Another CFSL week has come and gone. Week 7 surely did not disappoint those viewers waiting anxiously for upsets and heart-attacks. As we look back upon this past week, we notice several shifts in the rankings and a third MAC team making their way into the top 20. And what about the playoff picture for some of these teams? Only three teams are guaranteed a spot so far.
20-16.
20. BGSU (3-4) – BGSU makes their way into the rankings this week as they were not ranked last week. BGSU defeated Toledo (43-17) this past week in their final matchup of the season. Bowling Green finished their season in a three way tie for 2nd place in the MAC; finishing 3-2 in conference play.
19. Auburn (3-4) – Auburn slides their way into the top 20 this week after their upset win over LSU (17-9). Auburn will host the Alabama Crimson Tide in the annual Iron Bowl and looks to come away with back-to-back upsets this coming week. If Auburn can defeat the Crimson Tide they will knock Alabama out of any hopes of securing a locked in spot for the playoffs and will likely ruin the Crimson Tides chances of any playoff berth. Can Auburn come away with a win, finish out their season at .500, and play upset one more time? Tune in October 15th at 5pm CST to find out.
18. Texas Tech (3-4) – Texas Tech drops five spots this week after losing to Texas (19-52). The Red Raiders look to win their next contest on the road at Nebraska. Texas Tech hasn’t much hope for a playoff berth, but they can end their season on a high note by finishing out .500 on the season and gain some momentum heading into the off-season and the recruiting period. Tune in Wednesday, October 13th at 5pm CST for what should be a great matchup between these two teams.
17. LSU (3-4) – LSU drops one spot from last week after their upset loss to Auburn (9-17). LSU will host the Clemson Tigers this week in what should be a game every SEC fan should turn out for. This game has some serious implications in the SEC and LSU’s hopes for a playoff berth. It’s simple for LSU, win and you are in the playoffs. Win and you will likely be the number two team in the SEC standings, which is a guaranteed spot into the playoffs. Lose, and your playoff hopes vanish in an instant. LSU offense has been lack luster this season, but they boast a top 10 defense. Clemson is somewhere in the middle of the pack on both sides of the ball and know how to score consistently while holding their opponents from moving the ball at will. This should be one of the games of the week. Can LSU punch their ticket into the playoffs? Or will Clemson crush LSU’s hope away? Tune in on Wednesday, October 13th at 7pm CST.
16. Clemson (3-4) – Clemson moves up two spots from last week as they defeated the Miami Hurricanes (41-36) this past week. Clemson will travel to the bayou to take on the LSU Tigers who are coming off a heartbreaking upset to Auburn. Now, Clemson’s hopes of making a playoff aren’t favorable, but a win this week could convince the voters to let them in. If Clemson wants to make it, they will have to beat LSU in a convincing style and hope a few other teams in front of them lose. But, even if they don’t make it and secure the win this week, they could move to .500 on the season and take that momentum into the recruiting period. Can Clemson destroy LSU’s chances of making a playoff berth? Or does LSU come away with the win this week? Tune in on Wednesday, October 13th at 7pm CST.
15-11.
15. Kent State (4-3) – Kent State moves up four spots this week after their win over the Ohio Bobcats (52-47). Kent State finishes their season 4-3 and 3-2 in MAC play, putting them in a three way tie for 2nd place in the MAC. The Golden Flashes had a great season and their players should all be proud of what they accomplished. Where will these former players end up next season is now the new adventure for them all.
14. EMU (4-3) – EMU moves up one spot this week after their loss to the NIU Huskies (20-37). EMU finishes out their season 4-3 and 4-1 in MAC play, making them the last MAC Champions. Every EMU player will forever be able to tout that title and should proclaim it proudly. Where ill these players end up next season? What new adventure awaits them? Can they take their next team to a National Title?
13. Alabama (4-3) – Alabama moves up one spot this week after their win over Tennessee (35-17). The Crimson Tide will travel to take on the Auburn Tigers in the annual Iron Bowl. With a win this week, a LSU and Miami loss, Alabama could end up the number 2 ranked team in the SEC and lock in a playoff berth for themselves. A loss this week will leave the Crimson Tide weeping on their way back to Tuscaloosa with no hope of a playoff berth. Can Bama get this much needed win to put them in the playoffs? Or will they fall short and fall victim to Auburn this week? Tune in Friday, October 15th at 5pm CST to find out.
12. Florida (4-3) – Florida drops two spots of a heartbreaking loss to FSU (38-41). Florida will travel this week to take on the Tennessee Volunteers and look to come away with a big win to help their case for a playoff berth. The road for Florida isn’t an easy one. They need help for sure, but a win here could be enough to sway some voters into giving Florida their first ever playoff chance. It is hard to deny what Florida has been able to do this season with their offense. They have the two clear front runners for the OPOY award and boast the number one offense in the league. Can Florida win in a big fashion, get some help from a few teams, and potentially make their first ever playoff berth? Or will the Volunteers spoil the Gators hopes this season? Tune in Thursday, October 14th at 5pm CST.
11. FSU (5-2) – Florida State remains at number 11 this week after their hard fought win against the Florida Gators (41-38). Florida State will travel to take on the Miami Hurricanes this week in what is the de facto SEC Championship game. If FSU wins this week, they will secure their first ever SEC Champs title and move on into the playoffs with a guaranteed spot. If FSU loses though, they may lose out on a playoff chance all together as they will be leaving their fate into the hands of the voters. This is a must watch game, so don’t miss this one. Can FSU claim their first ever SEC title and punch their ticket to the playoffs? Or will Miami send the Seminoles home to sit on the couch? Tune in Tuesday, October 12th at 9pm CST to find out.
10-6.
10. Iowa (4-3) – The Hawkeyes move up two spots this week after their win over the Michigan Wolverines (29-23). Iowa has a tough game next week as they will travel to take on the Wisconsin Badgers. If Iowa wants any chance of making a playoff berth, they have to come away with a win this week. Failure to beat Wisconsin will force the Hawkeyes to watch the playoffs from the couch. Win, and Iowa most likely will be in, lose, and their hopes are gone. Can the Hawkeyes defeat this Badger team that looks to maintain a perfect in conference record? Or will the Badgers be too much to handle? Tune in Tuesday, October 12th at 7pm CST to find out.
9. Miami (5-2) – Miami drops four spots this week after their upset loss to the Clemson Tigers (46-41). Miami will host the FSU Seminoles in what should be considered the SEC Championship game. If Miami wins, they are the SEC Champs, lose and they may not even make the playoffs. If Miami loses and Alabama wins, then Miami wouldn’t be able to claim the number 2 spot in the SEC and would leave their playoff hopes in the hands of the voters. Now, the thing in Miami’s favor of getting voted in is the prolific offense that Miami boasts which is second in the league only to the Florida Gators. Can Miami claim their SEC title and punch their ticket into the playoffs? O will FSU walk away with SEC crown and their guaranteed playoff spot? You don’t want to miss this must watch game. Tune in Tuesday, October 12th at 9pm CST to find out.
8. Oklahoma State (4-3) – Oklahoma State drops one spot this week after their upset loss this week to Texas A&M (51-54). Oklahoma State will travel to take on the Oklahoma Sooners this coming week in what should be a great matchup between two great teams. If the Cowboys want to make a playoff berth, they absolutely must win this matchup. Lose, and you likely won’t make it in, win and you will likely get the wildcard spot. A lot rides on this game for the Cowboys. Can the Cowboys get a big time win this week and make a statement for the playoffs? Or will the Sooners knock the Cowboys down a few notches? Tune in Monday, October 11th at 7pm CST to find out.
7. Oregon (5-2) – The Oregon Ducks move up two spots this week after their win over the USC Trojans (41-24), The Ducks must travel this week to take on the Washington Huskies. The Ducks can’t get a secured spot into the playoffs, so they will have to win this matchup in order to secure the wildcard spot. However, the Huskies are looking to play upset this week and could very well keep the Ducks from returning to the playoffs altogether. A loss to Washington this late in the season would likely knock the Ducks out of contention for one of the wildcard spots, depending on how some other teams do of course. But a win will likely secure one of those two coveted wildcard spots. Can the Ducks make it back into the playoffs and return to the National Title game? Or do the Huskies have other plans for these Ducks? Tune in on Thursday, October 14th at 7pm CST to find out.
6. Missouri (5-2) – The Missouri Tigers drop three spots this week after their loss to the Oklahoma Sooners (34-48). They will host the Boise State Broncos this week in what will likely be the matchup that determines who is the number two team in the BIG12 this season. If the Tigers want to move into the playoffs, this is a must win game for that to happen. If they lose this game, then they are likely out of the running; mostly for the fact that they have only won the games that they should have won, but lost every game that would be considered competitive teams. For Missouri, it is simple, win and you are in; lose and you will likely be watching the playoffs from home this season. Can the Tigers beat the Broncos and move on to the playoffs? Or will the Broncos win this contest and punch their ticket? Tune in Wednesday, October 13th at 9pm CST to find out.
5-2.
5. Boise State (5-2) – Boise State moves up three spots this week as they defeated Nebraska (60-6). They will travel to take on the Missouri Tigers this week. If Boise wants to secure their playoff berth they need to come away with a win this week. However, even with a loss, they could make it in via a wildcard spot. This team has one of the best chances to make it in even with a loss because of their resume this season (a win over Oklahoma and a three point loss to Texas). Nut I am sure Boise doesn’t want to leave their chances of making it into the playoffs to being voted in, so look for Boise State to make a statement this week. Can Boise punch their ticket with a guaranteed spot? Or will the Missouri Tigers look to come away with the upset and keep the Broncos guessing? Tune in Wednesday, October 13th at 9pm CST to find out.
4. Oklahoma (5-2) – The Oklahoma Sooners remain at the number four spot this week after defeating the Missouri Tigers (48-34). The Sooners will play host to the Oklahoma State Cowboys this week in what should be a spectacular matchup. Oklahoma is another team that really sits at the point where they have to get this win or they likely will be out. The Sooners only impressive win goes by to week 1 when they beat the Wisconsin Badgers, but every other competitive team they have faced has thrashed them (a 44-23 loss Boise; a 30-14 loss to Texas). Every other team they have faced they should have easily won. I am not too sold on Oklahoma winning this next matchup or being placed into the playoffs. So, if the Sooners want in, they need to win. Can the Sooners finally beat another competitive team? Or will the highlight of their season be all the way back in week1? Tune in Monday, October 11th at 7pm CST to find out.
3. Wisconsin (6-1) – The Wisconsin Badgers move up two spots after their win over the Washington Huskies (32-16). They will host the Iowa Hawkeyes this week and will look to remain perfect in conference play. Now, the only way that Wisconsin could claim the BIG10 title is with a Notre Dame loss this week. However, a perfect in conference record is good enough for the number two ranking in the BIG10 and a guaranteed spot into the playoffs. So, it is safe to say that Wisconsin will be moving on to the playoffs. The only question is will they knock Iowa out of any playoff hopes? Tune in Tuesday, October 12th at 7pm CST.
2. Notre Dame (7-0) – Notre Dame remains at the number two spot in the PRI and number one spot in the BIG10 conference after their win over Ohio State (62-14). Notre Dame will host USC this week and look to remain perfect on the season and in the BIG10. A win this week locks up a BIG10 title for the Fighting Irish and will securely put them as the number one seed in the playoffs. A loss, they fall to the number two ranked team in the BIG10 and still make the playoffs. What Notre Dame has done this season is impressive for sure. The biggest question for Notre Dame this week is will the claim the BIG10 Champs title this week? Or will USC dethrone them? Tune in Monday, October 11th at 9pm CST.
Number 1……
1. Texas (6-1) – The Texas Longhorns remain your number one team in the PRI this week after beating Texas Tech (52-19). Texas will travel to take on in-state rival Texas A&M in what should be a great game. Texas has secured their BIG12 Champs title and a playoff berth as a top 3 seeded team. The Aggies are coming off a big win against the Oklahoma State Cowboys and are looking to repeat with back-to-back upsets. Even if Texas were to lose this game, they will still be the BIG12 Champs and be guaranteed a spot in the playoffs. Texas will be playing for pride and bragging rights for the next season. The Aggies will be playing for the upset and their own bragging rights. Who comes away with the victory this week, Longhorns or Aggies? Tune in Thursday, October 14th at 9pm CST.
