With two weeks left within the common season, what was as soon as a obscure image of the School Soccer Playoff is lastly coming into view.
Ohio State and Indiana seem like certain issues from the Huge Ten. Georgia, Texas A&M and Ole Miss have all however punched their playoff tickets. Notre Dame and Texas Tech be ok with their odds, however all of that is dependent upon one thing essential taking place these final two weeks that may be boiled down to 2 easy phrases: keep away from chaos.
Ah, however chaos is actually doable.
Is Miami a contender? Can the Canes slip into the ACC title sport combine?
Is Texas Tech assured a bid? What occurs if BYU retains its stellar season going?
The ACC is floor zero for chaos and everybody from 9-1 Georgia Tech to 5-5 Duke nonetheless has a shot at successful the convention.
Within the Huge Ten, Oregon and USC will face off in what is perhaps a de facto play-in sport for the playoff.
And keep in mind final week when Oklahoma earned a press release win in opposition to Alabama that appeared to shore up a playoff spot for the Sooners? Nicely, that dance card is barely good so long as Oklahoma beats Missouri this week.
It is late November, with simply sufficient season behind us to really feel as if we have got an actual understanding of what is forward and simply sufficient left on the docket to upend the entire image and inject a recent dose of head-spinning into the combination. — David Hale
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Breakout gamers | BYU-Cincinnati
What’s at stake? | Quotes of the week
High 5 breakout gamers this season
Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Ole Miss: One of many nice plot twists of this school soccer season has been a little-known switch from Division II Ferris State stepping in and main the Rebels to a 10-1 report. Lane Kiffin’s new dual-threat playmaker gained a D-II nationwide title final season and has proven no concern in shifting as much as SEC ball, rating seventh nationally with 3,101 whole yards, 20 whole touchdowns and solely 4 turnovers since taking up for injured starter Austin Simmons. The No. 6 Rebels struck gold with Chambliss in addition to 1,110-yard rusher Kewan Lacy, a Missouri switch, of their efforts to reload on offense and get into the CFP.
Arvell Reese, LB, Ohio State: Reese entered this season with solely 5 profession begins over two seasons with the Buckeyes, wanting to lastly develop into a full-time starter for the defending nationwide champions. The 6-foot-4, 243-pound junior is rapidly taking part in his means into projected top-10 draft decide standing as some of the versatile defensive playmakers underneath first-year coordinator Matt Patricia. Reese has produced a team-high 58 tackles with 18 pressures, 10 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks as a quick, highly effective off-ball linebacker who’s simply as gifted at dashing off the sting for the No. 1 scoring protection in FBS.
David Bailey, OLB, Texas Tech: Bailey did not earn All-ACC honors final season at Stanford however was extremely coveted within the switch portal by the Pink Raiders as an impression go rusher with big-time potential. Bailey has been price each penny, main the nation with 12.5 sacks and 61 pressures by means of 11 video games, whereas taking part in alongside Romello Top and Lee Hunter on one of many high defensive strains within the sport. Bailey is performing like a first-round expertise for a No. 5-ranked Texas Tech squad decided to win this system’s first Huge 12 championship.
Cashius Howell, DE, Texas A&M: The previous Bowling Inexperienced switch had debut season with the Aggies in 2024, however Howell has completely raised his sport in his second yr within the SEC. The 6-2, 248-pound senior has been a constantly elite go rusher for the undefeated Aggies with 11.5 sacks and 37 pressures, and will find yourself being a first-round decide subsequent spring.
Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri: Hardy exceled throughout his freshman season at UL Monroe and continues to be one of many nice switch portal will get for the Tigers. He is main the nation with 1,346 dashing yards and 15 TDs, and has pressured 72 missed tackles, in keeping with ESPN Analysis. Hardy simply had one other career-best day Saturday with a 300-yard effort in opposition to Mississippi State after already dashing for 250 yards in opposition to Louisiana, plus he has 5 100-yard performances this season. — Max Olson
How may BYU-Cincinnati have an effect on the Huge 12 title race?
Texas Tech and BYU, the Huge 12’s remaining one-loss groups, look like on the right track to fulfill once more within the championship sport. For them, it is easy: win and also you’re in. However as BYU realized final season when it was in the identical spot by means of 10 video games, easy doesn’t suggest simple.
If the Cougars win at Cincinnati on Saturday, it will remove the Bearcats. Then BYU can be, at minimal, a win in opposition to UCF away from the title sport. However the Cougars may additionally clinch a spot this weekend with two situations: 1) A win plus losses by Arizona State (at Colorado) and Houston (vs. TCU); or 2) A win and an Arizona State loss, plus a Utah win (Kansas State).
If BYU loses to Cincinnati, then all bets are off. Utah, Houston, Arizona State and Cincinnati are all mathematically alive. Which implies that throughout them can nonetheless cling to CFP hopes, as far-fetched as they is perhaps. This is without doubt one of the apparent advantages of the playoff format. It retains extra groups related later within the season and ensures significant video games throughout the board into the ultimate weeks. — Kyle Bonagura
What’s at stake in every matchup?
