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One day, we’ll get to a point where less plastic things than wins and losses count, but it’s halfway through the season so these tend to be easy to write. As a reminder, your team isn’t necessarily out of it if they’re on this list for two reasons:
1. My opinion doesn’t mean anything to anyone
2. If your team has lost only once, revert to #1
5. Notre Dame
The one question I’d really like to ask the playoff bunch is how they evaluate injuries. In Notre Dame’s case, guys hurt aren’t coming back. Does that factor differently than guys that are? Do they just take injuries as part of the game, and everyone is on a level playing field? It’s a worthwhile question. ND isn’t out of it, because losing on the road to a near top-10 team isn’t a death knell … but the Irish are in that weird place where they need to win out, obviously.
4. Ole Miss
Winning at Alabama is the college football version of “yeah, but I was drunk, so it doesn’t count.” Short of losing another game, Ole Miss will be just fine. The real issue is that they apparently weren’t informed that the season doesn’t actually end after you defeat the Tide. A flaccid performance against Vanderbilt followed by a drubbing by Florida suggests they’re a ways away.
3. Wisconsin
The Badgers are only included here because coming in, they were ranked 19. I don’t know how, and I’m not trying to dump on Wisconsin … it’s arguably the best vacation state in the Midwest … but they’re done now, and some serious soul searching needs to exist in that program because it’s more fun when Wisconsin is good at football.
2. Georgia
Look, you win the SEC with 2 losses or fewer, you’re getting a flier just because of perception. Seriously, though, getting boat raced by Alabama at home is a bad look, especially since Alabama has already dropped one. We predicted int his spot that the Tide would win, but 38-10? Show up to work. Don’t come in late with your shirt untucked asking for a raise.
1. UCLA
Arizona State, to the timeline of Saturday night, couldn’t beat a rug so long as the rug was ranked or close to it. Then, UCLA happened. The Devils just trucked the Bruins. Much like above, being in the Pac-12 gives the loser some amount of clout going forward, like the guy that hangs out with tough friends and occasionally gets the crap kicked out of him but lives to see another day every now and then, but that’s a harrowing loss. UCLA looked like it had a real shot, but them, the Pac-12 happened.
