Reflect on No. 15 Alabama’s dominating 34-0 victory against No. 17 Missouri.

This month’s games have shown that each match is a challenge for the Crimson Tide, who recently experienced a narrow win against South Carolina, flanked by losses to No. 25 Vanderbilt and No. 8 Tennessee. Following those defeats, which threatened their College Football Playoff hopes, their win against Missouri keeps them in contention as we approach November.

Moreover, shutting out the Tigers bolsters Alabama’s credibility ahead of the playoff rankings debuting next week.

One significant lesson from SEC action is that Missouri isn’t a serious competitor. Out of the Tigers’ six wins, half came against teams like Murray State, Buffalo, and Massachusetts. Their other victories were close calls against Boston College, Vanderbilt, and they narrowly beat Auburn last week. Missouri’s performance has rarely indicated they are a formidable force in the SEC.

This report doesn’t offer much insight into Alabama beyond the critical need to avoid upsets against weaker teams.

This point is indeed significant. The Tide underestimated the Commodores and faced a damaging loss. They struggled against South Carolina and mishandled the ball against the Volunteers.

Alabama corrected those mistakes against Missouri by taking advantage of the Tigers’ turnovers. Missouri’s chances of a road win evaporated when starting quarterback Brady Cook was injured and replaced by backup Drew Pyne, a former Notre Dame player, who threw three interceptions.

Employing a predominantly running strategy, Alabama had four players rushing for at least 48 yards, totaling 271 rushing yards and scoring four touchdowns as a unit. This was a much-needed improvement after averaging only 263 yards on 2.8 yards per carry over the last three games.

While facing perhaps the toughest stretch in many years, this victory allows Alabama to move forward into November, eyeing their next critical SEC matchup against No. 7 LSU on November 9 after a bye week.

Here are the top winners and losers from Saturday, including Alabama, Notre Dame, and Ohio State:

Winners

Penn State

In a tough road challenge against Wisconsin, No. 3 Penn State fell behind 10-7 at halftime but regained control in the second half, sealing a 28-13 victory to maintain their unbeaten status. Remarkably, they achieved this without quarterback Drew Allar, who left the game due to injury, with backup Beau Pribula stepping in effectively. Pribula completed 11 of 13 passes for 98 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 28 yards. Additionally, Penn State’s defense stifled a previously in-form Wisconsin offense, making this win significant for their upcoming showdown with No. 4 Ohio State.

Texas A&M

In his inaugural year, No. 14 Texas A&M’s Mike Elko has led the team to a commendable 7-1 record, including a seven-game winning streak after their 38-23 win against No. 7 LSU. Backup quarterback Marcel Reed stepped up for the injured Connor Weigman, contributing significantly with 70 passing yards and 62 rushing yards along with three touchdowns. With this victory, Texas A&M stands as the only SEC team left unbeaten, paving their way toward a playoff spot as they gear up for upcoming matches against South Carolina, New Mexico State, Auburn, and Texas.

Kansas State

No. 16 Kansas State capitalized on a crucial mistake by Kansas during the Sunflower Showdown, extending their winning streak against their rivals to 16 games. With just three minutes remaining and leading 27-26, Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels fumbled, giving Kansas State the opportunity to kick a game-winning 51-yard field goal. The Wildcats prevailed 29-27, keeping them competitive in the Big 12 race with a significant matchup against No. 10 Iowa State next. Quarterback Avery Johnson showcased his talent with 253 passing yards and three total touchdowns, while DJ Giddens rushed for 102 yards, helping uplift Kansas State to a 7-1 record. In contrast, this loss adds to the 2-6 Jayhawks’ struggles this season.

Notre Dame

No. 11 Notre Dame excelled against No. 24 Navy, resulting in a decisive 51-14 win, marking their third victory over a ranked opponent this season after earlier triumphs against Texas A&M and Louisville. The Fighting Irish took advantage of Navy’s mistakes, with quarterback Riley Leonard accumulating 261 yards and three touchdowns, contributing to a running game that amassed 265 yards at an impressive average of 6.6 yards per carry, while the defense forced six turnovers.

Oregon

Oregon has ramped up momentum following their exhilarating victory against No. 4 Ohio State earlier this month. After defeating Purdue last Friday, the Ducks dominated No. 21 Illinois with a convincing 38-9 score, solidifying their status as the No. 1 team in the US LBM Coaches Poll. Illinois, coming off a commendable win against Michigan, faced challenges right from their first drive — an 83-yard touchdown drive that set the scene for the day. Oregon amassed 527 yards in offense, prevented Illinois from scoring until late in the third quarter, and continued to assert themselves as a formidable contender in the Big Ten. Dillon Gabriel threw for an additional three touchdowns for the Ducks, maintaining a record of multiple touchdowns in every game this season.

Texas

The No. 6 Longhorns successfully navigated an upset bid from Vanderbilt, resurrecting a winning streak after last week’s defeat to No. 2 Georgia. The match concluded with a close 27-24 outcome, showcasing a resurgence from Quinn Ewers, who completed 27 of 37 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns, though he did throw two interceptions. The Commodores were resilient, managing to bounce back from a 21-7 deficit in the second quarter to close the gap to within a touchdown as they entered the final quarter. Thanks to quarterback Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt was nearly able to tie or win the game with an onside kick recovery in the dying moments. It’s astonishing to note that Vanderbilt now stands as the highlight of Texas’s season so far.

