Recapping Week 10: NCAA Football Top 25 games

Recapping Week 10

Statement Saturday delivered with a game-winning two-point conversion, an SEC East championship game, and a re-affirmation of dominance. Let’s take a look at how the week’s biggest games shook out.

#13 West Virginia 42 – #17 Texas 41

With the way these offenses played, it’s surprising that the third quarter included only 3 combined points. The low-scoring quarter aside, Sam Ehlinger and Will Grier both put on a show in Austin. Each three for roughly 350 yards and 3 touchdowns. Grier’s go-to-receiver David Sills added 2 more touchdowns to his career resume, putting him within 10 of the school record.

Grier may have had his Heisman moment, throwing a 35-yard dime to Greg Jennings in the game’s final minute. The Mountaineers, then down 1 decided to go for the win, and Grier ran in the two-point conversion.

Coach Dana Holgorsen called the choice to go for two “an easy decision… when you put the fate of the game in No. 7’s hands.”

The Longhorns are likely to drop out of the rankings, while West Virginia keeps its College Football Playoff hopes alive. Circle the Black Friday showdown with Oklahoma; Kyler Murray – Will Grier will be worth watching.

#6 Georgia 34 – #9 Kentucky 17

This was the game Georgia needed. The knock against the Bulldogs all season had been a lack of quality wins. Prospects looked bleak after the loss to LSU a few weeks back, but back-to-back wins over Florida and Kentucky has changed Georgia’s narrative.

Jake Fromm didn’t need to do too much (14-of-20 for 113 yards) with the 1-2 punch of D’Andre Swift and Elijah Holyfield combining for 271 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns.

Kentucky, the darling of the SEC, and perhaps all of college football up to this point, struggled in areas of strength. Heisman candidate Benny Snell Jr. was held to just 3.6 yards per carry on 20 attempts and standout linebacker Josh Allen wasn’t able to pressure Fromm often thanks to Georgia’s offensive line.

The implications of this game were simple: the winner clinches the SEC East. As much of a great story as the Wildcats have been, Georgia ultimately will give the SEC West champion more of a fight. Perhaps the Bulldogs push for a second SEC spot in the Playoffs for the second-straight season.

#5 Michigan 42 – #14 Penn State 7

I’m sure a lot of people were shocked by the crooked number on the scoreboard, but it really shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Maybe 42-7 Wass a bit unexpected, but Michigan came into this game as the clear-cut more talented team.

After the opening week disappointment against Notre Dame, the Wolverines have racked up 8-straight wins and looked good doing it. Jim Harbaugh’s Wolverines had always been known as the team that couldn’t win the big games. Well, they’ve rewritten that narrative with three-straight dominant wins over Wisconsin, Michigan State, and now Penn State.

The Nittany Lions, meanwhile, were really lucky to even be awarded the #13 ranking in the initial Playoff poll. Penn State’s best win came last week over Iowa, and the team needed overtime to defeat Appalachian State during the season’s first week.

Trace McSorley looked lost against Michigan’s top-ranked defense, completing only five of 13 passes.

Michigan’s dominance clearly established the Wolverines as the top team in the Big 10 and one of the best in the nation. The Wolverines should leap into the top 4 and have the potential to stay there for the rest of the season, with the November 11th showdown with the Buckeyes potentially serving as a play-in game for the Playoffs.

#1 Alabama 29  – #3 LSU 0

It’s kind of sad that the #1 team in the nation can play the #3 team in the nation on the road and still be two-touchdown favorites. Oh, and then go out and more-than cover.

Alabama out-gained LSU 578 to 196, including a 281-12 disparity in rushing.

Despite the parity in college football, no team is better than Alabama. What more is there to say?

Other games of note:

#22 Boston College 28 – Virginia Tech 21

Anthony Brown struggle in the hostile Blacksburg road environment and AJ Dillon was held to a relatively ordinary stat line by his standards (24 carries for 96 yards). Dillon actually missed most of the second half after suffering a possible concussion in a collision with a camera, but Travis Levy stepped in and sparked the stagnant BC offense. The BC win brings College Gameday to Chestnut Hill next Saturday for a pivotal ACC showdown against Clemson.

#2 Clemson 77 – Louisville 16

Just had to throw this one in here, because it’s not every day you see a team put up 77 points in a conference matchup.

Auburn 28 – #20 Texas A&M 24

Purdue 38 – #16 Iowa 36

Arizona State 38 – #15 Utah 20

Missouri 38 – #11 Florida 17

More ranked teams losing!! College football is at its best when there’s chaos.