Week 10 in college football this season is another week. One marque game got everyone’s attention, while the others did not get as much. But, this being said, let’s see how the Penn State Nittany Lions, Texas A&M Aggies, and Iowa State Cyclones (among others) fare this week.
Penn State is No Longer Undefeated!
In the week’s marquee game, the number three-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions faced the number four-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. The Nittany Lions were still undefeated, with Ohio State only having one loss. Victory for either team would help their chances of reaching the Big Ten Championship game.
The Nittany Lions had the game’s first possession and would be able to convert this possession into points. They were led by quarterback Drew Allar (coming off an injury); the Penn State offense could move down the field to reach the Buckeyes’ 12-yard line, but no further. This set up a 29-yard field goal for kicker Ryan Barker, which he was able to make.
The good luck continued for Penn State on the game’s next drive. Ohio State quarterback Will Howard’s pass was intercepted and then returned to the house for a pick-six touchdown, giving the Nittany Lions a 10-point lead early in the game.
Howard had a better drive on his next attempt. He brought the Buckeyes offense down to the Nittany Lions’ 25-yard line and found Emeka Egbuka for the touchdown pass. This was repeated on the next drive from Ohio State, with Howard finding Brandon Inniss for a 21-yard touchdown pass.
It was likely three scores in a row for the Buckeyes when they reached Penn State’s 13-yard line. Howard ran with the ball to the goal line, where a mistake would happen. He would fumble the ball, which rolled out of play past the endzone, resulting in a touchback and a denied opportunity for Ohio State. Luckily for them, the Nittany Lions could not do anything with the possession.
But, on their final drive before halftime, Penn State was knocking on the door of the endzone, as there were on the Buckeyes’ three-yard line. However, Allar’s pass was intercepted in the endzone, ending that opportunity.
This meant at halftime, the Buckeyes had a 14-10 lead over the Nittany Lions.
Ohio State were able to add to their lead at the beginning of the second half. The drive stalled at the Nittany Lions’ 25-yard line, setting up a 46-yard field goal from Jayden Fielding.
Penn State would match this in reply, with Ryan Barker kicking one from 44 yards out.
A few drives later, the Buckeyes would further increase their lead through another field goal. This gave them a seven-point, meaning that Penn State needed to find the endzone on a future drive to stay in this game.
This is what they were close to doing on their next drive. Allar and company slowly moved down the field and reached the Buckeyes’ one-yard line. Here, a vital fourth down attempt occurred, with Penn State needing to score the touchdown to stay in the game. Allar’s pass was incomplete. Handing Ohio State possession with five minutes left in the game.
The Buckeyes held onto the ball for that time, meaning they would seal a 20-13 victory over the Nittany Lions.
This brings an end to Penn State’s undefeated season and brings Ohio State back into the race to find who is going to face the Oregon Ducks in the championship game. This is also the Nittany Lions’ eighth consecutive loss against the Buckeyes, an unwanted record. Both teams now have a 7-1 (4-1 Big Ten) record for the season.
Next week, the Buckeyes face Purdue, while the Nittany Lions play Washington.
“And it’s Goodbye to A&M”
The number 10 ranked Texas A&M Aggies come into this week undefeated against SEC opposition and one of the in-form teams at the moment. This week, there has been talk that the Aggies’ final game of the regular season against rivals the Texas Longhorns is an event that will divide everyone and change the world, with two in-form (and possibly top-10 ranked teams) meetings. To do this, they will have to defeat the South Carolina Gamecocks.
The Gamecocks had the first possession of the game and would be able to get the game’s opening points. Led by quarterback LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina could make it down to the Aggies’ 23-yard line. From here, Sellers ran it into the endzone for the rushing touchdown.
They would add to this lead on their next drive when Sellers found Joshua Simon for a 15-yard touchdown pass. In reply, the Aggies scored a 52-yard field goal from kicker Randy Bond.
A few drives later, the Gamecocks made a mistake. Sellers found Raheim Sanders for a 17-yard pass. But Sanders fumbled the ball, which the Aggies scooped up, turning this possession into another field goal.
