For the first time in a long time, there are no elite college football teams. Yet. And before you hop into my DMs, Texas and Ohio State fans, just know that your favorite teams are on a different level than everybody else.
Even so, it’s hard to label any program as far and away the best team in the sport. Yes, the Longhorns and the Buckeyes should be applauded for taking care of business thus far. Texas’ win against Michigan was very impressive, even.
But it still feels like both teams have left a lot on the table. Week 7, when Texas has to play No. 19 Oklahoma and Ohio State travels to No. 6 Oregon for its first game against a ranked opponent all year, will be a real litmus test for where those squads are actually at.
Otherwise, there’s genuine parity around the nation. Eight ranked teams lost during a wild Week 6 slate, including five in the top 11. Seven of those results came against unranked teams.
Both No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Tennessee fell on the road against unranked opponents in Vanderbilt and Arkansas, respectively. It’s the first time in SEC history that two top-5 teams have lost to two teams outside of the top 25 in the same day.
All of this in a year where 12 teams make the College Football Playoff. Suddenly that race looks a whole lot more interesting — and way more crowded. So much for the regular season not mattering anymore.
Josh Heupel won’t get Tennessee to next level
Everything lined up perfectly for Tennessee. The Vols looked like one of the most dominant teams in college football throughout the first five weeks. They cleared a huge hurdle by beating then-No. 15 Oklahoma, by double digits, on the road, setting up a path to the College Football Playoff that should have been easy to walk.
Just avoid any major meltdowns. Mission failed, miserably. Off of a bye week, the Vols went on the road and lost 19-14 to an unranked Arkansas team that hadn’t won at home against a top-5 team since 1999… against No. 3 Tennessee.
Saturday’s result would be shocking, if this wasn’t Josh Heupel’s Tennessee. The fourth-year Vols coach has consistently shown, throughout his tenure, that he doesn’t have what it takes to get the Vols through to the next level.
This is now the third year in a row that Tennessee has been derailed by a baffling road game it had no business losing. In 2022, it was against South Carolina, as the Gamecocks dismantled the Vols and their College Football Playoff hopes. Last year, it was Florida, which handed No. 11 Tennessee a 29-16 loss to open SEC play.
It’s been the same problems every time. Entirely undisciplined play that leads to avoidable penalties — for instance, in the loss to Arkansas, Tennessee had a running into the punter call early in the fourth quarter that extended Arkansas’ drive deep in its own territory and allowed it to score a field goal, cutting Tennessee’s lead to 14-13. A poor offensive line that can’t deal with a modicum of opposing crowd noise. A quarterback that looks unprepared for the moment.
Tennessee’s road letdowns are a feature, not a bug, and it’s going to keep Heupel from elevating his ceiling. Four years with no meaningful adjustments to change that is a huge red flag.
Texas A&M is an SEC, playoff threat
Especially since the league looks more open than ever. Texas A&M hit a home run with the hiring of Mike Elko. Following Saturday’s 41-10 win against No. 9 Missouri — Texas A&M’s largest win against a top-10 team in program history — the Aggies are 3-0 in SEC play for the first time since 2016.
For those keeping track, that’s pre-Jimbo Fisher. Elko has completely changed the culture. The Aggies play hard for him, and there’s a passion around the team that hasn’t been seen in a long time.
Of course, given Elko’s track record, the defense is dominant. Purdue transfer Nic Scourton has been a revelation. He’s emerged as one of the nation’s best defenders, regardless of position, and the talented edge rusher had his coming-out-party against the Tigers with 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Offensively, Texas A&M got the best version of quarterback Conner Weigman, who missed the last three games with a shoulder injury. He carved Missouri’s defense up with 18 completions for 276 yards. Though he didn’t have a touchdown, he kept drives moving and made some big throws to spark the Aggies.
The Texas A&M team that showed up on Saturday has SEC Championship Game potential. The schedule, which has just two ranked games remaining — both at home against No. 13 LSU and No. 2 Texas — certainly lends itself to a prominent postseason appearance.
Ashton Jeanty is running away with the Heisman
This comes with the caveat that there has been a different Heisman Trophy favorite every single week. But while players like Jalen Milroe and Dillon Gabriel have struggled with consistency, Ashton Jeanty remains one of college football’s elite players no matter the day, opponent or venue.
He reached 1,000 yards rushing on the year Saturday — in the first half of Boise State’s fifth game in 2024. He also did it without reaching 100 total carries, which is absurd. Not to mention the fact that his three touchdowns in a 62-30 win against Utah State gives him 16 touchdowns on the year.
Derrick Henry, the last running back to win the Heisman, had 23 touchdowns over 13 games. Jeanty’s averaging just under 11 yards per carry, and his production per touch rises with each game he plays. That completely bucks convention.
Jeanty is already putting up silly numbers. His final stat line could, and probably will, enter Barry Sanders territory. His team is a legitimate College Football Playoff competitor, largely behind his legs. He checks all the boxes for a Heisman winner and absolutely should take the stage in New York come December.
Colorado’s Travis Hunter is about the only player that has a legitimate say otherwise. He and Jeanty are a joy to watch.
Drew Cronic should win the Broyles Award
A lot of awards talk in this week’s column. Navy is in the midst of a huge turnaround under second-year coach Brian Newberry, who has the Midshipmen emerging as one of the Group of Five’s top teams. Drew Cronic is a huge reason why. The former Mercer coach has completely transformed Navy’s offense.
The Mids are still running the triple option, so there’s no cause for concern there. Cronic has evolved it with an effective passing game, though, adding a dimension that defenses haven’t been prepared for thus far.
Quarterback Blake Horvath has been the perfect man to run the show. He has thrown for at least 100 yards in all five of Navy’s wins. Saturday’s 34-7 victory against Air Force was the first game in which he didn’t have at least one passing touchdown.
Navy also scored its 218th point of the season against the Falcons. It had 212 points in 12 games last year. Again, the Midshipmen have played five games thus far.
Cronic’s play calling is so unique, and fresh. He uses the motion that defenses expect from a triple option and turns their preparation on its head. On one fourth-and-2 versus Air Force, late in the first quarter, Cronic dialed up a play that initially looked like a speed option to the left side of the field.
Nathan Kent, lined up as a wide receiver, started running the opposite direction and took a pitch between the quarterback and running back. He then housed the reverse from 34 yards out, racing into green grass since Air Force’s defense was helplessly out of position, to give Navy a 14-0 lead.
That was just one example of the creative wrinkles Cronic has introduced amid Navy’s offensive ascension. He is doing some incredible work in Annapolis and deserves the appropriate recognition.
Also, Coach Cronic is an award-worthy moniker.
