College football week 14 is in the books. After every week fans can take away things from what happened on the field. Here are five things learned from college football week 14.
1. Virginia Ended the Streak Against Virginia Tech
Although they are considered rivals, Virginia hadn’t won a game over Virginia Tech since 2003. They have come close over the last several years, but have been unable to breakthrough. Signing Bronco Mendenhall as their head coach has taken their program to another level and getting Bryce Perkins at quarterback has helped as well.
Behind the great play of Perkins, who had 475 yards of total offense and three touchdowns. It took a lot of running by Perkins in the first half and a lot of passing in the second half, but they finally defeated their rival. Now, the Cavaliers have to prep to play Clemson in the ACC Championship Game.
2. Cincinnati and Memphis Will Rematch for the AAC Championship
On Friday, Cincinnati and Memphis played in Memphis with big stakes on the line. Cincinnati had already secured their spot in the AAC Championship, but Memphis needed to win, or have Navy lose, to qualify. They took care of business, which means that Cincinnati will travel back to Memphis to play against the Tigers in the AAC Championship Game.
Memphis had a successful day because of all-purpose player Damonte Coxie. He finished the game with 145 receiving yards and a touchdown. The Tigers got their high-powered offense rolling and Cincinnati will now need to figure out how to stop it for this week.
3. Wisconsin Gets a Rematch With Ohio State
Earlier this season, Ohio State dominated Wisconsin and got a big win. The Buckeyes have gone on the rest of the season without being beaten. That includes their victory over Michigan this weekend. Ohio State came ready to play for the 12th consecutive game and won 56-27. They already qualified for the Big Ten Championship, but now know who they play.
Wisconsin won their big rivalry game against Minnesota to make it to the Big Ten Championship. In a snowstorm, the Badgers relied on their passing game to get the win. Jack Coan passed for 280 yards and two touchdowns to help lead the team to victory. Coan will likely need to have another big game to give Wisconsin a shot to win against Ohio State.
4. Alabama is Out of the CFP
The Iron Bowl is always one of the best games of rivalry week and this year didn’t disappoint. Auburn won in a high-scoring affair, 48-45. The Tigers passed for 173 yards and rushed for 181 for a balanced attack. They didn’t gain a lot of yards, but made the most of their opportunities. Alabama missed a game-tying field goal, which cost them a shot at overtime.
Alabama was ranked fifth before the week, but will surely drop in the rankings now. This will be the first time that the Crimson Tide aren’t in the College Football Playoff since its inception. Nick Saban will surely rebound, but for now they can get ready for a New Year’s Six Bowl Game.
5. The Last Spot in the CFP is Down to Utah, Oklahoma, Georgia and Baylor
With Alabama and Minnesota losing this weekend, the CFP race for the last spot is down to Utah, Oklahoma and Georgia. Utah won by a wide margin over Colorado. Georgia had the same result over their rival Georgia Tech. Oklahoma had a tough game, but won over Oklahoma State, setting the stage for a wild debate in the last few weeks. Baylor beat Kansas without much trouble.
This week, Oklahoma plays Baylor in the Big 12 Championship. Utah will face Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Georgia needs to pull off an upset over LSU to make the CFP. No one knows how the committee will rank the wins this week or next, making for an exciting finish to the season.
Make sure to check out our college football page for more updates and rankings.
You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers!