The thirteenth week of the college football season unleashed pandemonium upon the playoff landscape, as several highly ranked programs suffered devastating defeats. With conference championships and College Football Playoff berths on the line, the upcoming Rivalry Week promises to be a pressure-packed spectacle.
Playoff Contenders Stumble
In a stunning development, seven of the top twenty teams in the CFP rankings tasted defeat in Week 13. Most notably, the fifth-ranked squad fell by a whopping 23 points to the #2 team in the nation. Elsewhere, the seventh and ninth-ranked programs were upset by opponents with meager 5-5 records, with the #7 team getting blown out in the process.
The fifteenth and sixteenth-ranked teams also slipped up against 4-6 foes, while #12 narrowly avoided a catastrophic loss to a 2-8 underdog. Even #14, which mounted a furious 21-point comeback attempt, came up short in its bid to stave off an embarrassing defeat.
Simplicity Amidst the Chaos
Amidst the widespread turmoil, one contender managed to chart a steady course. By quietly dispatching UMass while some of its rushing defense statistics suffered, Georgia clinched a spot in the SEC championship game as all those around them faltered. The Bulldogs’ composure under pressure could serve them well as the season reaches its climax.
Rivalries Carry Enormous Implications
The upcoming Rivalry Week features a slew of games that will have a profound impact on the national title chase:
- In the SEC, the winner of the Texas A&M-Texas showdown will face Georgia for the conference crown and a likely playoff spot.
- Notre Dame travels to USC with its playoff hopes on the line in a legacy rivalry game.
- The Big Ten title matchup will be decided as Ohio State tangles with archrival Michigan, and Penn State battles Maryland.
- Undefeated Miami-Florida puts its record on the line in a tricky road test at Syracuse.
While some matchups, like the Egg Bowl between Ole Miss and Mississippi State, may lack playoff implications, they offer a chance to salvage pride in disappointing seasons. According to sources, the intensity and vitriol of Rivalry Week has a way of leveling the playing field, even when stakes are ostensibly lower.
A Heisman Trophy Up for Grabs
Rivalry Week also represents a final opportunity for Heisman Trophy contenders to state their case. The race appears to be narrowing to a three-man battle between:
- Ashton Jeanty, the dynamic running back for potential playoff crasher Boise State
- Cam Ward, who leads the nation in Total QBR for title hopeful Miami-Florida
- Travis Hunter, electric wide receiver and consensus top-ranked Colorado defensive back
Jeanty and Ward have a prime opportunity to bolster their resumes against Oregon State and Syracuse, respectively. Hunter, meanwhile, faces a stiff test against a physical Texas team in a game dripping with Big 12 championship implications.
The Stretch Run Begins
When the dust settles after Rivalry Week, the college football landscape will have greater clarity, with conference championship matchups solidified and the playoff picture coming into focus. Given the turbulence of Week 13, however, fans across the country are bracing for what promises to be a appropriately chaotic conclusion to a thoroughly unpredictable 2024 campaign.
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
– Albert Einstein
After the bedlam that was Week 13, college football fans should heed Einstein’s famous adage and brace for the unexpected as the season barrels toward its riveting conclusion. In this sport, expecting the unexpected is a perfect recipe for maintaining one’s sanity.
