This college football weekend was filled with unexpected turns and significant implications for the playoff race. Matt Hayes shares his insights in the First-and-10 column, focusing on the pressing issues across the nation as Week 8 approaches.

1. Georgia: The Crucial Moment

The truth is unmistakable: when Georgia faces Texas this Saturday, it will be the most vital game for the program under coach Kirby Smart.

This matchup is more significant than the first national championship in over 40 years or another title the following year.

This is about the present, particularly regarding Georgia’s position at the top of college football’s best conference.

The question now is whether Georgia, coming off an unusual loss to Alabama earlier this season, still embodies its former greatness.

Or are we witnessing the inevitable decline that often befalls dominant programs?

“I want to see them play their best game against Texas,” Smart remarked at his Monday press conference. “Simply put, we have not put forth our best effort.”

The pressing question is: why?

Why has a team ranked among the top two or three nationally—once masters of high-stakes games—struggled to live up to expectations?

Injuries to key positions like the offensive line and wide receiver, a weakened pass rush, and a secondary that is inconsistent in one-on-one situations all contribute to a Georgia team that looks quite different from the powerhouse that dominated college football over the past three years.

The result is a Georgia squad that, in the simplest terms, doesn’t resemble its former self. In other words: while I can’t quite explain it, I can certainly recognize what Georgia football should look like, and this is not it.

2. The Drop in Defensive Performance

Under Smart, Georgia has built a strong reputation for having a dominant defensive unit. However, certain statistics this season indicate a decline.

This season, Georgia’s scoring defense averages 17.2 points per game, and total defense stands at 312.5 yards per game—both higher than in previous years. But the critical issue lies in their ability to stop opponents on third downs. Last year, Georgia led the nation in third-down defense, allowing only 25.7% conversions, and was second the year prior with 26.6%.

This year, that number has risen dramatically to 32.9%, meaning they’re giving up nearly one in three third-down attempts.

The once potent pass rush has become less effective, lacking in producing sacks. Over six games, the Bulldogs have recorded just 11 sacks, which has resulted in coverage breakdowns in the secondary and fewer forced turnovers.

They currently rank 110th nationally, forcing only five turnovers this season.

Although the defense allows a respectable average of about ten big plays (10 or more yards) per game, nine of the total 64 this season have gone for 30 or more yards—nine.

In their recent game, Georgia surrendered 31 points to a struggling Mississippi State team led by a true freshman quarterback. Two weeks ago, Alabama scored 30 points within the first 28 minutes against Georgia.

Regardless of how you analyze the situation, it looks problematic.

3. The Moment of Truth

A defeat against Texas won’t completely eliminate Georgia from contention for the College Football Playoff or the SEC championship, but it will severely limit their options with teams like Texas, Alabama, Texas A&M, and LSU vying for position.

This scenario also raises a concerning question: have off-field issues at Georgia started to impact their performance on the field? Could the trend of undisciplined behavior since their initial national title have finally led to chaotic on-field performance?

Nick Saban, Smart’s mentor and one of the sport’s most successful coaches, believed that the way players conduct their lives off the field directly affects their on-field performance.

Georgia has struggled off the field for nearly three years, and now the combination of injuries and reduced depth due to 24 transfer portal departures—including edge defender Marvin Jones Jr. and linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson—has left a once-proficient team trying to maintain its standards with a thinned-out depth chart battling injuries.

They have relied on raw talent but were laid bare in their loss to Alabama. When teams are equally matched, Georgia’s deep reserves no longer make them the automatic favorites like before.

This could pave the way for a new team to rise to the top of the SEC after this weekend.

4. Undefeated and Unlikely

As we reach the halfway point of what has already been an unforgettable season, we are left with the remarkable fact that there are 11 undefeated teams, none of which will face each other for the remainder of the regular season.

If you thought the 2007 season was bizarre, brace yourself for the unfolding events of this year.

Oregon, Penn State, and Indiana may finish the Big Ten season without a loss, while Miami and Pittsburgh could do the same in the ACC. BYU and Iowa State might remain unbeaten in the Big 12, with Army and Navy competing in the American. Lastly, Texas in the SEC and Liberty in Conference USA could also come out unscathed.

5. The Weekly Five: Florida State’s Decline

Here are the top five disappointments from the first half of the season.

1. Florida State: Sitting at number one in disappointment. Almost everything that could have gone wrong has gone catastrophically worse.

2. Kansas QB Jalon Daniels: Once seen as the frontrunner for the Big 12’s 2023 preseason player of the year with 7 touchdowns and 8 interceptions; the Jayhawks have only managed to secure one win against FCS Lindenwood.

3. Auburn coach Hugh Freeze: Despite being known as a quarterback specialist, he has yet to find a reliable starting quarterback after two seasons.

4. Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold: The overhyped five-star recruit was benched early in the season.

