No. 14 Notre Dame is rarely going to reside down this month’s loss to Northern Illinois, particularly with the (*5*) dropping two of three because the upset in South Bend.
But the College Football Playoff math nonetheless favors the Fighting Irish: win out and you’re (very possible) in the 12-team subject.
Saturday’s 31-24 victory against No. 17 Louisville will assist restore Notre Dame’s repute. In a sport they needed to have given the shortage of main contenders on this 12 months’s schedule, the Fighting Irish overcame a sloppy begin to beat a staff ranked close to the highest of the ACC.
In reality, this win in opposition to the Cardinals could find yourself being the excessive level on Notre Dame’s document heading into the ultimate playoff rankings in early December.
The positives embrace a stable sport from the protection, which compelled three turnovers and got here up with a late defensive cease to seal the win — with a bit assist from Louisville, which fully botched that remaining possession. Quarterback Riley Leonard performed his finest sport, with 163 yards by means of the air, a team-best 52 speeding yards and three mixed touchdowns.
Scoring a win in opposition to a ranked opponent makes Notre Dame one of the massive winners from Week 5 of the 2024 season.
Winners
Kansas State
After a shocking loss at No. 22 Brigham Young final weekend, No. 25 Kansas State rebounded with a really stable 42-20 win at residence in opposition to No. 20 Oklahoma State. With a balanced offense that accounted for 559 complete yards — 300 yards operating and 259 yards passing — the Wildcats confirmed why they're one of the elite groups in the Big 12 and a real playoff menace. While he had one puzzling interception and may’ve missed on one or two potential large positive aspects by means of the air, quarterback Avery Johnson completed with 319 yards of complete offense and 5 touchdowns. This efficiency places KSU again on observe to compete with No. 10 Utah and No. 19 Iowa State for the league’s playoff bid.
Kentucky
Confusing, confounding, inconceivable to foretell and a staff that would make some large noise on the way in which by means of SEC play. After shedding by 25 factors to South Carolina and shedding 13-12 to Georgia two weeks in the past, Kentucky pulled off one of the stunning upsets of the season’s opening month by topping No. 5 Mississippi 20-17. Trailing 17-13 with about 5 minutes left, the Wildcats went 83 yards in six performs to take the lead and then made a giant defensive stand to power the Rebels right into a missed 48-yard subject purpose with underneath a minute remaining. With Vanderbilt, Florida and Auburn up subsequent, Kentucky may get into the Top 25 earlier than internet hosting No. 6 Tennessee in October.
Southern California
One week after developing simply brief in a 27-24 loss at No. 12 Michigan, the No. 16 Trojans overcame a 21-10 halftime deficit and beat Wisconsin 38-21 for this system’s first win in Big Ten play. The second-half surge that just about sparked a win in Ann Arbor didn’t instantly carry over in opposition to the Badgers, who made probably the most of three USC turnovers to leap in entrance on the break. But the Trojans dominated the ultimate two quarters in opposition to the Badgers, delivering the coup de grace by way of a pick-six with 5 minutes left. USC additionally dominated possession and shut down the Badgers’ operating sport to keep away from a loss that might’ve doomed any hopes of making the playoff.
UNLV
No. 23 UNLV had spent this week on the entrance web page because of the drama surrounding former quarterback Matt Sluka, who began the primary three video games however left this system amid a shocking again and forth over his NIL package deal. Not that you could possibly inform primarily based on Saturday’s 59-14 rout over Fresno State. Sluka was not missed in the least: Backup Hajj-Malik Williams stepped into the beginning position and was terrific, finishing 13 of 16 throws for 182 yards and three touchdowns with one other 119 yards and a rating on the bottom. The Rebels have been in a position put this week in their rearview mirror and will stay among the many main contenders for the playoff among the many Group of Five.
Losers
Mississippi
Stunning, to place issues as evenly and kindly as attainable. The Rebels had not misplaced as a double-digit favourite underneath fifth-year coach Lane Kiffin however by no means obtained right into a rhythm attributable to Kentucky’s potential to regulate tempo, resulting in the type of loss that would imply the distinction between an at-large playoff bid and a second-level bowl sport. Looking towards December, the Rebels must take two of three in opposition to No. 13 LSU, No. 18 Oklahoma and No. 1 Georgia to be an element in the playoff dialog.
Alabama-Birmingham
The choice to rent Trent Dilfer — one of the least skilled head coaches in trendy FBS historical past — has backfired terribly on UAB, which had posted six successful seasons in a row heading into 2023 however is now a woeful 5-12 underneath the previous NFL quarterback after shedding 41-18 at residence to Navy. Hiring Dilfer in the primary place over a bunch of certified candidates, together with former interim coach and present Louisiana-Monroe coach Bryant Vincent, gave the sturdy impression that UAB was a deeply unserious program. Now one of the worst groups in the American Athletic, the Dilfer-led Blazers have gotten a laughingstock.
Ollie Gordon
Has anybody seen Oklahoma State’s All-America operating again? Don’t put all of the blame on Gordon, who confirmed throughout the primary two sequence in opposition to Kansas State that he’s nonetheless one of most high runners in college soccer. Let’s look as a substitute on the Cowboys’ willingness to disregard one of the nation’s finest talent abilities: Gordon had 10 carries for 69 yards on these first two possessions however simply 5 carries for seven yards the remaining of the way in which. After going for 128 yards in the opener in opposition to South Dakota State, Gordon has simply 208 yards in 4 video games in opposition to Bowl Subdivision competitors. His odds of taking residence any postseason {hardware} are as useless because the Cowboys’ playoff hopes.
Wisconsin
The present state of Wisconsin soccer will be seen in a key fourth down in USC territory in the third quarter. Needing a yard, the Badgers lined up in shotgun, bumped into the road of scrimmage and got here up brief. Ahead 21-17 at that second, Wisconsin wouldn’t rating once more. This staff just isn't bodily, not athletic, not explosive, not powerful and not constructed in any means that resembles the identification that outlined this system for many years. Instead, this seems to be like a program in clear decline with no apparent path again to relevancy.
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