Big Ten Football

The Ohio State Buckeyes have thrown a wrench into the Big Ten's Cinderella story via a thrilling 42-35 win over the Indiana Hoosiers at the Horseshoe on Saturday. 

Indiana has been one of the best stories in college football this season. The program entered this marquee matchup ranked in the Top 10 of the Associated Press poll for the first time since 1969 and was seeking its first 5-0 start since 1967. 

The Buckeyes have historically dominated the Hoosiers. They came into this game with a 75-12-5 record against their Big Ten rivals and had won 24 straight games dating back to 1991 by an average margin of 22.7 points. 

Justin Fields looked human early in the game for the first time this season. He threw three interceptions, with two coming on his first five pass attempts. Ohio State's defense bailed him out on those early turnovers by holding the Hoosiers out of the end zone in the first quarter. 

The Buckeyes looked like they had taken control of the game with a 21-point second quarter to carry a 28-7 lead into halftime. 

Indiana stormed back with a 28-7 run after falling behind by four scores, but its comeback bid fell short when Ohio State's defense got two stops on the final two drives.

        

Notable Game Stats

• Justin Fields, QB, OSU: 18-30, 300 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT; 15 carries, 78 yards, TD
• Master Teague III, RB, OSU: 26 carries, 169 yards, 2 TD 
• Garrett Wilson, WR, OSU: 7 receptions, 169 yards, 2 TD
• Chris Olave, WR, OSU: 8 receptions, 101 yards
• Michael Penix Jr., QB, IU: 27-51, 491 yards, 5 TD, INT
• Ty Fryfogle, WR, IU: 7 receptions, 218 yards, 3 TD
• Miles Marshall, WR, IU: 4 receptions, 89 yards

        

Running Game Lifts OSU amid Fields' Passing Struggles

It's been easy to overlook Ohio State's running game through its first three games because Fields wasn't throwing incomplete passes. He had 11 combined incompletions against Rutgers, Penn State and Nebraska. 

On Saturday, though, Fields showed cracks in the armor that made him a Heisman front-runner.

Some of the credit goes to Indiana's defense, which was doing a good job containing the receivers and forcing Fields to stand in the pocket longer than he wanted. But he also made bad throws that resulted in easy turnovers. 

Justin Fields INTs vs Big Ten teams coming into today: 1

Justin Fields INTs in first quarter vs Indiana: 2 pic.twitter.com/3DyYEh2olR

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 21, 2020

BIG MAN PICK 🔥@IndianaFootball intercepts Justin Fields for the second time this game! pic.twitter.com/0eSnWxlQmz

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 21, 2020

This doesn't mean Fields was all bad when he dropped back to pass. His first completion of the game was to Garrett Wilson for 65 yards. The junior superstar had 74 of Ohio State's 75 yards to open the second half, including a nine-yard touchdown pass to Wilson.

But this game belonged to Master Teague III and the Buckeyes running attack. Fields also played a big role in this area with a season-high 78 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.

🙌 @OhioStateFB ends the half strong with this @justnfields TD! pic.twitter.com/IdqEJOJOlU

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 21, 2020

Teague, who entered Saturday averaging a career-low 4.5 yards per carry, had his breakout game. The entire Buckeyes offense at one point was outrushing Indiana by 254 yards:

and yet it's only a 2-score game ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ pic.twitter.com/JLo3IwgHGF

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 21, 2020

The rushing margin actually increased by the end of the game, with Ohio State having 307 yards on the ground to minus-one for Indiana.

Another emerging issue for Ohio State head coach Ryan Day is on defense. His team has allowed at least 25 points in each of the past three games.

Indiana's offense was inconsistent, but it had four touchdown drives of at least 60 yards and a fifth that came on a 56-yard pass to Ty Fryfogle. Michael Penix Jr. averaged 9.9 yards per completion and kept the Hoosiers close until the end.