The Gamecocks then recorded a field goal for themselves, as kicker Alex Herrea found the uprights from 25 yards out.
After this, the Aggies would finally wake up. On their next drive, Amari Daniels found the endzone for a 56-yard rushing touchdown. This was followed by a two-yard touchdown pass from Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed to Jabre Barber.
A final field goal from the Gamecocks before halftime tied the scores at 20-20 as the teams went into the locker rooms.
The Gamecocks would be able to take the lead on their first drive of the season half. From their 48-yard line, Raheim Sanders would find the endzone for a 52-yard rushing touchdown. This lead was extended on their next drive, as Herrea would score a field goal from 43 yards out.
There was then a period in the half when not a lot of action occurred. But with five minutes to go in the game, South Carolina would seal the unlikely victory when Sellers found Joshua Simon for a 57-yard touchdown pass.
But the good luck did not stop there. On the next drive, the Aggies would fumble the ball and lose possession, which the Gamecocks would capitalize on. Sanders found the endzone with a seven-yard rushing touchdown.
This meant the South Carolina Gamecocks had defeated the number 10 ranked Texas A&M Aggies 44-20.
This defeat means the SEC is open, with five teams now with one loss and in contention for a spot in the SEC Championship game. However, it should not have been like this, as this should have been a game that the Aggies had won. The defeat means they fall to 7-2 (5-1 SEC), while the Gamecocks improve to 5-3 (3-3 SEC)
Next week, South Carolina faces Vanderbilt, while Texas A&M plays a non-conference game against New Mexico State in a battle of the Aggies.
Tech Stop a Cyclone
The number 11-ranked Iowa State Cyclone was one of the few teams in College Football that came into this week with an undefeated record. They put their undefeated record on the line this week against the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
The Red Raiders could get the opening score from their opening drive. Starting from their 28-yard line, the Texas Tech offense moved down to the Cyclones’ 35-yard line. From here, quarterback Behren Morton found Josh Kelly for a 35-yard field goal.
In response, Iowa State scored a field goal from 49 yards out.
Texas Tech would then score another touchdown to increase its lead. Morton found Coy Wakin for a 25-yard pass that found the endzone. However, the Red Raiders were penalized for pass interference on this play, removing the score from the board. In the end, the best they could do was a field goal.
A few drives later, the Cyclones would again score a field goal, this time from 37 yards out, kicked by Kyle Konrardy.
The Cyclones would then make a mistake when quarterback Roco Brecht’s pass was intercepted, but this led to nothing. The roles were reversed a few drives later, with Morton’s pass being intercepted, but this again led to nothing.
But just before halftime, Morton threw another interception, and unlike the previous one, this play did mean something. From the 50-yard line, Brecht moved the Cyclone offense down to the Red Raiders’ 20-yard line. From here, he found Jayden Higgins for the touchdown pass.
This meant at halftime, the Cyclones had a 13-10 lead over the Red Raiders.
The second half did not start well for Iowa State, as they lost possession to Texas Tech due to a fumble. However, as we have seen on numerous occasions in this game, the Red Raiders were unable to gain on this possession.
But a few drives later, Texas Tech was able to retake the lead on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Morton to Kelly. In response, another field goal from Iowa State meant that as the game went into the fourth quarter, the Red Raiders had a one-point lead.
The Cyclones had an opportunity to retake the lead when Konrady had a 51-yard field goal attempt. However, he failed in this attempt, keeping them one point behind.
However, on their next drive, they were successful in their quest for points. Brecht found Carson Brown for a 44-yard touchdown pass. The Cyclones then attempted a two-point conversion, but this was unsuccessful. With two minutes to go, the Red Raiders needed to find the endzone to record a surprise victory.
Their drive started from the Red Raiders 29-yard line. Morton and company then moved down the field to the Cyclones’ five-yard line. From here, Tahj Brooks found the endzone for the rushing touchdown to win the game.
This meant that the Texas Tech Red Raiders defeated the number 11-ranked Iowa State Cyclone 23-22.
Another undefeated season is over. This defeat opens up the Big 12, in which the Cyclones are still in the race. The victory gives the Red Raiders a record of 6-3 (4-2 Big 12), while the Cyclones fall to 7-1 (4-1 Big 12)
Next week, Texas Tech faces Colorado, while Iowa State plays Kansas.
