College Football Overtime: Winners and losers from Week 11

A pair of College Football Playoff hopefuls were tested in the evening window of Week 11. TCU rose to the challenge against Texas, and the Horned Frogs are now three wins away from clinching a CFB Playoff berth. The other, Oregon, blew a fourth-quarter lead to see its playoff hopes once again go up in flames late in the regular season.  

There were far more storylines from a busy Week 11, including a new Heisman contender, a convoluted Big Ten West race and some feel-good stories in Nashville and Storrs.

Here’s another week of College Football Overtime:

WINNER: TCU HORNED FROGS
The most important win in TCU’s history as a Power Five program came Saturday night in Austin, Texas. And, of course, Gary Patterson was on the sideline as a defensive analyst for Texas. It felt like some bizarro world with Patterson wearing burnt orange. Perhaps that’s appropriate in what was frankly a strange 17-10 Horned Frog victory in Austin.

TCU is officially in a new era. Patterson defined the program for so long, but the 10-0 Horned Frogs have clearly turned the page to something altogether different under Sonny Dykes. Only a year ago, a very similar TCU roster went 5-7. That team didn’t tackle well, it didn’t score consistently and quarterback Max Duggan looked like a shadow of the player who’s emerged this season.

Sometimes a change can unlock something for a program. That’s happened in Fort Worth with the Horned Frogs 10-0 for the first time in their history as a Big 12 program. TCU controls its own destiny in the CFB Playoff race. TCU has clinched a Big 12 title spot. TCU looks like it’s ready to take to the reins of the Big 12 with Texas and Oklahoma soon set to join the SEC. 

Looking back on tonight’s chain of events, it seems appropriate that Patterson was there for one of the biggest moments in Horned Frog history. This is evidence their paths have fully diverged. It was a healthy breakup for TCU. 


LOSER: OREGON DUCKS
Oregon’s playoff hopes are over after a 37-34 loss to Washington.

It’s a bitter defeat for the Ducks. Not only did it come in "The Border War," but it came on a night in which Oregon blew a fourth quarter lead. The Ducks' defense has been an issue all year at 88th nationally in yards allowed per play, and it just couldn't manufacture stops in the second half. The Huskies scored every time they touched the ball in the second half except for a Michael Penix goal-line interception on a drive that had gone 98 yards before coming to a halt. 

A team’s fatal flaw will  usually catch up to it at some point, and Washington simply exposed Oregon. Oregon will need to regroup emotionally before hosting Utah next weekend. The Ducks can still win the Pac-12 Championship in Dan Lanning’s first year, which would be quite an accomplishment. But that doesn't lessen the sting of another squandered CFB Playoff opportunity for the Ducks. 


LOSER: ILLINOIS ILLINI
Illinois looked like it could walk to the Big Ten championship game a few weeks ago. That outlook is far more ominous entering mid-November. The Illini have now lost back to back one-possession home games with its most recent 31-24 defeat to Purdue proving to be a critical blow. As a result of their victory, the Boilermakers now hold the tiebreaker over Illinois in the Big Ten West. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the Illini travel to play No. 3 Michigan next week.

But Illinois hasn’t just lost control of the division, it has also let everyone back in the race. Purdue, Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois all sit at 4-3 overall with Wisconsin not too far behind at 3-4. This division was Illinois’ to lose, and the Illini are slowly squandering their chance to reach the Big Ten title game.

Perhaps the worst news of all? Illinois running back Chase Brown, the nation’s leading rusher, was hurt with less than a minute remaining against Purdue. Illini head coach Bret Bielema had no updates on Brown postgame. But Brown wasn’t able to put any weight on his leg when he left the game.


WINNER: VANDERBILT COMMODORES
Vanderbilt’s 26-game SEC losing streak has finally come to an end! On Saturday, the Commodores pulled off a 24-21 upset over Kentucky.

Forgive the poor pun: It feels like the anchor has been lifted off Clark Lea’s regime. There has been progress for Lea in Year 2, including three wins in September. But, it’s been a slog since then. There were blowout losses to Alabama, Ole Miss and Georgia. There were heartbreaking losses to Missouri and South Carolina. And, finally, a victory over the No. 24 team in the country. This is Vanderbilt’s first SEC win since 2019. 

This victory represents progress and resilience. Vanderbilt hasn’t had the best week. The Commodores lost starting QB AJ Swann to an injury against South Carolina. That came on the heels of a controversy that surrounded defensive backs coach Dan Jackson (Jackson was taken off the field this week after he defended Kanye West in a Facebook post).

But, still, Vanderbilt found a way to win and that’s a credit to Lea. Earlier this year, Lea told 247Sports he inherited a program that was “psychologically traumatized.” Historically, the Commodores buckled when adversity hit. This road victory over Kentucky shows Vanderbilt is in a new era. The Commodores' rebuilding project is now above ground, and they'll only continue to get better. 


