Where Do We Go From Here?

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College football is even crazier than any of us thought and most teams have just started scratching their conference schedule. Please begin praying for the College Football Playoff Selection Committee as they may just have the hardest job in sports come December. And through six weeks there are still 10 reasons why. Yes, 10 teams remain undefeated through the first six weeks of the CFP induction year. How's that for a welcoming party? And seven teams were dropped from this elite group over a crazy weekend of football in almost every single conference.

Ranking the Unbeatens
1. Auburn
These guys have been the most convincing undefeated team throughout the first six weeks putting 40+ on two SEC West defenses and going on the road to beat Kansas State two weeks ago. They're averaging 42 points and allowing just 14. That's a recipe for success wherever you go in the country. However, they have a brutal schedule ahead with two road trips through Mississippi's unbeatens, a visit from Kenny Hill and two huge road trips to close out the season (Samford at home is just a scrimmage) visiting Todd Gurley and Georgia before a rematch against a very hungry Alabama Crimson Tide looking to avenge last season's Iron Bowl Kick Six tragedy. Good luck to the War Eagle.
2. Florida State
No, I don't think they are actually a top team in the nation. However, they've somehow won five straight games without clicking as a team throughout four straight quarters. And the Seminoles only have one more game against a ranked opponent and that's in two weeks against the next team on this list. After that, a game against in state rival Florida will likely be the biggest test left, but don't count any ACC team out just yet, these guys know how to throw an upset- Boston College: 37 USC: 31.

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3. Notre Dame
They aren't pretty. There's a lot of mistakes that need to be taken care of in order to stay undefeated. But they've now conquered their first real test of the season by beating Stanford under the watchful gaze of Touchdown Jesus. Take away two bad field goal holds and the game would have been very different, but that's what happens when it's raining as hard as it was in South Bend. Defense, defense, defense. No opponent has scored 20 points on Notre Dame. The showdown in Tallahassee will be the biggest game of the season for the Irish. If they scratch out a win there, no other ranked team will be on their schedule until USC- who just lost to Arizona State.
4. Ole Miss
Take down Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide and that only earns you the second spot in the SEC West. That's how deep this division is and yet three unbeatens still remain. Ole Miss rallied from a 14-3 deficit to go on a 20-3 run. Then Blake Sims made his biggest mistake of the season and threw an interception in the end zone with under a minute to play. Ole Miss now stands 5-0 with a tiebreaker over Alabama, how's that for insurance? A trip to stunned Texas A&M is next up lucky for Ole Miss, they only have three road games left and none of them are to undefeated teams. Granted they are all to SEC West teams.

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5. Mississippi State
Dak Prescott established himself as a dark horse Heisman candidate in the Bulldog's 48-31 demolition of Texas A&M on Saturday. He's now thrown for 1223 yards and 13 touchdowns along with 455 yards and six scores on the ground through five games. But for Mississippi State this was more than just a Dak attack, this was a statement win that they'd been lacking for quite awhile. Now, can they build on that and take out visiting Auburn this weekend? That's a tall order but Prescott and these Bulldogs want to stay on top and back to back top 10 victories would be an unforgettable start.



Tied 6. TCU & Baylor
The Horned Frogs have the bigger win after upending Oklahoma but Baylor has the higher octane offense. However, beyond the Oklahoma game, there's not much to be impressed about for TCU. Shutting out SMU doesn't count as a resume builder. For Baylor, their consistently high scoring has become almost routine but in the win over Texas they didn't break 30 for the first time this season, a cause for concern or a blip on the radar? This one gets settled this weekend in Waco.
8. Arizona
Beat Oregon once and you get a pat on the back from the BCS . Beat Oregon two seasons in a row and you get an undefeated start to your conference schedule, the drivers seat in the PAC 12 South and a spot in the AP top 10. Next up is an extremely confusing USC team who cannot seem to figure out what they will define themselves as this season other than emotional roller coaster enthusiasts.
9. Georgia Tech
A five game win streak gets the Yellow Jackets on the radar... far out there on the radar but still, they're a blip on the CFP radar. Now, if they can get to November 15 without a blemish, we'll be talking about a huge matchup against Clemson and the following week at Georgia. Of course, if they win the Coastal Division even a loss to Clemson or Georgia would be excused. Beat Florida State and the Yellow Jackets either just played their way into the playoff or played spoiler to the Seminoles season. For now, GTech owns their CFP destiny.
10. Marshall
Even though Marshall will most likely win out, Conference USA has almost no real prestige and the Herd won't have any wins over FPI top 50 teams. They'll enjoy a bowl berth and could be trouble for an unsuspecting Power Five team come bowl season.

