Fortuna Files: Separation Saturday
The Playoff Picture got just a little bit clearer in Week 10.
Thirteen thoughts as the final month of the regular season is upon us:
1. Was this separation Saturday? With the first College Football Playoff rankings coming out on Tuesday, clarity arrived in the form of several “elimination” games. We use that term lightly, since there will undoubtedly be three-loss teams at the end of the season that will at least be trying to make their CFP case. But right now it’s hard to imagine Tennessee reaching the CFP again after suffering its third loss of the season, and second loss at home, in a 33-27 setback against Oklahoma.
2. Nebraska is also “eliminated,” although I’m not sure how many people had the Huskers pegged for the postseason to begin with, as they have a final three-game slate of at UCLA, at Penn State and against Iowa. USC’s 21-17 road win in Lincoln keeps the Trojans alive, although they will have to get through a Nov. 22 trip to Oregon in order to go 10-2 and have a chance at the CFP.
3. Speaking of Oregon: I know the Ducks didn’t play Saturday, but they’re going to be a factor in deciding the Big Ten’s CFP picture in the coming weeks. Their upcoming trip to Iowa will be no picnic — although they avoided the dreaded 9 a.m. PT start — and they have USC and a trip to rival Washington, too. They can probably survive one loss there, so long as it’s close. But an 11-1 record is far from a given.