Three-point stance: Pinkel, Pac-12, quick hits
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Thank you, Pac-12. Thank you for being so very average. Thank you to the teams in the Pac-12 that continued to disappoint this season -- from Oregon to
Arizona State to Utah to Stanford -- so we can have some clarity in the playoff picture. Because now, Pac-12, you are out.
Remember when it was all the rage to say Stanford was the best team in the country or at the very least the best one-loss team in the country after the Cardinal destroyed UCLA? Well, now they can join the rest of the underachievers and wait until next year.
Some say that Stanford's loss isn't good for Notre Dame, arguing that
the Irish need a strong Cardinal team at the end of its schedule, but that's crap. If Notre Dame wins out, they are in. The College Football Playoff Committee doesn't have the guts to knock the Irish out.
I wrote on Friday that Oklahoma should be the team that represents the Big 12 if anyone does if they win out because they actually played a real opponent (Tennessee) in non-conference play. But even after the
Sooners' big win over Baylor this weekend, they will need some help.
The same holds true for Oklahoma State even if they go undefeated.
But at least we have one conference eliminated and we can focus on the rest. Make no mistake about it though, if Clemson, Alabama,
Ohio State and Notre Dame win out, that's your playoff foursome. Sorry Iowa, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and
3. Quick hitters
When Gregory Little (above) decided to delay his decision Friday, when he was sure to pick Ole MissClick Here to view this Link. over Alabama, is good news
for the Tide for sure. I still think the Rebels are the leader here and could
pull a Laremy Tunsil-esque upset in this recruiting battle, but it's clear that Bama isn't going to go down easy on this one.
Why
is it that Alabama always seems to be the team to expose the blueprint
held Leonard Fournette in check and made the Tigers' defense look bad. About that game-plan question I had last week... Any answers, LSU?
I
think I could be a successful quarterback under Tom Herman. The guy is
a genius.
Hey
Derrick Henry, you didn't happen to read what I wrote last week about you being last among the big five college running backs? Oops.
Based
on TCU's near-loss to Kansas, a team that's really hard to lose to,
maybe Trevone Boykin is the college football MVP instead of
Mississippi State's Dak Prescott. Although it is pretty easy to see how little help Prescott has if you watch that Alabama game.
What's
going on at Michigan State with all the decommitments? I still think that window
of a national title is closing fast, although Spartans fans think I'm a moron. Things look as shaky in East Lansing as Connor Cook's shoulder.
Wow,
Temple. Where did that performance come from?
The
Sooners have impressed me on defense. That's right, the team I called "meh" on defense a few weeks back
showed me something against Baylor. More to come later in the week.
Mike Farrell
National Recruiting Director