School soccer is not finished throwing curveballs simply but. Week 14 began with No. 7 Georgia almost tumbling in its rivalry recreation on Friday, however Saturday delivered some additional twists within the race for the playoff bracket.
Listed here are some knee-jerk reactions to the motion:
Ryan Day shall be teaching Ohio State within the CFP on borrowed time
Even when he had been to run the desk and win a nationwide championship, it isn’t assured Ohio State head coach Ryan Day will return to the Columbus sideline in 2025. 4 straight losses to Michigan in as a few years is unacceptable in a rivalry as large as The Recreation and for a model as internationally often called the Buckeyes.
Dropping to Michigan when it was a nationwide championship favourite is one factor, however shedding when it was a shell of its former self is one other. Ohio State should wait and see if the choice committee is brutal in its judgment, however there is a vital probability the Buckeyes shall be on the street in the event that they qualify for the primary spherical of the playoff.
Miami accomplished the worst collapse in CFP historical past
All of the Hurricanes wanted to do was deal with enterprise after which berths to the ACC Championship Recreation, and certain the playoff would have been clinched. As an alternative, Miami performed with fireplace and received burnt but once more on the worst doable time with a daily season finale loss to Syracuse. Now, there shall be no playoff soccer in South Florida and the convention’s title and sole bid to the bracket shall be determined between SMU and Clemson.
The loser of the ACC title recreation will not make it into the CFP anymore
Talking of SMU and Clemson, the loser of the ACC title recreation was as soon as considered in playoff rivalry earlier than Miami’s loss to Syracuse. With Clemson shedding its third recreation of the season to South Carolina, it would not have a transparent path to the playoff if it can’t clinch the convention title outright. Neither does SMU, even with one loss on account of how low the choice committee has ranked it in earlier weeks. That opens the door for a state of affairs not many shall be completely satisfied about…
The ultimate bracket will embrace a three-loss SEC staff by default not benefit
With the last-minute chaos within the ACC, the dreaded three-loss SEC staff has a clearer path to the bracket than it did earlier than Saturday. After all, the clearest path can be three-loss Georgia being chosen after falling to Texas within the SEC Championship Recreation.
Nevertheless, Alabama defeated Auburn within the Iron Bowl, a staff that took down Texas A&M in Week 13. The Crimson Tide’s resume will look simply compelling sufficient to the choice committee for it to slide into the 11 or 10-seed and drive scores by way of the roof for the playoff networks.
Cam Skattebo is the very best non-Heisman finalist in faculty soccer
Solely three gamers get to go to New York Metropolis as Heisman finalists, but when a fourth could possibly be included, then Arizona State working again Cam Skattebo can be that participant. He placed on one more present within the Territorial Cup victory over Arizona, racking up 177 yards and three touchdowns.
He sits second in the FBS in all-purpose yards, trailing solely Boise State rusher and certain Heisman finalist Ashton Jeanty. With out Skattebo, ASU can be nowhere close to rivalry for a Massive 12 title and is really one of many main MVPs of the season.
Flag-planting shall be banned after a number of midfield brawls
Baker Mayfield created a monster. When his flag-planting antics went viral in 2017 after Oklahoma defeated Ohio State, each participant and his mom needed to repeat him. That is led to years of rivalry taunts and post-game skirmishes that lastly boiled over in a number of areas this 12 months.
There have been punches thrown after Michigan-Ohio State, the place pepper spray was deployed by law enforcement officials, and even a battle over a pitchfork in Arizona State-Arizona, amongst many others. The pettiness is barely entertaining for thus lengthy earlier than it turns into harmful conduct and a foul instance. It could not be shocking to see conferences and even the NCAA ban the on-field celebrations within the wake of Saturday’s violence.
