Things keep on churning in the college football universe, giving Simon Clancy a lot to take in as favourites fall and the playoff race continues to come into focus…

LEAD OFF
Every college football season I can remember – and that’s a lot of seasons – has had a shake-up Saturday.

Without fail.

It came this weekend with an absolutely classic example. Simply put, it was a seismic day in the sport. Top ten teams in the AP poll went 5-4, with a further three close escapes. Number two Georgia? Lost. Number six West Virginia? Lost. And neither game was close! Number seven Washington? Lost. Number 8 Penn State? Lost. And with Notre Dame, Texas and UCF all hanging on at the end, it was an incredible day of college ball. We’ll get to the drama around the nation, we’ll look at where to place LSU in the new poll, ask how good Michigan are, and reflect on a mad, mad day which also saw Florida come from 17 down to win on the road, 16th-ranked Miami lose to Virginia, 19th-ranked Colorado fall, and 21st-ranked Auburn lose again. But we have to start at Autzen Stadium and a Pac-12 battle between one-lossers Washington and Oregon, who started the day 17th.

This was a doozy of a game on the west coast. It was also a 3.30pm start on the east coast so pollsters and football fans alike had it in their prime-time Saturday afternoon window, rather than late at night. A topsy-turvy game that swung this way and that seemed destined to be won by Chris Peterson’s men as Oregon passer Justin Herbert struggled to find his groove. The Huskies took over in their own territory with a little over four minutes left, but their QB, senior Jake Browning, was very much in his groove. He drove them to the Ducks 21 with 40 seconds left and to a crucial 3rd-and-1. But Peterson elected to run the clock down to three seconds rather than risk another play, setting up inconsistent kicker Peyton Henry with a 37-yarder to win it.

Mario Cristobal called back-to-back time outs, allowing Henry to have a pair of sighters – missing one, making the second – before the kick for real which, as soon as it left his right foot, never stood a chance, drifting right all the way. To overtime we go. Henry made his FG in the first extra period, but it was left to CJ Verdell to run in the game winner for the Ducks, sweet redemption for the tailback whose fumble at the end of the Stanford game led to the only defeat on Oregon’s docket. This was Cristobal’s first signature win and a table-turner for the school which lost this game 70-21 in Eugene just two years ago.

So, what of the Ducks and the playoff? This win should vault them into the top 10, possibly as high as seven or eight – see our poll below. Unfortunately, they have zero quality non-conference wins and rather bumbled their way through a cupcake early season schedule that included Portland State and Bowling Green. Cristobal’s team hasn’t played a Power Five opponent out of conference and, despite the closeness of the defeat to Stanford, that one loss will, barring more drama in the top five, see them miss out – which is a shame because the Ducks look a match-up for anyone.

THIS AND THAT
We’ve long said, both in this column and on the podcast, that the road to the playoff goes through Baton Rouge. And so it came to pass yesterday as LSU hammered Georgia, taking down the number two team and becoming the first school to register wins against three top 10 programmes this season. Realistically, the Tigers should be in the top four in the polls but, with four unbeatens in front of them, it’s not going to happen. However, Ed Orgeron’s men still control their destiny with 24th-ranked Mississippi State and then unbeaten number one Alabama coming to college football’s most raucous town over the next two weeks.

The atmosphere in the Bayou was incredible yesterday as they kerb-stomped the Tigers to set up a destiny drive towards the National Championship, knowing victories against the resurgent Bulldogs and the Tide would vault them into the box seat for an improbable title run. On this day, it was Ed Orgeron who had Georgia’s number, designing a gameplan to capitalise on the weakness of Kirby Smart’s team, who failed to grasp the nettle and show the country that, when push came to shove, they were better than the team that should have won it all a year ago.

Joe Burrow, college ball’s most outstanding game manager played mistake-free football and the Tigers ran for 275 yards. Defensively, led by Devin White and likely Thorpe Award winner Greedy Williams, they shut down Jake Fromm and made him look very ordinary. In fact, Smart’s decision not to play Justin Fields when it was clear this wasn’t Fromm’s day seemed, well……not smart…

Speaking of Alabama, they eased past Missouri with their lowest points output of the season – 38. The bigger issue however was the loss of Heisman frontrunner Tua Tagovailoa to a knee injury. He’d struggled with a knee sprain all week and then, on a gimpy, awkward looking third quarter scramble, he stayed down before leaving the field not to return…

Ohio State again looked a little vulnerable, this time against lowly Minnesota. Trailing at the half, they finally had enough to put the Golden Gophers away late thanks in large part to their own Heisman candidate, Dwayne Haskins…

