Simply 11 unbeaten groups stay midway by way of the season.
Week 7 represented the midway level within the 2024 season. There at the moment are seven weeks to go within the common season — every workforce will get two bye weeks this 12 months because of the best way the calendar falls — forward of convention championship weekend.
With the season at its halfway mark, it is a good time to take inventory of the undefeated groups remaining. Will any of the 11 groups with out a loss be capable to make it by way of all the season undefeated? Primarily based on how the primary seven weeks have gone, we’re undecided.
11. Liberty (5-0): Final season’s Group of 5 consultant within the New Yr’s Six bowl video games has an uphill climb to make the playoff. The Flames’ finest win is a 35-24 victory at East Carolina and beat FIU 31-24 in extra time earlier within the week. Liberty has an awesome probability to go undefeated once more throughout the common season because of a weak Convention USA schedule, however after the Flames bought blown out by Oregon within the Fiesta Bowl final season, it’s straightforward to see the playoff committee taking a workforce with a loss or two that performed a a lot more durable schedule.
10. Pitt (6-0): This feels a bit harsh to have Pitt right here, nevertheless it’s extra about Military and Navy’s impressiveness than it’s about Pitt. The Panthers beat Cal 17-15 on Saturday in a sport that wasn’t too fairly to observe. Pitt had simply 277 yards of offense as Eli Holstein was simply 14-of-28 passing for 133 yards and two interceptions, We’ll discover out simply how good the Panthers are after their Week 8 bye in video games towards Syracuse and SMU.
9. Military (6-0): The Black Knights are blowing out each workforce they play. Granted, Military hasn’t performed a really robust schedule to this point, however its closest win is a 24-7 Week 2 victory over Florida Atlantic. Military blew out a reeling UAB workforce 44-10 on Saturday and has an actual probability to be undefeated earlier than enjoying Notre Dame on Nov. 23.
8. Navy (5-0): The Midshipmen had been off in Week 7 and have already got massive wins over Memphis and Air Pressure. QB Blake Horvath has accounted for 17 touchdowns as he’s thrown for seven and rushed for 10. Horvath has 66 carries for 565 yards already this season and is placing up the most effective numbers for a Navy QB since Malcolm Perry rushed for over 2,000 yards in 2019.
7. Indiana (6-0): Don’t be too stunned by the Hoosiers’ undefeated begin. The rent of Curt Cignetti from James Madison was the most effective strikes of the teaching cycle. Cignetti’s groups have by no means had a shedding season since he grew to become a school head coach in 2011. Former Ohio QB Kurtis Rourke has been incredible in his first season in Bloomington as he seems totally wholesome from a knee damage he suffered on the finish of the 2022 season.
6. BYU (6-0): BYU simply dealt with Arizona on Saturday in a 41-19 win. BYU compelled 4 turnovers within the victory because the Cougars have now precipitated their opponents to show the ball over 14 instances by way of six video games. That price could also be unsustainable. And may BYU actually depend on QB Jake Retzlaff to do all of it? We just like the Cougars’ probabilities of being undefeated forward of their renewed rivalry sport vs. Utah on Nov. 9.
5. Iowa State (6-0): The Cyclones look like the category of the Massive 12 in the intervening time after a 28-16 win at West Virginia. Only one workforce — Baylor every week in the past in a blowout loss — has scored greater than 20 factors towards the Cyclones and the offense can run and throw the ball successfully. Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins have been the most effective receiving duos within the nation and Carson Hansen ran for 3 TDs towards the Mountaineers.
4. Miami (6-0): The Hurricanes sat out Week 7 following their wild comeback win at Cal. Miami overcame a 35-10 deficit in a 39-38 win as Cam Ward has emerged as one of many midseason Heisman favorites. After an in depth win towards Virginia Tech in Week 5, Miami could be well-served to keep away from one other scare towards Louisville subsequent week.
3. Penn State (6-0): Lots of school soccer followers bought launched to Penn State TE Tyler Warren on Saturday. He had 17 catches for 224 yards and a TD (after snapping the ball on the play!) in Penn State’s 33-30 overtime victory at USC. Though the Trojans misplaced at Minnesota in Week 6 and fell out of the High 25, this was no gimme for the Nittany Lions. And so they handed the take a look at, even when Drew Allar had his first multi-interception sport of the season.
2. Oregon (6-0): The Geese gained a 32-31 thriller over Ohio State on Saturday evening in a sport that featured six lead adjustments and ended as Ohio State QB Will Howard slid to the bottom with the clock at 0:00. Dillon Gabriel is now the No. 2 betting favourite for the Heisman Trophy after his three-TD efficiency towards the Buckeyes and Oregon’s receivers had been in a position to persistently get open within the Ohio State secondary.
1. Texas (6-0): Oregon followers want to see their workforce at No. 1 right here and within the AP High 25 on Sunday. However the Longhorns did nothing to point out they need to drop from No. 1 of their easy 34-3 win over No. 18 Oklahoma. Sure, Quinn Ewers was rusty early, however that was to be anticipated after his four-week absence. As soon as Texas bought it going, Oklahoma didn’t have any solutions. And the rating might have been lots worse for the Sooners had Texas not missed a area purpose or failed on a fourth down try contained in the pink zone.