One hallmark of a great team is winning when you don't play your best game. Ohio State didn't look at its best against a good Indiana squad but did enough to escape with a victory and remain undefeated. 

                

Hoosiers Prove Themselves as Legit in Defeat

Given the unusual circumstances under which this season is being played, it was fair to wonder how much of Indiana's initial success was earned.

This program has only been ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 once since 1995 (Week 11 in 2019). The Hoosiers' wins were against Penn State, Michigan, Rutgers and Michigan State, four teams with a combined record of 3-13 entering Saturday. 

Through the first 33 minutes of game time against Ohio State, it looked like Indiana was being exposed by a good team. The Buckeyes scored four unanswered touchdowns to take a 35-7 lead with 12:10 remaining in the third quarter. 

#Buckeyes march downfield to begin second half. Justin Fields with his second TD. It’s 35-7 Ohio State. Indiana’s inability to convert Fields’ early mistakes prevented any chance for the upset.

— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) November 21, 2020

Hi.

Ohio State just marched down the field to take a 35-7 lead over previously undefeated and top-10 Indiana.

Bye.

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) November 21, 2020

From that point on, Indiana came to life and looked like the No. 9 team in the nation. The combination of Penix and Ty Fryfogle continued picking secondaries apart. 

🗣 @Ty_Fry3 fried him!@IndianaFootball is not going away quietly in this one pic.twitter.com/tT9l6BtNyi

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 21, 2020

https://twitter.com/NicoleAuerbach/status/1330243857771008001

I know this seemed like a joke last week, but, have you seen what Ty Fryfogle is doing against a top 3 team?
7 recs, 223yds, 3 TD!
(game isn't over yet) https://t.co/rzInRZwrep

— Mike Hall (@MikeHallHere) November 21, 2020

The program showed improvement under head coach Tom Allen last season with an 8-5 record. It was the first winning season for the Hoosiers since 2007 and their most wins in a campaign since 1993 (8-4). 

Now in his sophomore season, Penix looks to have taken a significant leap. He threw for 1,394 yards and 10 touchdowns with a 68.8 completion percentage in 2019 while splitting time with Peyton Ramsey. 

Fryfogle is putting himself in the race for the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver, with at least 200 yards in back-to-back games. 

There were even positives to take away from the defense, even though it gave up 42 points. Fields turned the ball over three times after not having an interception in the previous three games and was under constant pressure. 

Indiana put itself on the national radar against Ohio State, even though the result wasn't what the team was hoping for.

              

What's Next?

Indiana will return home next Saturday for a matchup against Maryland. Ohio State will play the first of two straight road games next Saturday when it travels to Champaign to take on Illinois. 

Former Penn State defensive back Isaiah Humphries told university investigators that Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin advised him not to contact police following a fight with teammate Micah Parsons.

ESPN's John Barr obtained a draft of the investigation's findings, which stated Humphries and Parsons were involved in an altercation in March 2018 that included Humphries pulling out a knife when Parsons would not stop choking him. The defensive back, who has since transferred to Cal and is suing Penn State, said he met with Franklin after the fight.

"Mr. Humphries added that Coach Franklin came and said, 'Don't talk to the police because Micah is his start [sic] player and makes money, so if he gets in trouble, he's gone,' meaning Mr. Humphries would be gone," report read.

A Penn State spokesperson told Barr, "Franklin has made it clear that he did not instruct Mr. Humphries to avoid contacting authorities."

Humphries' suit alleges Parsons, defensive tackle Damion Barber and defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos sexually harassed him during their time as teammates. Barber allegedly said he was going to "Sandusky" Humphries, referencing former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who is in prison after being convicted on 45 counts of sexual assault and rape of young boys.

Two players interviewed for the report said Barber would simulate sex acts while naked in front of other players and sometimes inappropriately touch them. Some allegations were disputed, including one player saying Humphries "lies for no reason."

