NCAA football Week 10 recap

The GIST: The college football season may be on its downward slope, but the excitement’s ramping up. Week 10 saw two (!!!) undefeated squads fall, leaving just four teams in the 9-0 club. Here are a few others who understood Saturday’s assignment.

Going for broke: LSU head coach (HC) Brian Kelly showed why Tiger Stadium’s moniker is Death Valley, calling a do-or-die two-point conversion to beat now–No. 10 Alabama 32–31 in overtime. The win sparked emotion, while earning LSU the top spot in the SEC West and an eight-spot poll jump to No. 7.

• Dynasty Bama failed to defend against swift-footed Tiger quarterback (QB) Jayden Daniels and bagged their first two-plus loss season since 2019. Looks like the Tide’s on its way out.

Clemson and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day: You know it was rough when the HC calls it “an ass-kicking.” From now–No. 20 Notre Dame’s first blocked punt touchdown (TD) to now–No. 12 Clemson’s QB1 DJ Uiagalelei’s (pronounced oo-ee-ANH-gah-leh-lay) second benching of the season, the Tigers’ loss on Saturday was brutal.

• Clemson’s only consolation? They didn’t throw in the towel. It’s no pot o’ gold, but after going down 28–0 in the fourth quarter, the Tigers used the game’s waning minutes to notch a more respectable 35–14 scoreline.

The early bird gets a bowl berth: Except for undefeated No. 4 TCU, the Big 12 continues to lean into its Katy Perry season as the Kansas Jayhawks and now-unranked Oklahoma State Cowboys swapped hot and cold temps in their matchup this week. Kansas’ 351 rushing yards — 224 of them thanks to running back (RB) Devin Neal — ensured their 37–16 dub.

• Notching their sixth season win didn’t just snap Kansas’ three-game losing streak, it also launched Kansas into bowl eligibility for the first time since 2008. Still not sure that’s enough reason to fell some goalposts, though.

No fourth down for you: The noticeably thin — but absolutely warranted — Michigan State defense allowed 441 yards on Saturday. But the Spartans came through on five of now–No. 21 Illinois’ six fourth down attempts to seal the 23–15 W and end the Illini’s six-game win streak. Sparty on.

• Although Illinois HC Bret Bielema claimed injured MSU athletes were acting for Oscars and causing tempo disruption, the Illini also struggled with windy weather that contributed to their five turnovers and a fumble.

Fun fact: Saturday made football history as SMU’s 77–63 win over Houston became the highest-scoring regulation game in the FBS. SMU QB Tanner Mordecai’s nine TD passes and Houston QB Clayton Tune’s seven also combined to set an FBS single-game record. Guess everything is bigger in Texas.