Rivalry week lived as much as the billing as a number of of the highest groups within the nation have been dragged down by their respective arch-nemesis. No. 2 Ohio State and No. 6 Miami misplaced stunners, whereas No. 7 Georgia and No. 8 Tennessee wanted late comebacks to tug away from far lesser opponents.
The chaos had a significant affect on the convention title races. Penn State will now play within the Big Ten Championship Game as a substitute of Ohio State, whereas Clemson made it to the ACC title recreation after Miami’s loss.
However, Texas A&M was unable to capitalize on the chaos in a loss to No. 3 Texas to price itself revenge after 13 years. Auburn additionally was no match for a messy Alabama squad in a 28-14 loss, whereas No. 18 Iowa State survived a take a look at from Kansas State to all however punch its ticket to the Big 12 Championship Game. Here are the largest winners and losers of school soccer’s Week 14.
Winner: Penn State
The Nittany Lions wanted assist to succeed in the Big Ten Championship Game and James Franklin left nothing on the desk in a 44-7 victory over Maryland. The Nittany Lions exploded for 219 yards and 4 touchdowns on the bottom to drive the Terrapins into the dust. More importantly, Ohio State misplaced a shocker in opposition to Michigan, which cleared the way in which for Penn State to play for its first Big Ten championship since 2016. Few groups are larger beneficiaries of the tip of the Big Ten East than Penn State. A battle in opposition to Oregon is a tall job, however the Nittany Lions have a critical shot to win the Big Ten and earn a first-round bye. In a yr the place nobody is phenomenal, why not Penn State?
Loser: Texas A&M
The Aggies waited 13 lengthy years to get their subsequent shot on Texas in a single the largest video games within the historical past of Kyle Field. Despite a legendary setting, the Aggies’ offense was a no-show in a 17-7 loss in opposition to the No. 3 Longhorns. Texas A&M failed to attain any offensive factors and was eradicated from competition for the SEC championship.
Texas A&M linebacker Taurean York mentioned after the sport that there’s a huge distinction between enjoying within the SEC Championship Game and a mid-tier bowl recreation. Unfortunately, the Aggies failed to succeed in a convention title recreation for the Twenty fifth-consecutive season.
Winner: The Mountain West
No. 11 Boise State has emerged because the presumptive favourite to make the CFP from the Group of Five, however No. 22 UNLV could have one thing to say about it. After overcoming a sluggish begin, the Rebels exploded out to a 38-14 victory over rival Nevada and clinched a spot within the Mountain West Championship Game. With the Tulane loss in opposition to Memphis, the Mountain West Championship Game is instantly a play-in recreation for the College Football Playoff. The winner of the UNLV-Boise State matchup will nearly definitely end as the highest Group of Five champ and could have a critical shot at incomes a primary spherical bye. In the primary season of the expanded CFP, the legacy Mountain West is peaking on the proper time.
Winner: Iowa State
Iowa State soccer had by no means received 10 video games in a season in 127 years of enjoying school soccer. The program hit even 9 wins solely thrice beforehand, with one such efficiency coming led by A.W. Ristine in 1906. In a marquee battle in opposition to No. 24 Kansas State, Iowa State obtained 187 yards on the bottom and passing touchdowns to each star receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel to lastly, mercifully, hit the 10-win plateau.
BYU’s win over Houston clinched Cyclones a visit to the Big 12 Championship Game. The subsequent job? Winning their first convention title since Clyde Williams’ MVIAA co-championship in 1912. The drought is the longest in FBS historical past.
Loser: Ohio State coach Ryan Day
Ohio State was a four-score favourite in opposition to its hated rival. Michigan was down their two greatest gamers. The Buckeyes had the extra proficient roster by a large margin. Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork confirmed that this system spent greater than $20 million within the NIL market to assemble this group. It did not matter. Michigan shocked Ohio State 13-10 after a late subject purpose from Dominic Zvada to choose up one of the devastating losses in fashionable Ohio State historical past.
