"Spots in the rankings can be tenuous, as Washington, Memphis, Iowa and ACC contenders Virginia and Louisville found out the hard way Saturday. Even teams much higher in the rankings, such as Oregon and Vanderbilt, came away from narrow wins with areas to clean up for the all-important games ahead. BYU certainly has things to assess on offense after being held to seven points and only 67 net rushing yards in its first loss of the season, at Texas Tech."
"The biggest question facing the Buckeyes is whether they can earn the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff along with a first-round bye. Ohio State can all but clinch a bye by ending its four-game losing streak against Michigan. After that, the Buckeyes can pretty much wrap up the No. 1 seed by winning the Big Ten championship game, presumably over No. 2 Indiana."
By mid-November most college football teams are largely defined, yet top-25 squads still have specific areas to sharpen for the stretch run. Rankings remain tenuous after recent upsets and narrow wins exposed weaknesses for teams such as Washington, Memphis, Iowa, Virginia, Louisville, Oregon and Vanderbilt. Offensive struggles were notable — BYU managed seven points and 67 net rushing yards in its first loss. Common focal points include player health at key positions, third-down defense, special teams execution, and red-zone efficiency. Playoff seeding dynamics hinge on late-season results, with Ohio State needing a win over Michigan and a conference title to secure top positioning.
Read at ESPN.com
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