What happened to the other Ranked Teams?
#1 Oregon @ Michigan
The number one-ranked Oregon Ducks continued their undefeated season against the Michigan Wolverines. Ducks quarterback Dillon Gabriel scored two touchdowns and threw for nearly 300 yards in Oregon’s 38-17 win.
Florida @ #2 Georgia
The number two ranked Georgia Bulldogs faced rivals the Florida Gators this week. Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck again threw for three interceptions in this game. But a late comeback from the Bulldogs gave them a 34-20 win.
Duke @ #5 Miami
The number six ranked Miami Hurricanes faced the Duke Blue Devils, with the Hurricanes’ undefeated record on the line. At halftime, it looked like the record would go. But, a strong second half from Cam Ward (who scored five touchdowns in the game), kept the record alive with a 53-31 win.
Kentucky @ #7 Tennessee
The number seven-ranked Tennessee Volunteers faced the Kentucky Wildcats this week. The Volunteers needed to win this game to keep themselves in the race for the SEC Championship game. They did so, recording a 28-18 win over the Wildcats.
Louisville @ #11 Clemson
The number 11 Clemson Tigers faced the Louisville Cardinals in what should have been a simple win for them. However, a third quarter that included three field goals from Cardinals kicker Brock Travelstead, followed by a late touchdown from Issac Brown, gave Louisville a surprise 33-21 win. This is the second Clemson defeat of the season, putting their spot in the CFP at risk.
#13 Indiana @ Michigan State
After last week’s win against Washington, the number 13 ranked and still undefeated Indiana Hoosiers faced the struggling Michigan State Spartans. It was another convincing win for the Hoosiers, as quarterback Kurtis Rourke threw for four touchdowns in the 47-10 victory. This puts them 9-0 for the first time in program history, and with Penn State’s defeat, it means that currently, Indiana will face Oregon in the Championship game.
San Diego State @ #15 Boise State
The 15th-ranked Boise State Broncos continued their hunt to be the Group of Five program that makes the CFP. They faced the San Diego State Aztecs this week in what was another good game for running back Ashton Jeanty. He ran for 149 yards and scored two touchdowns in the Broncos’ 56-24 win.
#17 Kansas State @ Houston
The Houston Cougars faced the number 17-ranked Kansas State Wildcats with little expectation of a win. However, quarterback Zeon Criss’s strong final quarter gave the Cougars a surprise 24-19 win, which only opened up the Big 12 even more.
#18 Pittsburgh @ #20 SMU
The number 18 ranked Pittsburgh Panthers faced the number 20 ranked SMU Mustangs with their undefeated record on the line. They are another team who lost it this week. A dominant second quarter by Brashad Smith, followed by three consecutive TDs to end the game, gave the Mustangs a 48-25 win, which has only opened up the ACC.
#19 Ole Miss @ Arkansas
The number 19 ranked Ole Miss Rebels faced the Arkansas Razorbacks, needing a win to give them a chance at the CFP. They had a fantastic day, even without Tre Harris. Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart threw for a school-record six touchdowns as Ole Miss cruised to a 63-31 win over the Razorbacks.
Air Force @ #21 Army
One of the last remaining undefeated teams in College Football after this week’s action will be the number 21-ranked Army Black Knights. They faced a fellow service side (but a poor College Football team), the Air Force Falcons, this week. Army easily won this game 20-3. Could they find themselves in the CFP in a couple of weeks?
Minnesota @ #24 Illinois
Another upset was when the number 24 ranked Illinois Fighting Illini faced the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Golden Gophers outplayed the Fighting Illini throughout to record a 25-17 win. This gives both teams the same record and could give Minnesota a ranking next week.
This week will be seen as a pivotal week in the race for the College Football Playoffs. On Tuesday, a big decision will be made when the College Football Playoff Committee releases their first poll of the season.
Next week, Georgia faces Ole Miss, Alabama faces LSU, and Notre Dame has an easy game against Florida State as the race to the playoffs slowly heats up.
