2. The Most Underrated Thing Was …
It’s a tie between Indiana beating Wisconsin 14-6, and Texas A&M beating Auburn 31-20.
Texas A&M isn’t sexy.
It doesn’t do the high-flying thrill-ride thing that Alabama and Florida do, Kellen Mond isn’t Justin Fields talent-wise, and the brand name isn’t there compared to Notre Dame, but the offensive line has been fantastic, and the defense continues to be the truth.
While everyone was gushing over Ohio State going through a light scrimmage against a mediocre Michigan State team, Texas A&M just won its seventh SEC game of the year, and it did it against a decent Auburn team that would have a real shot at being the second-best team in the Big Ten and possibly win the Pac-12 and Big 12.
If the College Football Playoff committee really watched that game – and if it can appreciate that the way A&M plays is substance over style – then thinking this might really be one of the four best teams in college football shouldn’t be a giant leap.
The bigger key thing this weekend to the overall landscape of how the New Year’s Six will look came from Indiana’s win over Wisconsin.
Yes, the Badgers were missing just about all of their key wide receivers, their top corner, and a slew of other parts, but the defense was still amazing, and it’s still Wisconsin in Camp Randall.
IU and backup QB Jack Tuttle were able to come up with two scoring drives, the defense held on late and allowed two field goals all game long, and now, all the team needs to do is beat Purdue, and it’ll be 7-1 and almost certainly off to a New Year’s Six bowl game.
The Hoosiers were ranked 12th last week before this win, and while they might not move up, they’re certainly not going to move down. Either No. 11 Oklahoma or No. 9 Iowa State will lose the Big 12 Championship, and IU will be a mortal lock one of the big bowls – likely the Fiesta against the Pac-12 champion.
– Week 14 Winners & Losers
– Ohio State looked great: One Really Big Thing
– Not really, but … : Most Overrated Thing
– It’s almost over?: What It All Means, Week 14