It is a little early in the day to make too many observations. However, on a Saturday when teams not named the Arkansas Razorbacks are being observed:
A. The way No. 2 Cincinnati played against Tulane showed that the Bearcats are not a College Football Playoff team. Yes, Cincinnati is undefeated and beat Notre Dame earlier in the season, but the game against the now 1-7 Green Wave wasn’t decided until late.
B. Michigan’s game against Michigan State game was fun to watch, but neither of these teams could win the Eastern or Western Division of the Southeastern Conference.
C. This is going online today before we know the outcome of Oklahoma’s game against Texas Tech. But last week’s game against Kansas — the worst football program in the Power 5, and one that wouldn’t even be competitive this year in the Sun Belt — shows that the Sooners have some work to do. Going undefeated in the Big 12, provided Oklahoma beats Oklahoma State, should not automatically qualify a team for the playoffs.
D. Even if Alabama loses to Georgia in the SEC Championship and finishes the regular season 10-2, the Crimson Tide still deserves to be in the playoffs. They are just that good. I’ve got as much Crimson Tide fatigue as anyone, almost as much fatigue as for covid-19, but they are one of the best four teams in the country.
E. Oregon isn’t getting enough respect. The Ducks beat Ohio State in Columbus. They lost to Stanford, but there was a reason: Ducks defensive coordinator Joe Moorhead made the trip but not the game. He was in hospital having emergency surgery.
More on all of this in Sunday’s column in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.