LOSER: VIRGINIA CAVALIERS

This time last year, Brennan Armstrong led the Power Five in passing yards per game. He led a Virginia offense that ranked fifth nationally in yards per play and consistently outperformed its talent. The Cavs weren’t great (6-6), but they were fun and had promise for the 2022 season with Armstrong set to return.

What a difference a year can make.

Virginia moved to 3-7 on Saturday with a 37-7 loss to Pittsburgh. Armstrong started the game with back-to-back pick-sixes, continuing a brutal season that’s seen him throw more INTs (12) than touchdowns (7). His completion percentage has plummeted from last season’s 65.2% to just 55.1% this year.

However, Armstrong isn’t the issue for Virginia. He’s merely emblematic of a program that’s seen next to nothing go well since Bronco Mendenhall abruptly retired last December.

There’s been a transfer portal exodus — with perhaps another one coming soon — a rash of injuries and, frankly, woefully underwhelming coaching results by Tony Elliott and his first year staff. The Cavs were not broken when Elliott took over. There was no need for a culture overhaul or roster transformation. But, now, they feel broken.


ACC SCORES AND NOTES (+ NOTRE DAME)

Clemson bounced back from its loss to Notre Dame with a 31-16 victory over Louisville (6-4). DJ Uiagalelei had a good day on 19-for-27 passing with 185 yards and a touchdown. But it was the No. 10 Tigers’ rushing attack that led the way with 248 yards and 3 scores. Louisville turned the ball over twice and also gave up the ball on downs twice, stalling four second half drives. 
Clemson will face North Carolina in the ACC Championship Game in a few weeks. The No. 15 Tar Heels punched their ticket with a 36-34 win at Wake Forest, which was favored. It feels like a long time ago the Tar Heels were struggling to put away Appalachian State. Life’s pretty good for Mack Brown, who’s got another Heisman-level quarterback in his program. 
Notre Dame wide receiver Braden Lenzy made the catch of the year in a 35-32 win over Navy. Lenzy caught an underthrown ball by wrapping his arms around a Midshipman DB and catching it on his back. The No. 20 Irish (7-3) have now won four straight after a 3-3 start to the season. 
Miami earned a much-needed 35-14 win over Georgia Tech (4-6). The Hurricanes started true freshman Jacurri Brown, who finished 14-for-19 with 136 yards and 3 scores. Georgia Tech (4-6) turned the ball over four times, which led to 14 Miami points. 

Boston College pulled the most surprising upset of the weekend, scoring with 14 seconds remaining to edge No. 16 NC State (7-3) for a 21-20 victory. Redshirt freshman QB Emmett Morehead (330 yards, 3 TDS) threw a 2-yard touchdown to true freshman Joseph Griffin to clinch the win. The victory snaps a four-game losing skid for the Eagles (2-5). NC State true freshman QB MJ Morris (12-for-24, 135 yards) came back to earth after a hot start to his career, turning the ball over four times (1 pick, 3 lost fumbles).

Mike Elko for the conference’s coach of the year? It might be basketball season on Tobacco Road, but Duke’s got a delightful football team — 7-3 after beating pitiful Virginia Tech, 24-7. Tale of two maiden years here: Brent Pry is 2-8 overall and 1-6 in conference play.

BIG 12 SCORES AND NOTES

It took an unexpected return from Spencer Sanders, but Oklahoma State rallied from a halftime deficit to beat Iowa State (4-6) for a 20-14 win. Gunnar Gundy, the son of Cowboys head coach Mike Gundy, got the start in favor of an injured Sanders. But Sanders actually returned late in the third quarter when Gundy pulled his son. Oklahoma State (7-3) scored a touchdown on Sanders’ second drive and held on from there. 

West Virginia seemed to have started the Garrett Greene era in a 23-20 win over Oklahoma (5-5). J.T. Daniels was benched (twice) during the game with Greene leading a 12-play touchdown drive in the fourth quarter to give the Mountaineers the win. Neal Brown’s job status is one to watch coming out of this one. His seat is scorching hot, but this victory helps his case to stay. As for Oklahoma (5-5) this has been a brutal year and bowl eligibility isn’t a lock with Oklahoma State and Texas Tech remaining. 

Kansas State 31, Baylor 3. Give me a call if you can figure that one out. The final score is a total mystery to me, but I know a few things: Kansas State’s a different team with Will Howard at quarterback (Howard again replaced the injured Adrian Martinez) and Baylor, the defending conference champs, has no excuse losing like this at home.