USC-Oregon: To place it bluntly: a spot within the CFP. That is what’s at stake in Eugene this week as the faculty soccer world units its eyes on the one marquee matchup this week.
USC has just one Huge Ten loss and may it beat the Geese, it will qualify for not solely its greatest win of the season however among the best wins within the sport this yr. The Trojans have the offense to maintain up with the Geese; the query is, what USC protection will present up Saturday? That would be the key to pulling off the upset and placing Lincoln Riley’s staff within the driver’s seat for a CFP spot.
One-loss Oregon might need some extra respiratory room if it loses to USC, however it’s not a assure the Geese will get in with two losses. At that time, the Geese’ greatest win can be at Iowa (at present unranked) and must rank behind a minimum of USC (and Michigan if it beats Ohio State) making their entry again into the sphere a decent one, ought to it occur.
Plus, to not point out the truth that Oregon finishes with a tough sport at Washington — a staff that has been up-and-down this season however has loads of expertise and motivation to play spoiler in opposition to its rival. — Paolo Uggetti
Pitt-Georgia Tech: Per week in the past, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi colorfully made the purpose that his staff may quit 100 factors to Notre Dame, however it would not change the truth that these subsequent two video games, beginning with Georgia Tech, will outline the Panthers’ postseason destiny. Nicely, Pitt did not give up 100, however Notre Dame did win simply, placing an excellent larger highlight on the Panthers’ must win out if they need any hope of capitalizing on a wide-open ACC.
For Georgia Tech, the stakes are even clearer. That is the Yellow Jackets’ closing ACC sport of the season. Win, they usually’re assured a spot in Charlotte for the ACC championship. Lose and all bets are off. Tech’s protection has been a practice wreck the previous two video games, and getting proper in opposition to Pitt is crucial to maintain a magical season going somewhat longer. — Hale
SMU-Louisville: Whereas a lot of the eye within the ACC has centered on Miami, Virginia and Georgia Tech, SMU nonetheless has a shot to make it to the ACC championship sport for the second straight season. That’s the largest factor on the road Saturday. With just one convention loss, SMU sits in a four-way tie atop the ACC headed into the weekend. The simplest path to Charlotte is that this one: SMU has to win out, and Pitt has to beat Georgia Tech on Saturday. There’s one other clinching state of affairs: SMU wins out, and Virginia Tech upsets Virginia subsequent week.
Although the Mustangs don’t management their future, the very fact they’re within the combine to play for a convention championship once more speaks to the job coach Rhett Lashlee has accomplished since SMU made the transfer to the ACC in 2024. SMU just isn’t a one-trick pony (see what we did there), however is constructing a program meant to contend yr after yr.
“It’s a little bit completely different than final yr as a result of we have been answerable for all the pieces,” Lashlee mentioned. “This yr, it is nearly like a playoff state of affairs already. No one’s speaking about us, and I am completely cool with that.” — Andrea Adelson
Quotes of the week
“Brent Key, a terrific soccer coach who’s accomplished an excellent job,” Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi mentioned of Georgia Tech’s fourth-year head coach. “They could as effectively simply announce him as ACC Coach of the 12 months. He is accomplished an unimaginable job. Simply give it to him early.”
“I feel for us, these are all the identical people who thought we have been going to suck,” USC coach Lincoln Riley mentioned on the 8-2 Trojans’ Week 13 look on School GameDay. “That is all the identical individuals, you already know, we have been going to do that and USC was this and that. And so for us to concentrate to them now can be somewhat bit counterproductive. We have not forgotten that.”
Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin on if he expects to be teaching within the Nov. 29 Egg Bowl: “Are you aware one thing that I do not know? Do I count on to educate subsequent week? Why would I not count on to educate subsequent week? I imply, I anticipated to educate in opposition to Florida, too. So I do not even perceive the query about how I’d not count on to educate subsequent week. Why would I [not] be at work?”
“I’ve had no discussions, not with my agent, not with the college, not with some other faculty, not with any NFL staff, about ever going wherever else,” mentioned Texas’ Steve Sarkisian, who knocked down rumors round a possible departure this week. “I got here right here to win championships.”
Colorado’s Deion Sanders appealed for extra time with the Buffaloes this week: “You have obtained the appropriate man [for the job]. I promise you, you do. And I will show that to you. Simply give me a chance and somewhat extra time, and I will show that to you.”
“Does it look, really feel, scent and function like a big-time program?” James Franklin mentioned of his plans for Virginia Tech in his introductory information convention with the Hokies. “All these issues have to be in place. … I feel the earlier coaches right here have been in some difficult conditions. That is the reality of it. There’s some issues that we’ll have to have a look at, and it is not simply James Franklin. It is the advertising and marketing workplace, the ticketing workplace. All people’s obtained to take a while and look within the mirror and say, ‘Are we working like a big-time program?'”