Barber, Gross-Matos and Parsons did not respond to requests to comment from ESPN. Gross-Matos and Parsons are not alleged to have made inappropriate contact with teammates.

Penn State and Franklin filed paperwork seeking to have Humphries' lawsuit dismissed.

ESPN's College GameDay show has looked different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and last week was a perfect example of that. With the Masters taking place at Augusta National Golf Course in November rather than April, the show was broadcast from the tournament venue for the first time.

For Week 12, Kirk Herbstreit and the crew are headed to Norman, Oklahoma, for the annual Bedlam game between No. 14 Oklahoma State and No. 18 Oklahoma.

Saturday's appearance by the Sooners represents their 38th time hosting the show, the third most behind Alabama, Ohio State and Florida. However, there will be no rowdy audience behind the desk, and everyone's favorite grandpa, Lee Corso, will join the broadcast remotely from his home.

The showdown between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State won't be the only Top 25 matchup with big implications this week, as No. 3 Ohio State and No. 9 Indiana face off, and No. 10 Wisconsin and No. 19 Northwestern also meet.

Each game will make a significant dent in the College Football Playoff and New Year's Six races, particularly with the teams playing significantly shortened seasons.

              

Week 12 College Football TV Schedule and Predictions

• Kentucky at No. 1 Alabama | 4 p.m. | SEC Network

• No. 9  Indiana at No. 3 Ohio State | 12 p.m. | Fox

• No. 4 Clemson at Florida State | 12 p.m. | ABC

• No. 6 Florida at Vanderbilt | 12 p.m. | ESPN

• No. 7 Cincinnati at UCF | 3:30 p.m. | ESPN

• North Alabama at No. 8 BYU | 3 p.m. | ESPN3

• No. 10 Wisconsin at No. 19 Northwestern | 3:30 p.m. | ABC

• UCLA at No. 11 Oregon | TBD

• Mississippi State at No. 13 Georgia | 7:30 p.m. | SEC Network

• No. 14 Oklahoma State at No. 18 Oklahoma | 7:30 p.m. | ABC

• Appalachian State at No. 15 Coastal Carolina | 12 p.m. | ESPN2

• Kansas State at No. 17 Iowa State | 4 p.m. | Fox

• No. 20 USC at Utah | 10:30 p.m. | ESPN

• No. 21 Liberty at North Carolina State | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN3

• Tennessee at No. 23 Auburn | 7 p.m. | ESPN
  

Predictions in bold.

                  

Week 12 Preview

Despite five Top 25 teams—and more than two dozen in total—having games canceled or postponed because of COVID-19-related issues, the weekend isn't short on games with intriguing matchups and storylines.

No. 21 Liberty, playing this season as a Division I Independent, is 8-0 under former Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze, with wins over Syracuse and Virginia Tech.

North Carolina State will likely be the Flames' toughest opponent yet, but it will be another chance for them to show they belong among the best teams in the country.

The JT Daniels era at No. 13 Georgia will finally begin this weekend in Athens after an injury to Stetson Bennett and ineffectiveness by D'Wan Mathis forced the USC transfer into action.

Many around college football expected Daniels would be the starter after Jamie Newman opted out of the season, but the 20-year-old has not meaningful action since tearing his ACL as a member of the Trojans in August 2019.

Speaking of USC, the No. 20 Trojans will look to keep their quest for the Pac-12 Championship Game alive when they face Utah, a team that has yet to play a game this season because of roster issues.

The matchup with the Trojans will be one of just four games they'll play in 2020. USC has looked solid, if spectacular, in its two wins against Arizona and Arizona State.

And finally, the biggest matchup of the weekend will take place in Columbus, where Ohio State takes on college football's biggest surprise this year, Indiana.

The Hoosiers knocked off then-No. 8 Penn State on a last-second touchdown in Week 1, and they've subsequently beaten Rutgers, Michigan and Michigan State by an average of 15.6 points.

