College Football 2020: Thoughts from around the nation in Week 13

What’s normally the end of the season is now the middle of one of the strangest seasons in history. Some thoughts from college football’s Week 13.

• Thanksgiving weekend is usually a bittersweet weekend if you’re a college football fan. It’s generally one of the most important weeks of the year because it marks the end of the season as well as rivalry week. But not this year.

There’s still plenty of football left to play and a lot to play for.

• The biggest stories coming out of this week were both at Vanderbilt. When’s the last time you could say that?

First and foremost: Shoutout to Sarah Fuller, who became the first female to play football at the FBS level. She may not have had a major impact in the game, but the impact she made on people by showing anything is achievable is far more important than any kickoff or field goal attempt could ever hold.

If only they could have gotten into field goal position — and that’s why Vanderbilt fired Derek Mason after seven seasons with the program. Mason and his Commodores were shut out by Missouri. The stat line is either incredible or atrocious depending on your point of view: 41-0 final, with Vandy being out-gained 603-185. At least they only had two penalties.

Vanderbilt is one of the jobs that I don’t understand what would appeal to anyone. It’s one of the most difficult places to win, the stadium is a disaster and the story ends pretty much the same for every head coach there other than James Franklin and Red Sanders. Vanderbilt is a baseball school and there’s nothing wrong with that. Their ceiling is nine wins, which isn’t bad, but they’ve only reached that number four times in 117 years. In comparison, they have 22 seasons with nine or more losses, soon to be 23.

So now the question becomes who does Vanderbilt look to? That’s an easy one: Notre Dame defensive coordinator Clark Lea. He is an excellent defensive mind who has turns the Irish defense into one of the best in the nation. Lea graduated from Vanderbilt in 2004 and played fullback.

• We all saw that Notre Dame is legit when they defeated Clemson, but they’re actually improving from there as the season goes on.

Yes, I’ve repeatedly said North Carolina is the most overrated team in the country and I stick by that. They did not deserve to be ranked in the first College Football Playoff ranking. But nobody can deny how good their offense is. Sam Howell has improved since September and he’ll have two 1,000-yard rushers on his team before all is said and done.

And Notre Dame held that potent offense to just three points after the first quarter en route to a 31-17 victory. The Irish held a Tar Heel offense that averages 535 yards per game — No. 8 in the nation — to just 298 yards and 2-of-12 on third downs.

The Irish played the entire second half without their best defensive player as Kyle Hamilton was ejected in the second quarter for targeting.

While defeating North Carolina isn’t the on same level as Clemson, it was the manor that it happened that makes it so impressive. Playing defense that strong against an offense that powerful is a statement that Notre Dame is not a fluke this season.

Up next for the Irish is a Syracuse team that lost because they decided to spike the ball on fourth down. Irish by 50.

• Jaret Patterson had a nice season on Saturday.

Seriously, I’ve never seen a running back carve up a defense the way Patterson was just slicing Kent State apart. Kent State knew the run was coming and still couldn’t do anything about it.

The Buffalo running back ran for 409 yards and tied an NCAA single game record with eight touchdowns. There are 10 (!) teams that don’t have that many rushing yards on the entire season.

Patterson is basically playing NCAA 14 on easy. I’m not an NFL draft expert, but I can’t see how 32 teams wouldn’t love to have a guy like this on their team.

Buffalo is now 4-0 and in the drivers seat to an undefeated MAC against possible undefeated Western Michigan.

• Matt Campbell is pretty much going to have a blank check offered by many programs around the country and likely a few NFL teams as well.

Iowa State moved to 7-2 after a thriller against Texas, almost guaranteeing the Cyclones a spot in the Big 12 title game. If they defeat West Virginia, they’re in. For all of the Big 12 scenarios, check out this tweet from Matt Smith:

Imagine if Iowa State didn’t slip up against Louisiana. Even with the loss to Oklahoma State, the Cyclones would still be firmly in the College Football Playoff hunt. Instead, they sit 13th and unless all chaos breaks loose, they don’t have a chance to make it.

• Normally losing to Penn State isn’t exactly a bad mark on the season. But 2020 is far from normal — 0-5 Penn State is now 1-5 after defeating Michigan. This begs the question: when is enough enough?

I said a few weeks ago, before it was a popular opinion, that the Harbaugh era had to end. This solidifies that thought. Both the Michigan players and Harbaugh have quit on each other.

At this point, it’s painfully obvious that the Wolverines brass is just keeping Harbaugh around as an excuse for why yet again they’re going to get curb-stomped by Ohio State. He’ll be used as the scapegoat even though the program has been in ruins since Lloyd Carr left.

Save your “but they’ve had 10-win seasons since!” takes. Michigan has not been able to win a big game and that’s not just limited to Jim Harbaugh. Michigan has one top 10 finish in the 13 seasons since Carr left after having five in the 13 seasons previous.

It didn’t help that Carr did nothing to help his former team after leaving, including telling a Michigan recruit he’d be better off at Iowa. That really did a world of help for Rich Rodriguez.

Until Michigan worries less about getting a “Michigan Man” and worries more about getting the right man, more of the same is in store in Ann Arbor.

• Last but not least, it’ll be absolute garbage if Liberty finishes the season at 10-1 and doesn’t make a bowl game as Brett McMurphy speculates could happen.

The “no win/loss requirements” rule was great when only 70 teams were playing. But once 127 played this fall that rule should have been out the window.

Look, we all know Power Five drives the game. It’s the cash cow. I get that. We all get that. It doesn’t take a college football expert to know that Tennessee will bring in more money and viewers than Liberty.

But if you’re telling me that Tennessee, a 2-5 train-wreck of a team that started ranked No. 16 (!!!) and loves turning the ball over is more deserving of a bowl game than Liberty, you’re out of your mind.

There has to be a landing spot for the Flames out there. Even if it’s just a lower level bowl, they deserve and have earned a shot at a high profile game. And if they can take down Coastal Carolina, there’s no way you can keep them out of the top 25.

And a top 25 team missing a bowl game because of some asinine no win/loss requirements rule in a season where 127 of 130 teams are playing would be a complete disgrace to college football.