College Football Risers and Fallers After Week 10 - 2024 College Football

Week 10 was yet again another thrilling slate of college football. Headlined by Ohio State’s big road win at Penn State, contenders rose to the occasion in some spots and fell short in others.

Along with Penn State losing, Iowa State suffered its first loss at the hands of Texas Tech. Clemson also suffered its first ACC blow, while SMU beat down Pitt to join a continuously surging Miami squad at the top of the conference.

Texas A&M’s playoff hopes took a blow at the hands of South Carolina, while teams like Ole Miss, Indiana, Georgia, and Tennessee capitalized. The playoff landscape was drastically altered before Tuesday’s first edition of the rankings -- let’s dig into risers and fallers.

Stock Up

Colorado Buffaloes

Coach Prime’s team is on the rise following a bye week. With Iowa State suffering an upset loss at the hands of Texas Tech, the Buffs are right back in the Big 12 race. Colorado is tied for second place in the conference with one loss, even with Iowa State.

Colorado is now tied for 2nd in the Big 12 and is in play for a Conference Championship 🔥

- Kansas State lost to Houston
- Iowa State lost to Texas Tech #SkoBuffs 🦬 pic.twitter.com/kwmN8Dqv3C

— We Coming 🦬 (@SkoBuffsGoBuffs) November 2, 2024

Since Colorado does not play Iowa State, it does not directly control its destiny. The tiebreaker could end up getting interesting if both teams win out. Below is the Big 12’s tiebreaker rules:

A.) The tied teams will be compared based on their head-to-head record during the season.

B.) The tied teams will be compared based on win percentage against all common conference opponents.

C.) The tied teams will be compared based on win percentage against the next highest-placed common opponent in the standings (based on the record in all games played within the conference) proceeding through the standings.

D.) The tied teams will be compared based on the combined win percentage in conference games of conference opponents.

E.) The tied teams will be compared based on the total number of wins in a 12-game season.

F.) The representative will be chosen based on the highest ranking by SportSource Analytics (team rating score metric) following the last weekend of regular-season games.

G.) The representative will be chosen by a coin toss.

If both Colorado and Iowa State win out, they will end with one loss each (Colorado to Kansas State, Iowa State to Texas Tech). With Iowa State still set to play Kansas State and Colorado taking on Texas Tech this coming weekend, the tiebreaker would fall to “C.”

Whichever team between Kansas State or Texas Tech ends up finishing the season stronger would then determine who gets the title game bid between Iowa State and Colorado.

Of course, this is all if both teams win out. I’ll say it right now that it will not happen. The Big 12 is full of surprises, and with a month remaining in the season, we will see plenty more surprises. Iowa State’s loss did, however, open up the door for Colorado to sneak into the Big 12 title game and the College Football Playoff.

Kurtis Rourke, QB, Indiana

Indiana’s leader returned this week and the results were astonishing. Kurtis Rourke went 19-of-29 for 263 yards and four touchdowns en route to a 47-10 victory over Michigan State, leaving his throwing hand injury in the past.

The Ohio University transfer has been everything that Curt Cignetti has asked for in his first year at the helm of the Indiana football program. Rourke’s performance this season has put him in consideration to be a late-round NFL draft pick and he only further proved his importance in his return.

SMU Mustangs

SMU has torn through the ACC in its first year in the conference. Behind the stellar play of sophomore quarterback Kevin Jennings, the Mustangs are just three games away from an undefeated conference season and four games away from a College Football Playoff berth.

“Kevin Jennings may be the most underrated player in the country.”

Coach Saban with some high praise for QB1 🗣️

(via @CollegeGameDay) pic.twitter.com/MLlLV0rk4n

— SMU Football (@SMUFB) November 2, 2024

With everything on the line in a big-time night game, SMU picked Pitt apart for a 48-25 win. Jennings topped 300 yards passing, Brashard Smith rushed for 161 and two scores, and this team continues to fire on all cylinders. Oh, and Clemson lost. All SMU has to do now is beat Boston College, Virginia, and California.

P.J. Fleck, Minnesota

P.J. Fleck has caught a lot of flack over the years, and it appeared that nothing had changed after a 2-3 start that included home losses to North Carolina and Iowa. Then, the Gophers upset USC. 

A few weeks later, Minnesota is bowl-eligible and riding a four-game winning streak. Quarterback Max Brosmer has elevated his play, Darius Taylor looks like one of the best running backs in the nation, and the defense has been playing at near-elite levels ever since being gashed by Michigan on the ground in September.

This team isn’t headed to any conference championship game or the playoff, but Fleck’s squad continues to play hard. Penn State comes to town in a few weeks -- Fleck will be looking for a signature win.

Stock Down

Clemson Tigers

Dabo Swinney’s team had looked dominant since the Week 1 loss to Georgia, but the Tigers stumbled this week at home against Louisville in a game that was dominated from start to finish by the Cardinals.

Two losses for an ACC team is more than likely enough to eliminate any playoff hopes -- and to resume the end of the Dabo era talks that have clouded this team the past few seasons.

James Franklin, Penn State

He beats the teams he’s supposed to beat, but Penn State’s head man once again could not get the job done against Ohio State on his home turf. Franklin is now 1-10 against the Buckeyes in his career, and Nittany Lion fans are clamoring for the team to move on despite the otherwise stellar start to the season.

Maybe don’t go 1-14 against Top 5 teams, and you wouldn’t have to verbally go after fans from the school you coach at. Then you wonder why James Franklin gets the reputation for being unlikable pic.twitter.com/8zjgXqsEOX

— Jason Shetler (@Jason_Shetler) November 2, 2024

Franklin will have the opportunity to sneak into the playoff and make noise to recapture the fan base’s love, but for now, his stock is trending downward.

Liberty Flames

One of the preseason favorites to make the CFP as the Group of 5 after qualifying for a New Year’s Six bowl game a season ago, it appears that Liberty has flamed out. Last week, it suffered a loss to Kennesaw State (1-7). This week, it dropped a second straight game.

Despite having one of the easiest schedules in college football, this team has failed to take advantage, and it is safe to say it isn’t what we thought it was going into the season.

Sherrone Moore, Michigan

Michigan’s first-year head coach continues to have a rough debut season, most recently falling in Ann Arbor at the hands of the No. 1 team in the nation. The Wolverines are 1-3 in their last four games, have sifted through three quarterbacks, and are quickly trending in a downward spiral.

With the team struggling and sanctions pending, Sherrone Moore’s time as the head man in Ann Arbor may be short-lived.

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