College Football Top Ten as of 10-30-2023
November is upon us next week and the playoff picture is taking shape with the Bulldogs still on top of the standings. Here is this week’s new Top Ten:
Top Ten as of 10-30-2023
#10. Oklahoma 7-1 (+4000) - The Sooners' defense had a second straight subpar game and the offense couldn’t overcome it in the rain in Kansas. One loss doesn’t eliminate them from the College Football playoffs but it didn’t help. Next Up: at Oklahoma State; Last week’s Rank (5)
#9. Penn State 6-1 (+8000) - Penn State looked like a team still reeling from its first loss this season against Indiana at home. The defense looked disinterested and the offense had to rally late to pull away. Next Up: at Maryland; Last week’s Rank (10)
#8. Oregon 7-1 (+1400) - The Ducks crushed Utah to end their home-winning streak and to end the Utes’ recent dominance against them. The Ducks still have a clear path to the Pac-12 title and a playoff berth. Next Up: vs.Cal; Last week’s Rank (9)
#7. Texas 6-1 (+1600) - Oklahoma’s loss is the Longhorns gain. Maalik Murphy played the role of game manager well this week and let the defense do the heavy lifting. Next Up: vs. #25 Kansas State; Last week’s Rank (8)
#6. Alabama 7-1 (+1400) - After a week off, the Crimson Tide now basically play a playoff game each week starting with a classic SEC battle with LSU this week at home. Next Up: vs. LSU; Last week’s Rank (8th)
#5. Washington 8-0 (+1400) - The Huskies had to lean on their offense once again last week in a 42-33 win over Stanford. Next up is USC on the road. Can their defense hold up? Next Up: at USC; Last Week’s Rank (6)
#4. Florida State 8-0 (+600) - FSU QB Travis has to be considered a viable Heisman candidate this season. His team is undefeated and he continued his stellar play on Saturday with 359 yards and 3 touchdowns in an easy win at Wake. Next Up: @ Pittsburgh; Last week’s Rank (4)
#3. Ohio State 7-0 (+750) - The Buckeyes defense delivered again on the road against Wisconsin on Saturday night. As usual, the Michigan game will decide their playoff fate. Next Up: at Rutgers; Last week’s Rank (3)
#2. Michigan 8-0 (+240) - Without a game this week, the Wolverines endured another week of scrutiny regarding sign stealing. They should have another easy week against Purdue at the Big House on Saturday. Next up: vs. Purdue; Last week’s Rank (2)
#1. Georgia 8-0 (+240) - Georgia fell behind 7-0 against Florida but quickly took control of the game and rolled to an easy 43-20 win that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. Next Up: vs. #14 Missouri; Last week’s Rank (1)
In parenthesis, the odds of winning the National Title.
Upset Watch Week 9:
Things don’t always go according to plan in college football. Each week we will look at a possible upset against one of our top ten teams. We nailed it again last week with Oklahoma losing at Kansas, favored by 10.
#10 Oklahoma (-5) at Oklahoma State 3:30 PM on Saturday: Oklahoma returns this week as an upset candidate against in-state rival Oklahoma State. The Sooners have to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Kansas against a hostile crowd at OSU. Two others to consider this week: PSU (-11.5) at Maryland and Texas (-4.5) vs. Kansas State. Penn State heads back out on the road after a disappointing home game against Indiana against a reeling Maryland team that could make their season with a win. Texas’ offense was mediocre last week against BYU but will have to produce more against a K-State team that can put up points.
The One That Got Away Week 1:
Each week we will look at a game from the previous week in which defeat was snatched away from the jaws of victory with a fateful play near the end of the game. We’ve all been there, why not painfully rehash it?
Colorado at #24 UCLA (-15)
This game was almost too standard for a game that got away in college football. The favorite takes a comfortable lead with a dominating defensive effort but all it takes is one lapse and defeat is pulled out from the jaws of sports betting victory.
Go on, try and figure out Colorado this season. They start the season as everyone’s darling winning games while being nearly three-touchdown underdogs to the likes of TCU and Nebraska. Then, at the height of their powers, the Buffaloes nearly drop a game to a mediocre Colorado State team as three-touchdown favorites themselves. Ok, so perhaps Colorado prefers the true underdog role. Fast forward to the Buffaloes' absolute destruction at the hands of heavily favored Oregon at Oregon. Okay, maybe we’ve figured them out. This team can’t hang with the big boys. Then they foil us again, covering a two-touchdown spread against high-scoring USC. Stealing a home win over Arizona State but failing to cover. Now, they are officially a topsy-turvy bunch. They proved this when they coughed up a huge lead against Stanford only to lose on the road.
Not learning my lesson, I take the Bruins giving up two touchdowns at home against this impossible-to-figure Colorado team. Surely the loss to Stanford has put this team’s spirit to rest and the Bruins will roll over them. 28-9 heading into the fourth quarter. Colorado’s offense is sputtering and the Bruins are in firm control. They certainly can’t get it together enough to take my (virtual) betting ticket, crumple it up, and throw it in the corner as Colorado scores a meaningless touchdown with four minutes left. Someone, please stop me the next time I bet for or against Colorado this season!! Final Score: UCLA (-14) 28 Colorado 16 - Loss
*All odds courtesy of Draftkings.com
By Mark Ruelle