Dropped the Pass

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A few teams dropped out of the playoff race this weekend highlighted by Oklahoma. Yes, it was a competitive game. Yes, TCU is a good team. And yes, a lot of other top teams lost. However, barring Bob Bowlsby insisting on a conference championship at the end of this season, Oklahoma will not be able to get to 12 wins which will keep them on the outside looking in on New Years. Now, I'll put them on the fence if they manage to win out AND all but two teams go undefeated. Oklahoma better be rooting for a cannibalistic fest in the SEC West.
The others kicked off the train this weekend
BYU- You can't lose when you're BYU and attempting to crash the CFP. You especially can't lose at home to Utah State
LSU- Auburn likes to score and doesn't like sharing the scoreboard. That turned LSU inside-out.
Nebraska- A late rally couldn't save the Cornhuskers' unbeaten season. Best of luck in the Big 10 West.
Wisconsin- Northwestern is really at the top of the Big 10 Eastern Division after a thrilling win over the Badgers
South Carolina- Two interceptions late, one returned for a touchdown, sealed the Gamecocks out of the playoffs. That was only Spurrier's second ever loss to Kentucky.
USC- Two losses won't get the Trojans into the playoff, especially when one of them was to Boston College, not even a PAC 12 Championship is within sight now.
UCLA- Utah wouldn't let the Bruins hang on to a late lead and surged to a 30-28 upset of their previously undefeated host.

We'll Need A Hail Mary
Oregon's loss to Arizona to open up the sixth week of football was bad. Okay, it was shocking, but it won't knock the Ducks from the playoff just yet, they have to roll over the competition and hope Arizona does the same to arrange a rematch in the PAC 12 Championship but it's still doable. They can start it off by beating UCLA on the road next weekend. Good news for the Ducks, the PAC 12 champion has all but a golden ticket into the playoff, especially if these Ducks get there with nothing but an Arizona loss on their plate.
We all knew the SEC West wasn't going to be an easy road. We knew there would be losses by the top teams. We saw the first of that this weekend when Texas A&M got stomped on the road in Mississippi. Then Ole Miss grabbed one from Bama to send the Tide to the middle of the pack again. The top division in college football is down to three unbeatens but still stands out as the crown jewel of FBS glory. Anyway, we knew that at most we'd only be left with one unbeaten in the West and that would take some Auburn magic again.
Michigan State was praying hard for a Top 10 team to lose. Those prayers were answered and then some. It was almost all for naught when the Spartans almost blew a 24 point lead by allowing Nebraska to score 19 unanswered fourth quarter points. But the playoffs are still in reach for Mark Dantonio and Co. as long as they can figure out how to close out games. Only one ranked team remains on their schedule in a home showdown against Ohio State in three weeks.

The Contenders
1. Florida State
2. Auburn
3. Alabama
4. Notre Dame
5. Ole Miss
6. Oregon
7. Michigan State
9. Mississippi State
10. Georgia

And This Week's Heisman Goes To...

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Washington State Quarterback Connor Halliday for throwing for an FBS record 734 yards and six touchdowns this weekend against Cal. The Cougars lost the game 60-59.
Also-rans
Arizona RB Terris Jones-Grigsby with 210 all purpose yards and the game winning touchdown, Ole Miss Defense for holding the Crimson Tide to less than 20 points for the first time since November 5, 2011 when Alabama lost to LSU 9-6, Mississippi State's QB Dak Prescott with 336 all purpose yards and five scores, and Auburn's QB Nick Marshall with 326 all purpose yards and four touchdowns
Honorable Mention
Kentucky's RB Jojo Kemp who ran in for the game tying score even after asking to be taken out two plays before and being denied and subsequently rushing for 43 yards on the wildcat