North Carolina

While the future of Mack Brown at North Carolina remains uncertain, the team’s 41-14 victory over Virginia brings some stability following a four-game losing streak, putting the Tar Heels back in contention for a bowl game. On defense, UNC allowed only 288 yards, a remarkable improvement from their previous average of 41.5 points surrendered per game during the losing streak, which included a staggering 70 points against James Madison and 41 to Georgia Tech. The Tar Heels recorded 10 sacks, caused two turnovers, and restricted the Cavaliers to a mere 7 yards on 29 attempts.

Tulane

After close losses to No. 16 Kansas State and Oklahoma earlier in the season, Tulane has re-entered the playoff conversation, securing four consecutive wins in the American Athletic Conference. Their recent match, a 45-37 victory over North Texas, could be the Green Wave’s best performance this year. Tulane had to fend off a late surge from the Mean Green, who narrowed the gap after trailing 45-24 at the end of the third quarter. While No. 19 Boise State continues to control their fate after a Friday night victory over UNLV, Tulane is positioning themselves well should Boise stumble in the pursuit of the Mountain West title.

Brigham Young

No. 12 BYU is continuing to defy expectations as they unexpectedly aim for an unbeaten regular season. Following last week’s narrow victory over Oklahoma State, the Cougars had a smoother game against Central Florida, winning 37-24 with quarterback Jake Retzlaff accounting for 266 yards and three touchdowns. You may still be skeptical about BYU’s potential playoff contention; however, their upcoming schedule featuring matchups against Utah, Kansas, Arizona State, and Houston gives them a legitimate chance.

Losers

Ohio State

Ohio State’s narrow 21-17 victory over Nebraska raises some concerns. This is a Nebraska squad that recently lost 56-7 to Indiana and entered this game as about 25-point underdogs. It’s notable that the Cornhuskers not only performed better but even led Ohio State 17-14 in the fourth quarter, indicating a possible positive trend for second-year coach Matt Rhule. However, the Buckeyes’ near defeat in their home opener, following a loss to Oregon, doesn’t bode well ahead of their trip to State College. A close call at home could, however, be the wake-up call Ohio State needs before facing the Nittany Lions.

Oklahoma

In the first half against No. 18 Mississippi, it seemed as if Brent Venables’ decision to replace offensive coordinator Seth Littrell was yielding results: Oklahoma amassed 235 yards, with 125 yards on the ground, and held a 14-10 lead. Unfortunately, they managed only 94 yards with no points in the second half, leading to a 26-14 defeat, highlighting the limitations of midseason coaching changes in a team struggling offensively. One silver lining was quarterback Jackson Arnold’s solid performance, throwing multiple touchdowns without any interceptions for the first time since their opening game against Temple.

Florida State

After showing slight improvement in their last game against Duke, the Seminoles reverted to form against No. 5 Miami, suffering a 36-14 loss that lowers their record to an astonishing 1-7, effectively killing any hopes of a second-half turnaround for respectability. Florida State managed just 248 yards in the game, converting only three third downs, averaging a mere 3.6 yards per pass attempt, and putting forth little resistance against the leading team in the ACC. Remarkably, Florida State has become the first team in 70 years to begin a season 1-7 following an unbeaten regular season.

Kentucky

In a season characterized by oddities, Kentucky has stood out for their unpredictability. They came close against Georgia, defeated Mississippi, yet fell to South Carolina, Florida, and more recently, Auburn. The struggling Auburn team managed to secure a 24-10 victory over Kentucky, marking a step up after a tough season under Hugh Freeze. Kentucky’s offense was lackluster against the Tigers, and the defense performed even worse, allowing Auburn’s running back Jarquez Hunter to gain a staggering 278 yards at an astounding 12.1 yards per carry, surpassing Kentucky’s entire rushing total. The Wildcats are poised to miss the postseason for the first time in a non-COVID year since 2015, in Mark Stoops’ third year with the team.

Texas-San Antonio

UTSA suffered the most bewildering loss of the day, falling to Tulsa in a remarkably strange fashion. The Roadrunners jumped out to a 14-0 lead after the first quarter, extended it to 35-7 by halftime, and held a 42-24 lead after three quarters. However, they were outscored 22-3 in the final quarter, resulting in a 46-45 defeat that could be regarded as the most shocking in the program’s history. Tulsa, trailing 45-32 with just five minutes left, managed to orchestrate a comeback with a 6-minute drive culminating in a field goal, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of college football.

The Golden Hurricane completed a 75-yard drive to close the gap to 45-39 with just 2:26 left in the game. They successfully stopped their opponents and followed up with a swift 92-yard drive, scoring in eight plays to take the lead with just over a minute remaining. The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has been recognized as one of the leading programs in the Group of Five since Jeff Traylor, a former Texas assistant, took over in 2020. However, their performance this season has been disappointing. Initially expected to finish second in the American Athletic Conference preseason standings, the Roadrunners must win three out of their four upcoming games next month to qualify for a bowl game.

(New information has been included in this report.)