BIG TEN SCORES AND NOTES

C.J. Stroud threw for 5 touchdowns as No. 2 Ohio State rolled Indiana, 56-14, in Columbus. The most notable part of the day for the Buckeyes (10-0) is a first-half injury to running back Miyan Williams, which forced him to leave the game. Williams was taken off on a cart. Ohio State starting running back Treveyon Henderson missed the game with a lingering foot injury. The Hoosiers (3-7) have now lost six straight games after starting 3-1. 
Michigan did what it does in a 34-3 win over Nebraska: Run the ball. The No. 3 Wolverines (10-0) ran for 264 yards as a team on 5.4 yards per carry with Blake Corum pacing them with 162 yards. This is the seventh straight game Corum has crossed the 100-yard barrier. Nebraska (3-7) was without starting QB Casey Thompson and managed just 147 total yards. 

Penn State (8-2) overwhelmed Maryland’s offensive line with pressure, totaling 7 sacks in a 30-0 win over the Terrapins. Nick Singleton led the way for No. 14 Penn State’s offense with 122 yards and 2 touchdowns on just 11 carries. Maryland (6-4) was held to just 134 yards of total offense and averaged 2.2 yards per carry.   
Iowa won a very Iowa game over Wisconsin, 24-10, with 3 turnovers forced and just 146 total yards. A Cooper Dejean pick-six in the second quarter turned the tide of the game and gave the Hawkeyes (6-4) an early 14-3 lead. That would prove to be enough points as the Badgers (5-5) failed to produce a drive of longer than 20 yards in the second half.  

Payton Thorne threw for 256 yards and 2 touchdowns as Michigan State squeezed by Rutgers, 27-21, in East Lansing. The Spartans (5-5) have now won three of four games in Big Ten play since starting 0-3. Rutgers (4-6) has an uphill game to potential bowl eligibility with games upcoming against Penn State and Maryland. 
Mohamed Ibrahim ran for 178 yards and 3 touchdowns as Minnesota (7-3) easily dispatched Northwestern for a 31-3 win. The Wildcats (1-9) have now lost nine straight games.

PAC-12 SCORES AND NOTES

Arizona shocked No. 12 UCLA early Sunday morning, if you're living on the East Coast, in a 34-28 upset. This game mostly came down to UCLA failing to convert its chances. The Bruins were just 2-for-5 on fourth down and also missed a field goal early in the third quarter. Arizona was paced by Jayden de Laura, who was lights out in a 22-for-28, 315-yard, 2-touchdown performance. UCLA is now a game behind USC, Oregon and Utah in the Pac-12 standings. 

USC shook off a slow start to roll past Colorado, 55-17, on Friday night. Caleb Williams finished the night with 268 yards and five total touchdowns. The No. 8 Trojans (9-1) have a showdown with UCLA next weekend. The Buffaloes (1-9) are limping toward the finish as their head coaching search continues. 
Washington State clinched bowl eligibility with a 28-18 victory over Arizona State. Nakia Watson led the Cougars (6-4) with 116 yards and 3 touchdowns.

SEC SCORES AND NOTES
Even in the games in which it brings its ‘B’ or ‘C’ effort, the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs look pretty damn good. Kirby Smart’s group jumped out to a big lead, messed around a little bit and then got back on track in a 45-19 win at Mississippi State. Mississippi State scored 10 points in the final minute of the first half, including a punt return with time expiring. Georgia receiver Ladd McConkey scored two touchdowns, including a 70-yard rush. 
Missouri (4-6) was down only four to No. 5 Tennessee early in the third quarter before scoring 38 straight to roll past the Tigers for a 66-24 victory. Hendon Hooker finished the game 25-for-35 with 355 yards and 3 touchdowns. Arizona State (3-7) starting QB Trenton Bourguet was injured in the loss. 

It wasn’t comfortable, but No. 7 LSU squeezed past Arkansas, 13-10, to clinch the SEC West. Tigers true freshman linebacker Harold Perkins was the star of the game (more on him later) with 8 tackles, 4 sacks and 2 forced fumbles. Arkansas starting QB KJ Jefferson didn’t start due to injury. Malik Hornsby got the starting nod in his place but was pulled in favor of Cade Fortin early in the second half. 

Alabama rallied from a 17-7 third quarter deficit against No. 11 Ole Miss (8-2)  to pull out a 30-24 win. The No. 9 Tide (8-2) were led by Bryce Young -- what’s new -- who threw for 209 yards and 3 touchdowns. Alabama scored on four consecutive drives between the second and third quarters to flip the game. Ole Miss had a chance to score in the red zone to win the game, but the Tide got the stop when it mattered. Ole Miss’ loss allowed LSU to clinch the SEC West. 

Cadillac! Kudos to Auburn (4-6) and interim coach Carnell ‘Cadillac’ Williams, who scored his first win in a 13-10 effort over Texas A&M (3-7). The Tigers had a nice group of quality recruits on campus for the game, and even if Williams won’t be their head coach in 2023, it’s cool seeing the legend helping his program put its best foot forward. Meanwhile, Texas A&M is mathematically eliminated from a bowl game. What’s there left to say about the Aggies that we haven’t already?


