The College Football Playoff field is now down to 4 teams as the Quarterfinals cut the field in half. This round, much like the first round, underwhelmed in the sense that we were given two great games and two blowouts. While half the field experienced the glory, keeping their championship hopes alive, the other half of the field has a lot to think about this offseason.
Georgia and Ohio State likely feel stunned as no one saw either team going home this early coming into the Playoff. Alabama and Texas Tech were shown just how far they are from even making the semifinals, which sends them into important offseasons. Even figures outside the Playoff are going to feel massive ripple effects.
Ranking the 5 biggest losers of the CFP Quarterfinals
5. Kirby Smart
When Georgia took a 9-point lead into halftime, it looked like the Bulldogs were about to end any hope the Ole Miss Rebels had of being the big Cinderella story. Instead, Pete Golding ended up outcoaching Kirby Smart just two games into his career, which has to leave a ding on Smart's resume.
Some of the decisions Kirby Smart and his staff made were terrible, from going for it down 3 on the wrong side of the 50, and throwing an incomplete pass on 3rd and Goal rather than making sure to run more time off the clock. This was far from Kirby Smart's best team, but they weren't put in the best position to win the game.
4. Texas Tech's spending spree
One of the biggest stories of the offseason was how Texas Tech threw every asset imaginable at their roster. The Red Raiders cruised through the regular season with their only loss coming in a game where the team didn't have Behren Morton. While Texas Tech added Power 4 stars at every position, the one area they left as is was their quarterback.
Not adding a better option than Behren Morton came back to haunt Texas Tech on Thursday as Oregon shut the Red Raiders out. The Red Raiders bought a championship level everywhere except at the most valuable player, and while they've certainly learned their lesson, it's an expensive lesson to learn.
3. Kalen DeBoer
When Alabama loses under Kalen DeBoer, it's not just a regular loss; they lose ugly in these games. The Crimson Tide looked like one of the Group of 5 programs everyone complained about being in the field as they were blown out 38-3 to Indiana. When you compare Kalen DeBoer to his counterpart in this game, he looks even worse.
Kalen DeBoer took over the greatest dynasty in the sport, while Curt Cignetti took over an all-time losing program. The DeBoer era at Alabama has been underwhelming, while Cignetti has taken over the sport. Next season is going to be a real big test for DeBoer if he can't start to elevate the team to a higher level.
2. Ty Simpson
As the NFL Draft scouts look on at the final few games of the college football season, Ty Simpson had a chance to play himself into being a first-round pick. Instead, Alabama's entire offense was shut down by Indiana's stout defense. Making matters worse for Ty Simpson is the fact that he had his ribs cracked on a lost fumble, causing him to miss most of the second half. Given how the final stretch ended for Ty Simpson, it's hard to see an NFL team risking a 1st round pick on him, which may bring him back to Tuscaloosa.
1. Lane Kiffin
Lane Kiffin left Ole Miss ahead of the College Football Playoff because he felt LSU gave him a better chance to win a National Championship. As Lane Kiffin was at the LSU Women's Basketball game, Pete Golding was all business, delivering a program-defining win that Lane Kiffin hasn't delivered anywhere in his career.
The win by the Rebels hurts Lane Kiffin at his next job as his staff is still pulling double duty while the Transfer Portal opens up, putting LSU behind the 8-ball. Every game that Ole Miss wins makes Lane Kiffin look even worse, and the Rebels winning it all would be a disaster.