Will Grier’s own end of season award hopes evaporated as 6th-ranked West Virginia were crushed in Ames by Iowa State, who are always tough at home. The Cyclones moved to 3-3 thanks to 189 yards from one of the most underrated players in college football, David Montgomery, and another terrific showing from freshman QB Brock Purdy. The Mountaineers, who we’d highlighted had only beaten Texas Tech of note, scored first but were outscored 30-7 the rest of the way, with their only points coming on a blocked FG…

That defeat also opens up Texas and Oklahoma for a rematch in the Big 12 Championship Game… Speaking of Texas, they hung on to beat a resurgent Baylor team 23-17 thanks to back-up QB Shane Buechele, who replaced Sam Ehlinger after the starter injured the AC joint in his shoulder. The Bears had three shots to win it at the end after Charlie Brewer drove them 80 yards with no time-outs, but consecutive throws into the endzone fell incomplete and Texas hung on…

Notre Dame also hung on to beat Pittsburgh 19-14 thanks, in large part, to a stunning second half performance from QB Ian Book. In the last 26 minutes of the game, he didn’t have an incompletion, going 10-for-10 passing for 134 yards and two scores, including the best throw of this Saturday: the 35-yard game winner dropped over the shoulder for Miles Boykin…

One-loss Penn State still harboured hopes of a playoff spot because of the closeness of their defeat to Ohio State. But, for the second straight year, Michigan State topped the Nittany Lions thanks to a 25-yard touchdown pass from Brian Lewerke to Felton Davis with just 19 seconds left. The defeat knocks PSU out of the playoff race and means they can probably only finish third or fourth in their division. The Spartans now host one of the best teams in the country next Saturday night in East Lansing…

That would be the Michigan Wolverines, who took apart the 15th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers in the Big House by a score of 38-14, thanks to a suffocating defense and 100+ yards from brilliant running back Karan Higdon. The Men of Harbaugh are 9-0 when Higdon goes over the century mark. Shea Patterson had an 81-yard run and Dylan McCaffery, younger brother of Christian, showed his wheels with a 44-yard touchdown scamper…

UCF stayed in the ranks of the unbeaten because of a strong second half comeback against Memphis, who led 30-17 at the half on the back of Darrell Henderson’s 172 yards rushing. The game turned on a 4th-and-1 call late in the third with the score unchanged. Instead of punting from deep in their own territory, the Golden Knights busted Taj McGowan through the line and to daylight as he went 71 yards for a momentum changing score…

Florida showed some guts in coming back from the brink of disaster on the road at Vandy. The game was marred somewhat, however, by an ugly incident involving the two head coaches, Dan Mullen and Derek Mason. After an injury to one of the Commodore players following a nasty-looking hit on a punt close to the Gator sidelines, Mason came across to see how badly injured his player was. At one point, he could be seen shaking his head at the Florida bench, which set off a chain reaction as, first, DC Todd Grantham and then Mullen started shouting obscenities, with Mullen having to be held back by officials. Vandy players then rushed the field to protect their coach, but crisis was averted and cool heads prevailed. The Nashville Tennessean newspaper reported that both coaches hugged and talked after the game…

The Pac-12’s only unbeaten team is no more as Colorado fell 31-21 to USC, who take control of the conference’s South Division…

UCLA recorded their first win of the season by blowing out Cal, and that leaves Nebraska as the only Power 5 team without a victory as they somehow conspired to throw away a 14-point fourth quarter lead to lose in OT to Northwestern. In fact, the Huskers still led by 10 with less than three minutes remaining and gave up a 99-yard touchdown drive at the end of the game to force OT. They fall to 0-6 for the first time in their 129 years of playing football…

Is Scott Frost under pressure? Given that the Huskers are still paying off their two previous coaches, Bo Pelini and Mike Riley, it’s very unlikely. But something’s got to give…

A word for Northwestern WR Flynn Nagel, who had 12 catches for 220 yards and two scores…

Pressure is mounting on Mark Richt in Miami after comfortably the worst loss in his tenure, 16-13 to Virginia, matching anything in the dreadful Al Golden era. N’Kosi Perry was awful and benched, the offense – which was supposed to become a strength under Richt – has been anything but, and it was a deserved Cavaliers victory…

Another coach feeling the heat is Gus Malzhan of Auburn, who saw his Tigers lose to Tennessee in a statement win for his opposite number, Jeremy Pruitt. Malzahn signed a seven-year, $49 million, contract last year, so he’s not under pressure to be fired, but he needs to find a running game in a hurry in the off-season…

Iowa’s Nate Stanley had one the best performances of the day as the Cyclones moved to 5-1, throwing for 320 yards and six touchdowns.

GRIDIRON TOP 10
Now we’re into the meat of the season, it’s time for us to roll out the top ten as we see it.

