2023-24 College Football: Week 11 Review

With the season starting to hit the backstretch, emphasis on playoff contention and conference races took center stage. Every Power 5 conference showcased a big matchup with significant implications for the postseason. While nothing could live up to the incredible weekend last week, there was plenty to love about Week 11 of the season. 

Game of the Week- #24 North Carolina 47, Duke 45 (2OT) (Chapel Hill, NC)

This one hurts me as a Duke fan. Without Riley Leonard, the Blue Devils were supposed to be destroyed by the Tar Heels in this big rivalry game. Instead, Duke stuck around until the end, making their loss even tougher to stomach. Duke fell behind 13-0 but did an excellent job of forcing field goals through the first half. They took a 14-13 lead, but UNC led 16-14 at the break. After kicking another field goal in the third quarter, the Tar Heels extended their lead early in the fourth, taking a 26-14 lead. However, Duke scored a touchdown, recovered an onside kick, and scored again, jumping ahead 29-26 after a successful two-point conversion with 5:21 left. Drake Maye drove North Carolina down the field to take a 33-29 lead with 1:21 remaining. Grayson Loftis, in his second start, found Jordan Moore on a 30-yard 4th down strike to put Duke back ahead with 41 seconds left. Maye helped get the Tar Heels into field-goal range, and Noah Burnette hit a 43-yard kick to force overtime as time expired. After trading field goals in the first overtime, Maye scampered for a five-yard touchdown and converted the two-point conversion to put pressure on Duke. Loftis responded with another touchdown to Moore, but the two-point try was unsuccessful, allowing UNC to retain the Victory Bell. 

Upset of the Week- UCF 45, #15 Oklahoma State 3 (Orlando, FL)

It's not that the line of this game was ridiculous. Oklahoma State was only a 2.5-point favorite on the road. It's how badly UCF dominated them for 60 minutes. At no point was this game close. One week after a crazy Bedlam win over Oklahoma, the Cowboys stunk up the joint. Alan Bowman was picked off three times. John Rhys Plumlee scored three times. If not for a field goal in the third quarter, the Cowboys would've been shut out. UCF earned its second conference win since joining the Big 12 and its first against a longtime member of the conference. 

Other Notable Games

#2 Michigan 24, #9 Penn State 15 (University Park, PA)

The Wolverines have been in the news a lot of the last few weeks with the ongoing sign-stealing scandal. The Big Ten suspended Jim Harbaugh for the next three games, leaving Michigan without its coach for the biggest game to this point in the season. Fortunately, Penn State doesn't know how to win big games. Galvanized behind their suspended coach, Michigan ran the ball down Penn State's throats. Blake Corum ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns. JJ McCarthy didn't throw a pass in the second half. The Nittany Lions struggled to find cohesion on offense, taking themselves out of the race for the Big Ten East. 

#1 Georgia 52, #10 Ole Miss 17 (Athens, GA)

For about 16 minutes, Ole Miss was handing with the Bulldogs. Quinshon Judkins scored two touchdowns, allowing the Rebels to sit tied with Georgia. Then, it got ugly. Georgia outscored Ole Miss 35-3 the rest of the way, allowing them to earn a huge Top 10 win. Last week, Georgia was in a fight with Missouri, making some people think this could be a tight game. The Bulldogs flexed their muscles and clinched the SEC East, setting up a massive battle in the SEC Championship Game. 

#5 Washington 35, #13 Utah 28 (Seattle, WA)

When the Huskies beat Oregon a month ago, emphasis was added on a three-game segment against USC, Utah, and Oregon State. After surviving USC last week, Washington welcomed Utah to town. The Utes and the Huskies went shot-for-shot in the first half. Bryson Barnes and Michael Penix Jr. had their offenses going, with the difference being the Utes' ability to hold Washington to a field goal in the first quarter. The second half would belong to the Huskies. Washington outscored Utah 11-0 in the third quarter, highlighted by a safety. The defense kept it going in the fourth, shutting out Utah to earn another big win and keeping their perfect season alive. 

