Matthew Lowrimore
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We all knew the 2020 college football season was going to be different due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but maybe not this crazy. We’ve seen some massive upsets, some bizarre finishes, and a whole lot of craziness all around.
The power structure is much more balanced, and every week there’s a chance the best guys will not play. Today we’ll be breaking down a few of the biggest takeaways from this past weekend’s action:
1. The Big 12 is all but eliminated from the College Football Playoff
Oklahoma State looked like the best remaining threat from the Big 12 to sneak into the College Football Playoff, but that just went out the window. The Cowboys had all the tools to continue their win streak as well, plus they were at home against Texas. Their starting quarterback was back in the lineup, they have an elite running back, and feature an actual defense–well, what we thought was an actual defense until they were shredded by the Longhorns. Part of this was due to the Cowboys turning the ball over four times and committing too many penalties.
So with its loss, Oklahoma State must win out. Even then, that is probably not enough to reach the top four. There are too many other teams with ‘better’ losses than what the Cowboys just suffered to a two-loss Texas team. Every other team in the Big 12 has at least two losses and I would not be surprised if the Cowboys lost again. Although they will likely still win the Big 12, two losses should mean they will be left out of the playoff.
Hey Texas we’re back 🗣
Can the longhorns hold onto this OT lead now? 😲
— Pickswise (@Pickswise) October 10, 2020
2. The Coastal Carolina storyline continues to get better
As we have mentioned before, Coastal Carolina is having a historic season. Each and every week the Chanticleers seem to be getting better regardless of who is under center. They just played Georgia State, a team that had a proven offense and had lost some close games. Once again we were given a ridiculous line on Coastal, which had clearly been the better team all season. We continued to see bettors fading the Chants, thinking it was a ‘bad spot’ for them. As a result, not only did Coastal Carolina win this game, but it was a complete beatdown. The Chanticleers won 51-0 and allowed the Panthers just 106 yards of total offense. So not only is their offense lethal, but their defense has also stepped up tremendously over the past few weeks.
At this rate, the Chanticleers will be vying for a possible New Years’ Six Bowl if they can run the table and win the Sun Belt. However, be careful with them going forward because eventually Vegas is going to catch on and will make you pay a premium to back them.
3. Clemson might be in trouble without Trevor Lawrence
We know that Trevor Lawrence will miss the game against Notre Dame, making them a questionable play going forward. The Tigers obviously struggled against Boston College because they had a freshman under center, but it was their defense that was slightly concerning. For a defense that allows just 15.6 points per game, to give up 28 to a below-average Boston College team is an issue. I realize that the Eagles were shut out in the second half, but Clemson must play better in the first half. Their quarterback, DJ Uiagalelei, will not be in the friendly confines of Memorial Stadium this upcoming week, either. Starting on the road as a freshman is much different even with the reduced amount of fans in the stadium.
Not to mention the Irish have a far better defense than Boston College, ranking sixth in total defense, eighth in rushing defense, and ninth in passing defense. That does not even include the fact that they allow just 10.3 points per game. This is not me saying jump on the Irish–because they do have their fair share of issues–but it is a warning to be careful with betting Clemson given the situation.
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