1. Alabama
2. Ohio State
3. LSU
4. Notre Dame
5. Clemson
6. Michigan
7. Texas
8. Oregon
9. UCF
10. Oklahoma

GAME OF THE WEEK
We talked about it at the top, but Death Valley is now the centre of the college football universe until the Bayou Bengals lose. That means that LSU hosting Mississippi State is must-see viewing. Last season, Ed Orgeron’s team were ranked 12th heading to Starkville, but were sent home with their tails between their legs having been blown out 37-7. There will be redemption in the air for this one.

Can Joe Burrow stay upright with the dual threats of Bulldogs defensive linemen Sweat and Simmons (see below)? Given MSU have been off for a week, can they catch a tired Tiger team coming off a physical win over Georgia? An LSU defeat here would certainly take some lustre off the following week’s game against Alabama but, if they can establish the run behind Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Nick Brossette, who combined for 209 yards against Georgia, then they should see this one out given home field advantage.

BACK-UP GAME OF THE WEEK
There’s plenty of contenders, including Washington State/Oregon, Washington/Colorado and Tennessee/Alabama, but it’s hard to ignore Michigan State/Michigan, especially when you consider two factors: Michigan’s rebirth this season and Sparty winning 8 of the last 10 and coming off a season-defining win over Penn State on the road.

Can the Wolverines establish the run, because that’s the key to this game? The Spartans have the number one rush defense in college football and, despite a big night from Miles Sanders in the win over the Nittany Lions, that seems somewhat anomalous. If UM can’t get the run going, then it falls to Shea Patterson, who’s yet to prove he can take a game on his passing shoulders and win it. Against Wisconsin, he held the ball too long, missed open receivers and again showed questionable ball security. If he can put those three things together, then the Wolverines can pull this out. If not, then it’s lights out on a season that promises so much.

NFL WATCH
There are so many good players to look out for in that Washington/Colorado match-up. Two of the many prospects worth watching are Buffs QB Steven Montez and Husky LB Ben Burr-Kirven Montez has the look of a future franchise passer, although he still has a long way to go. I suspect that coming back for his senior season – especially because he’ll be playing with Laviska Shenault – would be a huge reason to stay in Boulder. He can be a little rough around the edges at times and his footwork needs some refining, but he has a big arm and can make all the throws. He’s had the Mannings in his corner and time spent at their passing academy in the summer has turned him into a film rat who takes pride in breaking down defences long into the night.

Burr-Kirven is a little undersized but is an absolute tackling machine. He figures to be a WLB and special teams stand-out at the next level because his 225lb frame simply can’t handle the pounding in his current spot: MLB.

In what could be a transcendent draft for defensive linemen, throw another name into the very high mix: Alabama’s Quinnen Williams. The redshirt sophomore goes 6’4, 299lbs, has been absolutely dominant and could end up being a top five pick if he comes out. The Tide have had a lot of great interior DL recently, but it’s hard to think of anyone as dominant as Williams. Elite quickness with vicious hands, he’s an every snap penetrator who wins off the ball and he could dominate inside against the Vols.

LSU v Mississippi State will showcase a couple of fun prospects – senior Tiger guard Garrett Brumfield, who excels in the run game, against Bulldog DT Jeffery Simmons and DE Montez Sweat, with the latter two likely to go in round one. Both are well-rounded in all aspects of the game: hand usage, technique, explosion off the ball, ability to stack up against the run or collapse the pocket.

HEISMAN FIVE
How bad is Tua Tagovailoa’s knee injury? That’s the key question in this race because, if he’s forced to miss considerable time, then his Heisman hopes could falter. It was also his worst day statistically in terms of completions, going just 12 of 22 for 265 yards and three scores, including an 81-yarder to Jerry Jeudy on his second play of the game.

Dwayne Haskins leaps back up to two thanks to 412 yards passing and three scores. Kyler Murray and Oklahoma were idle, so Laviska Shenault – who really should have been in the top five last week – is the big riser. Colorado’s loss wasn’t down to him – he had two carries for 46 yards, a 49-yard touchdown run and 72 yards receiving before leaving the game in the third quarter with a foot injury. He’s been outstanding this season and should be in New York at the ceremony. Darrell Henderson fell a yard shy of his third 200+ game of the season but, despite Memphis’ loss, it’s hard to think of a more dominant player this campaign. He has 1,133 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns so far, at an astonishing 10.3 yards per pop.

1. Tua Tagovailoa – Alabama (1)
2. Dwayne Haskins – Ohio State (3)
3. Kyler Murray – Oklahoma (2)
4. Laviska Shenault – Colorado (-)
5. Darrell Henderson – Memphis (5)

Wildcards: Justin Herbert – Oregon (-) McKenzie Milton – UCF (-)
Dropping out: Sam Ehlinger – Texas