every week finds No. 7 TCU responding to a problem all by means of huge 12 play and inching one step nearer to a completely out-of-left-subject bid to the school soccer Playoff.
that is been the case for larger than a month for the Horned Frogs, who get pushed deep into the second half however always appear to answer with a key defensive cease and a barrage of factors from one in every of many extreme offenses inside the Bowl Subdivision.
On Saturday, TCU trailed Texas Tech 17-thirteen coming into the fourth quarter however put collectively three scoring drives in under eight minutes to win 34-24 and transfer to 9-zero for the primary time since 2010.
There’s a side to this sensible start under coach Sonny Dykes that seems untenable. TCU has trailed inside the second half in 4 of six huge 12 wins, explaining partially why the Horned Frogs slotted in behind one-loss Alabama inside the debut playoff rankings. Any single one in every of many three teams left in November — Texas, Baylor and Iowa State — seem ready to ending this unbeaten streak.
however asking whether or not TCU is candy ample to attain the nationwide semifinals misses the objective. whereas convention races inside the SEC and massive Ten will finally be decided by head-to-head matchups between a quantity of fully the biggest teams inside the FBS, the Horned Frogs can punch a ticket to the playoff regardless of magnificence factors.
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as a end result of the one unbeaten workforce inside the massive 12, TCU is principally a lock to attain the convention championship sport and at the very least play for a spot in a single in every of many New 12 months’s Six bowls. There’s the potential for a lot extra given the Horned Frogs’ skill to flip a swap inside the fourth quarter and swap shut video games into double-digit wins.
This latest win areas TCU atop the itemizing of Saturday’s winners and losers:
Winners
Georgia
Two months after christening the common season with a forty six-level win in direction of Oregon, the biggest-ranked Bulldogs made one other huge assertion by pushing round No. three Tennessee in a 27-thirteen win that primarily locks down the SEC East. Not virtually as shut as even the rating suggests, Georgia set the tone early with three touchdown drives and led 24-6 at halftime. Up entrance, the Bulldogs upset Tennessee’s offensive tempo and held quarterback Hendon Hooker in look at — turning into the primary workforce this season to decelerate what had been in all probability the most explosive and prolific group inside the nation. there is not any longer any question over which workforce is fully the biggest inside the FBS: Georgia is the undisputed No. 1 and the current favorites to repeat as nationwide champions.
Liberty
No. 23 Liberty has a convoluted and pretty unlikely path to the mannequin new 12 months’s Six as an Bowl Subdivision impartial, for the set off that entry-bowl bid is saved for Group of 5 convention champions. Given the state of issues inside the very extreme-heavy American, for event, the place it seems unlikely that any workforce will finish with fewer than two losses, the Flames have an alternative to difficulty into the mannequin new 12 months’s Six debate after holding on to beat Arkansas 21-19 and transfer to eight-1 under coach Hugh Freeze. With video games in direction of Connecticut, Virginia Tech and New Mexico State to finish November, the Flames should be eleven-1 heading into the postseason — although they may go to a bowl with out Freeze, one in every of many extreme names for the opening at Auburn.
Air power
After topping Navy earlier this season, the Falcons will formally take house the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for the primary time since 2016 and the fifth time whole under coach Troy Calhoun with a thirteen-7 win in direction of army. worthwhile this three-means collection takes some sting out of what had been a considerably disappointing first two months for a workforce pegged to difficulty into the Group of 5 bid to the mannequin new 12 months’s Six — the Falcons have misplaced three video games by a mixed 15 factors to fall behind inside the Mountain West. whole, Air power has acquired the service-academy rivalry 21 occasions, most coming all by means of a dominant run under former coach Fisher DeBerry from 1990-2002.
Losers
Tennessee
dropping to Georgia will not be lethal to Tennessee’s playoff hopes, although the Volunteers may want to run the desk in mannequin and get some assist to difficulty into the biggest 4. however, there is a question of how the committee will view the loss contemplating the Bulldogs’ wall-to-wall dominance. Will that outweigh Tennessee’s whole resume of extreme quality wins in direction of ranked rivals, led by Alabama? There’s additionally the impression the loss has on Hooker, who was set to place a headlock on the Heisman Trophy with a sturdy exhibiting. The Heisman race is extra extensive open after Hooker threw for 195 yards and an interception on simply 5.9 yards per try.
uncertain FUTURE:Tennessee’s playoff hopes take hit in loss to Georgia
Virginia Tech
The Hokies are discovering new lows and taking the particular elevator to the underside of the flexibility 5. forward 20-10 late inside the second quarter and 27-sixteen after three, Virginia Tech suffered an epic fourth quarter meltdown and misplaced 28-27 to Georgia Tech for a sixth loss in a row, this methodology’s longest streak since 1987. inside the ultimate quarter alone, the Hokies dedicated a quantity of turnovers, collectively with one deep inside Georgia Tech territory, and allowed the Yellow Jackets’ offense to discover twice behind freshman quarterback Zach Pyron, who was making his first profession start. whereas the Hokies have been horrible for the set off that opener under new coach Brent Pry, this particular loss represents this methodology’s lowest level in many years.
Texas A&M
every week is completely different for A&M, even when every Saturday ends the identical means: in a loss. This time, the undermanned Aggies led Florida 24-20 at halftime by counting on working again Devon Achane, who accounted for 104 yards of whole offense and all three touchdowns heading into the break. inside the second half, Achane touched the ball simply seven occasions for 17 whole yards as A&M coughed up the lead and misplaced forty one-24. numerous occasions this season, Jimbo Fisher has made selections on offense — starting from personnel issues to in-sport play calling — that boggle the thoughts and severely harm the Aggies’ probabilities. They’re three-6 and sure going to overlook a bowl sport, a surprising conclusion to a season after they started inside the biggest 10.
Ohio State
The No. 2 Buckeyes can exhale after a 21-7 win in direction of Northwestern that wasn’t formally sealed till a brief touchdown run by Miyan Williams with 4 minutes left. Favored by virtually forty factors in direction of a backside-rung convention opponent however hampered by moist and windy situations, Ohio State’s offense was sidelined by the Wildcats’ ball-administration sport plan and efficient go protection. whereas the climate performed an limitless position, it is worth asking if this combination will be replicated by Michigan and others: Ohio State managed simply 4.6 yards per play and an eye fixed-opening 2.9 yards per go, with C.J. Stroud hitting on simply 10 of 26 makes an try for a profession-low seventy six yards with no touchdown.
SLUGGISH VICTORY:No. 2 Ohio State manages ugly win in direction of Northwestern
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