They will face a different beast with the Justin Fields-led Buckeyes, though. Ohio State is a legitimate national title contender, and Indiana will need a heroic performance to pull off what would be an enormous upset.

              

Follow Keegan on Twitter, @ByKeeganPope.

Ohio State added one of the country's most prized recruits to its 2022 class, securing a commitment from 5-star quarterback Quinn Ewers on Thursday:

COMMITTED!! #Godsplan pic.twitter.com/7bLQrU8hAz

— Quinn Ewers (@QuinnEwers) November 20, 2020

Ewers is the best pro-style QB and second-best overall player in 247Sports' composite rankings.

The Southlake, Texas, native originally committed to Texas before walking back his decision in October. He explained how he felt he selected the Longhorns before taking a full view of his options and thus wanted to reopen the process:

pic.twitter.com/q0aBYAKhLT

— Quinn Ewers (@QuinnEwers) October 29, 2020

Ewers' decision was a big blow for head coach Tom Herman, who's struggling to make Texas an elite power again. ESPN's Tom VanHaaren subsequently listed the Longhorns as one of five schools having a particularly tough time on the recruiting trail of late, something compounded by Ewers' decommitment:

"It was jarring not only given that Ewers is the top prospect in next year's class, but also because Ewers is an in-state prospect who said it was a dream to play for Texas when he initially committed in August. The next day, ESPN Junior 300 wide receiver Phaizon Wilson, the No. 243-ranked recruit in 2022, decommitted as well."

Some UT fans probably still have memories of the school missing out on Texas native J.T. Barrett, who had a record-breaking career at Ohio State and helped guide the Buckeyes to a national championship.

Ewers enjoyed a prolific sophomore season, throwing for 4,003 yards, 45 touchdowns and three interceptions. As a junior, he has 1,221 yards, 15 touchdowns and two interceptions through four games.

247Sports' Gabe Brooks evaluated Ewers in October and compared him to Indianapolis Colts star Philip Rivers:

"Pro-style QB with athleticism and mobility that qualify for a dual-threat label. Elite improvisational QB who can extend plays and remain accurate on the move. Throws with a smooth, easy delivery and varies arm angles as needed. Impressive velocity and spin rate really show on routes over the middle and down the seams. Field-stretching vertical arm strength to consistently hit big plays over the top. Also shows encouraging touch on timing patterns and downfield routes that require it. Good runner by design or scramble. Understands how to protect himself as a runner and minimize shots. Shows encouraging pocket presence and awareness. Senses pressure and knows how to react to it."

As Brooks wrote, Ewers is listed as a pro-style quarterback, but he has the kind of speed to break off a big play on designed runs when he finds a seam.

Quinn Ewers is just a sophomore?!@QuinnEwers goes 70 yards as Carroll was trying to burn clock for his sixth TD tonight.@SLCAthletics 46, @DentonGuyer_FB 34 | 2:18 Q4 @SportsDayHS #txhsfb pic.twitter.com/DgQeW0BoHn

— Callie Caplan (@CallieCaplan) October 5, 2019

Remember when Carroll trailed 14-0?

Sophomore QB Quinn Ewers (@QuinnEwers) has five TDs since, this one his first on the ground.@SLCAthletics 39, @DentonGuyer_FB 21 | 5:13 Q4 @SportsDayHS #txhsfb pic.twitter.com/T1N5FMjJdL

— Callie Caplan (@CallieCaplan) October 5, 2019

The 6'3", 195-pounder is his most effective on throws down the field. Having the ability to heave it 85 yards is nice, but Ewers also has long-range accuracy.

Southlake Carroll (TX) has had some big-time quarterbacks come through its program and @QuinnEwers is the next great one.

Dude balled out during his sophomore season.