#6 Oregon 36, USC 27 (Eugene, OR)

While Washington handled business in Seattle, Oregon had a tough test against the struggling USC Trojans. Bo Nix threw a 77-yard touchdown on their first play, setting the tone for the rest of the game. Nix threw for 412 yards and four touchdowns, outplaying the reigning Heisman winner. The score doesn't paint how dominant a win this was for the Ducks. It was 36-14 early in the fourth quarter before USC scored two garbage-time touchdowns to pull within nine points. Oregon finished with over 550 yards of offense as USC continued to show they aren't able to allow their offense to make any mistakes. 

#16 Missouri 36, #14 Tennessee 7 (Columbia, MO)

With Georgia clinching the SEC East, this game turned into one about bowl positioning. I expected Tennessee to have more life in this game than they did. Instead, Missouri's defense suffocated them, and Cody Schrader shredded the defense for 205 yards on the ground and a touchdown. There are still plenty of teams in the SEC in the mix for a New Year's 6 game, but Missouri made a statement by demolishing Tennessee. 

#4 Florida State 27, Miami 20 (Tallahassee, FL)

The Seminoles are the frontrunners for the ACC Championship, having already clinched their spot in the title game, but they have a dangerous knack for letting teams stick around, which could hurt their playoff odds. They're already living dangerously at #4, and this win over Miami didn't help their case. The score was 10-10 at halftime, and even after Florida State took a 27-13 lead, an 85-yard touchdown pass by Emory Williams to Jacolby George to give Miami some hope. If not for a late interception by Tyler Van Dyke, who took over after Williams was injured late, the Seminoles could've had their season turned upside down. 

Power 5 Races

ACC

Louisville remains the most likely opponent for Florida State in the ACC Championship Game after beating Virginia on Thursday night. At 6-1 in conference play, they'll conclude their conference schedule in Miami next weekend. While NC State and Virginia Tech sit with two losses, they lost to Louisville this season, leaving North Carolina as the only other team to challenge the Cardinals. The Tar Heels will face Clemson and NC State on the road to finish the season, so should Louisville fall to Miami and North Carolina win their final two, it could get interesting. Still, Louisville is in the best spot, meaning a date with Florida State could be imminent. 

Big Ten East

After Michigan took down Penn State, the division is likely to come down to their Thanksgiving meeting with Ohio State at the Big House. Each team has winnable games next week, meaning this will have conference and playoff implications for both. 

Big Ten West

Last week, six teams were within shouting distance of a division crown. One week later, Iowa has clinched a share of the title with a chance to win it outright next week against Illinois. Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Nebraska all lost, while Northwestern and Illinois won, meaning there's a five-way tie at 3-4 behind 5-2 Iowa. This battle is likely over, though Iowa never seems to make it easy on themselves.  

Big 12

The race in the Big 12 was given another interesting twist when Oklahoma State was decimated by UCF and Kansas lost to Texas Tech. Now, five teams are fighting for two spots, with Texas the only team with a clear path. All the Longhorns have to do is win. If they win out, they're in as the only one-loss team. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, and Iowa State all need to win out and have someone else to lose. This is still a hard group to navigate, so next weekend could help make things clearer. 

PAC-12

The crop for the conference championship is dwindling. USC, Utah, and UCLA were all eliminated from contention with losses on Saturday, leaving four teams fighting for two spots. If Washington beats Oregon State next week, it'll clinch their spot in the title game and eliminate the Beavers simultaneously. Should Oregon State complete the upset, they'll have to battle Oregon. Arizona is still in the race, but they'll be in for a tough test against Utah next weekend. It remains likely that Washington and Oregon will meet again. 