Day could return subsequent season as Ohio State’s coach and the Buckeyes nonetheless technically have an opportunity to win the nationwide championship as they need to nonetheless make the playoff. Still, there are three expectations in Columbus: Beat Michigan, win the Big Ten and win the nationwide championship. Day has now whiffed on the primary two in 4 straight seasons. If he does not win the nationwide championship this yr, he might very quickly be out of a job.
South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers has been one of many rising stars within the sport, however his efficiency in a 17-14 win over No. 12 Clemson will put him firmly on the nationwide map. Sellers threw for 164 yards and rushed for 166 and two touchdowns to tug the upset victory at Death Valley. Sellers had a game-winning 20-yard run with 1:08 remaining that may go down as one of many largest runs in South Carolina historical past. There’s no assure that the Gamecocks discover their approach into the College Football playoff, however Norris’s Herculean effort no less than provides them an opportunity.
Loser: Miami
All Miami needed to do was survive Syracuse. More, all of the ‘Canes actually needed to do was keep 21-0 lead they took early within the second quarter and they’d be basically a lock to play for the nationwide championship. Instead, one other poor recreation administration choice from Mario Cristobal proved expensive in a 42-38 loss in opposition to the Orange.
Cristobal opted to kick a subject purpose from the 10-yard line with 3:42 remaining within the recreation regardless of trailing by seven factors. The Hurricanes didn’t get the ball again once more because the protection did not get Syracuse off the sphere. Now, Miami has no management of its CFP destiny and will probably be in a battle with groups like Alabama and South Carolina to make the sphere. It’s a complete failure and will show to be the tip of the season for the perfect Miami passing offense at school historical past.
Loser: SEC title contenders
The excellent news for the highest of the SEC is most of its high contenders finally pulled off victories in tight rivalry week video games. However, none of them regarded wherever close to nationwide championship caliber throughout a depressing 24-hour stretch on Friday and Saturday.
No. 7 Georgia regarded depressing in a 44-42 win over Georgia Tech that went to eight overtimes, the second-most in school soccer historical past. The Bulldogs wanted 21 factors within the fourth quarter simply to provide themselves an opportunity. No. 8 Tennessee equally obtained off to a sluggish begin in opposition to Vanderbilt, happening 17-7 within the first quarter earlier than lastly turning issues on. No. 14 Ole Miss wanted a late fourth quarter landing to tug away for a 26-14 win over a horrendous Mississippi State group.
Ultimately, the performances in all probability will not damage the SEC’s place within the College Football Playoff, however it definitely did not assist.
Sitting at 2-4, Baylor coach Dave Aranda appeared lifeless to rights. The Bears confronted a tall job simply to make a bowl recreation. Instead, the Bears are instantly the most well liked group within the Big 12. Baylor shocked Kansas 45-17 to cap off a six-game successful streak and clinch an eight-win season for the primary time since 2021. The Bears will not get the tiebreaker luck they should attain the Big 12 title recreation, however Baylor is enjoying in addition to anybody within the convention.
Quarterback Sawyer Robertson (23 for 31 for 310 yards and 4 touchdowns) and operating again Bryson Washington (28 carries for 192 yards and two touchdowns) have been the breakout stars of the run and current Aranda some critical constructing blocks. The Bears could have a critical case to be a preseason Big 12 favourite in 2024.
Loser: The AAC
No. 17 Tulane was maybe the largest winner of the final CFP Rankings after sitting at No. 17, forward of a number of two-loss Big 12 groups. If Arizona State misplaced, there was a critical likelihood that Tulane might get into the CFP over the Big 12 champion because the fifth convention champion.
Instead, the Green Wave have been unprepared for the second and misplaced in opposition to Memphis 34-24 to choose up a 3rd loss and certain danger their spot within the high 25. Tulane rushed for under 57 yards and gave up 242 yards on the bottom, together with 177 to operating again Mario Anderson. Instead of being the hunter, Tulane is in tough form as each Boise State and UNLV are more likely to end forward of the AAC champ within the rankings.