🎥: https://t.co/SQIokCaLHY pic.twitter.com/ak4mBNIfB6

— Zack Poff (@Zack_Poff_MP) January 7, 2020

Nations No. 1 junior & #Texas commits @QuinnEwers back foot under pressure vertical dime vs DeSoto. @EricNahlin @InsideTexas @justinwells2424 pic.twitter.com/UyoIb4mSr0

— Gerry Hamilton (@GHamiltonOTF) September 25, 2020

Power Five programs used to exercise restraint when it came to young quarterbacks. The general thinking was that QBs would need a year or two to adjust to the college level before they could run an offense. That's no longer the case with Trevor Lawrence, Bo Nix, Jayden Daniels, Jake Fromm and Sam Howell among the notable examples of true freshmen taking over as the starter.

Ewers has the skills and poise necessary to contribute right away if head coach Ryan Day wants to hand him the keys.

Ohio State is a natural choice given how well the Buckeyes have developed signal-callers since Day's arrival on the staff in 2017.

Barrett enjoyed his best statistical season under Day in 2017, and Dwayne Haskins Jr. parlayed his one season as the starter into becoming a first-round draft pick. Justin Fields played second fiddle to Fromm at Georgia and almost immediately became a Heisman Trophy contender upon transferring to OSU.

Ewers will have plenty of competition when he arrives in Columbus. The presence of Fields didn't stop Day from making the quarterback position a priority on the recruiting trail. The Buckeyes signed CJ Stroud in 2020 and Kyle McCord for 2021.

Maryland Athletics announced Thursday that Saturday's football game against Michigan State has been canceled and won't be rescheduled because of COVID-19 concerns.

Terrapins head coach Mike Locksley is among the members of the program who've tested positive for the coronavirus. The group also includes 15 players over the past seven days.

"I am gutted for our team and for our fans," Locksley said. "This team is eager to play and compete and continue the growth we've seen this season. This virus is testing our players and coaches right now, but I have no doubt that we will emerge as a stronger unit for having gone through this together. As for me personally, I am feeling strong, with only minor symptoms. I will continue to lead this program virtually, and our game preparations for Indiana will begin immediately."

It's the second straight canceled contest for Maryland. The Terps' clash with third-ranked Ohio State scheduled for last week was also called off after they paused football activities following the initial rise in COVID-19 cases within the program.

The Terrapins' last game was a 35-19 victory over Penn State on Nov. 7 that moved their record to 2-1.

They have three games remaining on their regular-season schedule:

• Nov. 28 at Indiana
• Dec. 5 at Michigan
• Dec. 12 vs. Rutgers

Meanwhile, Michigan State (1-3) is coming off a 24-0 loss to the Hoosiers. This will be its first canceled game amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Spartans get an extra week of preparation as they prepare for back-to-back home games against ranked opponents in No. 19 Northwestern and No. 3 Ohio State, both of whom are currently undefeated.

MSU will finish the regular season with a trip to face Penn State on Dec. 12.

While the coronavirus pandemic led the Big Ten to adjust its 2020 schedule, the delayed start hasn't stopped preseason expectations from coming to fruition. Once again, Wisconsin is the prime challenger to league favorite Ohio State.

However, the route to this familiar spot required a three-week detour. Wisconsin has only played two games because of a coronavirus outbreak within the program. The school—which publicly confirmed 27 cases in an early November press release—rightfully paused the season immediately after it began.

The stoppage cast a cloud of uncertainty on what the team may have a chance to accomplish in 2020. Between hosting Illinois on Oct. 23 and traveling to Michigan last weekend, Wisconsin canceled games with Nebraska and Purdue.

But the Badgers are back. And they look excellent.

Despite a very limited sample, Wisconsin has demanded College Football Playoff attention in those two victories. The earliest returns are incredibly promising.

As always, consider the competition. Illinois has struggled more than expected, and Michigan is a downright disaster. Wisconsin won both games by 38 points.

