Loser: ACC
One year after stealing a bid and sneaking two teams past the velvet rope, the ACC is in danger of missing out on the CFP entirely. The Duke Blue Devils (8-5, 6-2 in ACC) likely sunk the conference’s playoff hopes with a 27-20 overtime win over No. 17 Virginia Cavaliers (10-3, 7-1 in ACC). No. 20 Tulane Green Wave (11-2, 7-1 in American) and No. 25 James Madison Dukes (12-1, 8-0 in Sun Belt) won their respective conference championship games on Friday, and nothing about Duke’s performance Saturday suggested it should be ahead of either when the field is set.
The Red Raiders won the first Big 12 championship in program history, easily handing College Football Playoff No. 11 BYU Cougars (11-2, 8-1 in Big 12) their second loss of the season, 34-7. No. 4 Texas Tech (12-1, 8-1 in Big Ten) has a program-record 12 wins, all over 20 points, steamrolling through the competition ahead of a deserving first-round playoff bye.
On Saturday, Texas Tech out-gained BYU, 374-200, forced four turnovers and produced 10 big plays, defined as pass plays of at least 15 yards and run plays of at least 10 yards. With a stout, havoc-wreaking defense and explosive offense, Texas Tech has the pieces necessary to be the last team standing when the national champion is crowned in Miami.
Alabama’s playoff bubble may have burst with a non-competitive performance in the SEC championship game over No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs (12-1, 7-1 in SEC). The Tide’s weaknesses sank them again, raising serious doubts about whether they’re truly one of the seven best non-conference champions.
Quarterback Ty Simpson played his worst game since the season-opener flop at Florida State (5-7, 2-6 in ACC), completing less than half of his passes (19-of-39) for 212 yards, one touchdown and an interception. Alabama’s rushing attack was nonexistent. It finished with minus-three yards, its fewest since at least 1995, per Stathead research.
No. 10 Notre Dame (10-2) and No. 12 Miami (10-2, 6-2 in ACC) are much better at the line of scrimmage than the Tide, making both far more deserving of a playoff berth. If Alabama (10-3, 7-1 in SEC) were more competitive in the loss, it wouldn’t have any worries about missing the playoff. But the concerning offensive showing could be enough for the selection committee to look elsewhere for the final at-large berth.
Winner: Georgia gets over Alabama hump
Georgia was 0-4 all-time against Alabama in the SEC championship game before Saturday’s win, including 0-3 under head coach Kirby Smart. For as much as the Bulldogs have accomplished in recent years, the Tide have been their kryptonite. Not anymore. The 21-point margin of victory was Georgia’s largest against Alabama in nearly 50 years, dating back to October 1976.
Down goes Goliath.
North Dakota State (12-1, 8-1 in MVFC), which won its 10th national championship since 2011 last season, fell at home in the second round of the FCS Playoffs to Illinois State Redbirds despite forcing five turnovers and holding a 15-point advantage with less than five minutes remaining.
Illinois State (10-4, 6-3 MVFC) took the late lead on a two-point conversion, sending the FCS into chaos.