FIVE G-5 THINGS TO KNOW
UCF picked up a massive 38-31 road win over No. 17 Tulane. The No. 22 Knights (8-2) were led by quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, who ran for 176 yards, passed for 132 and had 3 total touchdowns. The victory doesn’t clinch an AAC title berth for the Knights, but it assures them a championship bid if they win out. Tulane (8-2) will likely see its championship game chances come down to its regular season finale against Cincinnati.

UConn is bowl eligible! Yes, that UConn. The laughingstock of the FBS UConn. The UConn program that hasn’t won more than 3 games since 2016 UConn. But, the Huskies are finally in the mix after a 36-33 win over Liberty (8-2). It’s a huge blow to the Flames and potentially Hugh Freeze’s chances of getting another job. But, it’s hard to understate the job Jim Mora has done in Year 1 for the Huskies. They’re relevant once again.

Fresno State picked up a huge 37-30 road win over UNLV on Friday. The victory maintains the Bulldogs’ status atop the West division of the Mountain West. Fresno State’s divisional chances will rely heavily in a showdown against Wyoming. UNLV (4-6) has now lost five straight conference games after a 4-1 start. Marcus Arroyo really needs some wins down the stretch or things could get very warm for him in Las Vegas.

Cincinnati kept its AAC hopes alive with a 27-25 win over East Carolina (6-4 on Friday night. The Bearcats (8-2) control their own destiny in the AAC with a home showdown with Tulane upcoming in two weeks.

It's your mid-week MAC update! Toledo took firm control of the West division with a 28-21 win over Ball State. The Rockets put together a 50-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter to win the game. The East division is a bit more complicated. Ohio (5-1) is in control of its own destiny. But, Buffalo (4-2) and Bowling Green (4-2) are still in the mix. Buffalo beat the Falcons and Ohio beat the Bulls. So, there could be a fun three-way tiebreaker scenario if Bowling Green manages to beat Ohio to end the regular season.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Offense
Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina: The Tar Heels needed points, and Maye provided them in bunches. The redshirt freshman signal caller threw for 448 yards and 3 touchdowns on 31-for-49 passing. He also ran 19 yards for 71 yards and a score. Maye is only the third ACC QB since 2000 to pass for at least 425 yards and run for 75 yards in a single game joining Tajh Boyd (Clemson) and D’Eriq King (Miami).

Defense
Harold Perkins, LB, LSU: The Tigers clinched the SEC West because of Perkins. That’s how impactful he was in LSU’s win over Arkansas. Perkins finished the day with 8 tackles, 4 sacks, 4 TFLs and 2 forced fumbles. He also came up big in the clutch. The Razorbacks looked like they’d have a chance to tie or win the game on the final drive, but then Perkins sacked Cade Fortin and forced a fumble to end the game. Perkins is the first SEC player since 2000 to post 4 sacks and multiple forced fumbles in the same game.


HEISMAN RACE
1. Hendon Hooker, QB, Tennessee (25-of-35, 355 yards, 3 TD |8 carries for 50 yards, 1 TD) in a win over Missouri
2. Blake Corum, RB, Michigan (28 carries for 162 yards, 1 TD) in a win over Nebraska
3. Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina (31-for-49, 448 yards, 3 TDs | 19 carries, 71 yards, 1 TD) in win over Wake Forest
3. Bryce Young, QB, Alabama (21-of-33, 209 yards, 3 TD) in a win over Ole Miss
4. C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State (17-of-28, 297 yards, 5 TD) in win over Indiana


MY TOP 10
1. Georgia 
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan
4. TCU
5. Tennessee 
6. LSU 
7. USC
8. Alabama
9. Clemson
10. UCLA 

Week 12 is sort of the calm before the storm in Week 13. But, there are still plenty of marquee games to follow. If you want a fun midweek game, I’d recommend SMU at Tulane on Thursday night (7:30 p.m. E.T, ESPN). The majority of the important games on Saturday don’t have a kickoff time, yet. So, excuse the barrage of incomplete information. But, the most important games of the weekend both take place in the Pac-12 where Utah travels to Oregon and UCLA hosts USC. Those two games will all but determine the Pac-12 conference championship game. TCU at Baylor is a critical game in the Big 12, while Illinois at Michigan will be the game to watch in the Big Ten. However, the entire Big Ten West is clustered together. So, Iowa at Minnesota is also of great import.


SOURCE: Hummer, Chris. "College Football Overtime: Winners and losers from Week 11." 247Sports.com, 13 November 2022, https://247sports.com/LongFormArticle/college-football-overtime-week-11-tcu-oregon-ducks-lsu-vanderbilt-drake-maye-harold-perkins-197456653/#197456653_12