The reason it's notable, though, is Wisconsin rarely wins so handily over Big Ten competition. During the last three seasons, the Badgers notched 21 conference victories, yet defeated only four opponents by 28-plus points—let alone 38. Margin of victory is not indicative of future wins, but it can help reveal a team's upside.

Unsurprisingly, defense is driving the team's success. That, along with a powerful offensive line, is the program's identity.

Wisconsin surrendered just 16.9 points per game in 2019 and has ceded only 11 points in two contests so far (Illinois scored its only touchdown on a fumble recovery). Illinois and Michigan finished with 218 and 219 yards, respectively.

What has regularly crushed the Badgers on the biggest stage—specifically the Big Ten Championship Game—however, is a scoring attack that simply isn't dangerous enough.

Head coach Paul Chryst is an underrated offensive mind. Some coaches seemingly pick plays at random, but Chryst actually runs an offense. While the foundation is power-run schemes, he mixes in jet sweeps and misdirection while setting up play-action passes (and screens, lots of screens).

Nevertheless, a power-run emphasis—even as the offense has modern elements—is an easy target when it fails in today's spread-dominated era. And sometimes, deservedly so.

But a great quarterback makes an enormous difference.

After two appearances, Graham Mertz isn't suddenly the best quarterback in the country. He's a tremendous fit for what the Badgers want to accomplish, though.

It's true Wisconsin hasn't needed Mertz to push the ball downfield. Through two games, the degree of difficulty on his attempts is generally low. When you can throw the ball five yards and still pick up 15, there's nothing wrong with taking what the defense gives you. And in lopsided games, quarterbacks aren't launching deep passes.

Still, discounting his clean footwork, calm presence and near-impeccable decision-making would be foolish. Mertz's confidence, command and arm talent are obvious—and have translated to 8.7 yards per attempt with seven touchdowns and zero turnovers.

If he sustains this level of performance, the Badgers will finish the six-game regular season unbeaten. Sure, it's half of a normal year, but they play at 4-0 Northwestern, host 4-0 Indiana and travel to Iowa after having two weeks of practice disrupted midseason. That's no small accomplishment.

And it would put Wisconsin on the brink of the CFP.

A final conference victory has eluded the Badgers, who have four losses in the Big Ten title game during the six-year CFP era. Plus, as consistent as the program has been, only in 2017 did Wisconsin truly have a CFP chance when the 12-0 Badgers fell to Ohio State. The team entered the other Big Ten Championship Games (2014, 2016, 2019) at 10-2 each time.

Oddly enough—yet in perfect "2020" fashion—Wisconsin might only need to keep it close in Indianapolis.

At this point in the season, two of the four CFP spots are effectively sealed. The ACC should send its champion (Notre Dame or Clemson), and Alabama is the SEC favorite over Florida. If you project Ohio State to win the Big Ten, that's three.

But if Notre Dame loses to North Carolina and/or is destroyed by a Trevor Lawrence-led Clemson in the ACC Championship Game, the Irish would have a less compelling case. The Big 12 is an Oklahoma State loss away from each of its programs having two-plus letdowns, and the Pac-12—with a similar six-plus-one schedule to Wisconsin, potentially—might not finish with an unbeaten team.

You may be convinced an undefeated Cincinnati or BYU deserves a CFP spot, and that's a relevant discussion. But nobody can say with certainty it will happen. Every year, the CFP selection committee favors one-loss Power Five teams to unbeaten Group of Five schools. Like it or not, that's the committee's preference.

Without question, the Badgers' optimal playoff path is beating Ohio State for the conference crown to cap a 7-0 record. That would leave no room for argument about the team's merit.

Unlike years past, however, Wisconsin has multiple routes to the playoff. If the Badgers thrive in the regular season with a hyped quarterback and elite defense, they'll be in the top-four discussion all the way to Selection Day.

                

Stats from NCAA.com cfbstats.com or B/R research. Follow Bleacher Report CFB writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

The 2020 season hasn't gone according to plan for Michigan, but head coach Jim Harbaugh is maintaining an upbeat mentality. 