SEC

For as good as the SEC is, they've already decided who is meeting in the SEC Championship Game. Georgia beating Ole Miss not only clinched the SEC East for the Bulldogs, but the Alabama Crimson Tide clinched the SEC West. Depending on how the rest of the races stand, this could determine who represents the SEC in the College Football Playoff. 

My Top 25

1. Georgia (10-0, W 52-17 #10 Ole Miss) (-)

2. Michigan (10-0, W 24-15 #9 Penn State) (-)

3. Washington (10-0, W 35-28 #13 Utah) (+2)

4. Florida State (10-0, W 27-20 Miami) (-1)

5. Ohio State (10-0, W 38-3 Michigan State) (-1)

6. Oregon (9-1, W 36-27 USC) (-)

Georgia and Michigan continue their monopoly on the Top 2, but I changed a few things up. Washington earned a big win over Utah, which added to their win over Oregon, gives them an excellent case for the Top 4. Ohio State has a better overall resume than Florida State, but Michigan and Ohio State's seasons don't mean anything until they meet in two weeks. One is going to lose, and the other will likely skate to a perfect season and a conference title.

7. Texas (9-1, W 29-26 TCU) (-)

8. Alabama (9-1, W 49-21 Kentucky) (-)

9. Missouri (8-2, W W 36-7 #14 Tennessee) (+5)

10. Louisville (9-1, W 31-24 Virginia) (+1)

The Big 12's hopes of making the playoff rests in the hands of Texas, who barely escaped TCU on Saturday. The committee's head-to-head debate could come to a head if one-loss Alabama beats Georgia in the SEC Championship Game. Does Alabama jump Texas if both teams win a conference title? I would say yes. Should Texas make it to the Big 12 Championship, their opponent will be ranked lower than them, making it a less impressive win. Elsewhere, Missouri got a boost with its dominant win over Tennessee, while Louisville moved into the Top 10 as they close in on a conference title berth in the ACC. 

11. Oklahoma (8-2, W 59-20 West Virginia) (+5)

12. Oregon State (8-2, W 62-17 Stanford) (+3)

13. Penn State (8-2, L 24-15 #2 Michigan) (-4)

14. Ole Miss (8-2, L 52-17 #1 Georgia) (-4)

15. LSU (7-3, W 52-35 Florida) (+5)

The rest of the Top 25 got a major shake-up with the ranked matchups taking place. Oklahoma, Oregon State, and LSU all took significant leaps after big conference wins. Penn State and Ole Miss each fell four spots following losses to Michigan and Georgia, respectively. The Nittany Lions played a closer game thanks to their defense, but the offense was embarrassing at times. 

16. James Madison (10-0, W 44-6 Connecticut) (+3)

17. Arizona (7-3, W 34-31 Colorado) (+4)

18. North Carolina (8-2, W 47-45 (2OT) Duke) (+8)

19. Utah (7-3, L 35-28 #5 Washington) (-6)

20. Tennessee (7-3, L 36-7 #16 Missouri) (-8)

James Madison's perfect season remains intact. The Dukes have been so good that they're petitioning for bowl eligibility despite it being their second season in FBS. To deny them a chance at a Group of 5 game based on an ancient rule would be criminal. Arizona and North Carolina also moved up the rankings with tight wins. They only moved up this far because of other teams losing, like Utah and Tennessee, who saw significant falls after losing their third games of the season. 

21. Tulane (9-1, W 24-22 Tulsa) (+2)

22. Liberty (10-0, W 38-10 Old Dominion) (+3)

23. Kansas State (7-3, W 59-25 Baylor) (NR)

24. Notre Dame (7-3, Off) (-)

25. Iowa (8-2, W 22-0 Rutgers) (+5)

There was little movement in the Bottom 5. Tulane barely made it past Tulsa, moving up two spots. Liberty kept its perfect season going with a big win over Old Dominion. Kansas State jumped into the Top 25 with its dominant win over Baylor. Notre Dame stayed at #24 after taking the week off. Iowa entered the chat for the 100th time this season after shutting out Rutgers and earning at least a share of the Big Ten West crown. 

