Around CFB: Mediocrity amidst the Big Ten, big games in week four

Let’s play “Name That Conference.”

Here are the clues.

It’s a “Power 5” football conference.
Its name doesn’t fit its number.
It features a national power and a few has-beens but is overall quite mediocre.
Perhaps the worst team in a major conference resides there.

No, it isn’t the Big 12. But don’t be discouraged if you did not provide the correct answer, which is the Big Ten.

Those two conferences are getting harder to separate. Indeed, they are like conjoined twins attached at Iowa. They both struggle with numerology — The Big 12 has 10 members, the Big Ten has 14 — and non-conference opponents. 

© Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas defeated Rutgers 55-14 on Saturday. 

The Big Ten is coming off a dismal week of non-conference games in which No. 6 Wisconsin lost to BYU, Nebraska fell to Troy, Maryland was blown out by Temple, Illinois lost to South Florida, Rutgers was annihilated 55-14 by Kansas (yes, Kansas) and Northwestern blew a 21-3 halftime lead and fell 39-34 to Akron. It was Akron’s first win over a Big Ten opponent since 1894. Hey, any team can have an off century.

Those pratfalls came just one week after Purdue lost to Eastern Michigan. It was only the second win over a “Power Five” opponent in Eastern Michigan history. The first was last year over Rutgers.

The Big Ten is currently 6-6 against in non-conference games against “Power 5” opponents.

That’s not to imply there aren’t good teams in the Big Ten.

Wisconsin was overrated, but still a solid team. So is Penn State. Michigan and Michigan State might prove to be good. Unbeaten Indiana could surprise.

But overall, Ohio State is driving the Big Ten train.

Or maybe it’s an ambulance.

Heisman Watch

Dwayne Haskins, Ohio State, QB: Finally played a respectable opponent and responded by passing for 344 yards and two touchdowns in a 40-28 victory over TCU. Thus far he’s passed for 890 yards and 11 touchdowns with just 1 interception.

Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama, QB: Tagavailoa has not thrown more than 19 passes in a game, but he hasn’t had to throw more often. Eight of his 36 completions have resulted in touchdowns — an average of a score for 4.5 completions. He still needs to excel against a solid defense. That opportunity comes on Saturday. Overall, he’s thrown for 646 yards, 8 touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Kellen Mond, Texas A&M, QB: His 430-yard, 3-touchdown effort against Clemson is arguably the best individual performance in the nation so far this season. He followed that up with an efficient showing against Louisiana-Monroe in which he passed for a touchdown and ran for two more. Overall, he’s thrown for 824 yards, 6 touchdowns, and no interceptions.

Will Grier, West Virginia, QB: Hurricane Florence forced the cancelation of the Mountaineers’ game with North Carolina State, so Grier was unable to build on his fast start. He has passed for 761 yards and nine touchdowns while completing 76.7 percent of his attempts.

Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin, RB: Though held to 117 rushing yards in a 24-21 loss to BYU, Taylor remains the nation’s second-leading rusher with 515 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

Predicted playoff participants

1, Alabama: Unbeaten, but next facing Texas A&M — the Tide’s most challenging opponent thus far. The next four opponents are woefully overmatched.

2, Ohio State: Coming off an impressive victory over TCU and coach Urban Meyer is back on the sidelines.

3, Clemson: The Tigers figure to cruise through the mediocre ACC. South Carolina appears their strongest remaining opponent.

4, Georgia: Hammered South Carolina, 41-17.

This week’s best games

* Stanford at Oregon: Not long ago this series decided the Pac-12 North. Now, it will decide Washington’s chief rival in the division.

* Alabama at Texas A&M: The top-ranked Tide has not yet been tested. The Aggies have. This typically competitive clash will tell a lot about both teams.

* Georgia at Missouri: If any team in the SEC East can challenge Georgia it might be Missouri and QB Drew Lock.

* Mississippi State at Kentucky: Not that long ago this matchup might have decided which team would not go winless in SEC play. Now, it’s another opportunity for both to further validate their unbeaten records.

* Michigan State at Indiana: Did anyone notice Michigan State is still ranked and Indiana is still unbeaten? Didn’t think so. The Spartans are trying to show that their loss to Arizona State was luck. The Hoosiers want to show their three wins aren’t.

Idle thoughts

(aka snark-a-palooza)

• Consecutive losses to Colorado State and North Texas? Henceforth, Arkansas should be listed in the SEC standings as “OurKansas.”
• There was no air conditioning for last week’s Syracuse-Florida State game in the Carrier Dome — a stadium named for an air conditioning company. Anyone else see the irony in that?
• Quick. Who’s the head coach at Troy? It’s Neal Brown, who figures to be a prime target in this year’s “Power 5” coaching searches. In two seasons he, who has led the Trojans to wins at LSU and Nebraska last week. Troy posted 10 wins in ’16, 11 last season and is off to a 2-1 start this year.
• These days Texas should heartily celebrate any win — even one over very average USC. TCU provides a much better test to show whether Texas is back or back to the drawing board.
• Inept offense has Florida State fans angry at coach Willie Taggart. The Seminoles have managed 10 total points against FBS competition (Virginia Tech and Syracuse) and there may be no relief coming. The Seminoles next face Northern Illinois, which in its last two games allowed 17 points to Utah and 16 to Central Michigan.