"We're not going to slow down; we're never going to stop, and we're not going to feel sorry for ourselves," Harbaugh said on 97.1 The Ticket's The Morning Show with Stoney & Jansen. "And I don't think there's anything to be embarrassed about. You just keep pushing forward. There's some people who think athletic greatness is defined by perfection—it's not. It's defined by overcoming obstacles and adversity."

At this point, Wolverines fans would probably settle for competence rather than greatness.

Last Saturday, Michigan lost 49-11 to Wisconsin, allowing 468 yards to a Badgers squad that hadn't played since Oct. 23. That followed a double-digit defeat to Indiana and a loss to Michigan State, which had to abruptly enter into a transitional phase following Mark Dantonio's resignation in February.

While Michigan hasn't bridged the gap on Ohio State or reached the College Football Playoff, Harbaugh in past years could at least point to a strong baseline in terms of results. The Wolverines got 10 wins in three of his first five seasons.

Now, the program is going backward so quickly that Harbaugh, once hailed as the proverbial prodigal son in Ann Arbor, could be in serious jeopardy, as Stewart Mandel of The Athletic suggested earlier this month.

For understandable reasons, Harbaugh won't use the word "embarrassed" to describe how he feels about the state of the team. The underlying issues in Michigan's performances have been impossible to ignore, however.

Do the Week 12 college football polls look familiar? They should; they're almost identical to last week's, save for a handful of teams moving a couple spots.

The top four of Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Clemson is unchanged, and Texas A&M, Florida, Cincinnati and BYU remain on the cusp of the College Football Playoff with a month left in the regular season. In the Coaches Poll, the top 11 teams remained unchanged. Northwestern, which moved up three spots from No. 23 to No. 20, had the biggest leap of any ranked team.

Tulsa joined the Top 25 in the AP Poll after its upset win over then-No. 19 SMU, and Liberty, now at 8-0, continued its ascent up the polls. With nearly every Top 25 team set to be in action in Week 12, including a handful of matchups featuring two ranked teams, we could see a little more excitement.

As it stands, the teams who would make up the College Football Playoff control their own fate the rest of the season. Alabama, if it wins out, will likely face Florida in the SEC Championship Game, with the winner going to the CFP. It's also possible that if Florida did win that game, Alabama could still find itself in the playoff. Clemson, which lost an overtime heartbreaker to Notre Dame without the services of quarterback Trevor Lawrence, has a chance at revenge in the ACC title game.

If the Tigers win that rematch and Florida beats Alabama, it will be all-out chaos for the No. 4 spot in the playoff. As for Week 12, here are three matchups featuring ranked teams that carry playoff and New Year's Six implications.

                          

Associated Press Top 25 Poll

1. Alabama (60 first-place votes)

2. Notre Dame (1)

3. Ohio State (1)

4. Clemson

5. Texas A&M

6. Florida

7. Cincinnati

8. BYU

9. Indiana

10. Wisconsin

11. Oregon

12. Miami

13. Georgia

14. Oklahoma State

15. Coastal Carolina

15. Marshall

17. Iowa State

18. Oklahoma

19. Northwestern

20. USC

21. Liberty

22. Texas

23. Auburn

24. Louisiana

25. Tulsa

             

Coaches Poll

1. Alabama (57 first-place votes)

2. Notre Dame (3)

3. Ohio State (2)

4. Clemson

5. Florida

6. Texas A&M

7. Cincinnati

8. BYU

9. Miami

10. Indiana

11. Georgia

12. Wisconsin

13. Oregon

14. Oklahoma State

15. Marshall

16. Iowa State

17. Oklahoma

18. Coastal Carolina

19. USC

20. Northwestern

21. Auburn

22. Liberty

23. Texas

24. North Carolina

25. Louisiana

                     

(9) Indiana vs. (3) Ohio State

Had anyone told you that a matchup between Indiana and Ohio State would likely decide which team plays in the Big Ten Championship Game before the start of this season, they would have been promptly mocked. The Hoosiers' Cinderella opening to 2020 is only missing an appearance from Jimmy Chitwood at this point.