The Next 5

26. Kansas (7-3, L 16-13 Texas Tech) (-9)

27. Fresno State (8-2, L 42-18 San Jose State) (-5)

28. Toledo (9-1, W 49-23 Eastern Michigan) (NR)

29. Memphis (8-2, W 44-38 (OT) Charlotte) (NR)

30. Oklahoma State (7-3, L 45-3 UCF) (-12)

Week 12 Preview

1. #5 Washington at #10 Oregon State (Corvallis, OR)

Washington has survived the first two legs of a three-game gauntlet with tight victories over USC and Utah. They're one game away from making it to the conference title game, while Oregon State is right behind them, with the Huskies and Oregon remaining on their schedule. 

Prediction- #5 Washington 40, #10 Oregon State 28

2. #1 Georgia at #21 Tennessee (Knoxville, TN)

With all the respect in the world for Georgia Tech, this will be Georgia's last big test before facing Alabama in the SEC Championship Game in a few weeks. Tennessee is coming off a stinging loss to Missouri in which they generated little offense, resulting in a lopsided decision. 

Prediction- #1 Georgia 37, #21 Tennessee 18

3. Minnesota at #3 Ohio State (Columbus, OH)

4. #2 Michigan at Maryland (College Park, MD)

On the surface, these two games are very unassuming since they're two Top 3 threes playing lesser conference opponents. However, Michigan and Ohio State are on a collision course to meet in two weeks as undefeated teams vying for the Big Ten East and a spot in the College Football Playoff. The only thing in their way is a win next week in Maryland for the Wolverines and hosting the Golden Gophers in Columbus. 

Predictions- #3 Ohio State 41, Minnesota 20/#2 Michigan 35, Maryland 17

5. #16 Utah at #19 Arizona (Tucson, AZ)

Arizona has been one of the best stories of the second half of the season, beating three straight ranked teams and then holding off Colorado on Saturday. With a spot in the conference title game still possible, the Wildcats will face the two-time defending champions as the Utah Utes come to town. 

Prediction- #16 Utah 24, #19 Arizona 17

6. #22 North Carolina at Clemson (Clemson, SC)

While Louisville remains the most likely opponent for Florida State in Charlotte, the Tar Heels are still in the race. After another close conference game against Duke, they'll be in Death Valley to face a Clemson team that is slowly starting to find its rhythm after a dominant performance on Saturday. 

Prediction- Clemson 34, #22 North Carolina 28

7. #7 Texas at Iowa State (Ames, IA)

The Longhorns are alone at the top of the Big 12 conference, needing to win out to ensure their spot in the conference title game. The first step on that journey is a visit to Ames against Iowa State, who is in the thick of the battle with two losses. 

Prediction- #7 Texas 41, Iowa State 26

8. UNLV at Air Force (USAF Academy, CO)

The Mountain West Conference is another conference embroiled in a battle. UNLV and Air Force are currently the Top 2 teams in the conference at 5-1, meaning one team will become the clear #1, while the other will fall into a group of two-loss teams behind them. 

Prediction- Air Force 27, UNLV 20

9. SMU at Memphis (Memphis, TN)

The top of the American Athletic Conference is embattled in a tight race, with three teams undefeated in conference play and Memphis close behind with one loss. SMU is part of the three-team tie with Tulane and UTSA and will look to stay undefeated in a tough road contest. 

Prediction- SMU 38, Memphis 34

10. #23 Kansas State at Kansas (Lawrence, KS)

The Jayhawks were dealt a harsh blow on Saturday, losing to Texas Tech by a field goal after losing Jason Bean with an injury. Now, they head into a rivalry game in which they've lost the last 14 meetings to a hot Kansas State team without their top two quarterbacks. 

Prediction- #23 Kansas State 31, Kansas 21