College Football Playoff Projections: Unafraid Top 10 Week 9
Week 8 of the college football season is in the books and here we present you the Unafraid Top 10 predictions for Week 9.
Over the previous seven weeks, we have seen a ton of movement in the #Unafraid College Football Playoff rankings over the last few weeks. Week 8 provided us a little bit of stability and clarification of contenders and pretenders in college football.
The College Football Playoff scenarios are starting to take shape. Talks have started about the SEC and Big Ten getting two teams into the playoff. I don’t believe that will happen because there are so many deserving teams from other conferences.
It seems likely that the ACC and Big 12 winner gets a spot in the top four because the conference has quality non conferees wins. After such a strong start from the Pac-12, the conference seems to be on the outside looking in.
Before we get started let me read you the #Unafraid College Football Playoff Top 10 fine print:
If you are a real College Football fan, the #Unafraid Top 10 is for you. Our Top 10 is accurate and decided exclusively by accomplishment rather than potential like most well-known polls. Future schedules and games are not accounted for. The only things that matter are the results. The #Unafraid Top 10 does what the College Football Playoff Committee has neglected to do. Teams that play and beat tough competition are rewarded. Teams that schedule poor competition are Top 10 road kill.
The bias of the regular polls and the unwillingness of the playoff committee to make the bold moves is why the #Unafraid College Football Playoff rankings were created. How on earth did Oklahoma soundly beat Ohio State but the polls have them ranked 3-4 spots ahead of Oklahoma? It makes no sense. Baker Mayfield and the Sooners still control their own destiny in the Big 12.
Clemson fell back a spot in the #Unafraid College Football Playoff rankings after their Week 8 bye. Their Week 7 loss to Syracuse was not devastating, however, Miami soundly beat the ‘Cuse this week. So, that’s not a great look for the Tigers. I do suspect Dabo Swinney has spent a lot of time during their bye week getting young quarterback Kelly Bryant ready for their make-or-break stretch run.
No one truly knows how good the Wisconsin Badgers are because they have an extremely favorable schedule this year. Their non conference games weren’t competitive and they avoid Michigan State, Ohio State, and Penn State on their Big Ten schedule. It is possible that the Badgers finish their regular season schedule playing no ranked teams. Being undefeated does not guarantee you a spot high ranking in the #Unafraid College Football Playoff rankings.
Miami has yet to play a ranked team so it will be impossible for them to move up in too far in the #Unafraid College Football Playoff Rankings. However, the Canes have beat Syracuse and Georgia Tech who are both solid teams with good wins on their resume. I’m still not completely sold on Miami, but upcoming games against Virginia Tech and Notre Dame will tell the tale.
A win is a win. You can’t take anything away from the Cowboys after a 13-10 overtime win against a scrappy Texas team. Concerns are arising for an offense that was expected to be one of, if not the best in college football. TCU and Texas were able to slow Mason Rudolph and the Oklahoma State offense to a crawl. At the end of the day, offensive performances like that won’t cut in the coming weeks against West Virginia, Oklahoma and Iowa State.
Their 20-19 loss to Georgia in week two doesn’t look so bad now. The Fighting Irish ran for over 400 yards in their Week 8 destruction of USC. While Notre Dame has proven themselves a top their team, I am extremely concerned about their passing game. If you are going to be a team that competes for a national championship, you have to be able to pass the football more effectively.
A week off didn’t hurt Georgia in the #Unafraid College Football Playoff Rankings. Their Week 9 game against Florida could be a trap. Florida is poor on offense, but their defense is extremely consistent and opportunistic. Georgia relies heavily on their running game to create easier passing lanes for their quarterback off placation. This game will be won or lost on Jake Fromm’s arm if the running game is taken away.
I have been screaming from the mountaintops that Penn State or Oklahoma State will win the national championship. Penn State took another step in the right direction with a destruction of Michigan in Week 8. Saquon Barkley dominated running and receiving the ball. I am so excited we will get to watch this young man play football for years to come. A win in Week 9 against Ohio State may push them up to the No. 2 spot.
Kansas is terrible and TCU made the Jayhawks look that way in a 43-0 victory in Week 8. Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State and every other tam you think is good has these types of games on their schedule. The trick is when those games do show up teams must dominate if they don’t want to lose ground in the #Unafraid College Football Playoff rankings.
The Crimson Tide covered an absurd -37 betting line against Tennessee. Alabama is unquestionably the No. 1 team in the #Unafraid College Football Playoff Rankings right now. It will definitely be interesting to see how this team responds when they are tested come the SEC Championship and College Football Playoff. Will Jalen Hurts be able to lead Alabama to victory when the running game is slowed down.
Next: NFL Mock Draft 2018: Complete first round after Week 8
Check back in next week for our next Unafraid Top 10.