5. TCU: The Frogs have a disappointing record of 8-11 since their appearance in the 2022 national championship game, having lost six out of their last eight Big 12 matches.

6. NFL Scout’s Insight on Minnesota OT Aireontae Ersery

An NFL scout offers an analysis of a player eligible for the draft, wishing to remain anonymous to safeguard his team’s preparation.

“His significant attributes start with his large, powerful build (6-foot-6, 325 pounds) and his fluid movements. I am highly impressed with him. He appears to make it look easy, yet he has a fierce competitive spirit and a gritty mindset. He’s still raw, having only started playing football in high school during his junior year. His grip needs to improve for reliability, but he has a tremendous potential and a willingness to develop.”

7. Power Play: Miami Faces a Trap Game

This week’s College Football Playoff Power Poll highlights one major event.

1. Texas: If they defeat Georgia on Saturday, they can relax until their season finale against Texas A&M.

2. Oregon: Coach Dan Lanning has found a way to secure a key victory. It’s time to build on that success.

3. Miami: This week is tricky with a challenging matchup against a potent Louisville passing attack led by quarterback Tyler Shough.

4. BYU: With Utah quarterback Cam Rising sidelined indefinitely, the Cougars are likely to be favored in all their remaining regular season games.

5. Ohio State: They have three top-notch receivers with great speed, but failed to utilize them effectively against Oregon. That needs to change.

6. Georgia: It is the perfect moment for quarterback Carson Beck to assert his leadership and elevate his game.

7. Penn State: Beating a desperate (and talented) conference rival while traveling cross country should not be taken lightly.

8. Iowa State: They boast the strongest defense in the Big 12 (11.0 ppg) and possess a highly underrated wide-receiver pair in Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins (68 receptions, 8 combined touchdowns).

9. LSU: The defense is started to find its rhythm, while the offense keeps making clutch plays when necessary.

10. Clemson: The Tigers are piling up victories and building confidence, with only a game against Pittsburgh (Nov. 16) standing between them and an unbeaten ACC regular season.

11. Alabama: The Tide ranks 15th out of 16 SEC teams in total defense (437 yards per game) and 14th in scoring defense (33 points per game) during SEC competitions.

12. Boise State: The three-point loss to Oregon is looking particularly significant now.

13. Tennessee: A challenging couple of weeks for QB Nico Iamaleava, as he struggled against a tough road environment at Arkansas and vs. a rival at home (Florida): 0 touchdowns, 1 interception, and an average of 5.9 yards per attempt.

14. Notre Dame: Regardless of how it’s perceived, two wins against ranked teams (Texas A&M, Louisville) have been overshadowed by a home loss to Northern Illinois.

15. Texas A&M: The Aggies are performing at a high level, rivaling anyone else in the SEC.

16. Kansas State: A tough, gritty win at Colorado is significant for a team that is beginning to sync up on both sides of the ball.

8. Mail Bonding: The Game Plan for Alabama

Matt: What seems to be amiss with Alabama’s offense? It’s starting to resemble the Tommy Rees scheme from last season, — Jerald Downing, Birmingham, Ala.

Jerald: There’s not necessarily a problem with the offense, but one key player is missing from the game plan: explosive freshman WR Ryan Williams.

It’s almost negligent that a talent like Williams has handled the ball only eight times across the last two games (7 receptions, 1 rush).

If I were Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer, I would walk into the offensive meeting and make it clear: regardless of the play calls, I demand that Ryan Williams gets the ball 15 times a game, by any means necessary.

So far this season, Alabama has executed 360 plays, and their most dynamic player has seen the ball just 24 times (23 catches, 1 rush), which is merely 6.6 percent of the offense.

9. The Numbers Game: California’s Journey

7,567. Cal is just a few plays away from an impressive 6-0 record, with losses to Florida State, Miami, and Pittsburgh by a mere eight points combined.

Two of these games (against FSU and Pitt) involved lengthy road trips, part of a three-game series on the road (including a victory at Auburn) that has totaled 7,567 miles of travel.

And the journey is far from over.

Cal still has road trips to Wake Forest and SMU ahead, with the trek to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, being the longest of the season (2,743 miles). The total miles traveled this season for Cal reaches 12,034 miles.

10. Final Thoughts: Watch Out for the Hogs

While I hesitate to say it, I am compelled to mention: Arkansas, the team that finally secured a narrow, crucial victory, may be on the brink of a successful run.

They’ve had two weeks to prepare for an LSU team that isn’t particularly strong in any department. Following that, the schedule becomes interesting.

The latter part of the season — away at Mississippi State, against Ole Miss, home games against Texas and Louisiana-Lafayette, and a trip to Missouri — is manageable. By the end of November, Arkansas may be extending the contract of their troubled coach Sam Pitman instead of parting ways with him.