Las Vegas doesn't deal in fairy tales, though, and the Buckeyes are 21-point favorites, a shockingly high number for a top-10 matchup. It's unlikely that Indiana could pull off this upset, but it seemed impossible they would beat then-No. 8 Penn State in its first game of the season and send the Nittany Lions into an 0-4 tailspin. Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. will need to summon a bit more magic to compete with Heisman contender Justin Fields, but it's college football after all—chaos happens.

                    

(10) Wisconsin vs. (19) Northwestern

Despite playing just two games so far because of COVID-19-related issues, the Badgers are in prime position to represent the Big Ten West in the league title game. Standing in their way are matchups with this surprising Northwestern squad and Indiana on December 5.

Badgers quarterback Graham Mertz was downright incredible in their season opener, completing 20 of 21 passes for 248 yards and five touchdowns. But it was Wisconsin's running game that stole the show Saturday against Michigan, racking up 341 yards and five touchdowns as the Badgers rolled to a 49-11 demolition of the Wolverines.

Northwestern's offense, meanwhile, hasn't been anything to write home about. Their defense has held every opponent this season to fewer than 21 points, though, and they are averaging just 91.8 rushing yards against, which ranks No. 8 nationally. When an immovable object meets an unstoppable force, something has to give. We'll see which one it is Saturday.

                

(14) Oklahoma State vs. (18) Oklahoma

The game they call Bedlam is often reserved for the final week of the season, but nothing has been typical about 2020. That includes the Sooners' early-season struggles—a pair of consecutive losses to Kansas State and Iowa State—that have Oklahoma looking up in the standings at their archrivals.

Sooners quarterback Spencer Rattler seems to have settled into his role as the offensive leader, and OU has won four straight, including a 62-9 drubbing of Kansas on Nov. 7.

As it stands, Oklahoma State sits a game ahead of the Sooners in the Big 12 standings and would face No. 16 Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship Game if the season ended today. If OU can knock off the Cowboys and win out the rest of the year, it will likely have a rematch with the Cyclones in the title game. If not, the Sooners will fall a full two games behind and have virtually no shot at securing the conference's automatic New Year's Six bid.

            

Follow Keegan on Twitter, @ByKeeganPope.

The Michigan Wolverines football program has dropped three straight games capped by a 49-11 home loss to No. 13 Wisconsin on Saturday. Michigan trailed 28-0 at halftime and had minus-four yards in the first quarter.

After the game, head coach Jim Harbaugh provided an assessment of his team's latest defeat and the current state of the program.

"We were thoroughly beaten in every phase, really did not do anything well," Harbaugh told reporters.

"Did not play good, did not coach good. Not in a good place with the execution, not in a good place with adjusting. ... Not a good place as a football team right now, and that falls on me."

"We've got to evaluate all things, everything that we're doing," Harbaugh added.

The Wolverines were ranked No. 13 in the Associated Press poll after winning their opening game over Minnesota, but Michigan has lost its last three games by a combined score of 114-56. Now Michigan is in danger of finishing last in the Big Ten for the first time since 1962.

Michigan has four regular-season games remaining against Rutgers, Penn State, Maryland and Ohio State. The rebuilding Rutgers program is 1-3, while Penn State sits at a stunning 0-4 after beginning the year No. 8 in the AP poll. The 2-1 Terrapins have produced an explosive offense this year, and Ohio State is a national title contender.

Chances are this season will end with Michigan posting a losing record for the first time since 2014, which marked Brady Hoke's last season in Ann Arbor. Harbaugh took over in 2015 and has led the Wolverines to three 10-win campaigns, but Michigan is on track for its worst season yet in his era.