Tech. In the span of two games, Tech has played its way out of the ACC Coastal Division race — with last week’s loss to Miami (Fla.) — and into one of the league’s second-tier bowl games. The Hokies had several chances to put away Georgia Tech but failed to capitalize in the second half, allowing the Yellow Jackets to pull ahead late to hand Justin Fuente and the Hokies their third loss on the season.