Listed here are the remainder of this week’s winners and losers.
Winners
Arizona State: The Solar Devils are 5-1 after their 27-19 upset over No. 16 Utah late Friday evening. Cam Skattebo rushed 22 instances for 158 yards and two TDs as ASU picked off Utah QB Cam Rising thrice. ASU is 2-1 within the Massive 12 and only a win away from bowl eligibility after profitable simply six video games mixed over the previous two seasons. Issues are trying promising for second-year coach Kenny Dillingham after he inherited a multitude in Tempe from predecessor Herm Edwards. And the ASU coach is having fun with himself.
Notre Dame: The No. 11 Combating Irish’s go sport confirmed life in a 49-7 win over Stanford. Riley Leonard was 16-of-22 passing for 229 yards and three touchdowns to a few completely different receivers within the straightforward win. It was the primary time all season that Leonard had thrown for greater than 163 yards and he doubled his TD output by way of the primary 5 video games of the season. Notre Dame harbors actual playoff hopes, and the passing sport has to appear like this extra typically if the Irish are going to be part of the 12-team playoff.
Wisconsin: The Badgers performed some old-school soccer towards Rutgers. Wisconsin rushed 47 instances for 309 yards within the 42-7 thrashing of the Scarlet Knights. Tawee Walker had 24 carries for 198 yards and three scores, whereas Cade Yacamelli rushed 4 instances for 75 yards. The Badgers at the moment are 4-2 and Saturday’s win is an enormous step towards a profitable season with video games towards Penn State, Iowa and Oregon looming after a visit to Northwestern in Week 8.
Northwestern: Talking of the Wildcats, they pulled away from Maryland within the second half on Friday for a 37-10 win over the Terrapins. Maryland misplaced three fumbles amongst 4 turnovers and likewise did not convert three fourth-down makes an attempt. Northwestern’s offensive stats weren’t fairly, however they didn’t should be because of Maryland’s generosity.
Vanderbilt: The Commodores didn’t have a hangover from beating Alabama. Vanderbilt beat Kentucky 20-13 in Lexington on Saturday evening to maneuver to 4-2. QB Diego Pavia threw two TD passes as Kentucky couldn’t get out of its personal means. Holder Wilson Berry fumbled two snaps — one on a area purpose and one other on an additional level — and threw an interception after considered one of them. The Commodores additionally bought some nice information after DE Miles Capers was taken off the sphere on a stretcher within the first half. Capers was in a position to return to the sideline on the second half.
Losers
Utah: Cam Rising’s long-awaited return didn’t go as deliberate on Friday. He made his first begin since struggling a proper hand damage in Week 2 and his proper leg bought rolled up on early within the sport. Rising didn’t appear like himself in any respect and was clearly in ache all through the sport. After the loss — Utah’s second of the season — coach Kyle Whittingham stated that Rising’s mobility was restricted due to the early leg damage and that “it was very obvious that he’s not 100%.” Rising must be totally wholesome if Utah goes to smell the Massive 12 title.
Washington: The Huskies adopted up their massive win over Michigan with an egg towards Iowa. The Hawkeyes simply gained 40-16 as Kaleb Johnson rushed 21 instances for 166 yards and had three complete touchdowns. It was Washington’s second journey throughout a number of time zones for a Massive Ten sport this season they usually’ve misplaced each of them. Lengthy journey goes to develop into the norm within the Massive Ten, and Washington and Oregon would be the groups racking up probably the most miles.
Wyoming: It’s an unpleasant season in Laramie to this point. The Cowboys gave up 10 unanswered factors within the fourth quarter to lose 27-24 to San Diego State. The loss drops Wyoming to 1-5 in coach Jay Sawvel’s first season succeeding longtime coach Craig Bohl. The Cowboys had seven straight full seasons with six or extra wins earlier than Bohl retired and had been 9-4 in 2023.
UCF: The Knights made a QB change to no avail on Saturday as they dropped to 3-3. UCF misplaced 19-13 at residence to Cincinnati as 17-year-old freshman EJ Colson made his first begin. It didn’t final lengthy. Colton was changed after he was 1-of-4 passing for minus-6 yards and rushed thrice for six yards. Jacurri Brown took over and was 13-of-20 passing for 207 yards and a rating, nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient. Former Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson had been UCF’s QB over the primary 5 video games of the season.
Marshall: The Thundering Herd led Georgia Southern 23-3 nearly 5 minutes into the fourth quarter and one way or the other misplaced 24-23. We’ll take you thru the way it occurred. Georgia Southern minimize the deficit to 18 with a security with 10:08 to go. The Eagles then scored a TD on their ensuing possession to make the lead 12 factors. Marshall then fumbled earlier than Georgia Southern minimize the result in 23-18 with 2:15 to go. The Eagles tried an onside kick that Marshall recovered … however the Thundering Herd fumbled. Seven performs and a minute later, Dexter Williams hit Derwin Burgess Jr. for a 34-yard go-ahead TD. Marshall nonetheless had a minute left to get into area purpose vary, however Stone Earle was intercepted. What a tough quarter.
